Chapter 12: Playing Games
Chastity awoke to the annoying sound of her cell phone. Her parents could be so overprotective sometimes. She conversed with them groggily for a bit, then dragged herself out of bed to start the day even though it was only 8.
"Morning babe," Vanness poured a mug of steaming tea, which Chas preferred over coffee, for her and gestured to the plate of croissants and bagels.
"You're up early. Didn't sleep well?" Chastity sipped the warm liquid slowly.
"You could say that. I'm the early bird in the group anyway," Vanness recalled the uneasy events of the past night, wondering how the rest of his friends slept. He was going to go for a jog after breakfast to try and ease his mind. Now that Chastity was up too, he had a better idea.
"How about some squash?" he smiled.
"For breakfast? That's okay," Chastity threw Vanness a bizarre look, and he realized that she thought he was referring to the actual vegetable.
"No, I meant racquetball you geek. You up for a game or two? There's a facility right down the street."
They trudged through the layers of powdery snow, and Vanness led her downstairs to the individual game rooms of the gym. He handed her a racquet, safety glasses, and unlocked one of the virtually soundproof rooms. Vanness slid a CD out of his bag and inserted it into the room's convenient sound system. Chastity tightened her ponytail and positioned herself, shifting the racquet around in her hands.
"You play a lot?" Vanness wanted to gauge how intense he would play her according to her experience level.
"Never. I play tennis. It's similar isn't it?" Chastity thought squash seemed like an awesome game, and she wasn't at all intimidated by the muscular boy she was playing with.
"Sure. You'll get used to it," Vanness set the small ball in motion masterfully and hoped Chastity would make the game interesting…He wasn't disappointed. Exhausted but amused, he threw Chastity a bottle of water. This girl was full of surprises after all, even if she could be a bit spastic at times. On their way back to the townhouse, she gracefully slipped on an icy puddle. Giggling hysterically, she nearly pulled Vanness down with her when he tried to help. In the end, he decided to give her a piggyback all the way home. He teased her about being a klutz, and she remarked that he was just upset she showed him up at racquetball.
~
"Hey kiddies!" Vanness greeted the sleepy group of people huddled around the kitchen table. Chastity slid off him to her feet and handed Vanness his bag.
"Where've you two been?" Ken was pouring himself coffee and gazing at the disheveled duo.
"Squashin!" Chastity and Vanness simultaneously erupted in a fit a of laughter at the joke that only they found remotely funny.
"Yeah, I'm going to go shower before we go hit the slopes for the day."
"Me too," Vanness followed Chastity's cue, and they both went off to get cleaned up.
"Separate showers please! Save the hanky panky till after hours!" Shelly called after them.
~
"Haha! Shut up and help me up!"
"Woman you are hopeless!"
"Why can't you ever use my name?! Can I call you Neanderthal?" It was mid-morning and Chastity and Jerry were hurling insults on a beginner's slope. For some reason, Jerry had offered to show her how to snowboard, being that he was the expert. Everyone had made plans to regroup for lunch. Heaving yet another exasperated sigh, he pulled Chastity upright and tried to demonstrate. Chastity was catching on, but Jerry had too short of patience so they were more out of breath from yelling at each other than actually boarding.
"Alright! Let's try this again, and stop scowling. It ruins your whole image," Chastity held out a hand for Jerry to guide her back up the slope. Inhaling deeply, Chastity made an attempt at a smooth coast down, but she gained speed quickly and realized she hadn't learned how to properly stop herself. Perfect. This is so America's Funniest Home Video, she thought.
"Jerrrrryyyyyyy!" Chastity called for help as she accelerated downwards. Jerry smacked a hand to his forehead and sped down after her. Chastity had taken to flailing her hands wildly, and Jerry had to swing up and wrap his arms around her waist. They spun, and Chastity quickly threw her arms around his neck. Even though they had slowed, Chastity had lost all sense of balance and fell forward onto Jerry, plummeting them both into the snow in a most compromising position. Chastity's legs were bound to the cumbersome snowboard, and she had difficulty picking herself off of the cushy Jerry.
"You know what, let's just lay like this for a little while until I catch my breath." Chastity gasped.
"You really Are hopeless you know that?" Jerry was equally winded by the little trick, but this comment was said softer, gentler. The situation was immensely funny, and the added bonus was that an attractive girl was resting on top of him at the moment. Not that a fair share of girls didn't fling themselves at him but like so many other men would agree, Chastity was just different.
"Hopeless I know, but I can probably outdo you in a number of other things."
"I doubt it, but you're welcome to try. What time is it anyway?" Jerry lifted one of the hands he had positioned on Chastity's back.
