Hearing footsteps behind him, he assumed the ladies had cleared out to go practice. He knew it was true when he heard one of them screaming in Spanish down the hall at Essa Rios. That was why the tap on his shoulder made him jump so high he spilt his coffee. "Damnit!" he cursed.
The verbal blonde took a step back. "Sorry. Chris Irvine, right?"
"Obviously," he retorted, cleaning his shirt the best he could with some napkins. He stopped to look at her. "Did you want something, or was your whole plan to make me spill hot coffee all over myself."
"I said I was sorry, don't be such an asshole about it." She sighed. "I was going to ask if you wanted to maybe go clubbing with me after the show, but you know what, you can forget it. Tool," she spat, walking off.
Chris dropped his arms to his sides and harrumphed. That had never happened before. He had never been rejected, especially if he didn't even do the asking. He wanted to shrug it off, but for some weird reason, he couldn't.
Maybe Jason knew something about her. He had seen Jay hanging around the Squad a lot, flirting. That was all Jason did, flirt. He shook his head, clearing his mind of the thoughts. Why did he care? He didn't need to know anything. Did he really want to know? Well, maybe just her name.
Must be your skin that I'm sinking in,
Must be for real cause now I can feel.
I didn't mind,
It's not my kind,
It's not my time to wonder why.
Everything's gone white,
Everything's grey.
Now you're here,
Now you're away.
I don't want this,
Remember that.
I'll never forget where you're at.
Don't let the days go by...
Glycerine.
Chris winced at the shrieking in his ears. A herd of teenage girls surrounded him. These were some of his fans. He spent too much time signing autographs before entering the arena. His ears were still ringing from the high-pitched squeals of "Y2J! Jericho, I love you!" and the such. To a normal person it sounded great, but Chris heard it all too often.
"Yo Irvine!" It was Jason.
"Hey man, you get mobbed, too?"
"Of course. How crazy are the fans, wow. I thought they were going to suffocate you."
"Let me tell you, they came pretty damn close."
Jay chuckled. "I heard you've got an admirer in the Fed...?"
"Do I? Oh, you mean that jobber girl. Not anymore I don't think. She called me an asshole and a tool." Chris shrugged. "What do you know about her anyway?"
"What's it to you?"
"Man, please, I just spent a weekend all alone in Manitoba, dying of boredom, the least you can do is give me a name."
"All right. Her name's Megan James, we all call her Meg. She lives in Connecticut with the other two Squad girls." He paused to think. "D'you know Havyn Edwards?"
Chris scoffed. "Who doesn't?"
"The girls live in her old place, it's very nice. I stay there sometimes," he added almost proudly. "I believe that's all I'm at liberty to tell you. Anything else you want to know, you need to ask her...or Amy, she might spill." Jay grinned, enjoying the power he had over Chris with his knowledge.
I'm never alone,
I'm alone all the time.
Are you at one,
Or do you lie?
We live in a wheel,
Where everyone steals,
But when we rise it's like strawberry fields.
"Hey Meg!" Chris called. She didn't answer him and he realized she had headphones on. He climbed into the ring next to her; just watching her practice what seemed to be a Tae-Bo routine. She was completely involved in her exercise and didn't notice him beside her until her fist came in contact with his jaw.
"Ow!" he yelped.
Meg pulled her headphones off and flexed her fingers. "Why are you here? Want to yell at me some more for things that aren't my fault?"
Chris rubbed his chin. That was going to leave a mark. "Actually I wanted to apologize for last week. I haven't been having the best week...er, month...okay, couple of months. I could've been nicer, it's just hard to adjust to new kids around here."
She cracked a smile.
"I spent some time thinking, and I talked to Jay and Amy. I'm flattered that you wanted to ask me out, but you're only twenty. I'm thirty-one. That's a huge age difference."
Meg shrugged. "I've known of worse."
"I don't know... it just seems a little weird to me."
She looked around and then suddenly kissed him forcefully. "Maybe you're right," she said quietly, leaving him stunned in the ring.
Chris cursed silently. If he wanted to know about her before, now he wasn't going to be able to think of much else. What was wrong with him?
I treated you bad,
You bruise my face.
Couldn't love you more,
You've got a beautiful taste.
Don't let the days go by...
Could've been easier on you,
I couldn't change though I wanted to.
Should've been easier the three,
Our old friend fear and you and me.
Glycerine, glycerine.
Don't let the days go by...
Glycerine.
Get out of my head! Chris rolled over in bed again. He hadn't slept in a few days, and when he did, his dreams were all of what could have been. He admitted to himself that he was a jerk and an asshole and a tool. He was all the things she had called him, and he still thought of her.
He wasn't even distracted by ring rats. Eleven years was a big difference...but she didn't seem to care. Did he? No, he didn't, it was just an excuse. His last relationship had turned sour and he was making up excuses to stay out of another one. He had a gut feeling this one couldn't go wrong though.
Chris checked the clock, 3AM. He got out of bed and got dressed, stuffing his hotel room key into his jean pocket. Heading down to the front desk, he found out what room Meg was in and went straight there. She answered the door, still half asleep. She grumbled a greeting and waited for him to speak.
"I'm stupid," he said simply. "I'm sorry. Us...does that still exist? I mean..."
She smiled and nodded. "Yes, Chris. Come on in and don't be stupid anymore, and I might not kill you for waking me up at three in the morning."
"You're so sweet," he said jokingly.
I needed you more,
When we wanted us less.
I could not kiss, just regress.
Clear, simple and plain,
That's just fine,
That's just one of my names.
Don't let the days go by...
Could've been easier on you,
Glycerine.