Disclaimer: I own no person, place or thing that you recognize. The persona's are property of the WWE and Vince McMahon, people own themselves. I'm just borrowing them for a little torture that is referred to as fan fiction.
Notes: Sorry for taking so long with the update! I have no outline written for this piece…as I'm not sure what will happen with each chapter..lol. Great plan, huh? Anyway, thank you for your patience with the fickle author…and um, happy valentine's day
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The black corvette pulled into the parking lot of an all hour diner. As promised, Lita had driven until they reached Fayetteville, and she would have liked to have waited until they were closer to the state border…but John's stomach protested loudly. The redhead figured that they would reach Myrtle Beach sometime in the early hours of the morning. A prospect that she really wasn't looking forward to…but it was either that or find a motel to stay the night. Given, they had passed by a Holiday Inn, but that didn't mean she wanted to stop. All they were supposed to be doing was heading to Myrtle Beach, and as far she was concerned…the sooner they got there, the better.
"Well hello there!" The waitress bustled over, a middle aged woman with a kind smile. "I don't think I've seen y'all here before…what can I start ya with?"
"Coffee, black please." Lita stated with a smile, "What are your specials tonight?"
"Darlin' everythin' is special in here." The waitress winked, pointing to a few items on the menu. "But, I'd hafta recommend the pancakes, no one makes 'em better than our Louis there."
Lita couldn't help but grin. "We'll keep that in mind."
"Certainly sugar," The waitress sent a look to John. "An' for you sir?"
"Coffee, black." John stated, his eyes wandering hungrily over the menu.
"Two coffee's comin' right up." The waitress beamed, bustling back behind the counter to get their cups of coffee.
Lita turned her attention to the menu, "Gotta love the good ole' Southern hospitality."
John nodded absently, "I'm so hungry…I could eat a horse."
Hazel eyes twinkled mischievously, "Be careful what you wish for…you may just end up eatin' road kill."
John blanched, looking over the top of the menu at the redhead. "You're jokin' right?"
Lita rolled her eyes, "Don't be so gullible…that's probably just a dinner special anyway."
John made a face, "Still not helping."
"Anyway…" Lita tossed her hair over her shoulder, "The way I figure it, we've got about two hours or so until we get to Myrtle Beach…"
"Oh sugar, didn't ya know?" The waitress returned, setting two steaming cups of coffee before them. "They're fixin' up the highway between here an' the border…y'all can still travel along it, but not without a delay."
The redhead blinked, "How much of a delay?"
The waitress pursed her lips in thought, "Well, from what I've heard, they're fixin' it up at night…but in the morning they're done…so it would really be best if y'all bunkered down around here."
Lita nodded slowly, blowing slightly on her coffee. "Thanks…"
"No problem at all honey, now have you decided what to order?"
"Those pancakes sound good…" Lita stated with a smile, "I'll have a stack of those…scrambled eggs on the side please."
"An' for you darlin'?"
"I'll have the same please." John stated as he handed over the menu.
"You won't regret it," the waitress grinned to the two, bustling back to the kitchen to place their orders.
"Well…" Lita began, tentatively grasping her coffee mug. "We could take the back roads there…but that'll take us longer."
"Would you rather just stay overnight then?" John suggested as he cupped the mug before him. "It don't really matter to me…"
The redhead's shoulders lifted in a nonchalant shrug. "We could I suppose…it would give us more time to actually enjoy Myrtle Beach."
"It would…" John conceded easily, a slow sip of his coffee taken then. "Where's the nearest hotel?"
"There's a Holiday Inn not far from here…just off the exit actually, so if we just take this road up, we should be right there."
"I'll split the hotel costs with ya'…it's the least I can do."
Lita shrugged her shoulders, lifting the mug to her lips. "Whatever…just pay for the gas on the way back or something."
John's forehead etched in confusion, "But that would be more like payin' Jeff instead of you."
"Your point? It's nothing really…okay?"
"Alright…" John set his coffee mug on the table, "Then how 'bout I pay for meals tomorrow? Since you insist on payin' for the hotel."
"Whatever…" Lita stated with a shrug, "If it'll make you feel better, then fine."
"I'd just feel like I was imposing on ya or something."
"You're not." The redhead insisted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "We're friends, right…? It's what friends do."
"Yeah…" John nodded at that, the two falling silent for a moment.
