Drawing back, Chris couldn't help thinking back to all those years ago and regretting, not for the first time, his actions. "You do know I'm sorry, don't you?"
# /And it's been a while since I could look at myself straight/ And it's been a while since I said I'm sorry/ #
Instantly knowing what he was referring to, Shannon simply nodded. "Yeah, I know. I never thought it was your fault anyway, but you still apologised often enough!"
"It seems so long ago, doesn't it?"
"Sometimes." said Shannon without really meaning to, giving herself a little shake afterwards. "Uh, can we go back to my interview, please?" she asked, turning her tape recorder back on.
"Suppose so." he smiled, "But actually, there is something else I wanted to ask you."
"Go on then." she consented.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." he warned, "You and Billy - how long has that been going on?"
"Why do you want to know?" she asked suspiciously.
"Just curious, I guess. Well?"
"Not long, maybe a month."
"Don't you know exactly?" he said, a little surprised, "I thought the guys were the ones who were supposed to forget all those important little details like anniversaries."
"So I'm not good with dates - sue me!"
"I still remember ours." he admitted.
"September, twenty-fourth." they said together, staring at each other in surprise.
"I thought the guys were meant to forget." she said almost accusingly.
"Never did like stereotyping. Anyway, I thought YOU weren't good with dates." said Chris, as Shannon merely shrugged in response. "So, would it be stupid to ask if it was serious?"
"Considering he doesn't even trust me, it would probably be VERY stupid." said Shannon bitterly.
"How doesn't he trust you?"
"He knows about ..... us. He didn't want me to come here today." she confessed unhappily, "If he can't even trust me ....."
Chris saw the pain in her eyes and immediately began to feel guilty. He reached out to lay a hand on her shoulder. "Are you going to be okay?" he asked worriedly.
"What? Oh, yeah! It's nothing like that, he's just being a jealous, paranoid PIG!" she declared angrily, but biting back a little sob.
"I'd hate to hear you if you didn't like him!" grinned Chris in amusement, feeling somewhat relieved when she gave him a little lopsided smile in return.
"I guess it doesn't really have much of a future." she said, admitting it for the first time, more to herself than to anyone else.
"His loss."
"That's debatable."
"DON'T!" Chris all but snapped, surprising them both. "Don't talk like that. If he can't see when he's got a good thing, then he doesn't deserve you. Don't let him EVER make you doubt that."
# /And it's been a while since I've seen the way the candles light your face/ And it's been a while but I can still remember just the way you taste/ #
By this stage, Chris had rested both hands on Shannon's shoulders and now, he reached out and, with one finger beneath her chin, tilted her head up so she was looking straight at him. He looked deep into her luminous green eyes as they roamed across his face and then he leaned in towards her.
"Chris ....." she began, but her words were cut off as he kissed her softly. "Chris, I really can't ....." she tried again, turning to go.
Aware of nothing but the fact that he couldn't let her go back to someone who didn't appreciate her, he rashly grabbed her arm, spinning her back towards him to kiss her again. Shannon's hands flew to his chest to push him away, but her few seconds of hesitation proved to be her undoing. As he kissed her, old memories which had been pushed to the back of her mind came flooding back, washing over her in waves. Not without some misgivings, her hands slowly slid up over his shoulders to link behind his neck as she kissed him back.
As her mind suddenly registered the exact consequences of what she was doing, Shannon broke away from him hastily. "Oh, God!" she gasped, her eyes wide with dismay, "What the hell am I DOING? I can't - this isn't fair on anyone! I have to get out of here."
"Shannon, don't go ....."
"Chris, let go of me. This was a REALLY bad idea ..... I ..... I shouldn't have come." she said, pulling back and walking backwards away, before turning and breaking into a run.
"Shannon, come back! WAIT! I'm ....." he yelled after her, but she was gone, "..... sorry! DAMN!"
# /And it's been a while since I could hold my head up high/ And it's been a while since I said I'm sorry/ #
*****