Chris slowly put Stephanie down on the ground. Trish was looking at him
and he had a hard time tearing himself away from gazing in her direction.
Finally, he did, and turned to Stephanie who was giving him a little smirk,
knowing exactly what he was feeling. He tried to make his face impassive,
but nothing ever got by Stephanie; she knew him too well for that.
"You look like an idiot," she told him seriously, "That grin has got to go."
"I do not."
"Not what? Not know my name because staring at Trish has rendered you dumb?"
"Ha! Not grinning."
"Yeah, sure, so why don't you go talk to her?"
"And say what? Hi, I made a fool out of myself in confessing my feelings to you, but hey."
"That'd work," she said with a nod, "Or you could just say 'hi.' But that's probably over thinking it right?"
"Hi? My lead-in is going to be hi?"
"Too hard to pronounce?"
"It probably will be when I go over to her."
"Oh give me a break!"
Stephanie had had enough of Chris's indecision and decided to take it upon herself to do something. She shoved Chris in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards and closer to Trish. Chris looked at her and she just shrugged. She walked into his dressing room and left him alone in the hallway, with Trish. He walked shyly over to Trish.
"Hi," he said, laughing inwardly that he had remembered how to pronounce it.
"Hey Chris," she said warmly, "You and Stephanie always look so happy."
"Well, she is rather...outgoing."
"You make a great couple."
"Oh, we're not a couple," he explained, "We're just best friends."
"Really? I thought that was just to cover up your relationship from her parents. I know they don't exactly get along," she said delicately.
"No, I'm not with her, I've never wanted to. Not that she isn't great, she is!" he said loudly, "And gorgeous and very, very smart!"
"Wow," Trish said, her brow furrowed, "She sounds...amazing."
He leaned in closer to her, "She's listening on the other side of the door."
Trish giggled, "How do you know?"
"I've been friends with Stephanie for almost four years, and when you spend as much time with someone as I do with her, you know things about them."
"So you two aren't...together?"
"No..."
"I thought you were," Trish said, "You know, I might have to reconsider that thing you told me last week. I swear I thought you were dating Stephanie."
Chris smiled lightly. He was trying to contain his utter excitement at her words. If she thought that he and Stephanie were more than friends, and now she knew that they weren't, and she had just changed her mind on what he had said. Maybe the tide was finally turning his way.
"Well, you can ask her if you don't believe me," he said, "She'll talk your ear off about how wrong you are, but you'll get the gist of it in the first sentence."
"You know, I'm free after the show on next Monday, so if maybe you wanted to go out, and see if maybe there's something between us, I definitely would be up for that," she said with a small smile.
"Really?"
He was in disbelief over what she was saying. Was it not that long ago that she was telling him that she wasn't interested in him? All because she thought that he was with Stephanie, it seemed almost insane. Maybe he needed to start wearing a nametag that said, "Hi my name is Chris, and NO, I'm not with Stephanie." Then maybe people would get the picture about his and Stephanie's relationship. When would people get the fact that guys and girls could be strictly friends?
"Yes, that is, if you're up to it?'
"Of course I am!" he said, sounding way too excited, and then calmly said, "Yeah, I don't have anything planned."
She giggled at his excitement, "Great, we'll just meet up after the show. You can get back to Stephanie now, she's probably going to jump you or something."
"Nah, that's only when she's mad at me," he laughed, "I'll see you later."
Trish walked away and Chris watched her leave, following her hips with his eyes. When she turned the corner, he finally tore his eyes away and looked back at his dressing room door. He knew that Stephanie probably had her ear up to the door, listening in on his conversation. It wouldn't be the first time. He walked up to the door, and opened it quickly, sending Stephanie flying and landing her on her butt.
"Oww!"
"That's what you get for eavesdropping," he said with a smirk, "When will you ever learn Stephers?"
"Are you going to get me in a 12-step program where I learn not to eavesdrop?" she asked, "Snooks, I'm admitting I have a problem, please help me!"
He rolled his eyes and went over to give her his hand. She took it and let him pull her up. As soon as she was standing up again, she dusted off her butt and then pulled down her shirt so that it covered up more. Chris just stood there with his arms crossed, waiting for her to finish.
