Pas de Deux?

Violet snuggled deeper into the comforter she had been clinging too, drifting in and out of sleep. She wondered what time it was, but couldn’t bring herself to lift her head even an inch off of the pillow to check. So instead, she nuzzled her face deeper into her pillow, drifting in and out of sweet dreams which involved a certain French boy. A pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist and for a moment, she thought about how nice it felt to feel someone’s breath on the back of her neck. Suddenly, her eyes shot opened as she struggled to remember the evening’s events. She’d been so tired, and still a little woozy from the painkillers Jasper had given her. Violet had also never woken up beside anyone ever before and it frightened her a bit. She wasn’t that kind of girl, and surely, she would have remembered if her and Kris had been together the night before. She had never actually had a need to go through “the list”, as Kitty called it. But, there was a first time for everything.

1. Do you know the boy beside you? Check.
2. Have you located your panties and bra? Still on me, so double check.
3. If bra and panties are on person at time of survey, skip to question 6. Ok.
6. Do you remember getting dressed after evening’s extracurricular activities? Um, no.
7. Is date some crazed fashionista who likes to dress people without their knowledge? NO
8. Do you like pop tarts? Why is this relevant…
9. Can you walk this morning? Haven’t tried but I’m sure I could manage.
10. Is it possible that you just fell asleep beside said boy you neurotic freak? Yes, that
seems likely.

Relieved and slightly amused by the fact that Kitty’s survey was actually very helpful in her assessment of the situation, Violet tried to free herself from the death grip Kris had her in. Every time she tried to wiggle her way out, he just tightened his grip and kissed the back of her neck. But she really needed the little ballerina’s room.

“Kris?” she whispered softly, not wanting to startle him awake.

He only mumbled something in French, and she giggled as she recognized the words “bleu” and “poisson”. She tried lying still for a few minutes, but was startled when a sudden series of noises came from the apartment above. God, did they have the cast of Riverdance up there? Kris didn’t even budge.

“Kris!” she spoke a little louder, gently poking the arms around her middle.

Nothing. She started to giggle as his breath ticked her neck. An ambulance siren blared through the open window and still nothing. Apparently, this boy could sleep through the St. Patty’s day parade. Violet sighed as she reached to the night table to grab an elastic for her hair. As she swiped the elastic from the tabletop, a hair pin fell to the ground making the tiniest of noises. Kris sat up, wide-eyed, like someone had just sent a thousand volts through his body. He looked like it too. His hair was ruffled in a million different directions, his shirt was twisted and the look on his face was one of genuine confusion. Apparently, he didn’t deal well with being “startled” awake. Violet could only burst into laughter before sitting up and wrapping her arms around Kris.

“It’s ok love, it was only a hairpin.”

Kris nodded. “Why are you laughing?” he asked, looking around as if someone were about to jump out from under the bed.

“It’s just that I’ve been trying to wake you up for about twenty minutes now. An ambulance went by, your neighbors put on a dance routine, I tried poking you, and a hairpin wakes you up” she giggled, placing a kiss on Kris’ cheek.

That seemed to calm him down because he turned towards her, resting their foreheads together so he could play with a strand of her hair.

“I guess I should have warned you, I’m a deep sleeper…but I guess I wasn’t sure if you were going to stay the night,” he said with a sly smile.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting to but…” Violet trailed off. But what?

“You fell asleep during the movie and I didn’t want to wake you…” Kris admitted. “But if you’ll notice, I was a perfect gentleman and left all your clothes on.”

“I noticed, thanks.”

Was she really wishing that he had been less of a gentleman? It must be the painkillers talking.

The truth was that Violet had looked so sweet sleeping there on his lap that he couldn’t stand to wake her. So instead, he’d carried her to his bedroom and tucked her in for the night. For a while, Kris was on the couch, arguing with himself about whether or not it would be ok if they slept in the same bed. He decided he could deal with the fallout if it meant he could wake up beside her…evidently, the whole waking up in bliss thing hadn’t quite gone as he’d planned.

They sat awkwardly for a moment before Kris draped his arm around Violet’s shoulder and pulled her back under the covers. Relaxing, she snuggled closer, resting her head on his chest.

“Are you hungry ma belle?”

“A little,” Violet replied looking up at Kris

“Well, how about I take you home so you can get changed and we’ll go for breakfast?”

“Can we get pancakes?” she asked excitedly. She was just too cute.

