AN: Hey! Thanks for all the REVIEWS! glares accusingly at the computer
screen Well, if you hate how the story turns out, don't yell at me.
Thank you SO much those who did oblige.
While the two reunited people sat and nibbled cookies in a dark corner, the others watched them hopefully.
"Do you think they'll kiss?" Mikey whispered. Gretchen shook her head.
"No, they may have reached an understanding, but Spinelli is still really mistrustful. I don't know if she'll ever let him go that far again."
"She might you know," Vince cut in. "She loved him ten years ago, and I don't think her feelings ever went away."
"I don't know," Gretchen said doubtfully. "She never talked about him."
"That doesn't mean anything," Vince argued.
"But do we all agree that we want them together?" Gus interrupted loudly to stop the bickering. They all nodded silently. "Well, all we need to do is get them alone together in a situation where they will have no choice but to rely on each other..." He began to imagine a white water rafting trip gone wrong, where they were stuck in the wilderness for two weeks with nothing but bears for company. Then he imagined TJ in a fight with one, and being "de-manned". he winced. No, maybe not. "Never mind. We just need something more boring and immature. Any ideas?"
"I don't think we should do anything just yet." Gretchen said worriedly. "I'll girl talk with her, and see what I can do. You guys talk to TJ. Give it two weeks, if Spin gets stubborn and refuses to go on a coffee date with him, we'll take matters into our own hands. Agreed?"
"Agreed.
"Sounds good."
"Sure."
Two hours passed in which TJ and Spinelli talked amiably of this and that. It was a polite conversation, not at all important. TJ didn't want to steer the talk to anything that might make Spinelli angry or uncomfortable, and Spinelli didn't want to dredge up her past, or let him know just how he had affected her over their ten years of separation. But it was hard. They had known each other more in the most intimate fashion, and now they were speaking as though they had only just met. Not easy at all. But it was so much better than ignoring TJ on Spinelli's part, because his presence was impossible to ignore. He was magnetic. TJ was just relieved that they were on friendly speaking terms again. But he still didn't see so much as a coffee date anytime in the future.
Finally, they had run out of cookies, and were forced to come out of their shadowy haven to replenish their supplies. They didn't get far, they were hailed by the other members of the gang, and they spent several more happy hours talking of old times, when they had been in elementary school. The fourth grade stood out particularly strong in their minds.
"......And when Spinelli and Mikey were in that ballet class, and they had to do a recital in front of the entire school!" Gretchen cried, reaching beneath her thin wired glasses to wipe her eyes. The rest of them were clutching their sides in mirth as well.
".....And when Teej got kidnapped by the kindergartners, and was with them for practically the entire day!" Vince added trying to suck in air. Another burst of laughter followed this.
"......And when TJ and Spinelli had to kiss in front of everybody just to prove that kissing was not an enjoyable affair!" Gus added enthusiastically. A tense silence immediately followed this statement. TJ and Spinelli were both uncommonly flushed, and the rest glanced nervously at each other.
"Um...Anybody care to dance?" Vince asked, indicating the flat patch of grass where couples were forming. That was all that was needed to break the awkward silence. Spinelli jumped immediately to her feet, grabbed Vince's hand, and practically dragged him away. He only had time to look over his shoulder to offer an apologetic glance to TJ who looked hurt and rather jealous. Instead, he turned his eyes to Gretchen, whose cheeks tinged a delicate shade of pink. But she got up and took his hand. Gus was immediately taken away by Ashley A. Mikey was able to scrounge up a dance in the girl who had been upside-down girl.
TJ kept a close watch on Spinelli and Vince while they danced. She acted far too carefree with him than was to TJ's liking. For all he knew, they could have dated, they could have shared the most intimate....he stopped himself before his thoughts went too far. But still. They hadn't at all discussed their personal lives after they had parted. 'And with good reason!' he scolded himself. 'What business is it of yours how she's spent her nights in the last ten years? God knows you haven't exactly become a monk.' Still, the thought of any other man touching that which he had so tenderly awoken made his jaw clench and his hands tense. The song ended, and TJ was relieved. He wouldn't have been able to restrain from accidentally bruising Gretchen's flesh if he had held onto her waist much longer. Still, as he let go of her, the urge to pull something close and squeeze it until it was pulp between his fingers was coursing strong within him. Another song started. Very slow, very romantic. He barely paid attention. He was striding up to Spinelli who was preparing for another dance with Vince.
