Beth decides to just put some distance between her and Alison. Once they get off the water and put everything away, she pretended not to notice Alison looking her way, subtly trying to get her attention.
If you don't have anything 100% platonic to say, don't say anything at all, right?
Beth makes a break for her car, and is almost home free when she hears light footfalls and a short "Beth! Wait up!" from behind her.
She turns and there Alison is, once again decked out in pink and currently trapping her at her car. "Oh, hey Ali..-son." She opts for her full name instead. Yes, no nicknames. Formal. Maybe that's better?
The slightly wounded look (or am I imagining that too?) says otherwise. "I was just going to ask if I can get a ride with you to breakfast again?"
Oh god that smile… No. No more alone time. For the moment. For now. Until I get a handle on…on whatever. "Uhhhhh…." Beth's eyes dart around for a moment, until they land on the perfect solution. "Sure. I'm giving Stubbs a ride too in fact- HEY STUBBS!" Beth yells, catching sight of the rower from across the parking lot. "YOU WANTED A LIFT TO BREAKFAST WITH US RIGHT?"
"Oh- YES! Of course Beth!" Stubbs yells back, and even from way across the lot it's apparent that she's visibly excited at being publicly acknowledged. She all but skips across the lot towards them, wheeling her blue bicycle with her. "This is such a treat! I was just going to ride my bike- is there room for it in the back? OH THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
"Of course!- I'll tie it in the trunk. And yeah, the more the merrier!" Beth chimes, as chipper as possible. At least this care ride will be… well still awkward but there's nothing to be done about it now at least.
The drive was short and quiet. At the beginning, it looked like Alison was going to say something, but then Stubbs had interupted, all but diving between them to play with the radio. Alison didn't seem to have a lot to say after that, and they drove the rest of the way in relative silence- with the exception of Stubbs' humming along with the radio in the backseat, just happy to be included.
At the cafeteria, Beth opted for cereal- something fast so she could get to the table before the girl with the bangs. She purposely chooses a seat at the table next to Sarah. On the other side of her was an empty seat, and then Rachel. There's no way she's going to sit next to Rachel. No way.
"Childs, any plans for the evenin'?" Sarah mouths around a large bite of pancake.
"Eh, maybe gym?"
"Well, forget all that because you're coming out with us."
Beth sighs. Evenings with Sarah were anything but relaxing. You never knew what to expect. "And who exactly is us?"
"The regular Crew-crew. Me, Helena, the guys, the girls. You know."
"And I'm assuming 'no' isn't an answer?"
"Oh come on Childs! How often do I drag you out?- No don't answer that. But you have to admit, you usually have a pretty good time…"
"You almost got arrested by campus police last time."
"How was I supposed to know you couldn't pee there? Anyway, you had fun didn't ya?"
"Fine," Beth sighs, knowing it's no use to fight it any longer.
"Good." Sarah smirks. "So…you can invite someone to join us if you like…"
"What?" Beth disregards her own cereal, turning to Sarah.
"I'm just saying, if there were someone you wanted to bring, you could."
"Sarah, who on earth would I bring that's not already coming?"
Sarah rolls her eyes. "Maybe a certain new team member… A pink-clad coxswain perhaps?"
"No."
As if being summoned, Alison appears to Beth's left, and actually sits down between Rachel and Beth like it's no big deal. Shit.
"Beth, don't be an arse, and jus' take me up on that. It's a good idea..."
"Sarah. Shut. Up." Beth grits between her teeth, hoping to god this wasn't going where she thought it was.
"Fine, fine…" Sarah puts up her hands, and Beth breathes for just a moment. She refocus on the breakfast at hand, happy to be done.
"Oh, hey, Alison?" Sarah begins again, leaning forward over the table to see around Beth. Shit.
"Yes?"
"Me, and some others- including Beth- are going out tonight. Wanna to join us?" It's so cordial and saccharine a tone, it sounds completely foreign coming from Sarah. Note to self, kill Sarah. Just kill her.
