Down the Road
PG-13
A/N: Let's just say... I've got my writing groove back. Wanting to keep the story short, nice, and simple. Couple of hints there.
Chapter 15
Today was day one of his plan. Date with Victoria.
And double date with Stephanie again.
Chris called her and patched up a little, though he was feeling bad about not being sincere about alot of things he told her. Like that he thought Dork-guy was alright and that they should do the date thing again to get to know him better. Of course, he still felt he was an ass, and his ulterior motive was just to make her jealous. Really really jealous. Really, absolutely, extre---
"Your call, J-man," Kurt said, holding out the phone. "It's HER."
"Her?" In a split second he realised, "Oh, her." He proceeded and cradled the phone to his ear. "Hello?" He swatted away Kurt's hands that attempted to adjust the undone tie around his neck.
"Um, Chris?" Stephanie's unusually meek voice sounded.
"Yeah?" he replied, frowning at Kurt. "Go away" he mouthed.
"Can we go somewhere else?I'm not comfortable with the place you suggested." There was slight hesitation. "I mean, you don't have to change just for me, it's just a suggestion..."
"No, no, it's fine. Anywhere else that you have in mind?"
"You know the place where you missed? You waited at the wrong restaurant."
The memory flashed. "That bistro near your place? I'll be sure Vic knows."
"Alright then."
"Are you okay? You sound a little weak."
"I'm fine," she answered quickly. A little too quickly. "You just go on and do whatever."
"I wanna talk to her," Kurt bugged. Jericho planted his hand on his best friend's face and pushed, making him fall back hard. "Let me talk to her!" he whispered harshly.
"Take care of yourself, tell me if Greg does anything wrong. Hey, Kurt wants to talk to you." He glared at Kurt and passed him the phone. "Man, you're such a PAIN!"
"Shh," he said. "Hey Steph."
"Hey Kurt."
He spoke softer this time. "Take it easy on him. He's not very stable at the moment."
"Who, Chris?"
"Uh-huh. Just lay off all that lovey-dovey things you do with Allen, Chris is a little edgy about that."
"I think I understand already... Thanks for your concern anyway. You're a wonderful friend."
"No problem. I'll keep that in mind."
"Bye Kurt, love you."
As he put down the phone, he felt his heart drop. Somehow, he wished she meant it in another way. But he was going to leave himself out of the equation for now.
"What'd she say?"
"A couple of things that aren't really your business." Then he stuck his tongue out. "Ten bucks you won't---"
"Not now!"
"---wear the checked Burberry pants to the date."
"Anymore things like that, I'm going to kill you! Here," he shoved his hands into his pockets and pulled out a note. "Twenty says that you'll grin like a fool after you take this." Chris watched intently.
"Stop looking at me like that." Chris narrowed his eyes as he waved the note around. "I said-- Oh fine!" Kurt handed his share. "I didn't even do the dare."
"Aha." He adjusted the tie on his neck. "Ok, do I look alright?"
"Let me see... Other than the sleepy face, and the horrid taste of clothes, along with the big head, I think you look... Ok."
Chris sighed and walked out, "Forget it."
"Ten bucks says---" Chris stepped in and flashed the finger.
***
"Oh Chris, I'm confused," Stephanie said when she saw him and Victoria. "I thought this was the date without Greg."
"No, it's okay," he said. Ooh, now he felt like slapping himself. He now felt guilty of putting Stephanie in isolation without Greg. "I guess, you know, you girls can talk to each other." Now he was feeling ultra-guilty, because his motive was to make a sad-looking Steph jealous. Maybe he should apologise and give her a hug.
"So," Victoria began, "I heard you're going to get married."
Steph saw Chris flinch a bit at the comment. "I am... I'm quite excited."
Chris could see her visibly brighten. His girlfriend continued, "Tell me what its going to be like!"
So the girls went on and on. Did all women talk about things like that? But at least he could see, Steph was a little happier -much actually- before she first sat down and conversed. At least she smiled. He loved that.
