Here is the next chapter for you guys. I have been given permission to use Mikki, Jeremy, Karen and Dylan who isn't names on this chapter but a reference is made about him, and the belong to KikiJuanita. And you must ask her for permission. Onyx is mine and can not be used without my permission. The rest belong to their rightful owners. Enjoy.
"You're not going to run off with my best friend are you?" She asked, entering her brother's bar to see it set up with fairy lights and cheesy 80's music being played. He couldn't get everything set up in time at the jazz club with it being only half done, if that. Jeff had been kind enough to offer his place, closing it to the general public for the night. It wasn't hard to see what he was doing for her, not when it came to her past.
"Why would I do something that crazy for?" Clint asked, pulling her into his embrace to dance among their friends. "I have the hottest date here," he smirked, giving her a twirl. "And nothing against your best friend, but I am not running off and starting a torrid love fair with Sebastian," he told her.
"I am going to pretend that I didn't hear that," Seb said, shaking his head as he walked by them.
Onyx couldn't control her fit of giggles, burying her head into his chest. "I have a major problem if you're planning on running off with Seb," she snorted, making Clint laugh. "And I really don't want to have a problem because I really like you," she said, regaining her breath and getting her laughter under control. Clint said nothing capturing her lips in a slow kiss.
"Does that seem like we have a problem?" He husked out, slowly pulling away from the kiss, Onyx following after, bringing him down for another kiss as her only reply.
"It means a lot that you did this for me," she commented, moving closer to him, using his chest to rest her head upon. "But I am still going to have a little word with my brother," she stated.
"He knew you'd be coming for him," Clint chuckled.
"That doesn't shock me," she laughed softly. Leave it to Jeff to tell Clint something that only he would know. She didn't even want to be mad at her brother for sharing a memory from her last she would rather forget, but the hard work Clint put into making that night up to her she couldn't help but love it. "Thank you for this," she whispered.
"It is my pleasure, Onyx," he whispered, kissing her head. "How's the arm?" He asked, content with holding her as they moved in a circle.
"It's nice to be able to scratch it," she laughed softly. She had gone in that morning for a check up and to see if the cast could come off now that it had been on for seven weeks. She had been relieved to hear her doctor tell her that her hand has healed up. She thought having the cast off her arm was the highlight of her day, turns out that wasn't even close to being the best part of her day by fair.
Clint laughed softly, shaking his head at the answer she gave him. He should have expected an answer like that one. "Want a drink?" He asked then.
"Is it spiked punch?" She asked overly excited.
"What kind of middle school do you go to?" He heard of spiking the punch in high school but not in any other grades younger than 9th grade.
"A normal one I think," she shrugged. "Besides I am old enough to drink now," she laughed. "The last thing I wanted to be doing was drinking at that age. Partying other than slumber parties was the only thing on my mind. And boys," she smirked.
"But the question remains," he started to say, seeing her roll her eyes at him. "What?" He asked with a chuckle.
"If you're about to ask if I would have gossiped about you, don't even ask because if I talk to my friends about you now, it is a guarantee I would have talked about you back then," she informed him, stopping at the bar. "I'm sure you were cute as ever back then," she smirked at him.
"I wasn't going to ask that," he chuckled, pulling her in placing a kiss on her forehead.
"Really?" She questioned, pulling back to look at him in the dim light. She didn't quite believe him, but she would give him this one.
"Yes," he nodded. "I wanted to know what type of drink you wanted. Do you want the spiked punch as you so well call it or do you want something a bit tamer?" He asked.
"I'll take some punch, if you're going to spike it for me," she smiled. "What do you have in the way of snacks?" She asked.
"Pretzels, chips and dip," he pointed to the other end of the counter, grabbing a plastic cup to put punch in for her.
"Anything more filling?" She asked with a frown. She was starving and the little snacks weren't going to tame her hunger.
Clint chuckled handing her the cup of punch. "I think I can find something in the kitchen to make you," he commented, placing his hand on her lower back to lead her to the kitchen.
"A cheeseburger with bacon if you can, please," she requested, slipping onto the counter while he went to see if he could provide her request.
"A s'mores would be good too," she commented off handily.
"I am sorry, but I don't have marshmallows, chocolate or graham crackers," he chuckled, finding the beef and bacon for her burger. Not seeing any of the ingredients needed for a s'mores.