"Oh I'd love to!" She says brightly. "Oh wait- shoot- I forgot! I have to work tonight…"
A marching band strikes up a cheerful celebration tune in Beth's head and she can actually feel the tightness in her chest start to subside. "Oh well, maybe next time." Beth adds.
"Yeah, I'd really like to join you next time…" Alison adds, looking straight into Beth's eyes, and that chest tightness is back with a vengeance.
"Yeah. Cool. Hey, I gotta run, I'll see you Monday..." Beth moves to get up but is stopped by Alison's hand on her arm
"Wait- um... I was going to ask you something..." Alison bites her lip and Beth had no idea how attractive that little gesture could be until this moment.
"Yeah?"
"Um..." Alison pauses momentarily. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out Sunday."
"Me?" Beth wants to slap herself. Duh- doofus!
"Yeah, if you're not too busy..." Alison's staring her right in the eyes, whatever insecurities she started the conversation with, must be starting to fade.
"Yeah, I guess that'd be cool." What!? What are you doing idiot! "I mean I'm not sure, but maybe?" Dumb dumb dumb dumb- IDIOT.
"How 'bout I just text you then and we'll figure something out?"
"Okay, sounds good. I'll text you. See ya!" And Beth manages to leave before she says anything else too stupid.
Great, now I'm going to have to text her. Maybe I'll come up with an excuse?
Ooooor maybe I should just hang out. How bad could it be? The argument wages back and forth with herself, as she exits the cafeteria.
It could be BAD. I mean... remember Annie in high school? I told her liked her and POOF friendship over. Never spoke to me again.
This could be different though, right? This is different. I'm not in high school any more. And Alison could be cool. She could be mature about it if she doesn't feel the same way...
FEEL THE SAME WAY? She has done nothing to indicate she might even possibly be gay, let alone like me...
"Okay stop." Beth mumbles to herself, to quell the thoughts inside.
She had no idea what to do really. All she knows is that the idea of spending more time with Alison- of Alison wanting to spend time with her- is almost too good to be true, and maybe she should just suck it up and enjoy it.
Sarah's evening out for them all ended up being a night at the old bowling alley. The team often ended up there because the alley never carded for alcohol and never seem to mind their over-competitive drunken banter.
Beth always figured she knew herself fairly well. She knows herself enough to know that if she doesn't reign herself in, she can get a little obsessive. It's becomes all or nothing sometimes and whenever she lets it get to that point, things tend to unravel. Whether it's a person, a hobby a sport…if she lets herself she can get lost in it.
Beth learned early on that list included alcohol. When it came to that, it too was all or nothing. And tonight it seemed to be all.
Sarah, had bought Beth her first round. And her second. Beth stopped counting after the fourth and as she finishes her current cup she realizes she can't exactly remember even being handed it.
Any worries she had about that were doused by the next drink in her hand. It was a good night. It was guys verses girls, and they were destroying the boys team. Everything was amazing- she didn't even mind that Paul was there- it was all amber and golden and light.
"Elizabeth, it is your turn. Then the game is done." Helena pokes Beth to get her attention. Beth smirks her way. The wild-haired girl had never bowled before and had spent the evening learning everything she could about it. Jesse, from the men's team, had been teaching her how to score, and the two sat close at the scoring table, heads bent over close whispering and laughing. Beth smiles their way as she steadies herself getting up. They'd be cute together. I wonder if Sarah'd approve?
She stands up slowly, aware that balance is not something to take for granted right now. She walks up and selects her ball, turning back to face the crew. "Ladiessssss and Gentleman," she slurs- and somewhere in the back of her mind she realizes she's probably making an ass out of herself, but doesn't care. "I dedicate this last, winning bowl to us. The best damn crew team out there!" There's various whoops and whistles, everyone well lubricated by the beverages. "Oh wait, sorry fellas, I meant the women's team!" She laughs at her own joke and turns back. She takes a shaky breath, composing herself and tunnel visions down the lane. Beth winds back, and rolls an absolutely brilliant curve, shattering the pins for a strike.