"May I?" he asked curtly offering Spinelli his hand. It wasn't really a question, and Spinelli thought it best not to argue. She took his hand, and Vince went off to dance with Gretchen, who was looking at the couple with a sly smile on her face.
Spinelli put her hands gingerly on his shoulders. One of the last things she wanted to do was dance with this man. Memories of the ill fated prom came flooding back to her. She squelched them. TJ rolled his eyes and pulled her closer. Too close, and yet, somehow, not close enough. Spinelli gasped quietly, and her stomach flipped. She could feel his heart beating. It was the most sensual she'd felt in a long time. TJ didn't know what it was, maybe it was the semidarkness, or the haunting melody, or the sultry air, but something made him bolder. He reached around, behind her shoulders and removed an elastic from one hastily made braid. And then the other. He undid the midnight black wisps, and watched, delighted as they flowed in unrestrained waves behind her head. Wavy, because of their long confinement. He pocketed the elastics. Spinelli knew she should be pissed. Should demand how he dared to do such an intimate thing so soon after she'd begun to forgive him. But she couldn't at the moment. Besides, what was the harm? It was just hair. Not like he was striping of her clothes. She relaxed back into his strong, capable arms. Unwilling to break the mood.
"How many other men have you known?" He whispered into her ear. He knew it was a dumb question, but he couldn't help himself. He was losing himself in the moment, and he was not possessed of all his wits. She tensed, and her catlike eyes narrowed dangerously, but she did not pull away. Apparently he was not the only one who was not themselves.
"You have no right to ask me that, none whatsoever!" she hissed back at him.
"How many?" he persisted. She pulled away, but only slightly.
"Be careful, Teej or I might just have to do a repeat performance of that day on my front porch." She murmured out of the corner of her mouth. TJ just grinned roguishly, and pulled her back, full against him. All thought and feeling immediately plummeted to that one spot deep inside that could only be reached by...well, if she thought of that she just might come undone right here.
"Just tell me."
"I've learned enough from other guys to bring you to your knees," she whispered seductively. This information sent a surge of jealousy coursing through him, but also, an equally strong burst of excitement. She was telling the truth, he felt it. And Damn him to hell if he didn't want to know exactly what she had learned in his absence. He barely suppressed a groan.
"Prove it," he muttered hoarsely.
AN: NOW REVIEW!!!
While the two reunited people sat and nibbled cookies in a dark corner, the others watched them hopefully.
"Do you think they'll kiss?" Mikey whispered. Gretchen shook her head.
"No, they may have reached an understanding, but Spinelli is still really mistrustful. I don't know if she'll ever let him go that far again."
"She might you know," Vince cut in. "She loved him ten years ago, and I don't think her feelings ever went away."
"I don't know," Gretchen said doubtfully. "She never talked about him."
"That doesn't mean anything," Vince argued.
"But do we all agree that we want them together?" Gus interrupted loudly to stop the bickering. They all nodded silently. "Well, all we need to do is get them alone together in a situation where they will have no choice but to rely on each other..." He began to imagine a white water rafting trip gone wrong, where they were stuck in the wilderness for two weeks with nothing but bears for company. Then he imagined TJ in a fight with one, and being "de-manned". he winced. No, maybe not. "Never mind. We just need something more boring and immature. Any ideas?"
"I don't think we should do anything just yet." Gretchen said worriedly. "I'll girl talk with her, and see what I can do. You guys talk to TJ. Give it two weeks, if Spin gets stubborn and refuses to go on a coffee date with him, we'll take matters into our own hands. Agreed?"
"Agreed.
"Sounds good."
"Sure."
Two hours passed in which TJ and Spinelli talked amiably of this and that. It was a polite conversation, not at all important. TJ didn't want to steer the talk to anything that might make Spinelli angry or uncomfortable, and Spinelli didn't want to dredge up her past, or let him know just how he had affected her over their ten years of separation. But it was hard. They had known each other more in the most intimate fashion, and now they were speaking as though they had only just met. Not easy at all. But it was so much better than ignoring TJ on Spinelli's part, because his presence was impossible to ignore. He was magnetic. TJ was just relieved that they were on friendly speaking terms again. But he still didn't see so much as a coffee date anytime in the future.
Finally, they had run out of cookies, and were forced to come out of their shadowy haven to replenish their supplies. They didn't get far, they were hailed by the other members of the gang, and they spent several more happy hours talking of old times, when they had been in elementary school. The fourth grade stood out particularly strong in their minds.