"I think I broke my ass," she said.
"I'll call the doctor, maybe he'll find you a butt cast."
"Yeah, and maybe he can sew your mouth shut while he's here. You know, we can get a two for one deal or something, a doctor's special," she said, rubbing her chin in thought.
"So how much did you hear?"
"The entire thing, you know me and my bionic ears, I hear everything!"
"So you heard," he said, "And?"
"And..."
"And?"
"And..."
"And...do you know any other words in the English language? Or is "And" your new vocabulary?"
"I was thinking that I could get by on just 'and' from now on. I was testing it out on you, you know, see how it goes and all that. How's it working out for you Snooks?"
"Stop," he said firmly.
"Stop?"
"Stop."
"Stop?"
"Stephers, I'm about to throw you over my shoulder and take you back to your dressing room," he warned.
"Oh my God, and will you spank me too!"
"No, I'll save that for Randy."
Stephanie's jaw dropped and she glared at Chris playfully. He gave her a little smirk and she lunged at him, taking him down around the waist. With a yell, Chris grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder like he said he would, but Stephanie managed to get out of the hold and they wrestled each other to the ground, both panting for air when they finally stopped fighting each other.
"You are so rude," she said, "First insulting me, then wrestling me like a common animal, I am a woman, show some manners."
"You're a woman," he said, gasping, "When did this happen? How long have you known this?"
"Since last week."
"So you have a date with Randy Dreamboat, and I--"
"Have a date with the blonde bombshell."
He helped her get up again, "Yup."
"Randy Dreamboat, I like that, you're getting better at this nickname thing Snooks," she said proudly, "I knew you'd come around."
"So we both have dates coming up, something that has not happened in a great long while," he said, "You know what this means don't you?"
She grinned, "No!"
"I think it's time," he responded.
"Is it that special an occasion? Because you know it should only be brought out on the most special of occasions."
"What's better than both of us having dates?"
"Well, it is pretty monumental."
"Then shouldn't we?"
"You're right," she said, "I think it is time."
"The Happy Dance?"
"Oh yeah, it's time for the Happy Dance."
Stephanie giggled as she and Chris started doing their patented happy dance, which consisted of them basically jumping around like idiots and "dancing." To the naked eye it might look like they were having some sort of spasm, but it was their own special thing. They had first debuted the Happy Dance when they found out they were going to be a storyline together, and it had become a strictly special occasion dance.
They both finished while laughing with each other. The dance was just one of the many stupid things they had become accustomed to in the time they had become friends. It was nice to have someone that you could be a total and complete idiot with. Stephanie laughed as she punched Chris playfully in the stomach. He got in a boxing stance and started dodging her "blows."
"Maybe we can even double date," Stephanie said as she ducked under one of Chris's punches.
"No," he said, shaking his head, "Not again."
"Oh come on" she said, grabbing his arms as they tried to grab at her, "it wasn't that bad last time."
"Are you joking with me?"
She protested, "No, it wasn't that bad!"
"Stephers, the karaoke bar?" Chris told her, raising an eyebrow and prompting her to remember.
"Oh come on, that wasn't too bad," she said, "They just couldn't handle us."
"Yeah, but I lost a nice girl because of it."
"Hey, you KNOW that 'Play that Funky Music White Boy' is our song," she told him, "If we are ever anywhere that we can sing it, you know we have to."
"Damn you," he cursed, "Of course we do, what fun is anything if you can't sing that song."
"Complete with 70's dance moves?" she said cocking her head a little.
"You can't sing it without the moves, damn Anna didn't realize that and dumped me, but you know I'd do it all over again."
"You don't have to tell me twice, but maybe this time it would be better because Randy Dreamboat and the blonde bombshell have actually been around us."
"We'll see you goofball," Chris said, grabbing Stephanie around the waist and ruffling up her hair, "Now that the Dreamboat has asked you out, I can mess up your hair."
"Snooks! What if I see him!" Stephanie yelled.
"Then he'll see your morning after sex look," Chris joked around, still ruffling her hair.
