A/N: So, I'm back...(laughs nervously) ok, i'm not going to even bother trying to apologize because I know I have taken forever to update and its short and crap and if you haven't figured out already I am quickly losing interest in W.I.T.C.H. Any of you who are Avatar: The Last Airbender fans are welcome to read my avatar fic which I am by far more into but I didn't want to let you guys down (plus I know what its like to read a story that isn't finished) so I'm trying really hard to finish. This chapter is kinda more of filler than actual plot relevance but it should have progressed further by next chapter. Sorry! and thank you for staying with me.
Chapter 7: Keep Dreaming
Professor Collins drummed his fingers on the table as he glared at her intently.
Knock, knock, knock.
She winced as the sound was grounded into her head and she fought the urge to reach out and slap his fingers, trying to think of an excuse at the same time. They had been studying the Crusades and her paper…she'd definitely written the paper and then…she frowned, remembering Lillian complaining about not having paper to draw on…but then she saw her sitting at the table drawing on something later…oh no…
Knock, knock, knock.
The fingers continued their beat against the wooden desk, irritatingly loud. She opened her mouth to tell him his sister had taken it but no sound came out of her mouth. And the drumming got louder and louder.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Stop it!" she screamed slapping her hand at his fingers. Her hand hit something soft causing her to bounce and she sat up immediately, gasping.
"Stupid dream," she muttered pushing her hair off her face. However, the knocking continued. She glanced at her clock as she put her feet on the ground. Midnight. Obviously someone wanted their ass kicked tonight.
Cornelia padded her way through the living room and pulled open the door.
"Caleb!" she yelped seeing him standing there. He shivered in his coat as he stepped inside the warm apartment, his nose pink. He was still wearing his dinner jacket and dress pants, although the top few buttons on his shirt were undone. "What are you doing here?" she said shutting the door.
"I think I just broke up with Mandy," he said kicking off his shoes and neatly arranging them beside the door. "So I need a place to stay." He began making his way to her room.
Cornelia felt an odd surge of happiness and her stomach did a back-flip as she tried to look sympathetic, following him.
"Poor baby," she said, the words coming up instinctively as he sat on the edge of her bed, pulling his jacket off and tossing it on the back of her dressing table chair. She sat beside him and patted his shoulder. "I mean, go for a girl like Mandy and that's what's going to happen."
He nodded his head vaguely, undoing the buttons on the sleeves of his shirt. He leaned back on one of the pillows and closed his eyes.
"Hey!" she exclaimed punching his leg and wincing as it hit muscle. "Where am I going to sleep?"
He rolled over to one side, patting the empty space next to him. She bit her lip, deliberating. They would be just sharing a bed. A double bed. Designed for couples. Which she was…only with a different man. Hesitantly, she crawled next to him, and being careful not to accidentally brush up against him, pulled the blankets up to her chin. She was completely aware of the body lying beside her as she lay there as stiff as a board. Her shoulders tensed as she felt his hand touch her arm.
"Good night," he murmured the bed shifting as he turned the opposite direction. She relaxed a little; Caleb wasn't the type to try anything.
"Good night," she whispered back before closing her eyes and falling into the best sleep she'd had in a long time.
When she woke up the next morning lying on the opposite side of the bed she'd fallen asleep on, he was gone. She sat up slowly pushing the hair away from her face. There was a note lying on the pillow.
Thank you.
--
"Have you ever slept with a guy?"
The question flew out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying. Irma looked away from where she was giving the cute waiter rather flirtatious looks which he was returning. Already she had three phone numbers crunched in her hand and Cornelia guessed she was angling for a fourth. Surprisingly, this was one activity she missed doing when she was single. Somehow being engaged to an almost non-existent being didn't seem to be as entertaining as the lifestyle Irma led. The attention, the new 'friends' were no longer part of her routine. And Irma seemed to be throwing that back in her face.
"A couple of times. Why?"
"No, I mean like, slept next to guy." Already she was regretting even speaking.
Irma frowned as if trying to remember. "No, not really. If I slept with a guy it means –"
"I know what it means," Cornelia snapped impatiently.
"What's the matter, Corny? Karan not –"
"Finish that sentence and you enter a world of pain!" she cut across coolly. Irma laughed nervously.
"For some reason I'm having a strange flashback involving a chocolate croissant."
Cornelia shrugged and scooped another spoonful of ice cream and put it in her mouth.
"Ok, so the guy," said Irma, now serious. "Who did you sleep next to?"
"Does it matter who?" replied the blonde. "I mean, I slept next to a guy."
"Aren't you engaged?" said Irma thoughtfully.
"Which is exactly the basis of my problem," she retorted. Why didn't she go to Taranee instead? Someone with common sense.
