TITLE: Ballroom Dancing.
AUTHOR: Cathie McMath.
EMAIL: penrithpanther_03@yahoo.com.au
RATING: PG 13.
CONTENT: Slight swearing.
SUMMARY: Lita makes Jeff a promise, and soon regrets it. Can she keep her promise and stay sane at the same time? Lita, Jeff, Edge, Trish and more.
DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this fic is mine. Damn, how I wish Jeff was mine, and I wouldn't mind Jericho and Edge either.. but unfortunately.. no. So.. don't sue.
DISTRIBUTION: Just email me first and let me know if you want it.
FEEDBACK: I live for reviews! Sending reviews makes me one happy Cathie! ^_^ So go on and make me happy! I know you want to!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: And I had almost forgotten what an update looked like. Well here it is! A brand new chapter, waiting for some brand new reviews! .. I apologise for the total and utter lack of posts, but I think this one will set the ball rolling! Thanks for your continued interest, and look out for more crazy chatpers! Now, on with the story!
~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"I don't think I'm doing this right."
Lita shook her head emphatically as the two stepped forward, her arms wrapped around Jeff's neck and holding onto him tightly. "You're doing great, Jeff. Stop being so self conscious about the way you move. Your attitude about your dancing comes off in vibes, and believe me when I say that us women can feel when a guy is criticising himself."
Jeff's face twisted into that of a frown as his gaze fell to his feet, watching the way they moved intently. "I can't help being self conscious. That's what happens when you suck as badly as I do."
"You don't suck." Lita clucked her tongue as she watched Jeff watching his own feet. Carefully, she brought one hand under Jeff's chin, and lifted his head so that he was looking at her. "You're doing fine, you have nothing to worry about. Keep your eyes on me, not on your feet. You want Trish to feel special when you dance with her, right? So make sure all of your attention is on her."
Sucking in a breath through clenched teeth, Jeff swallowed and kept his green eyes on Lita's face as they moved about her living room slowly, the soft music playing in the background.
Lita's own steady gaze travelled from Jeff's eyes, inching down to trace over his full lips. Lita couldn't help but bite down on her lower lip as she ran her gaze over the pink flesh. She was so close... she could feel the warm air that escaped from them on her cheeks. All she had to do was lean in a little closer and...
"Am I doing something wrong?"
Jeff's sudden question broke Lita from her trance, and she quickly averted her eyes back up to his eyes, and shook her head slightly, sending him a small smile. "No. Not at all."
Still holding onto Lita, his arms wrapped around her back, and dancing slowly around the living room, Jeff shrugged. "Oh. It just seemed like you were staring, and you had this funny look on your face so I just thought that maybe I was doing something wrong..."
"No." The redhead shook her head emphatically. "I... well, you know me. I was just off in my own little world for a moment. But I'm back here on Earth with you now."
Jeff let out a good natured chuckle, and smiled down at the woman in his arms. "You know, sometimes I think you're crazier than I am."
A laugh escaped Lita's lips, and she ducked her head slightly. "You're probably right. I'm crazy, you're crazy... we're both crazy." She looked up at him, her eyes narrowed in thought. "I actually think that's why we get along so well."
"Because we're both nutcases?"
Raising an eyebrow, Lita pondered that comment for a moment, and then nodded at Jeff with a wide grin sitting on her lips. "Yep. That's exactly why."
The youngest Hardy brother laughed at Lita's words, and soon afterwards the two friends fell into a silence. The sound of the music playing in the background the only sound to be heard throughout the otherwise empty house. Their dancing continued, Jeff mouthing the beat so that he kept in time with the music. After a few minutes of counting out the beat, he stopped, instead biting his lip gently with concentration as he tried to continue the steps without consciously counting out the beat and worrying about where his feet where stepping.
"You're doing great."
He looked at Lita, and let out a slight scoff, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I'm trying, but I just don't know..."
"No, I'm serious. I think you're really getting there." Lita looked at him intensely. "You're not counting the beat anymore." She smiled. "You're just dancing. You're not worrying about how to do it, or if you're doing it right. You're just dancing. And that's when you start to dance well."
Jeff let out a breath. "I'll probably stuff something up sooner or later. I haven't stepped on your toes for a while now, so I'm about due to do that. And I'll probably step out of beat in a moment. I don't think things are going to stay -"
Interrupting Jeff's words, Lita raised both of their arms up in the air, as she twirled around once, twice, three times, and without needing to say a word to Jeff, was dipped down low with his arms around her, supporting her back. Jeff paused for a moment, and she looked up at him with a fluttering stare. Lifting Lita back to her feet, Jeff pulled her flush against him as they resumed waltzing, all the while continuing to step in time with the music.