"Eww, how would you even know about that?"
"I don't, I'm guessing."
"You're one crazy bastard Snooks."
"Right back at ya Stephers."
"You look like an idiot," she told him seriously, "That grin has got to go."
"I do not."
"Not what? Not know my name because staring at Trish has rendered you dumb?"
"Ha! Not grinning."
"Yeah, sure, so why don't you go talk to her?"
"And say what? Hi, I made a fool out of myself in confessing my feelings to you, but hey."
"That'd work," she said with a nod, "Or you could just say 'hi.' But that's probably over thinking it right?"
"Hi? My lead-in is going to be hi?"
"Too hard to pronounce?"
"It probably will be when I go over to her."
"Oh give me a break!"
Stephanie had had enough of Chris's indecision and decided to take it upon herself to do something. She shoved Chris in the chest, causing him to stumble backwards and closer to Trish. Chris looked at her and she just shrugged. She walked into his dressing room and left him alone in the hallway, with Trish. He walked shyly over to Trish.
"Hi," he said, laughing inwardly that he had remembered how to pronounce it.
"Hey Chris," she said warmly, "You and Stephanie always look so happy."
"Well, she is rather...outgoing."
"You make a great couple."
"Oh, we're not a couple," he explained, "We're just best friends."
"Really? I thought that was just to cover up your relationship from her parents. I know they don't exactly get along," she said delicately.
"No, I'm not with her, I've never wanted to. Not that she isn't great, she is!" he said loudly, "And gorgeous and very, very smart!"
"Wow," Trish said, her brow furrowed, "She sounds...amazing."
He leaned in closer to her, "She's listening on the other side of the door."
Trish giggled, "How do you know?"
"I've been friends with Stephanie for almost four years, and when you spend as much time with someone as I do with her, you know things about them."
"So you two aren't...together?"
"No..."
"I thought you were," Trish said, "You know, I might have to reconsider that thing you told me last week. I swear I thought you were dating Stephanie."
Chris smiled lightly. He was trying to contain his utter excitement at her words. If she thought that he and Stephanie were more than friends, and now she knew that they weren't, and she had just changed her mind on what he had said. Maybe the tide was finally turning his way.
"Well, you can ask her if you don't believe me," he said, "She'll talk your ear off about how wrong you are, but you'll get the gist of it in the first sentence."
"You know, I'm free after the show on next Monday, so if maybe you wanted to go out, and see if maybe there's something between us, I definitely would be up for that," she said with a small smile.
"Really?"
He was in disbelief over what she was saying. Was it not that long ago that she was telling him that she wasn't interested in him? All because she thought that he was with Stephanie, it seemed almost insane. Maybe he needed to start wearing a nametag that said, "Hi my name is Chris, and NO, I'm not with Stephanie." Then maybe people would get the picture about his and Stephanie's relationship. When would people get the fact that guys and girls could be strictly friends?
"Yes, that is, if you're up to it?'
"Of course I am!" he said, sounding way too excited, and then calmly said, "Yeah, I don't have anything planned."
She giggled at his excitement, "Great, we'll just meet up after the show. You can get back to Stephanie now, she's probably going to jump you or something."
"Nah, that's only when she's mad at me," he laughed, "I'll see you later."
Trish walked away and Chris watched her leave, following her hips with his eyes. When she turned the corner, he finally tore his eyes away and looked back at his dressing room door. He knew that Stephanie probably had her ear up to the door, listening in on his conversation. It wouldn't be the first time. He walked up to the door, and opened it quickly, sending Stephanie flying and landing her on her butt.
"Oww!"
"That's what you get for eavesdropping," he said with a smirk, "When will you ever learn Stephers?"
"Are you going to get me in a 12-step program where I learn not to eavesdrop?" she asked, "Snooks, I'm admitting I have a problem, please help me!"
He rolled his eyes and went over to give her his hand. She took it and let him pull her up. As soon as she was standing up again, she dusted off her butt and then pulled down her shirt so that it covered up more. Chris just stood there with his arms crossed, waiting for her to finish.
"I think I broke my ass," she said.
