Post by elicia on Mar 24, 2006 20:34:15 GMT 10
Clemente was drinking his coffee while observing Abby. With a cup in her hand she seemed more comfortable. He tried to refrain the smile that was forming on his lips. She was certainly trying to find the nicest way to tell him off. He waited, quite eager to hear her out.
“I don’t know how to say this.” Abby was feeling a little unsure. She looked at Victor trying to assess his state of mind.
“Just say it. I’m a big boy, come on shoot!” He flashed her an encouraging smile. She took a deep breath and readied herself for what she had to say.
“When I accepted to go out with you last night, that was just two friends having a good time together.” Her eyes were intent on him.
“And that’s what we had. Or didn’t you enjoy the evening?”
“Yeah, I did.” She nodded. Sure, the evening had been fun. That hadn’t been the problem. “But I was expecting pizza or pasta for dinner and maybe a drink afterwards. Certainly not ‘La Bohême’, red roses and dancing. That was a little beyond what I had in mind...”
“So you’re basically telling me that your first dates usually suck and you were disappointed that this one was better?” Clemente disbelievingly asked.
“I never said that.” His answer brought a smile on her face. If she was completely honest, he wasn’t that wrong. Her first dates had usually been pretty bad.
“Well I’m not like that. I want the ladies I invite to have a memorable moment.”
“Victor, we never agreed on a date.” She reminded him. “That’s the problem. If you had gone out with Ray or Greg, you certainly wouldn’t have taken them to places like that.”
“Of course not. I don’t do things like that with men.” Victor bit his lips. This conversation was cracking him up.
“You should have treated me like a man. As much as I liked it, it made me very uncomfortable. I was wondering what you had in mind. It was very disturbing.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you felt that way. It’s just you didn’t seem interested by just a drink and playing pool. So I thought...”
“Yeah I guess, I’m at fault too.”
“So that means no further dates.” He chuckled at the word. “I mean you don’t plan to go out with me again, just as friends of course.”
“I’d rather not, I’m sorry. People will talk if we go out. The rumor mill at County is pretty nasty and I don’t want that to happen. Let’s say my past history here has made me a likely subject for their conversations. My life is complicated enough as it is and that’s not something I want to deal with.”
“Have some of your friends advised you against going out with me?”
“No, of course not. Why would any of them do that?” She seemed genuinely surprised by his question.
“Not everyone likes me around here. I thought you might have let someone’s opinion of me influence you.” Abby’s face froze as he said that. Nibbling her lower lip, she pondered what she could answer. She didn’t want one rumor to replace another one.
“You’re awfully quiet suddenly. So I’m right. Kovac told you I was bad news and you listened to him.”
“He did no such thing.”
“So he had nothing to do with your decision?” She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. She took a steadying breath and steeled herself for the lie to come.
“He has absolutely nothing to do with my decision.” She tapped her coffee cup in attempts to settle the uneasiness in her stomach.
“Yeah sure. Thanks for the coffee. If you should change your mind, you know where I am. I better be getting back, it’s cold here.” Abby observed Clemente as he walked away. The discussion hadn’t gone too bad. She could only hope that her date hadn’t allowed any new rumor to unfold. She definitely didn’t need that.
“I don’t know how to say this.” Abby was feeling a little unsure. She looked at Victor trying to assess his state of mind.
“Just say it. I’m a big boy, come on shoot!” He flashed her an encouraging smile. She took a deep breath and readied herself for what she had to say.
“When I accepted to go out with you last night, that was just two friends having a good time together.” Her eyes were intent on him.
“And that’s what we had. Or didn’t you enjoy the evening?”
“Yeah, I did.” She nodded. Sure, the evening had been fun. That hadn’t been the problem. “But I was expecting pizza or pasta for dinner and maybe a drink afterwards. Certainly not ‘La Bohême’, red roses and dancing. That was a little beyond what I had in mind...”
“So you’re basically telling me that your first dates usually suck and you were disappointed that this one was better?” Clemente disbelievingly asked.
“I never said that.” His answer brought a smile on her face. If she was completely honest, he wasn’t that wrong. Her first dates had usually been pretty bad.
“Well I’m not like that. I want the ladies I invite to have a memorable moment.”
“Victor, we never agreed on a date.” She reminded him. “That’s the problem. If you had gone out with Ray or Greg, you certainly wouldn’t have taken them to places like that.”
“Of course not. I don’t do things like that with men.” Victor bit his lips. This conversation was cracking him up.
“You should have treated me like a man. As much as I liked it, it made me very uncomfortable. I was wondering what you had in mind. It was very disturbing.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you felt that way. It’s just you didn’t seem interested by just a drink and playing pool. So I thought...”
“Yeah I guess, I’m at fault too.”
“So that means no further dates.” He chuckled at the word. “I mean you don’t plan to go out with me again, just as friends of course.”
“I’d rather not, I’m sorry. People will talk if we go out. The rumor mill at County is pretty nasty and I don’t want that to happen. Let’s say my past history here has made me a likely subject for their conversations. My life is complicated enough as it is and that’s not something I want to deal with.”
“Have some of your friends advised you against going out with me?”
“No, of course not. Why would any of them do that?” She seemed genuinely surprised by his question.
“Not everyone likes me around here. I thought you might have let someone’s opinion of me influence you.” Abby’s face froze as he said that. Nibbling her lower lip, she pondered what she could answer. She didn’t want one rumor to replace another one.
“You’re awfully quiet suddenly. So I’m right. Kovac told you I was bad news and you listened to him.”
“He did no such thing.”
“So he had nothing to do with your decision?” She closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. She took a steadying breath and steeled herself for the lie to come.
“He has absolutely nothing to do with my decision.” She tapped her coffee cup in attempts to settle the uneasiness in her stomach.
“Yeah sure. Thanks for the coffee. If you should change your mind, you know where I am. I better be getting back, it’s cold here.” Abby observed Clemente as he walked away. The discussion hadn’t gone too bad. She could only hope that her date hadn’t allowed any new rumor to unfold. She definitely didn’t need that.