“You can have whatever you’d like ma belle”

Forty-five minutes later, Violet was showered and changed into a cute new outfit, and both she and Kris were seated in a booth at a little café.

“May I take your order?” She knew that accent anywhere.

“Max Talbot, why are you serving coffee?” Violet asked, popping out from behind a giant menu.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“You just asked if you could take our orders Talbot!” Kris laughed.

“Ok fine, I don’t work here, obviously,” he said gesturing wildly. “I just wanted to bug you guys,” he said before going wide-eyed and ducking underneath the table.

“Cute shoes Tanger.”

“Max…what are you doing?” Kris smiled awkwardly as an actual waitress approached the table.

“And what will you two sweethearts have today?”

“I’ll have the blueberry pancakes and an orange juice please,” Violet said, trying not to laugh as Max tickled her legs, which she crossed protectively.

“And for you handsome?” the waitress said with a wink

“I’ll have the omelet please”

“With bacon or fruit?”

“Fru-ow- better make that bacon please” Kris said, swinging a foot at Max under the table.

“Ok, great, I’ll bring your drinks.”

“Max! What on earth are you doing?”

“You see that girl in the orange, waiting to be seated?”

“Ya…”

“Well, I may or may not have called her back this one time and she tossed a grapefruit through one of my car windows. Smashed all over the dashboard, though the smell was quite refreshing…”

“Well she just sat down in the table beside ours so good luck Maxie!”

A string of French profanities was all they heard in response.

And so their breakfast date went on, with them sending bits of pancake and bacon under the table to nourish their hostage. They tried to act as normal as possible, and probably would have succeeded if they could have kept from laughing every time Max sent up an “order” on a scrap of napkin. But their laughing stopped when they heard a shriek from the front door.

“Oh my God! What are you two doing here? It’s been what, like a whole day since us three buddies caught up with each other!! Kris honey, skooch over and let me sit beside you!”

And before either of them could say anything, Ashley was sitting beside Kris, oddly enough, wearing a plaid jumpsuit of all things. Oh, but there were shiny, lace up hooker boots. She ordered some blended fruit thing and sat back, draping her arm around Kris so that she could play with the hair on the back of his neck. Violet stiffened.

“So Kris, does your girlfriend know that you’re here having breakfast with sweet little Violet?”

“Yes.” It wasn’t a lie.

“Why so stiff Kris, you guys were laughing just a minute ago?” she asked, dipping her finger into her shake and slowly licking it clean.

“It’s nothing,” Kris replied, removing her arm from his shoulder.

“Whatever. Are you ready for the show in a few days? We’re going to be so hot together!"

“I doubt that” he replied, watching Violet as she fiddled with her napkin.

“Why so quite Vi? Are you upset that you can’t be in the show?” Ashley asked as she sat closer to Kris.

“Oh, but I am. I’m doing my solo, you know, the one you were supposed to do?” Violet answered. Where the hell did that come from? She had no idea, but she could see Kris smirking and Max triumphantly running his fingers over her foot.

“Yes, er, well, Eric thought it would be best to give some of the junior girls a chance this year, you know?” Ashley stumbled.

Violet immediately felt bad and Kris could tell. She hated being mean, even if it was to someone like Ashley, who unknowingly, was trying to steal her boyfriend.

“Ashley, I just mean that I’ll be well enough to do my solo, and I know your not doing it because you have to be in Eric’s other piece.”

Something weird happened, because in that moment, for a few seconds, Ashley looked at Violet thankfully, the blush fading from her cheeks. Violet smiled back and that was it.

“Yup, the advanced piece. None of the juniors are in it because it’s just way too hard.” That was a lie because Violet had seen it and could do the moves in her sleep.

“Anyways, I’ve got a manicure in like five minutes so I’ve got to run! See you in a few days Kris, or maybe before then if you change your mind,” she said slyly, blowing Kris a kiss.

She went to get up and instead ended up face first on the floor with a server on top of her. There was egg in her hair and orange shake all over her silly little jumpsuit. Dumb enough to not have noticed Max under the table, she could not for the life of her figure our how her laces ended up tied together.

“Well that was quite an exit” Max said, re-emerging from under the table. “Oh and remind me to show you how to fight with your words girl…what was with the niceness?”

“I just hate being mean is all” Violet said quietly. She never could hold a grudge and probably forgave too easily.

“That’s just one of the things that makes me love you” Kris replied, taking her hand from across the table.