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It was growing relatively dark and cold, and Rogue shivered slightly. The next instant, she felt Bobby's jacket placed firmly about her shoulders. Rogue thanked him quietly, wondering to herself just how many acts of chivalry he planned to commit before the end of the day.
"Rogue, I want to tell you something..," Bobby said seriously. Rogue stopped, at the tone in his voice. This had to be the first time all day he'd been serious. Even more than the kids, Bobby had had enjoyed the carnival most of all. He was excellent with the children, Rogue admitted to herself, charming them with magic tricks and jokes that made even her giggle. The more she wanted to deny it, the less she was able to: Bobby, with all his corny jokes and cheeky humor was growing on her. Rogue had tried desperately to deny it. After all, this was BOBBY. She couldn't actually be dumb enough to think they could have a relationship, especially with the kind of track record he had. Bobby was famous for having a series of short, meaningless romances, with silly girls who expected nothing more from him.
Rogue knew she wasn't like that. She had never fallen in love, and had only 1 crush. It had been when she was 14, and had ended in disaster. The first boy she had kissed had ended up in a coma. She was tough to everyone, but knew she was too vulnerable inside, to leave her heart open to him.
"Um, what is it?" Rogue heard herself asking, despite her inner monologue. Something in his eyes startled her and made her feel warm and shaky inside. She knew if she heard what he had to say she'd be lost, and her resolve to remain just friends with him would disappear.
Rogue was saved from his answer by the children's loud complaints for food. Bobby sighed. "Sure, almost all the vendors are closing up, but I think the hot dog stand is open for another 15 minutes," Rogue said quickly, avoiding Bobby's intense gaze, and dashing off to get the food.
Bobby joined her minutes later, helping her hand out the hot dog, and aiding the children in putting on their sweaters. After a second he turned to her, the same serious look returning to his sparkling blue eyes. Rogue felt her stomach flip and she struggled to get a hold of herself. Desperation filled her as she realized she knew what he was going to say.
"Ooh, cotton candy!" a little girl named Andrea squealed, startling the vendor who was trying to lock up. Rogue flashed Bobby an apologetic look and chased after the little girl, relieved. She managed to convince the vendor to sell them one more. When she got back, Bobby took her hand firmly in his.
Rogue felt ridiculously giddy. Okay, calm Rogue. You are not supposed to be feeling like this, Rogue told herself sternly. "Rogue, we really need to talk, here come with me," Bobby said, pointing to the direction of the haunted house.
"It's probably closed, I mean, the carnival is almost over anyways. Besides, we can't leave the kids alone," Rogue protested. But Bobby looked determined to have his talk. His eyes latched onto Kurt who was stumbling by, looking miserable.
"Bobby, no," Rogue warned. But Bobby had already dashed off.
"Kurt, I'm going to show Rogue the haunted house. Can you load the kids into the bus? If we run a little late, we'll just catch the next bus, okay? Thanks," Bobby finished in a rush, depositing the kids at Kurt's feet and running back to Rogue. Kurt looked bewildered.
"Hey, wait a second!" Kurt protested, when he realized what had happened. But Bobby had already grabbed Rogue's gloved hand and was leading her away.
Rogue sighed, muffling back a giggle at the glare the usually good- humored Kurt shot them.
Bobby rushed them to the entrance of the haunted house, to find the man locking the door. "Wait, wait a second. Can we please just go in there?" Bobby asked pleadingly. The man frowned.
"The carnival's closing in 10 minutes and I have to get home, sorry kids," the man said. But Bobby was insistent. Rogue hid a smile. Bobby's fascination with haunted houses was so childish it was almost endearing.
"Please, you can go home. We'll close up for you. We don't come here very often," Bobby pleaded. The man hesitated, than smiled relenting.
"Alright, here's the key to get out, have a good night," the man said, handing over a small golden key to Bobby and walking off.
They entered the dark enclosed space, and the door shut and locked behind them with a click. Rogue grimaced at the cobwebs. "Ugh, I never got the appeal of haunted houses. They're so creepy, I don't really like the dark."