"Can we get some after this dance is over with?" She pouted, sticking her lips out.
"And how do you propose we make them?" He asked, getting everything set up before handling the raw meat.
"A stove, a microwave, there are ways," she told him.
"If I don't agree you'll get them anyway," he commented. "So I guess I can make it easier for you," he exaggerated. Onyx rolled her eyes at him, but smiled, nonetheless
The talked and joked around while Clint cooked the food for her, adding in a handful of fries to the deep fryer. Once the food was done they sat in the kitchen eating the food, Clint having made one for himself.
"I was starting to wonder where you ran off to," Jeff chuckled, entering the kitchen area to see his sister and well he didn't really know what to call Clint, as he wasn't really friends with the guy and he wasn't his sister's boyfriend as of yet, watching what little bit of dishes they had used.
"Someone got hungry," Clint chuckled, nudging Onyx.
"I'm not ashamed that we raided your kitchen for a burger," Onyx stated looking to her brother, grabbing a towel to dry her hands on. "Someone should have put out better snacks," she shrugged.
"We'll keep that in mind the next time we throw a dance," Jeff chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't care that you raided the kitchen; you did clean up after yourselves. And soon enough it is going to be Blaine's problem," he shrugged.
"So you are going to sell to him?" Onyx asked, leaning against the counter top. Clint going about and finished with cleaning up, letting the siblings have this moment.
"Yeah. I can't thank you enough for talking to Rory and getting me a chance to see if I want to be a radio DJ," he said. "Even if it did cause a hiccup for you and Clint."
"Things are good now and I got my own dance out of it, so it's alright," she smiled, casting a look over at Clint, thinking maybe they should sit down later and redraw the lines once more. "So when do I get to hear you on the radio?"
"From the hours of midnight to five," he shrugged. "It's the best they can do, but I am going to take it, and do my best and turn it around," he informed his sister.
"I don't think I am going to willingly get up at midnight to listen to your show," she told him. "But if I find myself up during that time frame I'll listen in," she stated.
"I didn't expect you to get up just to listen," Jeff chuckled. "Besides it'll be another week before I start," he said. "I just wanted to let you know that I am going to take off and spend the rest of my night with my girlfriend," he smirked, seeing his sister pretend to gag.
"I don't need to know what my brother and my best friend are going to be doing," she stated, shoving her brother out the doors of the kitchen. "Think we can leave as well?" She asked, looking at Clint. "That way my brother can kick everyone else out and lock up for the night," she commented.
"It is your dance, so you can leave whenever you want to," Clint informed her, tossing the rag he was using in the sink, to be dealt with later for whoever it is that comes in and cleans the kitchen.
"In that case let's go," she smiled.
"You just want them s'mores," he laughed, following her from the kitchen.
"Of course," she laughed, looking back at him before she went around to say her goodbyes to everyone and thank them for taking the time to come and make the night that much more special for her.
With the bags filled with what little ingredients they needed, they headed up to Onyx's place as she wanted to change from the knee length dress she wore into something more comfortable before spending the night watching movies and just hanging out with Clint as they ate the multiple s'mores they planned on making.
"Stranger danger," she playfully yelled, pulling her phone out.
"Stranger danger, indeed," he chuckled, getting to his feet. "Who are you calling?" He questioned, shaking his head, at her actions.
"The police, duh," she replied, all while Clint looked between the two of them wondering just what was going on, as no one was cluing him in on any of it. "I'd like to report a crime," she said, once the other end of the phone had been picked up. "There's this stalker that flew all the way from Ohio to kill me, and he's at our door," she said, giving away that she was talking to Seb.
"Hey Bash," he laughed. "Tell your friend to stop being so dramatic," he loudly said, swiping the phone from Onyx and putting it on speaker.
"I am so happy that I am not there," Seb laughed. "Jere, what are you doing at my place? And please don't kill my best friend, even if she is dramatic," he said, getting a strange look from his girlfriend.
"I wanted to talk to you. When do you plan on being home?" Jeremy asked, entering the apartment now that Onyx had the door unlocked. "Why would I kill her? I would only have to kill her boyfriend as well," he commented.
"I'm not her boyfriend," Clint stated, placing the bag he had on the table.
"Clint you're going to have to keep them from fighting with each other," Seb sighed.
"If it's that important we can go back," Mikki suggested, sensing that he might need to be at home to deal with his brother.
