CB asks Lainey out on a friend's date as a ruse to help Barry follow through with his plan of proposing, but things don't go quite according to plan.

~.~

The next morning before the students arrived, CB found Lainey in the lobby perched on a ladder hanging a banner for the upcoming Quaker's Dozen acapella concert.

His nerves rattling at what he needed to do, CB dug into the pocket of his khakis and fished out his Koosh ball. He tossed it into the air a few times in an attempt to settle his nerves and walked closer to the ladder.

"Morning, Lewis! Need some help with that banner?"

"Oh, hi, CB," Lainey said, looking down at him with a smile. "No thanks. I think I've got it."

"You sure?" He held the sides of the ladder for her. "I can do it if you need me to."

"Just one more tack, I think," she replied through clenched teeth as she pushed the last tack into the wall. "There. It's perfect."

"It looks great… hey, listen," CB switched the focus of their conversation to the matter at hand. "Would you like to have dinner with me again at Bistro de L'Amore tonight… as friends, of course?"

"Sure, I'd loved to. We had so much fun last time."

"We did." CB smiled, ecstatic that she'd said "yes" so quickly to his request, but his smile soon faded. He knew it was all a ruse for her to meet Barry instead.

"By the way, what ever happened to that girl you were seeing? What was her name... Annie?"

"Amy… we have another date this weekend actually," CB confessed, slightly embarrassed telling the woman he'd formerly had a crush on about the girl he was currently dating.

"That's great! I'm really happy for you, CB." Lainey turned and smiled down at him once again.

He nodded, his heart fluttering just from the sight of her smile.

Suddenly, the ladder leaned backward with her movement, causing Lainey to lose her balance.

"LAINEY!" CB exclaimed as she fell backward, jumping in front of the ladder in an attempt to catch her. His Koosh ball went sailing across the floor a few meters away.

Lainey slammed into his body face first, plastering him flush against the linoleum floor.

Hard.

"Ouch," CB said, inhaling deeply, realizing that Lainey had landed on top of him, their noses just millimeters away.

In fact, he became very aware of how close they now were. His hands flew to her waist after he realized they were clutching her bottom.

"Lainey, are you all right?"

"Yeah, I think so. My bad, CB." Lainey smiled down at him, her palms flat against his chest, and then glanced at his lips. "Thanks for, um, breaking my fall."

"No worries."

CB gazed up at her, his heart thumping like a drum. He was completely spellbound by her - and the feeling of her body pressed against his was exhilarating. It wouldn't take much to close the tiny, excruciating gap between their lips...

Then, Lainey noisily cleared her throat, hurtling him back toward reality.

"Um, CB…"

"Yeah?" He asked, not taking his eyes off her.

"Is that your Koosh ball digging into my hip or…?"

They both turned their heads, spying his blue-and-red-colored ball down the hall at the same time.

"Uh… I think I have papers in need of grading." CB promptly pushed her off him, utterly humiliated, and stood.

"Yeah, and I, uh… need to make copies," Lainey said awkwardly as he helped her to a standing position. She hurriedly adjusted her blazer and dusted off her trousers, staring at the floor. "See you, uh, tonight, Mr. Brown."

"Yes! Right." He nodded, his cheeks and ears blushing bright red.

CB and Lainey began walking in opposite directions, but then realized they were headed in the wrong direction. They both laughed, playing it off.

"Hah, silly me! My room is this way," CB said, pointing down the hall.

"Yeah, and the office is that way… oh, CB, you forgot your…" she called after him, picking up his toy, but he was already barreling down the hallway away from her.

CB threw open his classroom door and practically ran to his desk. Sinking down in his chair, he sighed and planted his forehead on the desk in front of him.

After what had happened in the hallway, his feelings for Lainey were now beginning to overrun his heart. It was in that moment that CB realized he'd only been kidding himself; he'd never really gotten over Lainey. He was in fact madly in love with her, and he wondered how he could ever go through with Barry's plan now.

~.~

Oh, I want something like this to happen this season so badly. Unf. Let me know what you thought and thank you! ~ Dazzy xxoo