"I'll call the doctor, maybe he'll find you a butt cast."
"Yeah, and maybe he can sew your mouth shut while he's here. You know, we can get a two for one deal or something, a doctor's special," she said, rubbing her chin in thought.
"So how much did you hear?"
"The entire thing, you know me and my bionic ears, I hear everything!"
"So you heard," he said, "And?"
"And..."
"And?"
"And..."
"And...do you know any other words in the English language? Or is "And" your new vocabulary?"
"I was thinking that I could get by on just 'and' from now on. I was testing it out on you, you know, see how it goes and all that. How's it working out for you Snooks?"
"Stop," he said firmly.
"Stop?"
"Stop."
"Stop?"
"Stephers, I'm about to throw you over my shoulder and take you back to your dressing room," he warned.
"Oh my God, and will you spank me too!"
"No, I'll save that for Randy."
Stephanie's jaw dropped and she glared at Chris playfully. He gave her a little smirk and she lunged at him, taking him down around the waist. With a yell, Chris grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder like he said he would, but Stephanie managed to get out of the hold and they wrestled each other to the ground, both panting for air when they finally stopped fighting each other.
"You are so rude," she said, "First insulting me, then wrestling me like a common animal, I am a woman, show some manners."
"You're a woman," he said, gasping, "When did this happen? How long have you known this?"
"Since last week."
"So you have a date with Randy Dreamboat, and I--"
"Have a date with the blonde bombshell."
He helped her get up again, "Yup."
"Randy Dreamboat, I like that, you're getting better at this nickname thing Snooks," she said proudly, "I knew you'd come around."
"So we both have dates coming up, something that has not happened in a great long while," he said, "You know what this means don't you?"
She grinned, "No!"
"I think it's time," he responded.
"Is it that special an occasion? Because you know it should only be brought out on the most special of occasions."
"What's better than both of us having dates?"
"Well, it is pretty monumental."
"Then shouldn't we?"
"You're right," she said, "I think it is time."
"The Happy Dance?"
"Oh yeah, it's time for the Happy Dance."
Stephanie giggled as she and Chris started doing their patented happy dance, which consisted of them basically jumping around like idiots and "dancing." To the naked eye it might look like they were having some sort of spasm, but it was their own special thing. They had first debuted the Happy Dance when they found out they were going to be a storyline together, and it had become a strictly special occasion dance.
They both finished while laughing with each other. The dance was just one of the many stupid things they had become accustomed to in the time they had become friends. It was nice to have someone that you could be a total and complete idiot with. Stephanie laughed as she punched Chris playfully in the stomach. He got in a boxing stance and started dodging her "blows."
"Maybe we can even double date," Stephanie said as she ducked under one of Chris's punches.
"No," he said, shaking his head, "Not again."
"Oh come on" she said, grabbing his arms as they tried to grab at her, "it wasn't that bad last time."
"Are you joking with me?"
She protested, "No, it wasn't that bad!"
"Stephers, the karaoke bar?" Chris told her, raising an eyebrow and prompting her to remember.
"Oh come on, that wasn't too bad," she said, "They just couldn't handle us."
"Yeah, but I lost a nice girl because of it."
"Hey, you KNOW that 'Play that Funky Music White Boy' is our song," she told him, "If we are ever anywhere that we can sing it, you know we have to."
"Damn you," he cursed, "Of course we do, what fun is anything if you can't sing that song."
"Complete with 70's dance moves?" she said cocking her head a little.
"You can't sing it without the moves, damn Anna didn't realize that and dumped me, but you know I'd do it all over again."
"You don't have to tell me twice, but maybe this time it would be better because Randy Dreamboat and the blonde bombshell have actually been around us."
"We'll see you goofball," Chris said, grabbing Stephanie around the waist and ruffling up her hair, "Now that the Dreamboat has asked you out, I can mess up your hair."
"Snooks! What if I see him!" Stephanie yelled.
"Then he'll see your morning after sex look," Chris joked around, still ruffling her hair.
"Eww, how would you even know about that?"
"I don't, I'm guessing."
"You're one crazy bastard Snooks."
"Right back at ya Stephers."