A/N: hey, guess what I did in earth science today? chapter 9. hurray. yay for boring classes. anyway, I fit the Jen-Luke bit in here that I skipped, so I think I'm back on track with the story. hurray again. Another thing I noticed is that there is always at least one typo in these chapters. This is not because I'm dumb, but because I'm lazy. After writing these and typing these I just don't feel like proofreading them. So I thought about proofreading this one, and then I decided not to (but it's the thought that counts right?), so I apologize in advance for the typo that's v. likely in here somewhere.

I watched Emma (the movie) again last night with my roommate, and now I'm in love with Mr. Knightly again.. sigh.. too bad he's a fictional character.

Another one of my random disclaimers: the basics are Jane Austen's. Christian is mine (almost).

Okay I'm done now.

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I end up next to Jen. Chase places himself quite nicely on my other side, though it's obvious this isn't going to matter, as Jen is in a complete state of panic and in definite need of some calming down. She's got a story to tell.

"Becka," she moans almost as soon as we're sitting. "I have just had the worst day of my life!" She sighs heavily and slumps down in her chair. I lean my elbows onto the table (very impolite, I know, but who really cares these days?) while I wait for her to continue. Feeling a little guilty—I just had the best day of my life.

"Okay," she begins again once she's ready. "I went to the cafe at noon today to grab some lunch, you know?" She pauses to make sure I'm following. Which I am, though I'm not sure how the news thus-far translates into the-worst-day-ever. Again she continues, "And guess who ended up in line right next to me?!"

Oh God, please not Elton.

"Luke Emerson!" Jen supplies.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. This I can handle. Apart form him being my lab partner, I had actually forgotten about Luke Emerson and any Luke-Jen connections.

"How did it go?" I ask solemnly, and with intense concern, although now that I know this is about nothing worse than Luke, I'm more worried about how to catch Chase's attention once I'm finished here.

"Well, we both just stood there for a couple minutes pretending like we didn't see each other and I just wanted to die, Becka. I wanted to die!" Pause for emphasis. Then she continues, "Then finally he was like "Oh hi Jen," like he just saw me. So I was like "hi." And then we talked for a while and he told me he'd read The Da Vince Code which he knows is like my favorite book in the world." Oh. Leave it to Jen to think The Da Vince Code is good writing. "And he said he really like it, and then we got through line and he went to sit with his sister. But I just got take out and left because it was just too weird." This is where she stops despairingly, and looks towards me for an opinion.

I'm think, that's it? That's the story of the worst day ever? My good days are sores than that. I begin, "That's good Jen." She looks at me like how-is-that-good.

"I mean," I keep going, "you guys were bound to run into each other some time. And I think the way that you, and I have to say Luke, handled it was really great. And just think, next time you see him it won't be so awful."

"Really?" she asks, all wide-eyed relief.

"Really," I assure her.

Then she's comfortable again and she says, "It was nice of him to read that book, wasn't it?"

"Sure Jen," I sigh, looking longingly sideways at Chase. He's talking to Sophie Walker, poor boy, who's sitting across form him. By now everyone's settled into a conversation, so I'm left talking to Jen until our food comes. Not that that's a bad thing in itself, don't get me wrong. Just when Chase is around.

When the food does arrive, I take the opportunity of asking Christian, sitting across from me, if he's bought the tickets yet for the play we're seeing Thursday night. The way Christian looks at me, I know he knows exactly what I'm doing. But he's been ignoring me for Sophie Walker all night, and I know what he's doing too. So we're even.

"No," he says. "I'll get around of it." Then as a postscript he adds, "If you're sure you're gonna show up, that is."

I choose to ignore that.

"What play are you going to see?" asks Chase.

Ah, perfect. Am I good, or am I good?

"Les Misrables," actually."

"Really?" he's all interest. "What time is it at?"

"Seven."

"On Thursday?"

I nod. Here comes the good part. "Want to come?"

Christian kicks me under the table. Hard. Again, ignoring.

"I'd love too," says Chase.

"Good stuff."

Christian, who looks like he's going to kill me or die, turns to Jen. "Jen," he asks pathetically, "please tell me you want to come see Les Misrables on Thursday night."

"Okay," says Jen, who has probably never heard of Les Misrables but is still on a high from my approval of the Luke Emerson episode. That's probably better anyway. At least he didn't invite Sophie Walker.

"How about you?" Christian continues, turning to the girl at his side. "Interested in Broadway musicals?" I spoke too soon. Insufferable man.

Sophie reacts by looking at me, which surprises me, and begins, "I'd love..." she glances over to Chase who shrugs as if to say "like I care." "...to come," she finishes, smiling sloppily up at Christian. Now I want to die.

"Ha ha ha," Christian says to me. "Now I have two dates."

"And all you need is a life," I answer sweetly.

"Bet I could get more," he ignores me. "Hey Taylor—"

"I'm already going, hun, and not with you," says my friend laughing.

"Oooh, shot down," I laugh.

But here I am again, flirting with Christian. This is going to be a real problem.

"Let's see," I say truing abruptly back to Chase.

"Let's see what?" he asks.

"Well, I figure you're probably the most interesting person to talk to here since I know all these losers. I'm just trying to think of a good question." After a little more thinking time I say, "Got it. So, what was the last CD you bought, Chase?"

Chase laughs. "That's your idea of a good question?"

"Hey, it's very important. You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of music they listen to."

"Alright," he shrugs. "I just bout Rooney."

"Are you serious?" I ask. "Christian, he listens to good music."

"I heard," says Christian dryly.

"So what CDs have you been buying?" Chase asks me.

"Uh-uh. That's cheating. Gotta think of your own question," I answer.

"Okay... favorite book."

"Big Fish, by Daniel Wallace. About a Boy, by Nick Hornby. Or anything Henry James."

"Never heard of Big Fish."

"It's wonderful. Favorite movie."

"I think I have to say Monty Python and the Holy Grail."

"Mmm. Good choice. But not as good as The Princess Bride."

"Not as good as The Princess Bride," echoes Christian.

"It's our movie," I explain.

"Right," says Chase, moving on. "Favorite character in Lord of the Rings."

"In the books Pippin and Faramir. But I have to say Aragorn in the movies."

"Naturally," Chase rolls his eyes.

"He's so sexy. And hey, at least I didn't say Legolas. I mean, Aragorn has a character.

"True," he laughs.

This is how we spend the rest of the evening, until at 11:00 Christian is driving me home. It's a very quiet ride.