"YES!" she whoops and spins, making a move for her signature celebration dance… except she forgot the parquet floor is waxed.
"Oof." There's a slap and crumble as she smacks the floor.
Various barks of laughter from the team ahead, but there's a strong hand on her arm helping her up. "You need to be more careful, Elizabeth," Helena tuts, heaves her back up to standing before walking her over to her seat again.
"Oi, Childs! Ya silly tit. You're a piece of work aren't ya?" Sarah slings an arm over Beth's shoulder, taking a swig from her own bottle.
Beth's mind slowly makes it back to the moment. "Heeeeeeey, where'd my drink go?"
"Beth, I think you're done for the night…" Art says, walking over.
"Oh shut up Art! You guyz are-are-are always telling me I'm no fun. Well now I'm fun right?" She moves to stand for her point, but the room seems to move first, swaying her back into her seat.
"Well, I definitely think you've broken the fun meter tonight…" Sarah smirks.
"Eeeeeexactly!"
"We're going to get some grub now. May be just what the doctor order for you, yeah?"
"Will there be waffles?" Beth feels her mouth water at the idea of waffles.
"As a matter uh' fact, there jus' may be."
Alison still hadn't heard back from Cosima. Not that she was surprised, she did tell Alison she was going to be spending the evening with Delphine, but that didn't stop the anxiety from building.
Alison had texted Cosima midafternoon. She had to talk to someone about Beth, before she made a total fool out of herself. She didn't dare talk to Ramon though. While Ramon could definitely keep a secret she couldn't chance that somehow that rather sensitive information could make its way to Felix, then to Sarah (ugh, could you imagine?) and then on to Beth. She couldn't risk that- not when she wasn't even sure exactly what was going on herself.
Well actually she had a fairly good idea what was going on.
She had a crush. For sure. On one Elizabeth Childs.
Alison found herself thinking about Beth at the most in opportune times. Like her European Lit class for example. She was shocked when she went back to review her notes, to find a bunch of little hearts scribbled in the section that she should have been reserved for 18th century poets.
Not only was she thinking about Beth at inopportune times, but in increasingly inappropriate ways. Alison found herself more than a little flushed an surprised at exactly how compromising some of those Beth related thoughts were getting.
She stares at the clock behind the counter in the diner. 10:00pm. Only 2 more hours, thank god.
Saturday nights usually only yielded two types of clientele: Long Haul truckers or drunk people- neither which Alison was particularly fond of. As if on cue, Alison hears them. What sounds like a whole group of inebriated college kids, heading through the parking lot towards the restaurant.
Alison sighs. Drunk college kids are the worst. They're rude, crass, sometimes they'll tease or hit on her, and are historically terrible tippers. Still, she is a professional. She's been working as a server here since she as 15 and will always take her work responsibilities seriously and-
-Oh ffffffish sticks.
In through the doors they stumbled- voices and movements expansive in a way that only being three sheets to the wind can create. The team- her team- doesn't waste time and immediately sets to work pushing tables together. The screeching on the linoleum is deafening and wholly unacceptable. Alison sees Sarah and rushes over to her.
"What are you doing here!? I work here!"
"Yah, that's the point Pinky! Thought since you couldn't come out and join the party, I'd bring the party to you, isn't that right Beth?" Sarah steps aside to reveal a clearly intoxicated Beth slumped down in a chair at the table behind her.
At the mention of her name, Beth leans her head backwards to peer upside down at the coxswain. "Hey Ali- oh you're upside down…" she notes with mild intrigue.
"Beth! Um…" Alison tries to search for something to say, but luckily she's interrupted.
"Hey, think we could get some wafflessssss? I could go for some of those…" And even upside down, Beth's sloppy grin causes flutters in her stomach.
