Sorry this is so late coming, folks. I've been working on another (unrelated) View Askew fic, and kind of neglected this one. Mucho sorries to the crazed few anticipating this chapter. If you want to read the other fic, go to my userinfo, a link should be posted there.
My thoughts on this chapter: Holden's an idiot. My thoughts on virtually *every* chapter: Holden's an idiot. Over and out.
Thanks for watching! ;)
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
R for language.
Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
It was late when Holden, Bethany, Rufus, Jay, and Silent Bob made their appearance at the club. Bethany was particularly nervous, but she wasn't sure why. Her feelings towards Holden were still unresolved, and when he'd mentioned that Alyssa would be here tonight, he'd looked almost sick. That didn't bode well.
She'd called Liz before she'd left with the others, and received a frantic rant about irresponsible mothers and coworkers. Apparently Alanis had burped up all over Liz's favorite sweater. Bethany had reservations about going out to a club when she was a single mother whose baby was off in another state, but then she remembered that this was why she'd come to Leonardo. To figure things out and maybe have a little fun. And since she was farther away from figuring things out than she'd been back in McHenry, the least she could do was have some fun.
Stepping into the club, she was met by a blast of flashing lights, shiny outfits, and pounding bass beats. Jay ran off onto the floor, no doubt trying to score, while Silent Bob and Rufus went off to find a table. Holden was scanning the room, no doubt for Banky and the others.
"Do you see them anywhere?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Nope. Maybe we're early. Wanna dance, kill some time?"
Bethany shrugged as nonchalantly as she could. "Sure." They moved onto the floor, and began to sway to the intoxicating beat. This wasn't normally Bethany's thing, but she was beginning to seriously enjoy it.
Until the blond came.
Right off the bat, Bethany got a feeling of unease. The woman was short, blond, immensely pretty, and grinning at Holden in a very familiar way. But the kicker was Holden himself. He was smiling back at the woman, in a way that was both nervous and yet loyal and caring.
It had to have been Alyssa. It couldn't be anyone else.
Bethany forced herself to focus, the blond was chatting with Holden. "You're a much better dancer than last time I saw you," she informed him. "You're not *good*, per se, but better." She smiled and turned to Bethany. "Mind if I take him aside, give him some much-needed pointers?"
"I..." Bethany wasn't sure what to say. She didn't really want to leave.
The blond misread her hesitation, and stuck out a hand cheerfully. "Alyssa Jones."
"Alyssa," Bethany repeated, shaking the hand somewhat numbly. "*The* Alyssa?" she asked, although it was painfully apparent from the expression on Holden's face.
"I guess that would be me," Alyssa said.
"I'm Bethany, Bethany Sloane."
"A friend of Holden's?"
"You can say that," Bethany said. Holden was looking back and forth between the two women, slightly pale. "Have you seen Banky around anywhere? I think Holden needs a seat."
Alyssa glanced at her ex. "I think you're right. Banky's over there," she said, pointing.
Bethany took Holden's hand, and led him over to a corner table.
~~~~~
Holden wished he was anywhere than where he was right now. He knew the Bethany-Alyssa meeting was inevitable, but he didn't mean for it to happen quite so soon. Things were too fresh. He was just finally --finally, after *years*-- getting over 'the Alyssa thing', as Banky liked to put it. And now he had 'the Bethany thing' to muddle through. He'd pretty much thrown out all evidence of common sense and conned himself into thinking that maybe they'd never meet and he wouldn't have to deal with this.
He was an idiot, of course.
Holden had many theories worked out in his mind as to what would happen if the women ever met. Fantasy scenarios, more like. Number one was that they would hate each other. Flat-out despise one another, and go into some knock-down drag-out thing for Holden's affections. Preferably with mud or jello.
Okay, so that was the male in him coming out. Scratch it.
Number two was that Alyssa would see Bethany, get jealous, and vie desperately for her ex-boyfriend's love. Of course, that was the part of him that still couldn't live without Alyssa, no matter what had happened between them. But that part was slowly dying.
Then there was the notion was that they would just plain hate each other, without the possibility of mud-wrestling, and might very well end up hating Holden for ever liking the other one.
And lastly there was the theory that they would become good friends, and that Alyssa would tell Bethany the same story that Holden had told Bethany...except that Bethany would do the womanly thing and side completely with Alyssa and then they'd both kick his ass to the curb. This theory was accompanied with the realization that this was the most likely scenario. And an enormous knot of fear building in his gut.
Bethany's grip on him was firm and reassuring. And extremely friendly. He was grateful for that. She sat him down in the darkened corner, while Alyssa beckoned Banky and Hooper from wherever they were. The four of them gathered around, peering down at Holden, who stared up at them, dizzy. "Honey, you are so pale, you look like one of those characters you draw," Hooper observed.
Alyssa put a hand to his forehead. "He's hot."