"---with a long train---"
"---gold-plated posts---"
"---marriage sounds fun---"
"---probably two or three kids---"
Chris dropped his spoon onto the plate with a clang when he heard Stephanie talk about that. The girls turned to look at him.
"S-sorry," he said as he felt himself shrink in his seat. This was not supposed to be happening! The ideas were tying themselves into knots whenever SHE was around. What could he do, what could he do...
"I wonder what my wedding would be like," Victoria said, then looked to Chris. He felt himself swallow. She smiled and turned back.
That feeling was worse than when the time Kurt insisted that teletubbies was a whole conspiracy, something meant for another day. In the end, Kurt was throwing kitchen knives trying to prove his point. He couldn't think of getting married to anyone else, except for HER, the woman sitting opposite him.
"You know, i think with Chris, your wedding's already perfect."
He swallowed again. "Thanks." And he attempted to send a message with an uneasy look.
"I think you need to relax a little," Victoria said, giving him a little massage on his back. Yeah. He needed to relax ALOT.
"Look, I just feel so odd being a lampost in this dinner. I'm so sorry I just had to be here. You both look perfect," Stephanie said, shaking her head.
"I certainly think so too," Chris snaked his arm around her shoulder. Victoria smiled.
"You know... I'd better get back. Enjoy yourselves, alright?"
She left in a bolt. She sure seemed eager to leave. Or maybe it was just Chris trying to make himself feel better when it didn't go as planned.
***
"That was quick, don't you think?"
Chris looked at her. "No."
"No?"
"No," he said again. "I thought it was alright."
"Well, I must've got carried away chatting."
"So what do you think about her?" he asked, just out of curiosity.
"I think she's a total bitch with no fashion sense, or any brains. I hate her, ugh." Chris blinked. "Oh please. Even you know it. She's wonderful," she laughed.
"Oh," he managed, faking his own laughter. "Okay, I thought you were serious."
"Men are stupid, what's funny they don't laugh until the woman does," Victoria said. "Anyway, I think it's great that you feel happy for the both of them, Stephanie and Greg. You've moved on," she stroked his cheek proudly.
"Yeah," he furrowed his brow, "Moved on." After a bit of dreaming, he tugged her. "Let's bring you home."
"Yes," she agreed, "Let's." Together they continued their walk.
***
"So how did it go?"
"Not as I expected." Jericho channel surfed again, the second time of the night.
"Hey, it's not my business, and I'm not nosey or anything, but there has to be something that's gone wrong that you wouldn't tell me." Kurt leaned over the couch. "Everyone tells me everything."
"That's because you *are* nosey and you'd find out what's wrong anyway. It's a thing that you do."
The american hero was not to be shaken. "Let me guess. Stephanie didn't quite get jealous."
"I told you," Chris turned to him, "It's a thing that you do."
"Hey, look. It's effort that you have to put in. You're the Ayatollah, remember? Dude, just clear your mind, because there's one woman you want to get back. That's your ultimate goal."
Chris gave him a look. "And your undying love for her comes in when?" he snapped.
"About that. I just need to clarify one thing. You, are my friend. Best friend. Stephanie, is my friend. Another best friend. What I want to do, is to bring two of my very best friends together because they love each other so much, and I'm pretty sure I can't separate you both like that no matter what anyone does. I don't matter. I also hope a dozen oil tankers fall on you, for being such a teenager."
"What?"
"Set out your priorities. What do you plan to do first? How will you get her back, even if she's about to be bound to another man? What are you gonna do---"
"I'm going to break up with Victoria."
"When I said planning,the word 'thought' comes to mind."
"No, I'm going to break up with Victoria," he said, nodding. "I can't put her through this, I have a conscience that's eating at me. Better to do it now, than later, when I'm all tangled up in a web of... Confusion."
"...Okay," Kurt said, nodding along, "Okay, that's a start." He then pointed to the television. "Hey, Buffy rerun."
Chris rose a brow, after which Kurt sat next to him to watch a girl kick alot of ass. Chris thought to himself, *I hope I don't get my own ass kicked.*
PG-13
A/N: Let's just say... I've got my writing groove back. Wanting to keep the story short, nice, and simple. Couple of hints there.