Irma frowned, her lower lip jutting out. "Well, if it was a friendly thing, like absolutely nothing happened –"
"Nothing did happen," said Cornelia quickly.
"Then I guess it's ok. I mean, I wouldn't mention it to Karan but I don't think you were doing anything wrong," Irma finished.
Cornelia felt relieved, although the tiniest hint of guilt curled in her stomach. "I only have one bed at my place so…" she said as an attempt to justify herself.
"What about the couch?" said Irma, shooting down the excuse.
Cornelia mentally groaned. She had been counting on Irma not to be sharp.
"Who was it, anyway?" said Irma, scraping the bottom of her bowl. "Anyone I know?"
"No." Maybe she said that a little too quickly…
Someone tapped on the window. Cornelia looked up and tried to ignore the racing of her heart as Caleb and Matt waved from outside the window. Irma glanced sideways at her.
"Obvious much?" she said scornfully. Cornelia's blue eyes snapped back to her.
"What?"
"It's Caleb, isn't it?"
The blonde's shoulders slumped. "How did –?"
"Oh please. Everyone can see the sparks flying between you two."
"Sparks?"
"You guys are totally into each other."
Which was something an engaged woman did not want to hear three months before her wedding.
Yet she still had the shame to still meet him after his breakup.
"Something to drink?" he asked, leaning his elbows on her kitchen counter top. "Coke?"
"I don't drink soda," she said tossing her magazine aside.
Caleb raised his eyebrows at her as he leaned over and yanked open the fridge. The whole door side was loaded with cans of Diet Coke.
"Liar," he said simply, kicking it shut.
She flushed with embarrassment. "Ok, so I cheat every once in awhile."
He straightened up, a can in his hand. "What?"
Cornelia winced at her choice of words. "I mean, I don't have a clean record with soda, ok?" She didn't look at him as she picked up the discarded magazine and flipping through it before tossing it aside again.
He cracked open the can and took a long sip before he spoke carefully.
"Mandy called me today," he said setting the drink down. Cornelia turned to look at him.
"What?"
"She said the usual, 'I'm sorry, we're both confused, and we should spend some time apart but I still love you' and stuff."
"Uh huh," said Cornelia staring steadfastly at a point above his shoulder. Her knuckles on the hand curled around the rolled up magazine were turning white.
"She left for Paris today and said we'd talk when she got back."
"She's gone?" said Cornelia hoping she didn't sound unnaturally cheerful. She stared at the glittering diamond on her left hand to remind herself of her responsibilities.
"Yeah, so I'll have the apartment to myself for once." Was he deliberately advertising that fact for her?
"Cool," she mumbled giving up trying to look uninterested.
He gave her a concerned look. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," she mumbled throwing herself back on the couch. "I'm just fine."
Cornelia swung higher and higher on the swing, her hair flying around her face every time she came back down. Unexpectedly she felt a pair of strong arms pushing her and making her go even faster.
"Thought I'd find you here," said an amused voice.
She looked around and met Caleb's laughing eyes as he pushed her.
"Hey, how'd you find me?"
He shrugged. "You seem to like the park a lot so I figured you'd be here…"
"Were you looking for me?" asked Cornelia curiously.
"No!" he said quickly. Cornelia smiled even though he couldn't see it. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him walk over and sit on the swing next to hers, one leg over each side, holding the left chain in both hands.
"So, what brings you out here on a day like this?" he asked casually.
"I got burnt off by Karan," she replied without hesitating. She was beginning to feel she could tell him everything.
"Oh?" his tone was still casual but she knew he was concerned. She slowed her swinging and slowly swung back and forth at his level.
"Doesn't matter," she said giving him a wide smile. His eyes flickered but he smiled back.
"When's that business trip of his?" he asked suddenly, his shoes scrabbling at the woodchips on the ground.
Cornelia blinked. "Uh, two days, why?"
He shrugged. "Just wondering." Silence fell between them again but neither felt awkward, both lost in their thoughts.
They glanced back at the other and caught themselves staring at each other. Both kept staring until they felt droplets of rain falling on them.
"My hair!" Cornelia moaned jumping off the swing. Caleb laughed and grabbed her hand as they ran to find cover under a large tree.
"Typical you," he told her panting slightly. "First worry about the hair. Then your clothes. Then the fact you're actually wet and might catch a cold."
She put her hands on her hips. "So?"
He rolled his eyes. "You're crazy, you know that?"
"You're the one that's crazy…about me!"
He raised his eyebrows. "What?"
"You still haven't let go of my hand," she teased. Caleb quickly let go and held his hands up as if surrendering.
"Ok, now what?" she asked staring into the rain which was now pouring heavily.
