What was I Thinking?

Chapter 2

Selling my soul.

I stared off into the distance ominously until I noticed Bridgette looking at me funny. She seemed slightly freaked out. I snapped back into attention and decided to change the subject.

"So…" I started, "What's going on with you and Geoff?"

Bridgette sighed sadly, "It's… it's hard to explain. I feel like I don't even know him anymore. He's changed so much since we got the Aftermath gig. He used to be sweet and kind but now he's acting like Chris! I just feel so lost and I wish we could go back to the way we were."

I gave her a sad smile. "I think I know how you feel."

Bridgette, who was presently sitting cross-legged on my bed, slouched. "Men really suck."

"Amen to that!" I threw my hands in the air and chuckled.

She smiled and straightened up a little. "I meant what I said earlier. Seize the day Court!"

"Good advice." I said. But still, it was unclear to me how to 'seize the day'. What was I supposed to do? Demand that Chris let me back on the show? Sue the show again? Beat Gwen to a bloody pulp for throwing herself at my boyfriend? Do all three? This would require some thought. But fortunately for me, the universe seemed to be doing my thinking for me.

The door to my room randomly burst open and Chef Hachette walked in.

"CHEF!" Bridgette and I screamed in unison, both scared to death that the psychotic cook was here to murder us.

He nodded calmly, unfazed by our terror. "Mmm hmm."

"What the hell are you doing here!" I shouted angrily, "You can't just barge in here like that!"

Chef rolled his dark beady eyes. "Quit your yellin. Pretty boy wants to talk to you."

Since our resident pretty boy Justin was currently in the game, he must have been talking about Chris. "Chris? Why does Chris want to see me?"

His ever present scowl deepened. "How should I know? You think I understand what goes on in that moron's head?"

I opened my mouth to answer but he didn't let me. "Well I don't. All I know is that he wants to see you. So get your butt down to his office!"

I stood firmly where I was, and refused to move. Fat chance I was letting this whack job boss me around! I've got too much pride for that.

"NOW SOLDIER! NOW!" Chef thundered.

Swallowing my pride like a gulp of water, I immediately started moving towards the door. I glanced back at Bridgette, who gave me a thumbs up.

"Carpe diem Courtney!" she shouted, "Carpe diem!"

. . .

Chris's office was that of a typical narcissist. The plain white walls were covered with posters and pictures of him. In each one, he wore his signature toothy grin. The room was like an iceberg, due to the large air conditioner on the wall. This would be normal, if he wasn't the only one on set with central air. Chris sat in a cozy armchair with a foot rest while I sat on a small, uncomfortable stool across from him. Screw suing this jerk to get back on TDA, I should sue him for being a sociopath!

So we sat there silently for a while, me glaring at him and him giving me this weird smile. It was like he knew something I didn't, and the feeling that I was 'out of the loop' made my blood boil.

Finally, he spoke. "You're back."

"What?" I tilted my head to the side quizzically, not quite understanding what he meant.

"You're back." Chris repeated, "You're back in the game."

My onyx eyes widened. "What! But why? I dropped my lawsuit weeks ago. Why am I suddenly joining TDA?"

The washed up TV host gasped and placed a hand over his non-existent heart like he was terribly insulted. "Out of the kindness of my heart, I begged the judge to change the ruling. You won the suit, and you're back in."

I scowled. "Hey! You can't just make the justice system do whatever you want it to do!"

Technically, I was arguing against something that was good for me, but I couldn't stand Chris making a mockery out of the law. I was going to be a lawyer after all.

Chris raised an eyebrow. "I'm Chris Mclean, I can do whatever I want. And don't you want to be in TDA?"

I bit my lip. "Well… yes but…"

"No buts!" he snapped, "Do you want in or not?"

I thought for a moment. I did want to be back in the game. To prove myself to everyone. To see Duncan.

"Yes." I said simply and extended my hand for him to shake.

He grasped my hand in his and pumped it up and down, smiling like an idiot. "Go pack you're things. You'll be back in the game by tomorrow."

I got up of my stool and headed towards the exit, but stopped myself before I left. Something didn't seem right about this whole thing.

"Wait a minute." I turned around to face Chris, "That's it? No clauses or conditions? No strings attached?"

Chris gave me that creepy 'I know something you don't know' look again. "Of course not. Why would you think there would be strings attached to kindness?"

"No reason." I said quickly, and left the room to go and pack my bags. But I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd just been played.

I'm just being paranoid. I tried to convince myself. Just think of being back in the game. You get to see Duncan again. Duncan…

Suddenly, I wasn't so suspicious anymore.

AN:

Me: Oooooh Chris is being sneaky :O Sorry this chappie was so short. I promise the next one will be longer.

Noah: *sarcastically* Oh goodie more of your wonderful writing.

Me: Ha ha. Your sarcasm kills me. Lets end this author's note before I start ranting shall we?

Noah: Laura owns nothing. R&R. Or don't. I don't care. But she does.

Me: True that.