Her breaths quickening, Lita locked eyes with Jeff. In that simple movement she had initiated to simply get the man to be more confident in his dancing abilities, something had passed between them. Some sort of electricity that shot through their bodies. She had felt it pass through her skin, run through every nerve ending in her body, and jolt down her spine. Looking into Jeff's green eyes, she saw something in them that made her believe that he had felt that electricity too.
The two continued to look at each other, each seeing an intense desire and passion swirling in the other's eyes. Their bodies pressed together, palms locked and fingers intertwined, their faces only centimetres away from each other. Lita licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry from her nerves. Jeff had to tense every muscle in his body to stop shivering with an overpowering feeling of excitement.
"Lita..."
"Jeff?"
Both voices at whispers, strained emotions filtering through, carried on their words.
Jeff closed his eyes for a moment, and leant his forehead upon Lita's. Breathing heavily, he pulled back, and opened his eyes to look at her. He saw her hazel eyes, shining back at him, wide and full and focusing only on him. "Lita. You know that you're my best friend, right?"
Lita nodded slowly. "And you're mine too, Jeff."
A pause, and a quiet stuttering from Jeff as the two continued to waltz around the living room slowly. "I'm not really sure how to say this to you. I haven't even really said it to myself yet, so if this comes out all wrong, I apologise now."
Watching him closely, Lita didn't say a word for a few moments, silently willing him to continue. When it was clear he needed some encouragement, she spoke up. "Go on. I'm listening, and I don't care if you say something wrong or anything like that. You should know that by now."
"This is different though, Li." Jeff narrowed his eyes, holding her tightly. "This is different because I FEEL different."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I feel different... about you." The youngest Hardy brother blinked as he continued to stare at the redhead in his arms, standing before him. "I feel different about us."
Lita felt her heart leap to her throat, and her knees buckle with weakness. Could this be the moment she had been waiting for, for so long? Did Jeff truly feel differently about her now? Did he see her as more than just a friend? Would she even be able to stand much longer with the amount of excitement she was feeling, and how fast her heart was beating?
Before Jeff could continue speaking, he suddenly looked down at his pocket and groaned. "Shit. Bloody beautiful timing." He released Lita's hand, and reached down into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out his mobile phone. He looked at Lita, an contrite look on his face. "I'm sorry. I'll just be a second, alright?"
She nodded as he answered the call, placing the phone beside his ear. Lita stood beside him, chewing her lip gently in an effort to try and get herself to calm down and start breathing properly again. And it began to work, until she heard Jeff greet the person on the other end of the call.
"Oh, hey Trish."
Lita's gaze snapped to Jeff, watching his reaction intently. As he talked through the phone, he avoided eye contact with the redhead, which created a sick, swirling feeling to roll through her insides. She couldn't believe it. Why was Trish calling Jeff? And why now? She swallowed her rising nausea, and listened to Jeff's side of the conversation.
"Really?.... well, I am, I guess.... I just didn't think you would.... Yes, that's right.... well, s-sure, I guess so.... That would be nice.... Yeah, yeah.... Thanks for calling, Trish.... I'll talk to you soon then.... Yep, Bye."
Pressing a button to end the call, Jeff shoved the phone back in his pocket, and slowly returned his gaze back to Lita. She looked at him expectantly, and he quickly glanced down at the floor before looking back up at her.
"That was Trish."
"Yeah, I figured that much." Lita did not like the amount of bitterness that came out with her words. She hadn't meant to sound like that, honestly.
Jeff rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Lita knew that was not a good sign. "She, uh, she just asked me to go out with her next Friday night."
Lita blinked her eyes. The nausea swept through her body once again. "And you said yes."
"I did." Jeff nodded slowly, trying to gauge Lita's reaction to the news. This phone call from Trish Stratus completely threw him for a loop. After what he had just felt with Lita, and now receiving this phone call... and he knew that if he was feeling dazed and confused, Lita would be feeling some of that as well.
Swallowing slowly, Lita sent Jeff a gentle smile. "That's great news, Jeff." She patted his shoulder as she walked past him, into the kitchen. "Now you'll be able to take her out dancing and wow her with what an excellent dancer you've become."
"Yeah.. I guess I will."
Lita looked over her shoulder at her friend as she entered the kitchen. "You must be feeling pretty happy." She smiled, and made her way towards the fridge, opening it and grabbing a bottle of water.
Jeff watched Lita from inside the living room, still standing in the position he had been since he picked up his phone. He thought about the reality that he would be going out on a date with Trish in a little over a week's time. And he thought about how he had wanted that for such a long time now. He thought about how happy that should make him.
He watched Lita put the water bottle to her lips, swallowing the cool liquid. He watched as she looked over at him, her lips smiling but her eyes remaining sad.
Jeff thought about his date with Trish Stratus. And how seriously unhappy he felt about going on that date.
