Chapter Five
Touch
It seems like forever before Mordecai mentally slapped himself out of his trance and noticed three sets of eyes staring at him. "um….what?" Was the only thing that came out of his beak.
"Are you ok, Mordecai, you look kind of pale." Eileen asked.
"Stop acting weird." Rigby said, punching him in the hip. It didn't hurt of course.
"I could really use some help with these heavy bags" Margaret said, looking a little concern.
"Of course!" Mordecai said, grabbing a bag and runs into the kitchen without even looking back.
The other three stood there and look at each other without a clue what to do. Margaret sighs and follows the blue jay into the kitchen leaving her two friends behind worried. Margaret peaked in to the kitchen to see Mordecai leaning up against the counter and looking at his phone oddly.
*How's your night going* Mordecai text CJ before getting interrupted.
"Mordecai, are you ok" Margaret asked.
He felt his feathers stand up on the back of his neck as he turned around to face his ex-girlfriend. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be."
"Well, you took off with one bag and you haven't said a word to me" She said, placing the other bag on the table. She started to unpack the snacks and the drinks and placed them on the table.
Mordecai let out a small sigh, " I'm sorry, I guess it's just odd seeing you again after what we talked about the last time."
Margaret smiles at the fact that he was opening up to her even just a little. Back then the was very hard for him to do, "let's not worry about it OK, can we tried to have some fun like we did before I left."
A small ding came from Mordecai's phone.
"Yeah, no problem." Mordecai said, sweating.
"Great, now, do you have a bowl I can pour the bag of chips in?" She asked.
"Check the cabinet on the left." He said.
As soon as Margaret walked over to the cabinet, he check his phone with his back facing her.
*Boring. Helping my friend Dennis grade papers at my apartment*
(Nice) Mordecai thought, good old CJ always helping out with….wait a minute. Mordecai did a double take on his phone and read it again. (Who is Dennis?!)
"Mordecai, do you want to make the dip?"
(Stay calm, don't let this ruin your night….who's Dennis) Mordecai questioned himself again.
"What's wrong"
He felt Margaret's hand on his shoulder and clear his throat to get his brain working again. "Yeah, I'm….." He looks down at her hand that was still touching his shoulder. Her hand was soft and getting warmer by the second. Her face was just a few inches away from his and could feel her warm breath on his cheek. "Fine."
Boy, his heart was pounding and bringing back those good times they shared.
(I don't need this) He said to himself.
(Who the hell is Dennis)
(And why am I getting so mad about this)
"Is something wrong with your phone?"
She finally steps back which gave him enough room to breathe again. "My phone?"
"Yeah, you were looking at your phone and just went blank."
"Oh, that….um….just lost an item I was betting on at Ebay." He lied.
Margaret stares at him and she knew he was lying, but decided to let it go. "Oh, that's too bad.."
The staring between the two went on and on til Rigby's voice broke the tension.
"Hey, the movie is about the start where's the dip!"
"Agh, hold your horses Rigby, it's not like you're starving since you had dinner an hour ago" Mordecai shouted
"Maybe if I take the bag of trail mix that will keep him busy til you make the dip" Margaret said.
"Good Idea"
She smiles at him, grabs the bag and left the kitchen. Once he had the room to himself he went back to his phone to stare at the message. Ding.
*I must say these kids are smart.*
*What about you* CJ texts back.
Mordecai grabs his phone and it took a lot of him not to write Who the hell is Dennis, but instead text:
*Having a monster movie night with some friends*
(Are you sure they are just grading papers?) His mind asked.
(Shut up, you're worse than Rigby sometimes) He thought.
Ding.
*Cool. Better make that dip* CJ wrote back.
Normally that would make him laugh, but this Dennis guys was begging him. Why was she alone with him at her apartment and grading papers was something you did in school, Right?
He didn't know what to think as he grabs the carton of sour cream from one of the bag and the dip flavor package to mix it up real quick. The dip was made, but he stood there in the kitchen for another ten minutes not knowing what to do or why he even agreed to this movie night to begin with. He really wanted to leave and just go see CJ for a bit to calm his nerves and to check on her Well Being.
(Bullshit) His brain said.
"Hey Mordecai"
Margaret enter the kitchen again with a smile, "Rigby is wondering what's taking so long with the food?"
"I'm done." He said, grabbing the dip and the bowl of chips.
"Great, I'll get the rest." Margaret said.
Mordecai took his time walking back into the living room to see something he never thought would happen in a million years. Rigby was sitting on the couch with Eileen cuddled up against him with her head resting on his shoulder. A bag of trail mix sat between them with the T.V. on and blaring.
"You took too long so we started without you" Rigby said.
"What are you watching" He asked.
"The Horrors of Spider Island." Eileen said, "It was the only monster movie Rigby thought would be cool" (A/N: Actual movie, not making the title up)
"Very cheesy movie, but still a monster movie no less" Rigby said, excited.
"That's that running gag, all the movies in the box set are super cheesy" Eileen said, smiling.
Mordecai chuckled and felt Margaret next to him again putting the rest of the snacks on the Coffee Table. He looks up at her and she smiles at him before sitting down on the floor with her back leaning against the couch. She felt a little odd sitting on the couch with the couple taking up most of the space. Mordecai felt odd that he was still holding the bowl of dip and once again the three set of eyes were staring at him.
"Dude, you're blocking the T.V. and quit hogging the dip" Rigby said, getting a little annoyed.
Ding.
"Here Mordecai, you left your phone in the kitchen." Margaret said, taking it out of her pocket. "I think you got a message."
He nearly dropped the dip and begged the good spirits for her not to see the contact name on the screen. He placed the bowl down of the table and extended his hand over to her's to grab his phone. For a second the tips of their wings touch and felt a small little spark. Mordecai looks down at their hands and wanted to laugh at the brutal irony of this situation. Nearly holding hands with one Ex while another Ex you're having relations with is texting you on your phone.(Someone please shoot me) he thought.