"It's the lights," Holden insisted, getting his bearings. "Really, I'm fine. Just get me a beer or something, I'll be good, I swear."
"You sure?" Alyssa and Bethany asked simultaneously.
"Positive," he swore, and waved them off. "Go. Give me air."
Holden was alone for several minutes before someone made their way to the table. Enough time to gather his thoughts somewhat and calm down.
It was Bethany. She was holding two cold beers. She sat down and offered him one. "How're you holding up?"
"I'm okay," he said. "Bright lights, lots of bodies, got really hot out there. I haven't done this in quite some time, you've got to understand."
"I haven't done it in longer," she said lightly, and sipped her beer.
Holden stared at her. "You're mocking me."
She smiled innocently. "Me? No. Never."
Holden laughed and took a swig of his beer, finally relaxing. "You're a weird one, you know that?"
"Thanks. Think you'll want to dance again sometime soon?"
Holden folded his arms on the table and leaned forward with a grin. "Why, Bethany Sloane. Are you coming on to me?"
Bethany looked stricken. "Oh, no. I was just asking..." she trailed off lamely. She went red, a gesture barely visible in the dim light of their tiny corner. Holden mentally kicked himself for being an idiot. By the time this night was over, he figured he would have a lump roughly the size and shape of Montana marring his cranium. He deserved that much.
"I want to if you want to," he told her, wondering how stupid he really sounded, and actually breathing a sigh of relief when Rufus and Silent Bob joined them.
"Where's Jay?" Bethany asked, finishing up her beer.
"You mean you haven't seen him?" Rufus asked.
Bethany shook her head. "No."
Silent Bob pointed to the dance floor, pointed to Holden, then mimicked fainting. "I think what Biggie is trying to say is that we saw lover-boy here getting dragged off by a selection of fine-looking women."
"I hope you're including me in that broad generalization," Bethany said, flipping her hair over her shoulder in an act of faux-vanity.
"Of course."
"So the trench here and I figure that something must be majorly wrong for you to leave the floor, because this is a *damn* good song," Rufus concluded.
Holden smiled weakly. "I'm fine, really."
"Glad to know." Rufus stood up. "Because I've gotta dance!"
Bethany stood up, too. "Mind if I join you?"
"Please do," Rufus said, smiling, and they left.
Silent Bob indicated that he was going to go look for Jay. Holden nodded, and was left alone again. This time he was a lot less insane, but as he looked to the floor, where Bethany and Rufus were dancing comfortably with one another, he realized that he was a lot more jealous.
My thoughts on this chapter: Holden's an idiot. My thoughts on virtually *every* chapter: Holden's an idiot. Over and out.
Thanks for watching! ;)
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
R for language.
Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
It was late when Holden, Bethany, Rufus, Jay, and Silent Bob made their appearance at the club. Bethany was particularly nervous, but she wasn't sure why. Her feelings towards Holden were still unresolved, and when he'd mentioned that Alyssa would be here tonight, he'd looked almost sick. That didn't bode well.
She'd called Liz before she'd left with the others, and received a frantic rant about irresponsible mothers and coworkers. Apparently Alanis had burped up all over Liz's favorite sweater. Bethany had reservations about going out to a club when she was a single mother whose baby was off in another state, but then she remembered that this was why she'd come to Leonardo. To figure things out and maybe have a little fun. And since she was farther away from figuring things out than she'd been back in McHenry, the least she could do was have some fun.
Stepping into the club, she was met by a blast of flashing lights, shiny outfits, and pounding bass beats. Jay ran off onto the floor, no doubt trying to score, while Silent Bob and Rufus went off to find a table. Holden was scanning the room, no doubt for Banky and the others.
"Do you see them anywhere?" she asked.
He shook his head. "Nope. Maybe we're early. Wanna dance, kill some time?"
Bethany shrugged as nonchalantly as she could. "Sure." They moved onto the floor, and began to sway to the intoxicating beat. This wasn't normally Bethany's thing, but she was beginning to seriously enjoy it.
Until the blond came.
Right off the bat, Bethany got a feeling of unease. The woman was short, blond, immensely pretty, and grinning at Holden in a very familiar way. But the kicker was Holden himself. He was smiling back at the woman, in a way that was both nervous and yet loyal and caring.
It had to have been Alyssa. It couldn't be anyone else.
Bethany forced herself to focus, the blond was chatting with Holden. "You're a much better dancer than last time I saw you," she informed him. "You're not *good*, per se, but better." She smiled and turned to Bethany. "Mind if I take him aside, give him some much-needed pointers?"
"I..." Bethany wasn't sure what to say. She didn't really want to leave.
The blond misread her hesitation, and stuck out a hand cheerfully. "Alyssa Jones."
"Alyssa," Bethany repeated, shaking the hand somewhat numbly. "*The* Alyssa?" she asked, although it was painfully apparent from the expression on Holden's face.