"Nah, it should be fine," he smiled at his girlfriend. He knew how important it was to her that they get away for the weekend and have a romantic getaway. "I'll be back sometime Sunday," Seb said speaking to his brother again. "Is that going to be okay? Or do I need to cut my weekend away with girlfriend short?" He asked.
"I'll be here until Monday night, so we'll have plenty of time to catch up," Jeremy commented.
"Wait!" Onyx said, cutting into whatever her friend had to say. "I'm going to be stuck with your brother for the next two and a half days? How am I going to survive?" She asked. "Why couldn't it have been the better brother?" She asked sticking her tongue out at Jeremy.
"Real mature, Onyx," Jeremy laughed. "I did have plans of crashing on the couch," he smirked.
"Yeah well now you can sleep in Seb's bed," Onyx stated with a sigh. It wasn't that she didn't like Jeremy, in fact that wasn't the case at all. She got along with Jeremy just fine. They had an amazing friendship. The last thing she wanted to do was play babysitter to Jeremy while he was in town to see his brother, when she had plans with Clint.
"Any bodily fluid from you or your girlfriend I should know about?" Jeremy smirked.
"Ish," Onyx fake gagged. "Seb, Mikki we will be seeing you in a few days. Be careful on every account," Onyx said, hanging the phone up. "I'll get you clean sheets so you can make the bed," she commented.
"Aww aren't you the perfect little host," Jeremy cooed, following behind her.
"I swear to whoever, I will not hesitate to hurt you while you sleep tonight," she warned, digging clean sheets and a blanket from the closet.
"Got it," he laughed, taking the sheets and heading for his brother's room.
"I'm sorry about him. I didn't know he was going to be showing up," she apologized to Clint, wrapping her arms around his waist. "We can still hang out in my room and leave him to own devices for the night," she suggested.
"As much as I appreciate that offer, I'll go and we can have this night later in the week," he promised, pressing a small kiss to the corner of her mouth. "I'm sure he needs you more than I need to be with you," he said.
"Yeah, maybe," she sighed. "I am all for doing this another night," she smiled, sharing a kiss with him, letting him leave.
"What is that all about?" Jeremy asked, joining her on the couch.
"Making sure that I'm not rushing into anything after Hunter is all," she shrugged. "It's nice to take things at a different pace with Clint," she commented.
"Have you slept with him yet?" Jeremy asked raising an eyebrow at her. She shook her head. As much as she would like to jump him, it wouldn't do them any good. "What?" He asked, every bit shocked. "I've never known you not to hook up with a guy."
"Clint is different," she smiled. "I like him enough that I don't want we have and what we can have to be ruined or all about sex," she told him. "Nothing wrong in that."
"I didn't say there was. That is what I am doing," he smiled.
"Does that mean your divorce is finalized?" She asked, feeling like she was getting the reason he showed up for to talk to his brother about. "Or that maybe you're going to audition for some musicals again?"
"That has been finalized for a few months now," he nodded. "It's more that I've met someone else or rather ran into someone from my past," he shared. "I've got a few auditions lined up. I'll make sure to save four tickets. I can't have you and Seb showing up without your plus ones," he teased.
"Now that sounds like juicy information, that I must know before your brother does," she laughed. "I'm not even going to be mad about that comment," she laughed. She would take Clint with her and would pay for his ticket if she had to.
"You remember Karen? My high school sweetheart?" He asked, a goofy smile on his face. Onyx nodded, it was hard to forget Karen, as she had grown close to the older woman when she was younger as Karen would spend quite bit of her time at the Smythe place as would she. "I ran into her a few weeks back and we've been spending time together getting reacquainted. I don't think I ever stopped loving her. It was just hard what with her overseas for University, while I was in school and trying out for every show I could," he shared.
"I think it's sweet and I am all for you and her to work things out, Jere," she told him. She was happy for him, as she did see Jeremy as a brother figure.
"I thought it was going to be weird with her having an 8-year-old son, but the dude is awesome and we get along."
"She has a son? And you didn't get scared off?" Onyx asked, shocked by that revelation.
"I don't have anything against kids, Onyx," he stated, shaking his head. "Ex-fiancé, he couldn't take the pressure of having a kid and bailed."
"What a douche," Onyx said shaking her head. "If things with Karen work out this time, will you adopt the little guy?"
"If they want me to than yeah," he commented without skipping a beat.