"We're supposed to be at the loft in about 10 minutes, but how are we going to get up?" Chastity turned her head and read the watch. Jerry caught a full whiff of her hair. By this time other skiers had started to make comments about the couple "cuddling" in the snow. Whispers of "look how cute" drifted towards them. Chastity's already flushed cheeks got a bit warmer. Jerry would've been content in this position for a bit longer, had the snow not been making his backside damp. In a swift move he rolled over so that their positions were swapped. For a minute Jerry was propped up above her, their eyes locked. With some sort of boyish skill he managed to get up, although reluctantly, and helped Chas to stand too. Unfastening the snowboards, they walked the rest of the way to the ski loft. Their movements a bit exaggerated in those boots, and Jerry instinctively offered a hand to Chastity.
~
"We're going out kiddies. Get dressed," Vanness brushed the last snowflakes from his hair and flipped a small flyer in his hands.
"Vague much? Tell me where so I know what to change into," Shelly scoffed. It was around 9 that night, and they had just received word that Becca's flight was delayed due to major snowstorms. She wouldn't be there until morning, granting them all one more night of freedom. Vanness seemed to have found the perfect place for a little partying too.
"New club, Cosmo. It's some new underground thing. We don't have any other plans." Vanness shooed the girls upstairs, knowing well how long they could take to get ready.
"We're not…walking are we?" Ken looked concerned at the possibility of trudging through the thick snow late at night.
"Hell no. I remembered how sucky it was to be without transportation last time we were here. So I planned ahead and had someone rent cars for us. Clever huh?" Vanness grinned cheekily, very proud of himself.
"Great. The girls will take a car, and you boys can take the other. I only saw two parked outside," Shelly chirped. Before the guys could protest, she had snatched a set of keys off the counter.
"We can't have you guys driving us around all the time. It'll look like we're…together. Wouldn't want you hindering our chances of scoping some 'hot boiz,' " Kiki added, strutting out after Shelly. Chastity winked at the bewildered guys and followed.
[Not much plot movement lately, but I'm trying to do a lot of character development right now. I am promising you awesome readers a KISS next chapter. Hehe. I am going out of town for a week or so, that's why I posted 2 chapters today to keep you going while I'm gone. And I haven't stopped work on Through It All, it's just a lot harder to write than this one. Expect to see an update on that when I get back. Let me know what you think of this chap!]
Chastity awoke to the annoying sound of her cell phone. Her parents could be so overprotective sometimes. She conversed with them groggily for a bit, then dragged herself out of bed to start the day even though it was only 8.
"Morning babe," Vanness poured a mug of steaming tea, which Chas preferred over coffee, for her and gestured to the plate of croissants and bagels.
"You're up early. Didn't sleep well?" Chastity sipped the warm liquid slowly.
"You could say that. I'm the early bird in the group anyway," Vanness recalled the uneasy events of the past night, wondering how the rest of his friends slept. He was going to go for a jog after breakfast to try and ease his mind. Now that Chastity was up too, he had a better idea.
"How about some squash?" he smiled.
"For breakfast? That's okay," Chastity threw Vanness a bizarre look, and he realized that she thought he was referring to the actual vegetable.
"No, I meant racquetball you geek. You up for a game or two? There's a facility right down the street."
They trudged through the layers of powdery snow, and Vanness led her downstairs to the individual game rooms of the gym. He handed her a racquet, safety glasses, and unlocked one of the virtually soundproof rooms. Vanness slid a CD out of his bag and inserted it into the room's convenient sound system. Chastity tightened her ponytail and positioned herself, shifting the racquet around in her hands.
"You play a lot?" Vanness wanted to gauge how intense he would play her according to her experience level.
"Never. I play tennis. It's similar isn't it?" Chastity thought squash seemed like an awesome game, and she wasn't at all intimidated by the muscular boy she was playing with.
"Sure. You'll get used to it," Vanness set the small ball in motion masterfully and hoped Chastity would make the game interesting…He wasn't disappointed. Exhausted but amused, he threw Chastity a bottle of water. This girl was full of surprises after all, even if she could be a bit spastic at times. On their way back to the townhouse, she gracefully slipped on an icy puddle. Giggling hysterically, she nearly pulled Vanness down with her when he tried to help. In the end, he decided to give her a piggyback all the way home. He teased her about being a klutz, and she remarked that he was just upset she showed him up at racquetball.
~
"Hey kiddies!" Vanness greeted the sleepy group of people huddled around the kitchen table. Chastity slid off him to her feet and handed Vanness his bag.
"Where've you two been?" Ken was pouring himself coffee and gazing at the disheveled duo.
