Disclaimer: Hi. I don't own anything. Not even my own soul. That Butterfinger was just too tempting.
~Geek~
"Ok Lance. Since you're a beginner we're going to take this very slowly. This is a library.", Kitty said motioning her hands towards the building in front of them. "This is a place where people go to study and read because there are books-"
"I know what a library is." Lance said flatly with his arms crossed as his eyes followed Kitty's gesture.
Kitty threw her arms up in mock joy. "Hooray! We've made a real break through!"
"I don't have to listen to this." Lance warned Kitty before she got carried away.
"Sheesh Lance. I'm just trying to lighten up the mood." She protested letting the mock slip away from her face. With that she walked behind Lance bracing her hands behind his back to push him in the direction of the public library. "Ok Let's get in there. Baby step to the L-"
"Kitty!"
"Sorry!" Kitty said quickly finally getting Lance to move.
It was a beautiful crisp autumn day perfect for bike riding, or a picnic. But since both of those options would most likely never be on Lance's to do list Kitty thought they might as well spend the day in a musty library with intense air-conditioning.
"There's nobody in here." Kitty said slightly surprised, looking around the empty floor to see if maybe someone was hiding behind a bookshelf.
"Maybe that's because it's Saturday and only a geek with no life would spend it here." Lance said without skipping a beat as he flashed a cheesy grin at the not amused valley girl.
"Shh! The librarian and only other person in the room put her finger to her mouth giving Lance Medusa's glare.
"You know I happen to come here on Saturdays for fun. Does that make me a geek?" Kitty dared him as she placed her hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows.
Lance thought about it and shrugged knowing there was no way out of that one. "You're a cute geek."
"Nice try."
"Shh!"
Lance glared at the librarian. "What's her problem?" He asked loud enough for her to hear. "Granny panties riding up her ass?"
The old woman gasped from his question and probably would have jumped over the desk to kick him out if Kitty didn't grab him first. She led him to the stairwell digging her nails into his arm. "What's wrong with you Lance? Honestly I can't take you anywhere!"
"Ow! What?" Lance followed her rubbing his arm once she had let go.
"You're not supposed to talk loud in a library!"
"Why? So we don't disturb the books?"
Kitty ignored him. "And you not supposed to insult the librarian!"
"There's just so much to learn." Lance said letting his should slump in mock defeat. He looked over at her to see her reaction.
"You're not funny." Kitty said as she suppressed a laugh. She and Lance both could see past her failed attempt.
She sighed and started up the rest of the stairs letting Lance follow behind. She opened the door that led into the second floor and together they entered. Instead of books there were rows of computers all turned on but vacant. Each screen had the windows logo bouncing up and down seeming to be the only form of life in the whole room.
"You go sit down at a computer and I'll go pay for it." Kitty ordered.
"You gotta pay for this? That's screwed up."
"It's only 50 cents an hour." Kitty said defending her fourth home. First was her parents house in Illinois, second at Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters, and third the mall. Lastly was the library.
After paying the advanced 10 cents, Kitty grabbed a chair and pulled it next to Lance who was already searching for Hot Rod websites.
Kitty groaned. "Do you have A.D.D.?"
"I was just waiting for you." Lance muttered still focusing on the google results.
Kitty sat next to him placing her book bag on her lap. "You know how to search the web correctly?"
Lance gave Kitty a smug look. "Hey. If I can break into the school's computer files I can search the web." He went back to scrolling.
"Good." Kitty smiled as she slapped the paper the counselor had given her on the screen in Lance's sight. "Start searching. I didn't pay 10 cents for car info."
Lance sneered at the paper and then at Kitty who was looking supremely cocky. "You're no cute anymore."
"Har har,"
They decided to switch places so Kitty could work faster and find what they needed to research. The first website was for night school but Lance refused saying he had more important things to do at night. He refused to tell Kitty what they were.
The second focused on online classes but Lance didn't have a computer and wasn't going to spend his pocket change on a stupid library. The third and fourth focused on the test that could give him his diploma but both Kitty and Lance knew he wasn't ready for the test. Only Kitty was the one to admit it.
"What about that one." He suggested before Kitty typed a new address.
"You're not ready." She said simply as she scrolled down the paper with her finger.
"Not ready? It's a stupid test! What do I gotta be ready for?"
Kitty looked up from the paper just to roll her eyes. "Like duh! Ever heard of studying?"
"Who said anything about studying?" Lance protested. "I said I'll take the test and that's it."
"Then you're going to fail."
Lance felt something twitch in his stomach as anger invaded him. "Of coarse I'll fail. That's what I do best, right?"
"You know what I mean. God! Why do you have to be such a jerk?"
By that time they were yelling and the man from behind the desk approached them. "Could you please-"
"I'm a jerk? I'm doing all this for you and you won't get off my back!" Lance yelled ignoring the librarian.
