Rose was hurrying to the auditorium and was already running late when she heard Matt's voice calling behind her. "Hey, Rose!"
Rose groaned under her breath and paused turning to face him.
"Hi!" He smiled. "Hi, Matt." She smiled politely. Matt sighed shoving his hands in his lab coat. "Listen, I want to apologize for what happened the other day."
She shook her head. "It's alright."
He smiled sheepishly. "I'm just such an admirer of your work; I guess I wasn't thinking straight." He explained. She nodded. "It's okay, really," Rose checked her watch. "I really need to go."
Matt nodded. "I know but I was wondering if you'd like to have lunch, tomorrow." She shook her head politely. "Thanks but I don't think so."
"Oh, okay." He replied disappointed.
Rose sighed slightly exasperated. "Look, it's nothing personal it's just I'm already getting dirty looks from Clara."
"Well, we've talked and things are fine, now," Matt shrugged. "We're even going out tonight." She smiled patting his arm. "That's great but I better not."
She started walking and he followed her hoping to convince her. "Please? It's just a friendly lunch that's all. It's my way of saying sorry for what happened," He rambled." "In fact it's at the local diner it's not even fancy." Matt added.
She looked at him skeptical.
"At least think about it." He smiled writing something down. "Here's my number, call me and let me know, yeah?"
She gave a small smile accepting his cellphone number before saying bye to him. "Persistent." Rose muttered shoving the paper in her pocket then continued.
Meanwhile Clara sat at her desk working at her laptop when David walked up. She glanced up smiling. "Hi!"
"Hi, you got that file ready?" He sighed leaning against the desk popping a piece of cinnamon candy from her basket in his mouth.
"Yep, here ya' go!" She replied handing him the file. "Thanks." He smiled slightly. She studied his face noticing he seemed preoccupied.
"Anything on your mind?" Clara asked. "Nah, I'm fine," He replied looking through it. "Just another long day."
Clara nodded unconvinced.
"Oh, okay." She replied suppressing a mischievous grin but he noticed her smirk, anyway. He sighed looking at her. "Okay, what's that for?"
"What?" She replied innocently. "That look, that thing you do with your face," David said resting his arms on the desk top gesturing at her expression with the edge of the folder. "It always reminds me of a cat that's hiding a big piece of fish from its siblings."
She scowled at him strangely. "Hang on, I remind you of a cat hiding a piece of fish?" David nodded wagging his finger. "Yes, you do and don't change the subject. Now what is it?"
Clara suppressed a smile as she pondered for a second. "Nope, I'm not telling." He playfully pouted. "Aw, I thought we were friends." She scoffed folding her arms. "Oh, that's not fair."
David grinned. "Yeah, I know so spill."
She shrugged swinging side to side in her chair. "What do I get if I tell you?" "How about a raise?" He said casually. "Seriously?" Clara replied skeptically. David gave a shrug. "Tell me and we'll see."
Clara sighed leaning closer. "One of the interns told me they saw you getting kissed by Rose and you didn't exactly resist." She sang.
David frowned. "Is that it?" She rolled her eyes. "Yes, now do I get my raise?" He glanced at her chair and shrugged. "Fine, I'll get you some extension lifts for your chair this Christmas." Clara playfully scoffed slapping his arm as he chuckled.
"You're terrible, you know that?" She smirked. "Well, if I'm going to give a raise for gossip I'd prefer to give it for the real bombshells or at least something that doesn't involve me." He replied simply.
Clara smiled. "So is it true?" David sighed returning to his file. "Suppose so but it was just a friendly peck on the cheek." "Several times?" She said arching her eyebrow.
He scoffed looking at her. "Fine it was a friendly peck on the cheek that occurred repeatedly, so what?" Clara shrugged. "So doesn't that mean you're getting back together?"
"No." He replied softly.
Clara exhaled letting her shoulders slump. "Pity, I was hoping it was true then maybe I wouldn't have to worry about Matt."