Lita was opening her mouth to say something when the waitress returned, balancing two plates overflowing with pancakes and eggs. "Now, y'all just holler if you need anything, ya here?"
The redhead grinned to the waitress, her fork soon in hand poised over the stack of pancakes before her. "Mmm…this looks really good."
John nodded in agreement as he cut the pancakes into pieces. "They sure are generous."
"Southern hospitality," Lita mentioned as she poured syrup over her pancakes. "Or it could be because it's late and they wanna use up the batter or something."
John shrugged, waiting until the redhead was done with the syrup. "So, you do this often?"
Lita raised a brow, stabbing a piece of pancake. "Meaning?"
"Well, you don't exactly strike me as the type to just up an' go somewhere with someone you don't really know…but I meant, do you drive around and head to an all night diner."
"All depends really," Lita shrugged, stuffing the piece of pancake in her mouth.
"On?"
The redhead shrugged, "On if Jeff wants to go somewhere in the middle of the night…its not too uncommon though."
John nodded, stabbing a piece of pancake for himself. "Is Jeff like your partner in crime or something?"
Lita smirked, "Or something I guess…he's just my best friend. I mean, sure I can say the same about Dawn, Victoria…even Lil, but Jeff will always be my best friend."
"Kinda like a soul mate or something.." John mentioned after he had swallowed down the bite of pancake. "Just not in the romantic sense."
The redhead nodded, chewing thoughtfully before she replied. "Yeah…that's one way of looking at it anyway. I just know I can talk to Jeff about anything, that he'll always be there for me when I just need someone to help me forget about it all."
"We all need someone like that."
Lita nodded, "He helps me understand things…helps make sense of things, and he's one of the few people who really understands me, plus he's one of the few people, if one of the only people that can always cheer me up.."
"Can I ask ya something?"
The redhead sent him a wary look. "About?"
"Maybe I'm just assuming too much here, but the two of ya seem really good for each other.."
"And you're wondering why we never dated?" Lita finished in the blink of an eye, this question one she was used to hearing. "I can't really say, ya know? I mean, I'm happy with how things are between me an' Jeff. Don't get me wrong or anything, I've thought about the what if's…but, I don't want to risk screwing up a great friendship."
"There's no sayin' that hasta happen."
"No," Lita conceded easily, the redhead setting her fork down then. "But it's a risk I am not willing to take. I'd rather have Jeff as my bestest, craziest, most unpredictable and yet still somehow reliable goofball friend…" She trailed off after a moment, stabbing another piece of pancake.
"Sorry if I brought up a sore issue or something."
Lita shook her head, "Nah…I'm used to hearing the question…most everyone I've met, who also knows Jeff, has wondered about it. But, even if I was willing to risk the friendship we have…I'm not looking for a relationship right now."
John nodded, "I understand…I was just curious that's all…so I am sorry if I offended ya."
Lita shook her head, a smile sent to the man across from her. "You didn't offend me…believe me. There isn't much that does offend me anyway."
The two fell into a comfortable silence then, simple conversation emitting from the two amidst the quiet atmosphere of the diner. Their waitress returned twice, once to refill their coffee mugs and again to check on the quality of the food. Both had assured the waitress that everything was good, and that if she didn't believe them? The empty plates before them spoke volumes. That earned them a beaming grin from the waitress, the kind woman clearing the table then. And once that was out of the way, they both pushed back slightly from the table; the two leaning back in their chairs as they waited for the check to arrive. The waitress returned, the same beaming smile on her face as she set the check on the table. But, when Lita reached for it, John stopped her. He reminded her then that, if she was paying for the hotel, he was paying for the meals. The redhead started to protest, but instead of arguing about it…she conceded.
………..
It was a quick trip to the hotel from the diner, but still the ride was in silence. Both were full from their recent meal, but thanks to the two cups of coffee they were both considerably awake. Lita had suggested that they just keep driving, but John reminded her that the road was under construction…plus with the recent rain, the back roads could be unsafe. The redhead shrugged all the same, pulling the corvette into the nearest available parking spot.
"Well hello there," The hotel desk clerk greeted them with a charming smile. "Can I get y'all a room?"
"Please," Lita stated as she leaned against the counter, "With two beds."
The clerk nodded, turning her attention to the computer screen before her; the clicking of the keyboard the only noise. "Well darlin' I'm afraid all we have left is a single room…I can have someone bring up a cot for y'all though."
"That'll be fine." Lita stated as she brought out her wallet, her credit card settling on the countertop then. "Thanks so much."