The librarian was a tall nervous man obviously intimidated by the two but still was dedicated to his job which was to keep people quiet. "Sir please calm d-"
"I'm only on your back because you're to lazy to do it yourself!"
"The sign says be quiet so please-"
"I'm not doing this for me!"
"Well don't do this for me!"
"Great! I won't do it at all!"
"Fine!"
By that time the librarian called security.
* * * * * *
"I can't believe I just got kicked out of the public library." Kitty muttered as she sat at the bottom of the cement steps in front of her fourth home.
"I can." Lance muttered back as he continued to rub the ear Kitty had screamed into just five minutes ago.
They watched the cars pass by constantly causing a slight wind storm to lift the hair away from their uncomfortable faces. Lance was still pissed at Kitty and refused to be the first to apologize, let alone talk. She was the one who thought she had the right to boss him around.
He could have left those steps a long time ago but something held him there. For some reason he was that desperate for an apology from her. He heard her take a breath getting ready to speak.
"I can't believe I just got kicked out of a public library."
Lance frowned. "That's the third time you've said that."
They were both silent again too stubborn to apologize to each other, ignoring the stares of the passer byers.
Lance heard Kitty take another breath and felt him hold his.
"Did you really mean it when you said you weren't going to take the test?"
She was looking down at her shoes as she hugged her legs, resting her chin on her knees. Lance didn't get it. If it was supposed to be his problem then why was Kitty looking so disappointed.
Why does she care?
He continued to look at her out of the corner of his eye and sighed. "I don't know." He muttered. "The whole library idea freaked me out."
"What if we didn't study in the library?" Kitty suggested looking up at him for the first time since the security guard escorted them out.
This suggestion made Lance reveal a confused expression. "You're still putting up with me?"
Kitty shrugged. "I'm not giving up if you're not."
"I thought you'd be ready to kick my ass after what just happened." Lance said admitting his faults.
Kitty scowled at him in response. "I totally am, but that won't fix anything." She sighed. "I can't believe I just got kicked out of the public library."
Lance muttered some obscenities under his breath before he broke out a quiet apology.
"I'll get over it." Kitty mumbled. She pushed herself up off the concrete steps and waited for Lance to copy her. "I guess I'm sorry too."
"About time." Lance muttered before giving Kitty a reassuring smile. He then stood up and followed her down the side walk, hands in his pockets in a slouched position. Once falling into step with her he nudged her with his elbow to get her attention. "You wanna eat something?"
"No." Kitty said in reply. "We're going to research the classes."
Lance stopped in his tracks as Kitty continued to walk. He grabbed her arm to stop her. "What? I thought we were done for today."
"We didn't even do anything." Kitty argued pulling her arm out of his grasp.
"Sure we did."
Kitty groaned long and dramatically. Then out of frustration and exasperation she merely glared at him as her long bangs darkened her expression. Lance backed away out of slight fear swearing to himself he saw flames flickering in her eyes. They said it all. He acted like a jerk, got her kicked out of one of her favorite places and did nothing but protest all day long. He owed her.
Finally he threw his hands up in defense and backed away a little more. "Ok ok, Let's go."
* * * * * *
Lance made it back to the brotherhood house feeling a little beat from staring at a computer screen for three hours. It started by looking though the rest of the addresses kitty had on the list from hell. They then decided to look up the computer classes online to see how many hours he needed. Since he was a senior when he was expelled he only had five major classes. Kitty told him that he could borrow her laptop while she was at school, and complete the hours then. It seemed fair enough since he didn't really do much during the day other than sleep. Still he needed that sleep for his night job.
The last hour they registered for the classes and they then had dinner at 5 am before Lance drove her home. He liked it better studying at the park where he was allowed to yell in frustration when he realized how many hours he had to put into this stupid project. It even seemed to put Kitty in a better mood.
Once again their goodbyes were anything but intimate sometimes throwing Lance into a pit of male exasperation. Sometimes he just wanted to grab Kitty's face and force his lips on hers but he still wasn't sure if she was ready. She was seventeen and should have been ready but every time they got close to it she'd back away.
It wasn't like Lance was thinking about having sex with her. Ok he was but they were more like estranged fantasies. Still sometimes he wondered if they even were a couple. Other than cuddling and dancing on the beach they were more like good friends. But then again he's never like that with anyone else. Cuddling isn't exactly his forte.
He decided to stop thinking about it and focus on getting ready for that night. He went into his room and directly to his closet where he pulled out his guitar case. Removing his guitar he then opened up a compartment meant for the pick and tuner. Instead there was a hefty wad of cash. Forgetting to close the door he glanced behind him to make sure no one was spying on him. Especially Todd, pick pocket extraordinaire.
Finally he dug the money into his jacket, and hurried into the bathroom to throw on some deodorant. It would be hot and dirty around him and he didn't want his B.O. to be a part of it.
With that he was out the door again before any of the brotherhood even knew he returned.