"......And when Spinelli and Mikey were in that ballet class, and they had to do a recital in front of the entire school!" Gretchen cried, reaching beneath her thin wired glasses to wipe her eyes. The rest of them were clutching their sides in mirth as well.
".....And when Teej got kidnapped by the kindergartners, and was with them for practically the entire day!" Vince added trying to suck in air. Another burst of laughter followed this.
"......And when TJ and Spinelli had to kiss in front of everybody just to prove that kissing was not an enjoyable affair!" Gus added enthusiastically. A tense silence immediately followed this statement. TJ and Spinelli were both uncommonly flushed, and the rest glanced nervously at each other.
"Um...Anybody care to dance?" Vince asked, indicating the flat patch of grass where couples were forming. That was all that was needed to break the awkward silence. Spinelli jumped immediately to her feet, grabbed Vince's hand, and practically dragged him away. He only had time to look over his shoulder to offer an apologetic glance to TJ who looked hurt and rather jealous. Instead, he turned his eyes to Gretchen, whose cheeks tinged a delicate shade of pink. But she got up and took his hand. Gus was immediately taken away by Ashley A. Mikey was able to scrounge up a dance in the girl who had been upside-down girl.
TJ kept a close watch on Spinelli and Vince while they danced. She acted far too carefree with him than was to TJ's liking. For all he knew, they could have dated, they could have shared the most intimate....he stopped himself before his thoughts went too far. But still. They hadn't at all discussed their personal lives after they had parted. 'And with good reason!' he scolded himself. 'What business is it of yours how she's spent her nights in the last ten years? God knows you haven't exactly become a monk.' Still, the thought of any other man touching that which he had so tenderly awoken made his jaw clench and his hands tense. The song ended, and TJ was relieved. He wouldn't have been able to restrain from accidentally bruising Gretchen's flesh if he had held onto her waist much longer. Still, as he let go of her, the urge to pull something close and squeeze it until it was pulp between his fingers was coursing strong within him. Another song started. Very slow, very romantic. He barely paid attention. He was striding up to Spinelli who was preparing for another dance with Vince.
"May I?" he asked curtly offering Spinelli his hand. It wasn't really a question, and Spinelli thought it best not to argue. She took his hand, and Vince went off to dance with Gretchen, who was looking at the couple with a sly smile on her face.
Spinelli put her hands gingerly on his shoulders. One of the last things she wanted to do was dance with this man. Memories of the ill fated prom came flooding back to her. She squelched them. TJ rolled his eyes and pulled her closer. Too close, and yet, somehow, not close enough. Spinelli gasped quietly, and her stomach flipped. She could feel his heart beating. It was the most sensual she'd felt in a long time. TJ didn't know what it was, maybe it was the semidarkness, or the haunting melody, or the sultry air, but something made him bolder. He reached around, behind her shoulders and removed an elastic from one hastily made braid. And then the other. He undid the midnight black wisps, and watched, delighted as they flowed in unrestrained waves behind her head. Wavy, because of their long confinement. He pocketed the elastics. Spinelli knew she should be pissed. Should demand how he dared to do such an intimate thing so soon after she'd begun to forgive him. But she couldn't at the moment. Besides, what was the harm? It was just hair. Not like he was striping of her clothes. She relaxed back into his strong, capable arms. Unwilling to break the mood.
"How many other men have you known?" He whispered into her ear. He knew it was a dumb question, but he couldn't help himself. He was losing himself in the moment, and he was not possessed of all his wits. She tensed, and her catlike eyes narrowed dangerously, but she did not pull away. Apparently he was not the only one who was not themselves.
"You have no right to ask me that, none whatsoever!" she hissed back at him.
"How many?" he persisted. She pulled away, but only slightly.
"Be careful, Teej or I might just have to do a repeat performance of that day on my front porch." She murmured out of the corner of her mouth. TJ just grinned roguishly, and pulled her back, full against him. All thought and feeling immediately plummeted to that one spot deep inside that could only be reached by...well, if she thought of that she just might come undone right here.
"Just tell me."
"I've learned enough from other guys to bring you to your knees," she whispered seductively. This information sent a surge of jealousy coursing through him, but also, an equally strong burst of excitement. She was telling the truth, he felt it. And Damn him to hell if he didn't want to know exactly what she had learned in his absence. He barely suppressed a groan.
"Prove it," he muttered hoarsely.
AN: NOW REVIEW!!!