"Um…Mordecai are you going to take your phone?" Margaret asked, looking a little uneasy.
"Right, sorry" He said, taking it quickly and sitting down on the floor while chuckling nervously.
Rigby rolls his eyes and went back to the movie. Eileen looks over at Margaret to see if she was ok and the red bird just shrugs. She looks over at Mordecai, who was facing away from them and the movie, to check the phone.
*Funny thing today, I bumped into Margaret at the store*
All the color on his body drained out and he started to sweat. He slowly turns his head over to Margaret who was watching the movie to notice him staring at her.
"ha ha, this movie is so stupid….I love it" Rigby said, holding Eileen close to him.
*Don't be mad* He texts back.
*Why would I be mad?*
*I don't know just a bit shocking I guess*
*Hey It's cool. She asked me how I was doing.*
"Do you want some chips" Margaet asked, holding up the bowl to him.
"Sure." He said, grabbing a handful. "So, how was your day, anything interesting happen?"
He said it a little too fast and nervously. Not cool. Not cool.
"Quiet, I'm trying to hear the movie" Rigby said.
"Leave him alone Rigby." Eileen nudge him.
Margaret took a sip of her drink before answering, "Oh, you know, just doing research at my job and then food shopping to get the snacks for tonight. Not much really."
"I see" He said, eating another handful of chips. Ding.
*It's no big deal, really. We just talked a little*
(What the hell would they be talking about) Mordecai thought, (and who the hell is Dennis!)
"What about you, how was your day" Margaret asked.
"Shut up, I can't hear" Rigby said, throwing a few trail mix pieces at the birds.
"Cut it out, man" Mordecai said, before turning his attention back to Margaret. "It was my day off so just laid back and played video games."
"Yeah, it was so much better than you locking yourself in the room crying." Rigby said, sarcastically
A remote control flew across the table and hit Rigby right in the head causing him and Eileen to jump. "Ow, you little ba-" Ribgy shouted, positioning himself to attack the blue jay.
"Guys, can we please watch the movie in peace" Eileen said, blocking to two males from fist fighting.
"Yeah, cut it out" Margaret said, holding Mordecai back and making him sit down on the floor again. Ding.
The Blue Jay went back to the small screen of his phone. *Don't over think it, are you ok* CJ text.
Why does everybody keep asking him if he was Ok. He was Ok, peachy, dandy and all the rest in between. Ok that didn't make any sense, but he was Ok, dammit.
*What did you guys talk about* He had to ask.
*Oh just how the year was to each of us* She text back. *She ask me if I was seeing someone*
He started to sweat again. She wouldn't tell Margaret about the two nights they had together. She wasn't that spiteful was she?
*Like who? Dennis probably* He text it.
He mentally slap himself for sending that. The green side of him got the better of him.
"Eww, you can tell that spider is so fake, but it still really gross looking" Margaret said, disgusted. The small couple on the couch laughs.
Ten minutes passed and still no text from her and now he was getting worried and his imagination was getting too intense. She wouldn't be mad at him for making that remark would she? Why is he questioning it anyway, it's not like they were in a relationship, so she is free to have anyone over if she wanted to.
(Which mean she can do whatever she wants with him too) His brain said.
"Oh shut up" He said out loud.
"What was that, Mordecai." Margaret asked, looking over at him.
"I said…uh…pass the dip?" He smiled nervously.
He was sweating a lot, enough to damper his feathers on his face and he just couldn't concentrate on anything, but getting a text from CJ. Margaret stares at him before handing him the bowl. "Here you go." She said, handing him the bowl follow by a bag a chips.
"Thanks." He said, holding the bowl.
"Are you sure you are ok." The red bird asked, he was shutting her out again.
"I'm fine, really" He said, still looking tense and nervous.
She sighs, "Mordecai if you need to talk we can go to the next room or outside. I'm just a little concern"
"About what?" He asked, little annoyed. After everything that happened between them does she really thinks it's that easy to be normal again.
"You're very jumpy ever since I got-"
A loud scream from the movie interrupted Margaret and made her jump right into Mordecai's arms. In shear panic, Mordecai back away causing her to fall forward knocking the chip bowl over on the floor in the process. Margaret landed on her side with her elbow catching her fall. She looks up at him, a little surprised he didn't catch her fall or even laugh at her for jumping to a scary scene in the movie.
"Dude, nice catch" Rigby said.
Mordecai looks up at Rigby and Eileen with Rigby shaking his head and Eileen just as surprise as Margaret was. Not taking it anymore, Mordecai stood up, and started to walk away.
"Where are you going" Rigby asked, getting up from the couch and started to walk over to him.
"I'm going to go buy some more dip, don't follow me" Mordecai said, heading out the door.
"It's almost Midnight" Eileen said, but it fell on deaf's ears as the door closed behind the blue jay.
Margaret sat up and frowns, "I guess you're right Eileen, I don't think he taking this friends things so well"
"He's not ready to talk about it and I wouldn't push him either." Eileen said, putting napkins on the dip mess.
"Just be happy you're not living with him, I have to deal with his mood swings every day" Rigby said, "now I have to clean up this mess on the carpet before Benson gets here in the morning."
"You're not helping, Rigby." Margaret said, who was more than a little upset.
"Do you think he really went out to grab some more dip" Eileen asked, scratching her head.
Outside of the house, Mordecai sat down on one of the patio's chair and was happy to get out of that situation and away from his friends so he can think. Wise choice would've been just to head up to his room and sleep off this emotional roller coaster while the stupid choice would be to make up an excuse to go see CJ and her male friend.
Stupid choice was the winner in this round…..