"Yes. Right. Let me… Let me get everyone's order, and I'll make sure you get some waffles…" Alison makes her way to the other end of the table where Ramon is seated with a bemused smirk. "Ramon…" She begins, trying to quell her anger and fluster rising.
"Ah, Ms. Hendrix herself!" He beams. "Oh, where are my manners, let me introduce you to the guys. This is Jesse, Art, Paul, and- hey where's Donnie?"
"Right here." A tall, stocky rower sits down next to Ramon.
"Yeah, Alison, this is Donnie. Donnie, meet my oldest friend- Alison."
Donnie catches sight of Alison and stands up quickly. He makes a jerky quick movement to shake her hand but ends up knocking over the ketchup bottle and salt shaker in his enthusiasm. He fumbles with the bottles for a second before letting them lay where they fell and leaning over the table, hand extended. "Oh, crap, uh sorry. Hi. Hi Alison…"
She takes his hand hesitantly. It's clammy and soft. "Hello Donnie." She says stiffly. "Nice to meet you."
"Oh uh the p-pleasure's all mine!" He move and sits down, still looking to her as if the conversation is going to continue. Alison blinks, and ignores this as she refocuses her attention to Ramon, smacking him in the arm. "You told Sarah this is where I work?"
"Yeah, I thought we'd surprise you," He grins, his head clearly not in a state worth arguing with.
"Ugh, fine. So, what do you all want to order?"
It takes Alison at least 15 minutes to extract the order from the group of inebriated rowers. Five of those minutes were spent just with Helena and another men's team rower as they both excitedly built off each other's orders, pointing at the menu shared between them and adding more items. By Alison's tally, the two of them alone ordered almost everything off the back page, including 3 orders of Jell-O.
This should be obnoxious but instead it makes Alison smile, reminding her of a scene from her favorite musical, Rent. She hums "La Vie Boheme" as she hands the series of tickets to Jim the cook.
So, would that make Beth my Maureen? She muses, looking back towards the table. Beth is talking with another rower- Art was it?- and her excited hand gestures remind Alison of her roommate a bit. I wish Cosima would text me back.
Alison opts to keep herself busy, cleaning and tidying, until the food is up. She enlists Jim's help carrying the multitude of plates out. Jim's eyes are almost murderous when she asks but he helps anyway.
She sets plates down. The foods varied as much as her team mates it seemed. There was poutine and club sandwiches. Ice cream and coffee. Two donuts for Art, egg-white only omelet for Ramon, all of page two for Helena and Jesse, "And finally, blueberry waffles," She says, placing the stack down in front of Beth.
"Whoaaa," Beth says, "I can't eat all this…" She looks to Alison, gaze slightly unfocused. "Can you help me eat them?" Alison pauses, her lips pursed in thought. Beth takes this pause as a 'yes' though and yelps "Thanks!" as she grabs Alison's arm, pulling her down into the chair beside her.
Beth turns suddenly towards Alison, who almost jumps at the movement. "I uh-…oh. Hey," Beth says. Whatever thought Beth had been beginning was forgotten it seemed, her eyes glassy with alcohol. Their so close their noses are almost touching and Alison can smell the beer on the rower's breath.
"Hey," she says back, and her heart's in her throat, they're so close. "Uh, I can only sit a minute. We close in an hour so I have stuff to do." Beth nods and proceeds to pour the entire tureen of syrup onto the towering pile of waffles, before awkwardly cutting a few pieces off and shoving them in her mouth.
Alison looks across the table to Sarah, eyes pleading as how exactly to deal with a drunken Beth. "She's drunk," Alison says, realizing how stupid an observation that may seem.
Sarah sniggers into her hot fudge sundae, "Yah-well none of us are exactly sober. But yeah, when this one decides to go all in on something, she goes all in…"
"Ali, you want some?" Beth turns again, holding a fork full of waffle in front of Alison's face. Syrup drips on Alison's jeans and apron and she can't help thinking of how her laundry is going to be a sticky mess. But Beth is grinning and so against her better judgment, Alison leans forward and bites to food in question off the offered fork.
