|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:44 pm
He was steeling himself for ridicule. He was steeling himself for mockery. He was ready to have laughter thrown in his face and a prompt door slam to follow after. It was still weird, making his way to the Killingworth apartment, and unconsciously he prayed like he always did that he wouldn't have to see Charonite in briefs. He prayed he wouldn't have to see Charonite less than fully clothed. He prayed for a lot of things about Charonite, most of them revolving around Charonite just not being home at all.
A fist pounded on the door before he leaned against the surrounding frame with one shoulder, fingers idly raking through the hair that was currently tumbled in front of his face. It was a weekend, and since he'd already worked out and showered, there was no point in pulling it back up again.
Nicole Evans' number was still burning a hole in his pocket. So, why waste time trying to figure out what the hell this all meant? His best chance was to go straight to a woman of authority on the subject matter.
That woman? Ursula Killingworth, no less. Now all she had to do was answer the damn door, and he swore to God, if Grendel gave him any crap about this, the cat would be bodily thrown out a window.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:30 am
Luck was on Andrew Collins' side once again as the young man waited outside of the Killingworth's apartment. Gunn Killingworth was 'out' (Ursula was unaware of where 'out' meant - he just went 'out' on occasion and would come back eventually), leaving his wife at home alone with the television once again blaring in front of her.
As far as weekends went, this Saturday in particular had started off on a rather lazy note. She'd woken up late, late enough to miss the opportunity to snuggle up against her husband prior to morning coffee - well, the coffee she would have had, had her stomach not been in its current protruding state.
It hadn't been noticeable at first, her stomach. A little tightness in the waistline of her skirts, a few additional pounds on the scale (much to her horror, of course). Her stomach had curved - hardly, but it was there. Two months along and it still boggled her that it was really happening. She was really, honestly, no-doubts-about-it pregnant.
After he'd departed, she'd retreated to the couch. She attempted to try her new Knit-It-Yourself kit (and failed), read from the newest romance novel she'd purchased (and was promptly dropped after the first few pages) and was now flipping through the channels on the television, searching for anything to occupy her mind.
As the fist pounded against the door, her head turned. She panicked for a brief moment - could this be another Wolframite situation? - before rising from the couch. Bare feet made their way to the door and she opened it, holding her breath in anticipation. She really wasn't up to dealing with another minor crisis.
Instead of greeting a young boy with a bleeding frowny face on his forehead, however, there stood Drew. Good 'ol messy-haired Drew, who looked as though he was preparing to attend a funeral.
"You know, I'm beginning to feel like we're at my old apartment, you keep dropping by so often."
The tease was light; they both knew she didn't mind him visiting. She never did.
Hand falling down to her hip, she tilted her head and grinned. "Or did you come to see Mister Killingworth, this time?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 12:43 pm
"This is your old apartment. You just have an unsightly looking yak in it who, unfortunately, comes as part of the payment fees." The man drawled lightly, but despite himself, his lips had curled upward with amusement. Things had worked themselves out between them somehow, and now that he'd accepted Ursula was--more or less--Queen Bee, the violent tension had ebbed and winked out entirely.
He shifted a little, straightening up, but wouldn't enter unless she stepped back to allow it. "Not today. Shocking, I know. Today, I require some... womanly advice." If she gave him a look, Drew would only snort in retaliation, and pressed on to cut her off before she could make a smart-a** remark. "Here."
The piece of paper was pulled out of his pocket, crumpled and puckered, to hand to Ursula. "I'm blaming this entirely on you, you know," Drew started casually, "Which means it therefore falls to you to remind me how one has a successful date. Again."
With the bomb dropped, he was silent now, unabashedly surveying her face for a reaction with a patience that normally wasn't associated with the redhead. He was serious. Now the question was, what would Ursula do now that he'd shoved it out in the open?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:01 pm
One eyebrow rose quizzically as she gingerly unfolded the wrinkled slip of paper. It was a torn fragment of notebook paper - since when did Drew have any use for notebook paper?
She stared at the scribbled writing. The numbers, the name, the i's cutely dotted with tiny adorable hearts. She looked up at him, then back down to the paper. Up at Drew, down at the note.
There was silence for a few moments, but soon enough, both sides of her mouth were lifting up, the older girl unsuccessful in attempting to hide her giant grin. A laugh was choked out (but thankfully, for both of them, she was able to at least contain that) and she pulled back on the door, allowing space for him to enter as she stood, still filling up half of the doorway.
"Look. I know I was the perfect girlfriend and all but I didn't think I'd have ruined you for any other lady, dear."
He opened his mouth to snap back at her, but one hand waved in front of him to quickly silence him. "But that's not the point."
Her face was attempting to grow serious, though he could still see the humor in her eyes. "My darling Drew needs some girl help and I, naturally, will be helping him re-learn how to date a woman."
The same hand that had stopped him from talking motioned for him to walk in and she closed the door behind him. Making her way back over towards the couch, she flopped down upon it unceremoniously, spreading one arm out across the back as she patted the seat beside her. He was still standing near the door, eyes searching the apartment.