Chapter 15
Today was day one of his plan. Date with Victoria.
And double date with Stephanie again.
Chris called her and patched up a little, though he was feeling bad about not being sincere about alot of things he told her. Like that he thought Dork-guy was alright and that they should do the date thing again to get to know him better. Of course, he still felt he was an ass, and his ulterior motive was just to make her jealous. Really really jealous. Really, absolutely, extre---
"Your call, J-man," Kurt said, holding out the phone. "It's HER."
"Her?" In a split second he realised, "Oh, her." He proceeded and cradled the phone to his ear. "Hello?" He swatted away Kurt's hands that attempted to adjust the undone tie around his neck.
"Um, Chris?" Stephanie's unusually meek voice sounded.
"Yeah?" he replied, frowning at Kurt. "Go away" he mouthed.
"Can we go somewhere else?I'm not comfortable with the place you suggested." There was slight hesitation. "I mean, you don't have to change just for me, it's just a suggestion..."
"No, no, it's fine. Anywhere else that you have in mind?"
"You know the place where you missed? You waited at the wrong restaurant."
The memory flashed. "That bistro near your place? I'll be sure Vic knows."
"Alright then."
"Are you okay? You sound a little weak."
"I'm fine," she answered quickly. A little too quickly. "You just go on and do whatever."
"I wanna talk to her," Kurt bugged. Jericho planted his hand on his best friend's face and pushed, making him fall back hard. "Let me talk to her!" he whispered harshly.
"Take care of yourself, tell me if Greg does anything wrong. Hey, Kurt wants to talk to you." He glared at Kurt and passed him the phone. "Man, you're such a PAIN!"
"Shh," he said. "Hey Steph."
"Hey Kurt."
He spoke softer this time. "Take it easy on him. He's not very stable at the moment."
"Who, Chris?"
"Uh-huh. Just lay off all that lovey-dovey things you do with Allen, Chris is a little edgy about that."
"I think I understand already... Thanks for your concern anyway. You're a wonderful friend."
"No problem. I'll keep that in mind."
"Bye Kurt, love you."
As he put down the phone, he felt his heart drop. Somehow, he wished she meant it in another way. But he was going to leave himself out of the equation for now.
"What'd she say?"
"A couple of things that aren't really your business." Then he stuck his tongue out. "Ten bucks you won't---"
"Not now!"
"---wear the checked Burberry pants to the date."
"Anymore things like that, I'm going to kill you! Here," he shoved his hands into his pockets and pulled out a note. "Twenty says that you'll grin like a fool after you take this." Chris watched intently.
"Stop looking at me like that." Chris narrowed his eyes as he waved the note around. "I said-- Oh fine!" Kurt handed his share. "I didn't even do the dare."
"Aha." He adjusted the tie on his neck. "Ok, do I look alright?"
"Let me see... Other than the sleepy face, and the horrid taste of clothes, along with the big head, I think you look... Ok."
Chris sighed and walked out, "Forget it."
"Ten bucks says---" Chris stepped in and flashed the finger.
***
"Oh Chris, I'm confused," Stephanie said when she saw him and Victoria. "I thought this was the date without Greg."
"No, it's okay," he said. Ooh, now he felt like slapping himself. He now felt guilty of putting Stephanie in isolation without Greg. "I guess, you know, you girls can talk to each other." Now he was feeling ultra-guilty, because his motive was to make a sad-looking Steph jealous. Maybe he should apologise and give her a hug.
"So," Victoria began, "I heard you're going to get married."
Steph saw Chris flinch a bit at the comment. "I am... I'm quite excited."
Chris could see her visibly brighten. His girlfriend continued, "Tell me what its going to be like!"
So the girls went on and on. Did all women talk about things like that? But at least he could see, Steph was a little happier -much actually- before she first sat down and conversed. At least she smiled. He loved that.