The clerk smiled, "Just a minute an' I'll get y'all settled."
The redhead nodded, jamming her hands in her back pockets, a look sent around the lobby then. The time was just going on 11:30, so if they had stuck with the road…who knows when they would've reached Myrtle Beach with the road construction.
"Here ya are m'am." The clerk handed the credit card back to the redhead. "If you could just sign here,…" She slipped a yellow sheet of paper over, the keycard placed on the counter. "Y'all are just down that hallway, just turn left and head straight down…first door after the ice machines."
Lita nodded, taking the keycard then. "Thank you."
"Y'all have a pleasant night, ya here? An' don't hesitate to holler if ya need anything!"
The two nodded, falling silent as they made their way down the designated corridor of the hotel. It almost felt silly, paying for a hotel room for just one night when they would just be leaving early in the morning. But, at the same time…it would be nice to get a good nights rest and have a full day at Myrtle Beach. That, and it gave the two a little time to think of a good explanation as to why Jeff's car was missing. All of that aside, Lita slipped the keycard into the slot, turning the knob when the green light came on.
"Ahh…" Lita chuckled wryly as they stepped inside. "Home sweet hotel."
John just shook his head, flopping into one of the chairs. "Well it's only for a night."
Lita nodded, setting the keycard on the night table next to the bed. "Yeah I know…it'll be nice to get a good nights rest anyway."
"For you anyway," John stated as he kicked up his feet, his legs hooking over the arm of the chair. "You ain't gotta sleep on a cot."
The redhead snorted, flopping down on the bed. "Well I paid for the room…it's only fair."
John just rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah whatever…is there anything on t.v.?"
"Well, let's find out." The Diva moved from the bed long enough to grab the remote before she flopped down again, settling on her stomach. "It's not too late, so I'm sure there's a movie on somewhere."
John nodded, shifting in the chair a touch so he could see the screen. "Havin' that second cup of coffee was a mistake."
Lita snorted, digging into the bag of previously bought groceries. "I don't sleep 'til late anyway."
John raised a brow as the redhead brought a bag of chips, and a chocolate bar. "You gonna share that?"
"Your ass is movin' over here if you expect me to." Lita stated as she opened the bag of chips. "Soda's would be nice too…"
"Woman, I bought soda.."
The redhead stuck out her lower lip. "But it's not cold.."
John rolled his eyes, moving from the chair to grab the ice bucket. "Then I'll go get us some ice."
Lita grinned triumphantly, "Thank you."
"Yeah yeah," John muttered as he exited the hotel room.
Lita flipped through the channels while she waited, and by the time John had returned with a bucket of ice; she had settled on a movie. It took them a few moments to get everything situated. Two of the bottles of soda, another bag of chips and the chocolate bar settled between them on the bed. One of the hotel staff had stopped by with the cot, but the two barely noticed that as they had become engrossed in the movie. However, by the time the ending credits rolled on the screen, they had finished off one bottle of soda and both bags of chips. Problem was, neither one of them was tired and it was now going on 1:00 a.m.
"I'm bored." Lita declared after a moment.
"So, let's watch another movie." John grabbed the remote control, flipping through the channels. "There's gotta be something on."
Lita just shrugged, sighing aloud as most of the stations started to meld into one giant infomercial. And after that search ended unsuccessfully, save for the repeat of the movie they had just been watching, the two exchanged a look. Lita figured they had two options, either go to sleep or find another way to alleviate their boredom. Problem was…how?
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Author note: Sorry, sorry, sorry…for taking this long to update…I'll try and update more frequently but I can't make any promises.
Review Responses:
Latisha C.: mmm…more than likely, lol. After all, they did 'borrow' without his permission. I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for the review!
Together: I know I would stare, lol. I have no shame in admitting that. I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for the review!
CNIMBWM: umm…I dunno, lol. Sometimes it just comes pretty easily. I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for the review!
Myth: Glad you liked it! I'll admit, I worry sometimes…that I'm not keeping them in character, but then a part of me just doesn't care…it's fiction after all. I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for the review!
Harmoni9: Thanks! I needed to write a nice humor filled fic…lol. I'll try and update this on a more frequent basis, but I don't want to get ahead of myself..hehe. I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for the review!
Iaera: Thanks! I'll admit, this has been a more trying story for me to write but eh, whatever..lol. I just go with it and try my best. I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for the review!