Syrup gets all over her and it's a mess. That usually looks a lot better in movies. The bite is too sweet and almost makes her gag, but Beth seems very pleased so she chews through it. She looks across to Sarah again who has an eyebrow cocked, surprised. Alison shrugs, and she turns back to Beth who is staring at her now, the previous grin replaced with an somewhat troubled look. "You have syrup on your chin…"
Alison doesn't stop her- doesn't move- can't move, as Beth's fingers gently wipe at the offending syrup. "There," Beth breaths quietly. "Back to perfect."
Alison's breath catches hard in her throat at it's enough to startle her back to reality. She stands up suddenly "I-I need to get back. I'll check on you all in a bit."
She hurriedly heads behind the counter again before anyone can see the slight shake in her hands.
Because she wanted to kiss her. She really, really wanted to kiss Beth Childs.
Nothing is better than waffles. The thought floats gently through her mind as Beth finishes off the last syrup-soaked bite. When she looks up, Sarah is staring at her. "What?"
"You're puttin Helena to shame wit' that display. I've never seen you eat so fast."
Beth shrugs, gulping water sloppily from her glass. The room is still threatening to spin if she lets it, but at least the food is staving off some of the nausea that had been clawing at her.
"And you're a terrible liar ya know… " Sarah begins again, leaning forward to make sure she held Beth's attention. "I'm surprised ya didn't just lick that syrup off her face…"
Beth scowls- at least she attempts to. "Just leave it."
"Not until you admit your complete hard-on for Pinky…"
"Shut up Sarah…"
"I can shout it out if ya want, OR you could just say-"
"Fine! Fine! So yeah, maybe I kinda like her…" Sarah's grin widens to Cheshire cat proportions. "Why are you harping on this so hard anyway?"
Sarah sighs and sits back. Her cocky smirk replaced with something a bit subtler. She shrugs, and takes a sip of her soda. "What can I say? Maybe I just like to see you happy once in a while. So sue me?"
Beth looks down at her empty plate. "Yeah well, I don't think I'm exactly her type…"
"How do you know? I mean, didja you see that look she gave ya when you tried to take care of that syrup mess…"
"Whatever," Beth says, rolling her eyes- and immediately regretting that gesture as the room threatened to turn on her again.
"No, really- She was giving you bedroom eyes. Seriously…"
Beth turns herself a bit, to glance at Alison, who's at the end of the table collecting their check from Ramon. When did we pay? She reaches for her wallet in her back pocket, but it's not there. A quick survey, and she finds it on the table. God am I wasted, she thinks before returning attention to Sarah. "If you're shitting me…"
Sarah holds up her hands in defense. "I shit you not bud. I think she may be a bit more open than ya give her credit for. Why don't ya make a pass and see what happens…"
Beth tries to mull this over- the idea that Alison might consider… but her mind swirls and every thought seems to slip past her grasp before she can focus on it.
Suddenly, everyone's standing and moving towards the door. Are we leaving? Beth manages to get steady and starts to follow the rest of the team out when Sarah grabs her arm and starts steering her towards the counter instead.
"Oi! Alison!" Sarah barks. Alison turns to face them, slightly startled.
"Sarah? I thought you guys were leaving."
"We were, but I need a favor. I already have a whole pack of drunk assholes I hafta deposit. Can ya get Loopy here," Sarah shakes Beth's arm in the air, "back to her dorm for me? I'll owe ya one?"
Alison looks from Beth to Sarah and finally sighs. "Okay just- just sit here a bit while I finish up…"
Alison walks off, shaking her head and Sarah calls after her, "Thanks! I'll owe ya one!" before whispering to Beth, "And you owe ME one.." Sarah exits quickly before Beth's booze addled brain can come up with a protest.