"Reunion Of Sorts"

Chapter 6:

Steven, knowing that it was too soon to play out his plan tonight, decided to give Beth some time until he put his idea into motion. Tbey would exchange numbers this night, especially since he'd be in Harmony for a little bit longer, and right before he had to leave to head back home, he would pop his surprise for the brunnette.

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While dancing with Beth, having taken the one chance that had come his way to dance with her, Steven began to chat.

"So, Beth, do you still live at the same place you used to?"

"Yeah," she replied, "I haven't moved."

"Hmm," he nodded, using light conversation to get him to eventually air his thoughts. "How about you give me your phone number since I'm going to be in town for a little bit longer. I'd really like to see you again."

"Oh, umm sure," she replied after a momen's thought. She was still a bit annoyed at his words from earlier, and wasn't completely sure if she wanted her past to become her present again.

But what do I have to lose? Beth thought, defeated. Luis is never coming back to me. Her gaze crept towards Luis, sitting with a group of old friends, chatting. He looked like he was enjoying himself. Something that wasn't reciprocated with her. Luis was her date, but only for tonight. And even so, they had spent the majority of the night fighting and talking to others, hardly the classification of a true "date."

She looked up to meet Steven's patient eyes and nodded. "I'd really like to see you again, too," she admitted. "But don't you already have my phone number from all those years ago? It's still the same."

Steven laughed nervously. "Actually, since I moved to Chicago, I lost a lot of things, including your digits." That was a lie of course. He couldn't tell her that after Prom night, when she had gone with Luis and he had gone alone, he had tore apart pictures of her, thrown aside everything that reminded him of her. Including her phone number. He couldn't tell her how much he had been hurt by her actions. But he knew how hurt she was being by Luis's actions of now. It brought him hope that maybe he could have Beth again for himself.

"Ok," Beth said. "I'll make sure to give it to you later." She unsurely and awkwardly placed her head down on one of his shoulders as they continued dancing to the slow tune.

Steven breathed in the smell of Beth so close to him. Ahh remembrance; it was so sweet when it came to the person you loved! Steven couldn't help but wish he could stay in this moment forever with Beth in his embrace, with the tune of "Careless Whispers" playing in the cool of the heat that seeped through the doors of the gymnasium.

Luis watched the couple from the corner of his very eyes with a tinge of jealousy creeping through his veins. He couldn't understand his conflicting emotions tonight; the past two years he had been away from Beth seemed to mean nothing tonight as he could feel his desire for her begin to scorch up a fire in his heart once again.

Unable to tell if his renewed desire for Beth came from her alone, or from seeing her with someone else for the first time ever, Luis was certain of one thing. He had to have Beth back. Her rosy, kissable lips were ever so tempting, and Luis could only restrain himself when it came to going up and intruding upon Steven's and Beth's romantic dance.

"Beth?" Steven asked a few minutes later. She had gently placed her head on his shoulder a good five minutes ago and had been silent ever since.

"Uhum?" she responded lightly.

"Do you want me to take you home?"

With those words, she lifted her head to meet his. "Oh, no," she asked after a moment's look at the turn of events surrounding them.

A huge cake was being cut up and served to the former students. "We can't miss eating the cake," she insisted, once she noticed the shade of disappointment that crossed Steven's features.

"Ok," he agreed, following her to a secluded corner of the gymnasium.

They sat down on two chairs side by side. Beth shifted the chair to face Steven's.

"Beth?" he asked once they were seated.

"Yeah?" she asked, filling up a glass with champagne.

The crossing of her legs made his tantalizing attraction to her more fruitful. It gave him the courage to dispute his plan of beating around the bush. He would be straight forward with Beth tonight. Incapable of hiding his desires, he spoke.

"I'm going back to Chicago in a few days. I really don't want to leave, especially since I just saw you again after such a long time away. I was wondering if you'd like to go with me to Chicago, just for a little bit. You haven't been to the Windy City have you?"

Her stunned reaction prevented her from getting a word out, until she noticed Steven's impatience for some form of response to come out of her. "No, I haven't been there, actually. Um, wow, I don't know what to say, Steve."

"Say yes. I miss you Beth," he pleaded lovingly.

"I miss you too, Steve. And I don't want our seeing each other to be cut short either. I just don't know if I can."

"How come?" he questioned.

"Well the Book Cafe needs a manager. Me. I can't find a replacement with the right credentials so soon."

"How about the assistant manager?" Steven asked, almost having to laugh at Beth's unsuccessful attempts to make believable excuses.

"Oh well, I guess that could -"

"Beth, what's really keeping you here? What is it that is stopping you from coming to Chicago with me?"

The answer was quite obvious of course, to both of them. Beth's eyes scanned for Luis, finding him easily in the crowd. He was on his cell phone, most likely speaking to Sheridan Crane. He didn't look too happy, nor sad for that matter. But it was enough for Beth to formulate an answer to Steven's question.

"Nothing," Beth tore her gaze away from the man, and turned her focus back onto Steven. "Nothing is keeping me here. I'll come with you, Steve." She pasted a smile onto her face, which enthused him tremendously.

"I'm so glad, Beth," he whispered. Placing a finger into the icing on his cake, he rubbed it onto Beth's nose playfully.

"What are you ten years old?!" she laughed, wiping at her nose with a napkin.

"That's the best part of being a kid, BMW," he joked. "And since I'm back here reliving my younger days, I'm going to make the most of them."

"You're still a clown at heart," Beth marveled. Changing the subject, she asked, "When do we go to Chicago?"

"In a few days," he replied. "I can't wait to show you my home."

A twinkle in his eye made Beth smile wholeheartedly at him; she too couldn't wait to see where Steven lived.