"Squashin!" Chastity and Vanness simultaneously erupted in a fit a of laughter at the joke that only they found remotely funny.
"Yeah, I'm going to go shower before we go hit the slopes for the day."
"Me too," Vanness followed Chastity's cue, and they both went off to get cleaned up.
"Separate showers please! Save the hanky panky till after hours!" Shelly called after them.
~
"Haha! Shut up and help me up!"
"Woman you are hopeless!"
"Why can't you ever use my name?! Can I call you Neanderthal?" It was mid-morning and Chastity and Jerry were hurling insults on a beginner's slope. For some reason, Jerry had offered to show her how to snowboard, being that he was the expert. Everyone had made plans to regroup for lunch. Heaving yet another exasperated sigh, he pulled Chastity upright and tried to demonstrate. Chastity was catching on, but Jerry had too short of patience so they were more out of breath from yelling at each other than actually boarding.
"Alright! Let's try this again, and stop scowling. It ruins your whole image," Chastity held out a hand for Jerry to guide her back up the slope. Inhaling deeply, Chastity made an attempt at a smooth coast down, but she gained speed quickly and realized she hadn't learned how to properly stop herself. Perfect. This is so America's Funniest Home Video, she thought.
"Jerrrrryyyyyyy!" Chastity called for help as she accelerated downwards. Jerry smacked a hand to his forehead and sped down after her. Chastity had taken to flailing her hands wildly, and Jerry had to swing up and wrap his arms around her waist. They spun, and Chastity quickly threw her arms around his neck. Even though they had slowed, Chastity had lost all sense of balance and fell forward onto Jerry, plummeting them both into the snow in a most compromising position. Chastity's legs were bound to the cumbersome snowboard, and she had difficulty picking herself off of the cushy Jerry.
"You know what, let's just lay like this for a little while until I catch my breath." Chastity gasped.
"You really Are hopeless you know that?" Jerry was equally winded by the little trick, but this comment was said softer, gentler. The situation was immensely funny, and the added bonus was that an attractive girl was resting on top of him at the moment. Not that a fair share of girls didn't fling themselves at him but like so many other men would agree, Chastity was just different.
"Hopeless I know, but I can probably outdo you in a number of other things."
"I doubt it, but you're welcome to try. What time is it anyway?" Jerry lifted one of the hands he had positioned on Chastity's back.
"We're supposed to be at the loft in about 10 minutes, but how are we going to get up?" Chastity turned her head and read the watch. Jerry caught a full whiff of her hair. By this time other skiers had started to make comments about the couple "cuddling" in the snow. Whispers of "look how cute" drifted towards them. Chastity's already flushed cheeks got a bit warmer. Jerry would've been content in this position for a bit longer, had the snow not been making his backside damp. In a swift move he rolled over so that their positions were swapped. For a minute Jerry was propped up above her, their eyes locked. With some sort of boyish skill he managed to get up, although reluctantly, and helped Chas to stand too. Unfastening the snowboards, they walked the rest of the way to the ski loft. Their movements a bit exaggerated in those boots, and Jerry instinctively offered a hand to Chastity.
~
"We're going out kiddies. Get dressed," Vanness brushed the last snowflakes from his hair and flipped a small flyer in his hands.
"Vague much? Tell me where so I know what to change into," Shelly scoffed. It was around 9 that night, and they had just received word that Becca's flight was delayed due to major snowstorms. She wouldn't be there until morning, granting them all one more night of freedom. Vanness seemed to have found the perfect place for a little partying too.
"New club, Cosmo. It's some new underground thing. We don't have any other plans." Vanness shooed the girls upstairs, knowing well how long they could take to get ready.
"We're not…walking are we?" Ken looked concerned at the possibility of trudging through the thick snow late at night.
"Hell no. I remembered how sucky it was to be without transportation last time we were here. So I planned ahead and had someone rent cars for us. Clever huh?" Vanness grinned cheekily, very proud of himself.
"Great. The girls will take a car, and you boys can take the other. I only saw two parked outside," Shelly chirped. Before the guys could protest, she had snatched a set of keys off the counter.
"We can't have you guys driving us around all the time. It'll look like we're…together. Wouldn't want you hindering our chances of scoping some 'hot boiz,' " Kiki added, strutting out after Shelly. Chastity winked at the bewildered guys and followed.
[Not much plot movement lately, but I'm trying to do a lot of character development right now. I am promising you awesome readers a KISS next chapter. Hehe. I am going out of town for a week or so, that's why I posted 2 chapters today to keep you going while I'm gone. And I haven't stopped work on Through It All, it's just a lot harder to write than this one. Expect to see an update on that when I get back. Let me know what you think of this chap!]