Rabbit in the Headlights

Disclaimer: Do I freak anyone out with my disclaimers? Oh well. Why stop now? 油浸餅是足夠每個人有一個簿片即使你不擁有餅！以及是啊我講漢語！

---

This chapter is for whoever you want it to be for because this chapter is whatever you want it to be and whoever you want it to be!

---

They kissed for a moment before Kirsten broke away, her eyes flitting nervously to meet his and then looking away again.
Best take it slow, Sandy mused, leaning to press a reassuring response of a kiss to her lips before sitting back. 'So…' he said, slowly bringing his arm to rest around Kirsten's shoulder, 'I told you about the mess of my previous love life. What happened with this guy of yours then?'

Kirsten paused. Way to break the mood. 'I don't really want to talk about it right now.'

'Better now than never huh? Why not tell me now and then it's over?'

Sandy saw the look that passed across her face and felt her withdraw slightly. Damn, he shouldn't have got so pushy. 'I-I didn't mean to be insensitive,' he gabbled guiltily, 'I'm sorry. It doesn't matter.'

She gave him a weak smile. 'It's okay.' Maybe he was right, she mused, why not now instead of later? Later? What sort of later was she thinking of? She pushed the thought away. 'Um…Jimmy and I dated all through high school and then through the beginning of college. He's at USC. We only managed the long-distance thing for three weeks. At that point he had his first soccer game, they won, he got completely wasted and slept with a skank from Riverside. Of course I didn't know that. I didn't know anything until he calls and tells me he can't come visit; he's sorry but the skank's pregnant and oh by the way, they're getting married.' Kirsten finished her rant in one long breath and swallowed embarrassedly in the silence that followed, 'It's funny, everyone, myself included I guess, always thought Jimmy and I would get married.'

'You okay?'

She nodded. 'I am now. They deserve each other.'

'He's a fool. I hope he knows how much he's lost.'

Kirsten blushed but a moment later she wasn't thinking about Jimmy because Sandy was kissing her again. Soft, tentative kisses at first, becoming hungrier as she responded in kind. Somehow her arms found their way about his neck and then her fingers into his hair whilst his hands separated, one sliding to the small of her back, the other cupping her face. She tilted her head slightly, smiling as Sandy looped round and caught her lips again, his tongue hesitating there until she tangled her own with it, deepening the kiss.

---

The conversation had trailed off quite naturally as the making-out took precedence but in the early hours even that had subsided, at least for the moment. The pair were lounging on the couch, lazily watching the people around them. The crowds had dispersed somewhat, either upstairs or elsewhere, but there were still a couple of guys playing cards in the corner. Their shouts of victory or defeat sometimes causing plastic cups to be thrown in their direction by one of the comatose forms lying around but otherwise it was pretty quiet. Kirsten could feel Sandy's fingers running through her hair; the cyclic movement making her feel drowsy, or maybe that was the alcohol. She let her head drop onto his shoulder.

---

Sandy woke to the scent of peaches, the feel of soft hair against his face and one hell of a crick in his neck. That was from the rickety old sofa they'd fallen asleep on. The hair was Kirsten's, the smell of peaches from her shampoo, somehow still potent amidst the alcohol and cigarette smoke.

Her head lay on his shoulder, his resting against it. She stirred against the arm that was around her, tracing over his hand with her fingers.

'It's Sandy,' he said gently and heard her laugh.

She lifted her head from his chest and smiled. 'I know who it is.'

Sandy thought he was about to pass out. The beautiful girl with the starry blue eyes was lying against his chest saying she knew his name rather than making her hurried excuses and rushing away swearing never to drink again.

Kirsten sat up and stretched and he felt his heart leap to his mouth. Here it came; the apology, the sad smile, the empty promise to 'see you around'.

But it never came; Kirsten simply flopped back down against the sofa, no longer lying against him but still pressed up close.

Perhaps she was still a bit drunk.

If so he was going to damn well prolong their goodbyes. 'You…uh…wanna grab some breakfast? We'd probably have to go to Denny's or somewhere; the only breakfast around here will be a liquid one.'

Kirsten chuckled then hesitated, holding her breath. Suddenly she was unsure. 'I should, really go home…take a shower.'

He tried to mask his disappointment, 'Ok, me too I guess! Maybe some other time.'

'I just, don't quite want to go out looking like this.'

'Like what?'

'I look a mess.'

'You look beautiful.'

She blushed, knowing she didn't; tousled hair, kissed-off lipstick and smudged mascara. And he was still complimenting her. She hated regretting things and almost without realising it she blurted out, 'How about we make it lunch? Don't know if I could stomach anything right now but…'

'Bad head?'

'A little, but nothing a hot shower and coffee won't fix.'

'Lunch it is then.'

---

Lunch lasted from twelve till five at which point Kirsten nearly fell asleep at the table and Sandy insisted they both head home and crash. She agreed, on one condition; they got to see each other tomorrow.

Sandy readily agreed.

---

Oh dear, this is gonna be another story I'm gonna get bugged into continuing I can tell! No. Please! I can't. I beg for mercy. Seriously, I have another Berkeley-Kandy fic that's gonna be a big one and I've started continuing Tolliver's Class, what more do you want you vultures? Nah, only joking. I love all you guys who read and especially those who review!