AUTHOR: Cathie McMath.
EMAIL: penrithpanther_03@yahoo.com.au
RATING: PG 13.
CONTENT: Slight swearing.
SUMMARY: Lita makes Jeff a promise, and soon regrets it. Can she keep her promise and stay sane at the same time? Lita, Jeff, Edge, Trish and more.
DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this fic is mine. Damn, how I wish Jeff was mine, and I wouldn't mind Jericho and Edge either.. but unfortunately.. no. So.. don't sue.
DISTRIBUTION: Just email me first and let me know if you want it.
FEEDBACK: I live for reviews! Sending reviews makes me one happy Cathie! ^_^ So go on and make me happy! I know you want to!
AUTHOR'S NOTE: And I had almost forgotten what an update looked like. Well here it is! A brand new chapter, waiting for some brand new reviews! .. I apologise for the total and utter lack of posts, but I think this one will set the ball rolling! Thanks for your continued interest, and look out for more crazy chatpers! Now, on with the story!
~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"I don't think I'm doing this right."
Lita shook her head emphatically as the two stepped forward, her arms wrapped around Jeff's neck and holding onto him tightly. "You're doing great, Jeff. Stop being so self conscious about the way you move. Your attitude about your dancing comes off in vibes, and believe me when I say that us women can feel when a guy is criticising himself."
Jeff's face twisted into that of a frown as his gaze fell to his feet, watching the way they moved intently. "I can't help being self conscious. That's what happens when you suck as badly as I do."
"You don't suck." Lita clucked her tongue as she watched Jeff watching his own feet. Carefully, she brought one hand under Jeff's chin, and lifted his head so that he was looking at her. "You're doing fine, you have nothing to worry about. Keep your eyes on me, not on your feet. You want Trish to feel special when you dance with her, right? So make sure all of your attention is on her."
Sucking in a breath through clenched teeth, Jeff swallowed and kept his green eyes on Lita's face as they moved about her living room slowly, the soft music playing in the background.
Lita's own steady gaze travelled from Jeff's eyes, inching down to trace over his full lips. Lita couldn't help but bite down on her lower lip as she ran her gaze over the pink flesh. She was so close... she could feel the warm air that escaped from them on her cheeks. All she had to do was lean in a little closer and...
"Am I doing something wrong?"
Jeff's sudden question broke Lita from her trance, and she quickly averted her eyes back up to his eyes, and shook her head slightly, sending him a small smile. "No. Not at all."
Still holding onto Lita, his arms wrapped around her back, and dancing slowly around the living room, Jeff shrugged. "Oh. It just seemed like you were staring, and you had this funny look on your face so I just thought that maybe I was doing something wrong..."
"No." The redhead shook her head emphatically. "I... well, you know me. I was just off in my own little world for a moment. But I'm back here on Earth with you now."
Jeff let out a good natured chuckle, and smiled down at the woman in his arms. "You know, sometimes I think you're crazier than I am."
A laugh escaped Lita's lips, and she ducked her head slightly. "You're probably right. I'm crazy, you're crazy... we're both crazy." She looked up at him, her eyes narrowed in thought. "I actually think that's why we get along so well."
"Because we're both nutcases?"
Raising an eyebrow, Lita pondered that comment for a moment, and then nodded at Jeff with a wide grin sitting on her lips. "Yep. That's exactly why."
The youngest Hardy brother laughed at Lita's words, and soon afterwards the two friends fell into a silence. The sound of the music playing in the background the only sound to be heard throughout the otherwise empty house. Their dancing continued, Jeff mouthing the beat so that he kept in time with the music. After a few minutes of counting out the beat, he stopped, instead biting his lip gently with concentration as he tried to continue the steps without consciously counting out the beat and worrying about where his feet where stepping.
"You're doing great."
He looked at Lita, and let out a slight scoff, a hint of a smile on his lips. "I'm trying, but I just don't know..."
"No, I'm serious. I think you're really getting there." Lita looked at him intensely. "You're not counting the beat anymore." She smiled. "You're just dancing. You're not worrying about how to do it, or if you're doing it right. You're just dancing. And that's when you start to dance well."
Jeff let out a breath. "I'll probably stuff something up sooner or later. I haven't stepped on your toes for a while now, so I'm about due to do that. And I'll probably step out of beat in a moment. I don't think things are going to stay -"
Interrupting Jeff's words, Lita raised both of their arms up in the air, as she twirled around once, twice, three times, and without needing to say a word to Jeff, was dipped down low with his arms around her, supporting her back. Jeff paused for a moment, and she looked up at him with a fluttering stare. Lifting Lita back to her feet, Jeff pulled her flush against him as they resumed waltzing, all the while continuing to step in time with the music.