"---with a long train---"
"---gold-plated posts---"
"---marriage sounds fun---"
"---probably two or three kids---"
Chris dropped his spoon onto the plate with a clang when he heard Stephanie talk about that. The girls turned to look at him.
"S-sorry," he said as he felt himself shrink in his seat. This was not supposed to be happening! The ideas were tying themselves into knots whenever SHE was around. What could he do, what could he do...
"I wonder what my wedding would be like," Victoria said, then looked to Chris. He felt himself swallow. She smiled and turned back.
That feeling was worse than when the time Kurt insisted that teletubbies was a whole conspiracy, something meant for another day. In the end, Kurt was throwing kitchen knives trying to prove his point. He couldn't think of getting married to anyone else, except for HER, the woman sitting opposite him.
"You know, i think with Chris, your wedding's already perfect."
He swallowed again. "Thanks." And he attempted to send a message with an uneasy look.
"I think you need to relax a little," Victoria said, giving him a little massage on his back. Yeah. He needed to relax ALOT.
"Look, I just feel so odd being a lampost in this dinner. I'm so sorry I just had to be here. You both look perfect," Stephanie said, shaking her head.
"I certainly think so too," Chris snaked his arm around her shoulder. Victoria smiled.
"You know... I'd better get back. Enjoy yourselves, alright?"
She left in a bolt. She sure seemed eager to leave. Or maybe it was just Chris trying to make himself feel better when it didn't go as planned.
***
"That was quick, don't you think?"
Chris looked at her. "No."
"No?"
"No," he said again. "I thought it was alright."
"Well, I must've got carried away chatting."
"So what do you think about her?" he asked, just out of curiosity.
"I think she's a total bitch with no fashion sense, or any brains. I hate her, ugh." Chris blinked. "Oh please. Even you know it. She's wonderful," she laughed.
"Oh," he managed, faking his own laughter. "Okay, I thought you were serious."
"Men are stupid, what's funny they don't laugh until the woman does," Victoria said. "Anyway, I think it's great that you feel happy for the both of them, Stephanie and Greg. You've moved on," she stroked his cheek proudly.
"Yeah," he furrowed his brow, "Moved on." After a bit of dreaming, he tugged her. "Let's bring you home."
"Yes," she agreed, "Let's." Together they continued their walk.
***
"So how did it go?"
"Not as I expected." Jericho channel surfed again, the second time of the night.
"Hey, it's not my business, and I'm not nosey or anything, but there has to be something that's gone wrong that you wouldn't tell me." Kurt leaned over the couch. "Everyone tells me everything."
"That's because you *are* nosey and you'd find out what's wrong anyway. It's a thing that you do."
The american hero was not to be shaken. "Let me guess. Stephanie didn't quite get jealous."
"I told you," Chris turned to him, "It's a thing that you do."
"Hey, look. It's effort that you have to put in. You're the Ayatollah, remember? Dude, just clear your mind, because there's one woman you want to get back. That's your ultimate goal."
Chris gave him a look. "And your undying love for her comes in when?" he snapped.
"About that. I just need to clarify one thing. You, are my friend. Best friend. Stephanie, is my friend. Another best friend. What I want to do, is to bring two of my very best friends together because they love each other so much, and I'm pretty sure I can't separate you both like that no matter what anyone does. I don't matter. I also hope a dozen oil tankers fall on you, for being such a teenager."
"What?"
"Set out your priorities. What do you plan to do first? How will you get her back, even if she's about to be bound to another man? What are you gonna do---"
"I'm going to break up with Victoria."
"When I said planning,the word 'thought' comes to mind."
"No, I'm going to break up with Victoria," he said, nodding. "I can't put her through this, I have a conscience that's eating at me. Better to do it now, than later, when I'm all tangled up in a web of... Confusion."
"...Okay," Kurt said, nodding along, "Okay, that's a start." He then pointed to the television. "Hey, Buffy rerun."
Chris rose a brow, after which Kurt sat next to him to watch a girl kick alot of ass. Chris thought to himself, *I hope I don't get my own ass kicked.*