"I guess that would be me," Alyssa said.
"I'm Bethany, Bethany Sloane."
"A friend of Holden's?"
"You can say that," Bethany said. Holden was looking back and forth between the two women, slightly pale. "Have you seen Banky around anywhere? I think Holden needs a seat."
Alyssa glanced at her ex. "I think you're right. Banky's over there," she said, pointing.
Bethany took Holden's hand, and led him over to a corner table.
~~~~~
Holden wished he was anywhere than where he was right now. He knew the Bethany-Alyssa meeting was inevitable, but he didn't mean for it to happen quite so soon. Things were too fresh. He was just finally --finally, after *years*-- getting over 'the Alyssa thing', as Banky liked to put it. And now he had 'the Bethany thing' to muddle through. He'd pretty much thrown out all evidence of common sense and conned himself into thinking that maybe they'd never meet and he wouldn't have to deal with this.
He was an idiot, of course.
Holden had many theories worked out in his mind as to what would happen if the women ever met. Fantasy scenarios, more like. Number one was that they would hate each other. Flat-out despise one another, and go into some knock-down drag-out thing for Holden's affections. Preferably with mud or jello.
Okay, so that was the male in him coming out. Scratch it.
Number two was that Alyssa would see Bethany, get jealous, and vie desperately for her ex-boyfriend's love. Of course, that was the part of him that still couldn't live without Alyssa, no matter what had happened between them. But that part was slowly dying.
Then there was the notion was that they would just plain hate each other, without the possibility of mud-wrestling, and might very well end up hating Holden for ever liking the other one.
And lastly there was the theory that they would become good friends, and that Alyssa would tell Bethany the same story that Holden had told Bethany...except that Bethany would do the womanly thing and side completely with Alyssa and then they'd both kick his ass to the curb. This theory was accompanied with the realization that this was the most likely scenario. And an enormous knot of fear building in his gut.
Bethany's grip on him was firm and reassuring. And extremely friendly. He was grateful for that. She sat him down in the darkened corner, while Alyssa beckoned Banky and Hooper from wherever they were. The four of them gathered around, peering down at Holden, who stared up at them, dizzy. "Honey, you are so pale, you look like one of those characters you draw," Hooper observed.
Alyssa put a hand to his forehead. "He's hot."
"It's the lights," Holden insisted, getting his bearings. "Really, I'm fine. Just get me a beer or something, I'll be good, I swear."
"You sure?" Alyssa and Bethany asked simultaneously.
"Positive," he swore, and waved them off. "Go. Give me air."
Holden was alone for several minutes before someone made their way to the table. Enough time to gather his thoughts somewhat and calm down.
It was Bethany. She was holding two cold beers. She sat down and offered him one. "How're you holding up?"
"I'm okay," he said. "Bright lights, lots of bodies, got really hot out there. I haven't done this in quite some time, you've got to understand."
"I haven't done it in longer," she said lightly, and sipped her beer.
Holden stared at her. "You're mocking me."
She smiled innocently. "Me? No. Never."
Holden laughed and took a swig of his beer, finally relaxing. "You're a weird one, you know that?"
"Thanks. Think you'll want to dance again sometime soon?"
Holden folded his arms on the table and leaned forward with a grin. "Why, Bethany Sloane. Are you coming on to me?"
Bethany looked stricken. "Oh, no. I was just asking..." she trailed off lamely. She went red, a gesture barely visible in the dim light of their tiny corner. Holden mentally kicked himself for being an idiot. By the time this night was over, he figured he would have a lump roughly the size and shape of Montana marring his cranium. He deserved that much.
"I want to if you want to," he told her, wondering how stupid he really sounded, and actually breathing a sigh of relief when Rufus and Silent Bob joined them.
"Where's Jay?" Bethany asked, finishing up her beer.
"You mean you haven't seen him?" Rufus asked.
Bethany shook her head. "No."
Silent Bob pointed to the dance floor, pointed to Holden, then mimicked fainting. "I think what Biggie is trying to say is that we saw lover-boy here getting dragged off by a selection of fine-looking women."
"I hope you're including me in that broad generalization," Bethany said, flipping her hair over her shoulder in an act of faux-vanity.
"Of course."
"So the trench here and I figure that something must be majorly wrong for you to leave the floor, because this is a *damn* good song," Rufus concluded.
Holden smiled weakly. "I'm fine, really."
"Glad to know." Rufus stood up. "Because I've gotta dance!"
Bethany stood up, too. "Mind if I join you?"
"Please do," Rufus said, smiling, and they left.
Silent Bob indicated that he was going to go look for Jay. Holden nodded, and was left alone again. This time he was a lot less insane, but as he looked to the floor, where Bethany and Rufus were dancing comfortably with one another, he realized that he was a lot more jealous.