"Actually, I'm not too crazy about them either..I just wanted to talk to you alone, it seems this was the only place I could find," Bobby said, flashing a cheeky grin at her. Rogue was glad it was too dark for him to see her blush. "I guess what I wanted to say was..I like you, Rogue. A lot."
Rogue closed her eyes, feeling the conflicted emotions well up in her. "I'm-I'm flattered, Bobby, really I am. But, the most we could ever be is friends," Rogue said, feeling the words stick in her throat.
"Why?" was Bobby's quiet response.
"I just don't feel the same about you," Rogue lied, feeling horrible. I'm doing what's best for both of us, Rogue tried to tell herself. In a few weeks, Bobby would thank her and realize that they were too different to be ever end up together.
"I don't think that's true, Rogue," Bobby said finally, breaking the silence between them. "I just think you're afraid to try."
"That's not true!" Rogue said hotly, feeling annoyed at how accurately he'd pinpointed her emotions.
"It is! You have to understand I care about you, I won't hurt you," Bobby said, his eyes warm in the darkness. Rogue had to force herself to turn away. She couldn't hear this. Not now.
"Look, it wouldn't work out. Now, you wanted to talk. And now we have, so I'm leaving," Rogue said stubbornly and tried to stalk away. Bobby took her wrist firmly but gently. Rogue tried to wrench her arm away, and succeeded in toppling backward into him, knocking them both into the row of cardboard boxes stacked in the side. Rogue got up, trying not to notice how wonderful it felt to be nestled under Bobby's chin, with his arms around her...
Rogue was on her feet instantly, fighting the heat in her cheeks. Bobby stood up as well. "Rogue please, listen to me."
"Look, you don't understand. You couldn't possibly. Now let me go," Rogue said, horrified to feel her eyes prick with tears. Bobby sighed.
"Fine," Bobby said, reaching into his pocket. Rogue waited, avoiding his eyes. After a few minutes, she looked up to see an anxious expression on Bobby's face.
"What's wrong?" Rogue demanded worriedly.
Bobby emptied his pockets frantically and looked up to meet her eyes. "The key is gone."
It was growing relatively dark and cold, and Rogue shivered slightly. The next instant, she felt Bobby's jacket placed firmly about her shoulders. Rogue thanked him quietly, wondering to herself just how many acts of chivalry he planned to commit before the end of the day.
"Rogue, I want to tell you something..," Bobby said seriously. Rogue stopped, at the tone in his voice. This had to be the first time all day he'd been serious. Even more than the kids, Bobby had had enjoyed the carnival most of all. He was excellent with the children, Rogue admitted to herself, charming them with magic tricks and jokes that made even her giggle. The more she wanted to deny it, the less she was able to: Bobby, with all his corny jokes and cheeky humor was growing on her. Rogue had tried desperately to deny it. After all, this was BOBBY. She couldn't actually be dumb enough to think they could have a relationship, especially with the kind of track record he had. Bobby was famous for having a series of short, meaningless romances, with silly girls who expected nothing more from him.
Rogue knew she wasn't like that. She had never fallen in love, and had only 1 crush. It had been when she was 14, and had ended in disaster. The first boy she had kissed had ended up in a coma. She was tough to everyone, but knew she was too vulnerable inside, to leave her heart open to him.
"Um, what is it?" Rogue heard herself asking, despite her inner monologue. Something in his eyes startled her and made her feel warm and shaky inside. She knew if she heard what he had to say she'd be lost, and her resolve to remain just friends with him would disappear.
Rogue was saved from his answer by the children's loud complaints for food. Bobby sighed. "Sure, almost all the vendors are closing up, but I think the hot dog stand is open for another 15 minutes," Rogue said quickly, avoiding Bobby's intense gaze, and dashing off to get the food.
Bobby joined her minutes later, helping her hand out the hot dog, and aiding the children in putting on their sweaters. After a second he turned to her, the same serious look returning to his sparkling blue eyes. Rogue felt her stomach flip and she struggled to get a hold of herself. Desperation filled her as she realized she knew what he was going to say.