"He's not here, if that's what you're worried about. You know, my handsome and totally not-a-yak husband."
Drew grinned and Ursula rolled her eyes before patting the seat again. "C'mon. Start talking. I want to hear about this new girl of yours. Does she have boobs? You always were a fan of boobs."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:20 pm
He let out an exaggerated sigh of relief to find that Big C wasn't home, and would settle himself beside her on the couch. Stretching out until he was comfortable, Drew mused over the question for a moment. "Her name's Nicole. Nicole Evans. Pretty pale skin, wavy blonde hair, hazel eyes... Eh. I dunno."
He'd been a little too taken aback to really think about looking, honestly.
"I'd say modest, I guess. Goes to Sovereign Heights." The man mulled a moment more, then glanced to her, still thoughtful. "I dunno, Urs. It's weird." It was weird. He still wasn't exactly sure how to handle himself in a situation like that, let alone explain it. Still, he'd do his best, running a hand through his hair even as he sighed to himself. "Just felt... sorta special."
He'd admit that much cautiously, not ready to tread on a sensitive spot and give Ursula free reign to pick at it. "Tiny little thing. Pretty." Yes, very pretty. That was something he'd be sure to emphasize.
"Went to get some coffee, place was packed. She sat down with me and I dunno. We talked for a while. She had to go take a test or somethin', one of her classes, and hell. I just asked for her number without thinking." A hand morbidly dragged itself down his face, as though he was a little ashamed at the memory. What had he been thinking?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:53 pm
As he continued to talk, the smile began to drop bit by bit, replaced with more eyebrow lifting. Legs swung out from off of the couch and she padded over towards the bathroom. He stared, confused, until she returned, thermometer in hand.
"This isn't some kind of joke, Ursula, I-"
"Calm down, calm down, I'm just teasing."
By this point, the redhead had risen from the couch and the older girl moved to outstretched her hands, tugging at her companion until he reluctantly returned to the couch beside her. Her smile had returned, but it wasn't a grin. It looked concerned, which was more worrisome than when she'd been joking around.
Inching closer, one hand moved to brush back tangled red hair from out of his eyesight. It was her turn to sigh, her head shaking.
"You're in trouble, baby, joking aside. I think you've got it bad for this one."
And it was true. The only time - the only time - Ursula had ever seen the young man so flustered over an individual had been... well, it had been when he'd been trying to woo her. He wasn't talking about the size of her chest, he wasn't talking about how quickly he planned to score with her... christ, he'd even remembered her eye color. He never remembered their eye color, the few dates he'd had after she and him had broken it off.
"It's cute that it ended up being a schoolgirl, though." The smile was growing slightly wider, her hand dropping down to her lap to play with the thermometer. "I've got some pretty fond memories of a certain dorky redhead who kept trying to ask me out on a date for... what was it, six, seven months? You got this girl's number on the first meet - that's definitely a sign of improvement."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Apr 29, 2010 4:43 pm
Got it bad?
His mouth snapped shut at that, and he eyed her warily for a moment as though seeing if she was just trying to ******** with him again. Several seconds ticked by before, tipping his head back, he sighed.
"So what the hell does that mean?" Drew finally asked, rolling his shoulders stiffly and grating his jaw from one side to the other. "Do I ignore it? Call her? What?"
The mention of the old, awkward memory had him shaking his head slightly. ""Yeah, yeah... Hey, I've grown up a little, you gotta admit." Really, this had gone much more smoothly than his attempts to catch Ursula's eye.
With nothing left to say, he simply watched her, waiting for a suggestion of some sort. He didn't know how these things were supposed to work--only that girls got freaked out if they thought guys were rushing things. And damned if he knew their definition of 'rushing'.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat May 01, 2010 1:30 pm
"Yeah, you've grown up." She conceded, lifting the thermometer up to gently tap him on the shoulder, "But you still have a long ways to go, as far as girls are concerned, darling."
They sat there for a few moments more before she finally came to a decision.
"Tell you what - you take me out to lunch and we can start out on the basics. I get to eat, you get the tips you so desperately need."
He leaned back on the couch, both arms draping over the back as he let out a low hmmm. Despite looking as though he was debating over the offer, she knew she had him. They both knew.
"Deal."
She grinned and slid off the couch, making her way towards the bedroom. "I'll be just a second - and we're going to go someplace nice, not McDonald's or any grease joint that'll save you a buck."
"As long as you don't order everything off the menu again, I think my wallet can handle it."
Her catty comeback was muffled through the closed bedroom door, so he didn't bother trying to respond. Instead, he shifted forward to glance at the various magazines scattered across the coffee table. It really hadn't changed much, her old apartment in comparison to this one. Well, save for the purple yak living in the new one.
Hands folded themselves together as he stared at the titles. His mind was anywhere but on Cosmo - the memory of Nicole lingered, as did the anxiety over what he should do. Why did it matter, that this girl gave him her number? That he wanted to see her again?
What exactly was he getting himself into?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