David looked at her. "Clara, we talked about this. Everything's going to be fine. You both have already reconciled and you're even going out tonight, yeah?"
She nodded. "Yeah but I know he's still smitten with her," Clara lowered her eyes. "I can't compete." David smiled at her. "Clara, you are just as pretty, smart and talented as she is. Besides Matt fell in love with you, remember?"
Clara smiled but still looked bothered.
David felt bad for her and grabbed an index card from her desk. "Listen, I don't normally do this but I'm going to give you my home number," He quickly wrote it down before handing it to her. "If you ever need to talk about Matt just call me."
"Thanks," She smiled. Clara was so grateful to have a friend like him. He was the closest thing to a brother she had. She sighed rubbing her forehead. "I really appreciate it between dad being in the hospital and Linda driving me crazy, I'm going out of my mind." Clara admitted.
"Hey, you can even call me if it's to update me about your dad or to complain about Linda, okay." He replied lightly tapping her arm. Clara nodded and thanked him again before he left.
As the day went on the reality of the kiss was slowly beginning to set in. He had to admit it had caught him off guard. Still it felt really nice, the softness and tenderness of her lips but at the same time it left him confused. Was it a mistake? What did it mean to her? Should've it even have happened?
He paused at the water fountain when he heard Rose coming down the hall. "Hi!" She smiled. "Hi," He said feeling awkward. "Um, did you see Casey?" "Yeah, we had a nice time." She replied.
David nodded slightly distracted. "Good, good." Rose frowned with concern. He started to pass her but she gently touched his arm. "Hey, are you okay?" David looked passed her waiting for a couple of Doctors to walk by before speaking.
"Listen about earlier when you…kissed me…" He started to say.
Rose stopped him. "I know and I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so forward," She glanced up at him tugging her earring sheepishly. "I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable."
He shook his head letting a smile escape his lips. "No, it was very nice, actually." Rose's eyes brightened. "Yeah?"
He nodded. "Yeah, it was."
Rose smiled shyly "Well, I liked it, too…a lot." She admitted softly. He smiled a little. "Yeah, I did too." Her heart melted hearing him say that. Her eyes gazed up and began searching his as she slowly came closer. She was reluctant at first but when he didn't move away she finally pressed her lips gently against his while caressing the side of his face.
David didn't resist or pull back letting his hands travel to her waist pulling her close. The kiss was so soft and tender and her lips moved perfectly with his.
It was like every girl he had ever kissed was a mistake but it also reminded him that the pain was still there, haunting him. Even though he was tempted to linger on in the kiss his aching heart just wouldn't let him.
He gently broke the kiss and pulled back.
"What's wrong?" She asked. He lowered his eyes. "I-I just really need to get back to work." David said quickly walking away.
Rose stood there confused. She just couldn't understand these mixed signals he was sending but she was growing tired of it.
She was so caught up in her own thoughts she almost didn't hear Rory running up to her. "Rose, wait up!" She snapped out of her thoughts. "Hi!"
"Hey, sorry I missed you. How are you? We were all worried."
She smiled. "Oh, I'm fine." He smiled. "Good, listen could you do me a favor?" Rose nodded. "Yeah, what?"
"Could you take my clipboard to the front desk? I'd do it but I really need to take care of some things for Dr. Jones, would you mind?" He asked.
Rose shrugged taking it. "Sure, no problem!" He smiled grateful. "Thanks, I owe you one!" Rory said dashing off. She chuckled at his boundless energy then walked to the receptionist's desk.
She got there and placed his clipboard on it, she was about to leave when she noticed an index card sticking out of Clara's purse with David's name on it.
Seeing that Clara wasn't there Rose glanced at it, curious. Then her heart dropped, David's phone number was written on the back. It shouldn't have been a big deal but she couldn't help it, it bothered her. How could he do that to her?
How could he kiss her like that and give another girl his home phone number? Hurt and angry she stomped off to find Matt with a sudden change of heart about his lunch invitation.