"Ooh, cotton candy!" a little girl named Andrea squealed, startling the vendor who was trying to lock up. Rogue flashed Bobby an apologetic look and chased after the little girl, relieved. She managed to convince the vendor to sell them one more. When she got back, Bobby took her hand firmly in his.
Rogue felt ridiculously giddy. Okay, calm Rogue. You are not supposed to be feeling like this, Rogue told herself sternly. "Rogue, we really need to talk, here come with me," Bobby said, pointing to the direction of the haunted house.
"It's probably closed, I mean, the carnival is almost over anyways. Besides, we can't leave the kids alone," Rogue protested. But Bobby looked determined to have his talk. His eyes latched onto Kurt who was stumbling by, looking miserable.
"Bobby, no," Rogue warned. But Bobby had already dashed off.
"Kurt, I'm going to show Rogue the haunted house. Can you load the kids into the bus? If we run a little late, we'll just catch the next bus, okay? Thanks," Bobby finished in a rush, depositing the kids at Kurt's feet and running back to Rogue. Kurt looked bewildered.
"Hey, wait a second!" Kurt protested, when he realized what had happened. But Bobby had already grabbed Rogue's gloved hand and was leading her away.
Rogue sighed, muffling back a giggle at the glare the usually good- humored Kurt shot them.
Bobby rushed them to the entrance of the haunted house, to find the man locking the door. "Wait, wait a second. Can we please just go in there?" Bobby asked pleadingly. The man frowned.
"The carnival's closing in 10 minutes and I have to get home, sorry kids," the man said. But Bobby was insistent. Rogue hid a smile. Bobby's fascination with haunted houses was so childish it was almost endearing.
"Please, you can go home. We'll close up for you. We don't come here very often," Bobby pleaded. The man hesitated, than smiled relenting.
"Alright, here's the key to get out, have a good night," the man said, handing over a small golden key to Bobby and walking off.
They entered the dark enclosed space, and the door shut and locked behind them with a click. Rogue grimaced at the cobwebs. "Ugh, I never got the appeal of haunted houses. They're so creepy, I don't really like the dark."
"Actually, I'm not too crazy about them either..I just wanted to talk to you alone, it seems this was the only place I could find," Bobby said, flashing a cheeky grin at her. Rogue was glad it was too dark for him to see her blush. "I guess what I wanted to say was..I like you, Rogue. A lot."
Rogue closed her eyes, feeling the conflicted emotions well up in her. "I'm-I'm flattered, Bobby, really I am. But, the most we could ever be is friends," Rogue said, feeling the words stick in her throat.
"Why?" was Bobby's quiet response.
"I just don't feel the same about you," Rogue lied, feeling horrible. I'm doing what's best for both of us, Rogue tried to tell herself. In a few weeks, Bobby would thank her and realize that they were too different to be ever end up together.
"I don't think that's true, Rogue," Bobby said finally, breaking the silence between them. "I just think you're afraid to try."
"That's not true!" Rogue said hotly, feeling annoyed at how accurately he'd pinpointed her emotions.
"It is! You have to understand I care about you, I won't hurt you," Bobby said, his eyes warm in the darkness. Rogue had to force herself to turn away. She couldn't hear this. Not now.
"Look, it wouldn't work out. Now, you wanted to talk. And now we have, so I'm leaving," Rogue said stubbornly and tried to stalk away. Bobby took her wrist firmly but gently. Rogue tried to wrench her arm away, and succeeded in toppling backward into him, knocking them both into the row of cardboard boxes stacked in the side. Rogue got up, trying not to notice how wonderful it felt to be nestled under Bobby's chin, with his arms around her...
Rogue was on her feet instantly, fighting the heat in her cheeks. Bobby stood up as well. "Rogue please, listen to me."
"Look, you don't understand. You couldn't possibly. Now let me go," Rogue said, horrified to feel her eyes prick with tears. Bobby sighed.
"Fine," Bobby said, reaching into his pocket. Rogue waited, avoiding his eyes. After a few minutes, she looked up to see an anxious expression on Bobby's face.
"What's wrong?" Rogue demanded worriedly.
Bobby emptied his pockets frantically and looked up to meet her eyes. "The key is gone."