Her breaths quickening, Lita locked eyes with Jeff. In that simple movement she had initiated to simply get the man to be more confident in his dancing abilities, something had passed between them. Some sort of electricity that shot through their bodies. She had felt it pass through her skin, run through every nerve ending in her body, and jolt down her spine. Looking into Jeff's green eyes, she saw something in them that made her believe that he had felt that electricity too.
The two continued to look at each other, each seeing an intense desire and passion swirling in the other's eyes. Their bodies pressed together, palms locked and fingers intertwined, their faces only centimetres away from each other. Lita licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry from her nerves. Jeff had to tense every muscle in his body to stop shivering with an overpowering feeling of excitement.
"Lita..."
"Jeff?"
Both voices at whispers, strained emotions filtering through, carried on their words.
Jeff closed his eyes for a moment, and leant his forehead upon Lita's. Breathing heavily, he pulled back, and opened his eyes to look at her. He saw her hazel eyes, shining back at him, wide and full and focusing only on him. "Lita. You know that you're my best friend, right?"
Lita nodded slowly. "And you're mine too, Jeff."
A pause, and a quiet stuttering from Jeff as the two continued to waltz around the living room slowly. "I'm not really sure how to say this to you. I haven't even really said it to myself yet, so if this comes out all wrong, I apologise now."
Watching him closely, Lita didn't say a word for a few moments, silently willing him to continue. When it was clear he needed some encouragement, she spoke up. "Go on. I'm listening, and I don't care if you say something wrong or anything like that. You should know that by now."
"This is different though, Li." Jeff narrowed his eyes, holding her tightly. "This is different because I FEEL different."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that I feel different... about you." The youngest Hardy brother blinked as he continued to stare at the redhead in his arms, standing before him. "I feel different about us."
Lita felt her heart leap to her throat, and her knees buckle with weakness. Could this be the moment she had been waiting for, for so long? Did Jeff truly feel differently about her now? Did he see her as more than just a friend? Would she even be able to stand much longer with the amount of excitement she was feeling, and how fast her heart was beating?
Before Jeff could continue speaking, he suddenly looked down at his pocket and groaned. "Shit. Bloody beautiful timing." He released Lita's hand, and reached down into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out his mobile phone. He looked at Lita, an contrite look on his face. "I'm sorry. I'll just be a second, alright?"
She nodded as he answered the call, placing the phone beside his ear. Lita stood beside him, chewing her lip gently in an effort to try and get herself to calm down and start breathing properly again. And it began to work, until she heard Jeff greet the person on the other end of the call.
"Oh, hey Trish."
Lita's gaze snapped to Jeff, watching his reaction intently. As he talked through the phone, he avoided eye contact with the redhead, which created a sick, swirling feeling to roll through her insides. She couldn't believe it. Why was Trish calling Jeff? And why now? She swallowed her rising nausea, and listened to Jeff's side of the conversation.
"Really?.... well, I am, I guess.... I just didn't think you would.... Yes, that's right.... well, s-sure, I guess so.... That would be nice.... Yeah, yeah.... Thanks for calling, Trish.... I'll talk to you soon then.... Yep, Bye."
Pressing a button to end the call, Jeff shoved the phone back in his pocket, and slowly returned his gaze back to Lita. She looked at him expectantly, and he quickly glanced down at the floor before looking back up at her.
"That was Trish."
"Yeah, I figured that much." Lita did not like the amount of bitterness that came out with her words. She hadn't meant to sound like that, honestly.
Jeff rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Lita knew that was not a good sign. "She, uh, she just asked me to go out with her next Friday night."
Lita blinked her eyes. The nausea swept through her body once again. "And you said yes."
"I did." Jeff nodded slowly, trying to gauge Lita's reaction to the news. This phone call from Trish Stratus completely threw him for a loop. After what he had just felt with Lita, and now receiving this phone call... and he knew that if he was feeling dazed and confused, Lita would be feeling some of that as well.
Swallowing slowly, Lita sent Jeff a gentle smile. "That's great news, Jeff." She patted his shoulder as she walked past him, into the kitchen. "Now you'll be able to take her out dancing and wow her with what an excellent dancer you've become."
"Yeah.. I guess I will."
Lita looked over her shoulder at her friend as she entered the kitchen. "You must be feeling pretty happy." She smiled, and made her way towards the fridge, opening it and grabbing a bottle of water.
Jeff watched Lita from inside the living room, still standing in the position he had been since he picked up his phone. He thought about the reality that he would be going out on a date with Trish in a little over a week's time. And he thought about how he had wanted that for such a long time now. He thought about how happy that should make him.
He watched Lita put the water bottle to her lips, swallowing the cool liquid. He watched as she looked over at him, her lips smiling but her eyes remaining sad.
Jeff thought about his date with Trish Stratus. And how seriously unhappy he felt about going on that date.