"I guess we could go to my car," he said shrugging. "But you'd better be quick 'cause I don't want my leather interior soaking wet, kay?"
"Yeah, whatever. Where's your car?"
"He scratched his head sheepishly. "Uh, two streets away."
She scowled before smoothing her face. "Fine! Guess I'll just have to deal with it." She cautiously stepped out into the wet before sprinting for the park entrance. Caleb took off after her laughing as he watched her hold her hands over her hair, catching up to her easily. He grabbed her hands and yanked them away from her head.
"Hey!" she squealed as she tried to pull her hands out of his grip.
"What? Don't like the rain?" he teased, his hair black with rain plastering to his forehead as he spun her around. His green eyes gleamed out of his pale face as he jumped about in the puddles splashing her legs.
"Caleb, stop it!" she whined unable to stop herself smiling. This was kinda fun…
He jumped extra high and the water flew up far above the ground, splashing Cornelia's already wet skirt. He doubled up laughing at her expression before he looked up in time to see her hop into the puddle in front of him. His smile disappeared as he received a face full of water.
"That's it!" he said faking his anger. Cornelia giggled and took off up the street as he raced behind her sending water flying everywhere.
She paused at the lights, which gave Caleb enough time to leap into a nearby puddle and splash her. The blonde in turn kicked the water at him with her boot. The driver of a passing car gave them a strange look causing them to dissolve into fits of childish laughter.
"C'mon," Caleb said pulling her across the road as the lights turned green. He quickly unlocked the car and held the door open for her.
"Wow, I'm wet!" Cornelia said as he sat down in the driver's seat.
"Well what do you expect?" he said starting the car. "We were running through the rain and jumping in puddles so naturally we'd be warm and dry, right?"
She didn't answer, leaning her back against the window so she could look at him.
"What?" he asked glancing at her as he turned the heater up.
"Nothing," she shrugged looking away.
"Tell me," he said.
"Can I…I mean, never mind," she said quickly.
"Cornelia."
The blonde turned away from the fogged up window and met his gaze as he looked up from the road to meet her eyes. She didn't say anything but shifted closer, a bit of a grin on her face. Caleb concentrated on the road as he felt her examine him closely.
"You're pretty," she told him finally.
There was a loud screech as Caleb slammed on the brakes causing both to fly forward then back sharply.
"Totally unnecessary," Cornelia sniffed.
"You think…" Caleb began, a muscle twitching in his face, "I'm pretty? What would that make you? Ruggedly handsome?"
She raised her eyebrows, mischievous smirk playing across her mouth. "You think you're ruggedly handsome?"
"Aren't I?"
She didn't answer, casting him a sideways glance as he pulled up outside her apartment. "Aren't you going to come in?" she asked, looking (maybe it was his imagination) hopeful.
"I've gotta get some dry clothes," he said indicating his wet shirt and jeans.
She pouted daring him to defy her.
He sighed. "Ok, I'll change and come back."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
--
Cornelia wrapped her white fluffy robe around herself as she stepped out of the steamy bathroom. At least now she was warm. She smiled to herself as she relieved the memories of her and Caleb jumping and running and dancing through the rain. She couldn't remember the last time she'd enjoyed herself so much. Karan was never there to do things like that with…and Caleb's hair was so soft…his eyes so bright…his lips so inviting…Cornelia froze.
"Caleb!" She had been thinking about him and there he was. Coincidental much?
He smirked leaning against the doorframe. "Well, hi to you too."
She flushed red and tightened the belt around herself, much too aware of her bare legs exposed. "H-how did you get in?"
Caleb shut the door and sprawled himself on the couch, balancing his feet on the opposite end. "You shouldn't leave the door unlocked while you're in the bathroom. Someone might come in and rape you in the shower."
She snorted. "Like?" she quizzed leaning against the back of the couch so he could only see her top half covered by the robe. "Anyway, what if they did? What would you do?"
"I'd be the one saving you," he told her, crossing his arms behind his head as he leaned on the arm of the couch. "See, you'd yell for help and then I would kick the door down and bash the guy up and the world is saved! And then the handsome savior would be rewarded with a magical kiss!"
"And turn into a frog!" Cornelia said mussing his hair playfully. "In your dreams, Mr. Brave Hero."
"Hey, I'm not gonna waste my time playing the hero for you if you can't appreciate it, ok?"
"Whatever Caleb." She looked down at him and made sure he could see her rolling her eyes. She stopped midway a sudden thought striking her. "Caleb?"
"What?"
"Could you do me a favor? Since, Karan's gonna be outta town and all?"
He looked at her curiously. "Depends on what it is…"
She smiled. "Don't worry. Just something I've had planned for a really long time…"
Crap, I know. Please review anyway.