"I knew there was a good guy under that jackassery," she teased.
"I'm still not sure there is anything under the man-eating whore called Onyx," he joked, earning a pillow to the face. "I kid, I know there is something under it all, I just don't know what," he smirked. She rolled her eyes at him.
They spent the rest of their night talking a bit more before turning the TV on to find something to watch until they decided to call it a night. They would figure out their plan once morning came,. They will find a way to waste there Saturday and part of Sunday in the morning, biding their time until Sebastian returned home.
With Seb returning home earlier on Sunday than they thought he would, Onyx headed over to Clint's place, giving the brother's the space they needed. Seb had sent her texts making sure the apartment building as a whole still stood and that no harm was done between his best friend and brother. Not that he thought that bad about them being alone together as he knew they considered each other family. Onyx being the sister Jeremy never knew he wanted and for Onyx he was just another brother in the ever growing list of hers.
"Free from babysitting," she smiled, entering his apartment once he opened the door for her. The last few days hadn't been that bad. She got a bit of information out the shows he had lined up to audition for and they all sounded like a good fit for him.
"He can't be that bad," Clint commented, seeing she brought what they needed to make the S'mores, just like he promised, she is just cashing in a few days earlier than planned.
"He can be," Onyx retorted. "Mind keeping these here? I don't trust my best friend and his brother," she commented, leaving the bag on the table.
"Not at all," he nodded. "I thought you were going to make them," he chuckled.
"We can, but I figured with the weather being nice, or hoping it stays that way, we can go camping," she suggested. She hadn't been camping in such a long time, that it would be nice to get away from the city and just unwind without any electronics around. And just enjoy nature and the world around them.
"I don't even know the last time I went camping," he commented. "I am up for that," he smiled. "Do you have a place in mind?"
"Yep," she nodded. "Very few people know about it," she said. It was a place that her brother found and as far as she knew no one else knew about it as they never saw anyone else there. "It's a little place tucked away by a little lake. It's really beautiful," she smiled.
"How can it not be with you there," he cheesily said. Onyx rolled her eyes.
"I am really starting to miss that jerk of a guy I first met at the bar," she stated, making herself comfortable on his couch.
"Why?" He asked, sitting down and angling himself towards her on the couch. "That a kinky fetish for you?" He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Maybe you'll have that answer one day," she smirked at him. "Having jerk you around is much better than the cheesy you," she answered.
"I'll work on that," he laughed. "Mind being serious for a moment?" He asked, licking his lips.
"What's going on?" She asked, turning slightly to face him, tucking a leg under herself.
"That's what I would like to know, Onyx," he told her. "I don't want you to feel like this is pushing you into anything you don't want," he quickly clarified. "But it would be nice to call you my girlfriend," he said. He didn't mind what they were doing, it was just hard to know they had this line that he couldn't cross because she wasn't ready and he respected that, but he really likes her and he wants everyone to know that she is his.
"I like you, Clint," she told him slowly, moving closer to him. "And you've gone out of your way to prove how much you care and like me, the dance you organized says that and more. But I don't know if I am ready for a full on relationship. I don't want this to get screwed up if I'm not ready," she told him.
"Then let me take you out on a few dates, to see if you are ready for more," he pleaded with her.
"I would like that," she smiled. "Unfortunately, they'll have to be held off for two weeks," she sighed, earning a confused look from Clint. "I'm super busy this week with summer school and private tutoring, that I don't have time for anything in my personal life other than sleeping and figuring out lesson plans," she told him. And Monday after the camping trip, I'm headed to Houston for a three day teaching seminar and that Friday I am headed to Dallas for a one-day workshop. And when I get back midday Saturday, I just want to sleep until Sunday night," she explained to him.
"But we can try a date out once you get back?" He asked. He respected that she had work related things to do and he wasn't going to pitch a fit because of it. He wasn't the type to hold anyone back from being the best they could be in any aspect of life.
"I would like that," she smiled. "I only have one request," she said, Clint nodding wanting to know what the request happens to be. "Don't go recreating any failed dates or other things from my past," she told him. The dance was cute, but she didn't want to relive the rest of them. She wanted to move forward with Clint and not live in the past of her broken dates and events. "I want to look to the future with you Clint."
"I won't recreate anything from your past or mine," he assured her. He did have plenty of time to figure out the perfect first date. He wanted her to know that she could put her trust in him. That they could make a real relationship work.