Your Claims of Love Are Falling

“Hey Chris, glad you’re home. I need to talk to you about some stuff.” Jason said when CC walked in the door.
“What’s wrong?” CC asked squinting one eyes and looking at his friend cautiously.
“Nothing is wrong, just I wanted to see if you were going to be okay with some changes. Why would you say something was wrong?”
“You called me Chris. You never call me Chris unless there’s something wrong.”
“Nah, it’s nothing on you anyway.”
“Let me get a shower and get cleaned up first. Is that cool?”
“Yeah man, go get cleaned up.” Jason nodded waving CC on. “It’s not life and death.”
“Cool, I just didn’t want to stink while trying to hold a conversation. Rough day today at the studio.” He said walking towards his room. “Beat up from the feet up today! I’m going to sleep like a turtle tonight.”
“What?” Jason was never used to the strange things his best friend said.
“Yup.” CC smiled disappearing into his room.
In the shower CC’s mind wandered between three things as he washed off from the day. He was having trouble tracking a song that Andy had titled The Legacy. It was quite nearly busting his balls to play it right. Then he thought about Helena. He hadn’t seen her for a few days but he had been almost non-stop texting her the whole time even though he knew damn well she was at work.
She didn’t seem to mind though because he always got a response from her. Lately they had been sending back and forth pictures that were ambiguous and having the other guess what it was. The third thing was what Jason wanted to talk about. He had no idea what it could be other than it didn’t have to do with him.
He stepped out when he felt much more relaxed and his arms and legs were less sore. Jason was just watching TV when CC went to find him. CC plopped down on the couch and looked to Jason.
“So what’s up chuck?” He asked with a little laugh.
“Upchuck. Nice. I’m vomit today.” Jason shook his head with a hint of a smile at his lips.
“Yeah, thought it was appropriate.” CC shrugged.
Jason half muted the TV and turned so he was nestled in the corner of the couch. This way he could face CC and be comfortable.
“Mandy has been having some problems with her roommate and I guess last night they got into some fight over one thing or another. She came over here crying, I think you were out. But I had to calm her down and make her speak in English rather that girl speak to figure out what happened. And by the way twitching I can tell you don’t really care about all that so I’ll just get to the point. I told her she could move in here and stay with us. I know I should have asked you first but, she was just so upset I didn't know what to do.”
“That’s cool. I was thinking of going out on my own anyways. I mean, we’ve lived together since I can remember leaving home and I think it’s time for a change for the both of us.”
“I’m not saying you have to move out man. I just want to make sure if you’re cool with a girl living here.”
“No, I want to. I mean this place is pretty small for the two of us. Besides, I don’t want to live in an apartment anymore. I’m thinking about getting a house somewhere.” CC said picking at the callouses on his hands.
“You sure?”
“Yeah,” CC shrugged. “come on. How serious am I?”
“Not very.” Jason said with a slight bit of concern.
“Sorry, bad question.” CC laughed. “But I really am thinking about a house.”
“Well cool man. I guess that would be good for you if that’s what you want.”
CC nodded and then rose from the couch. “Well I’m off to my room. Got a girl to text and a nap to take.”
“Oh yeah, how are things with Grocery Girl going?”
“Hello Mr Alliteration! ‘grocery girl going’.” CC said suddenly. “Oh, I suppose you want that answered, fine I guess. Been talkin’ non stop the last few days.”
“Ah, well maybe you’ll have someone to move with you into that house you’re looking for.”
“Don’t think we’re that serious.” CC smirked. “But you never know. Some LA girls are like that.”
“Whatever, go send her dirty pics or whatever it is that you’re going to do.”
“She may have sent me some and I don’t even know it.”
“I’m not even going to ask.” Jason said waving CC away.
CC laughed as he walked into his room. He picked up his phone that was sitting on his bed and checked it. No messages yet. Then he thought back to what Jason said.
“Hey Jason?” CC yelled.
“What?”
“Where is Mandy?”
Jason got up not wanting to yell a conversation, they had gotten in trouble because of their neighbors a few times for that.
“She’s getting her stuff from the apartment and coming over here in a little.”
“Okay, just wondering.” CC said as the phone in his hand buzzed. “Hey, what’s this look like to you?” CC asked holding his phone up for Jason to see.
“Uhm, boobs?” Jason asked unsure.
“It couldn’t be that simple. It’s gotta be like the crease of a bent leg or where two of her fingers meet her hand.”
“Or a guy’s ass crack.”
“Possible, but I’d rather it not be that.” CC said tapping out the guess about fingers in response.
“We’ll I’ll leave you to your pretend sexting then.” Jason shut the door to CC’s room and plopped back down on the couch.
It was only moments later when there was a knock and he had to get up to answer the front door. He knew Mandy was on the other side and she was probably carrying a ton of her things.
“Hey Babe.” He said opening in the door.
“Hi.” She sniffled.
Jason took the stuff from her arms and set it down on the floor inside the apartment. He pulled Mandy into his arms and kicked the door shut.
“What’s the matter?” He asked kissing her forehead.
“We got in another fight. I don’t understand it. I don’t understand her. We’ve lived together for almost a year and then all of a sudden she turns into this unbearable bitch!” Mandy threw her hands up in the air. “It wasn’t so bad at first when I could just come here and spend the night once in a while, but it just got worse and worse.”
“Shh.” He hushed her. “You’re fine now. I talked to CC and everything.”
“He’s okay with this?” She asked looking up at Jason.
“Yeah, he wants to move out anyways. Wants to buy a house. Maybe you can go house shopping with him. Girls like that stuff.”
“Yeah. If he wants.” She nodded. “I’ve got more shit in the car outside.”
“That all?”
“Mmhm. You know I’ve never had that much.”
“What’s mine it yours now.” Jason said taking her hand and leading her out the front door to the parking lot.
Together they got the last of her things and brought it up into the apartment. Jason pulled most of it into his room and then let her go put her things in the bathroom and whatever else she brought that didn’t go in a bedroom while he hung her clothes in the closet and put her extra bedding away.
When they were done they settled on the couch and he snuggled her into his chest knowing that she was still upset about everything. Jason flipped through the TV channels a few times and then handed her the remote not finding anything. He internally groaned when she settled on some wedding show but let her keep it on because it was what she wanted to watch.
CC stepped out of his room shutting the door behind him. He looked like he was dressed to be going out. Jason took in his appearance with his black skinny jeans and his leather jacket.
“Where you goin’?” Jason asked.
“Grocery Girl wants to see me.” CC shrugged trying not to look too excited.
“I know when you’re hiding shit. You’re so stoked aren’t you?” Jason laughed.
“Oh my God yes! She’s picking me up on her bike and we’re gonna go do shit. I don’t even care what we do because I’m going to be with her on a fucking motorcycle.” CC said letting his excitement out.
“You’re riding bitch?” Mandy asked skeptically.
“Yeah... I asked her about that and then she was like ‘Well you’re so skinny and with a helmet on people will just think we’re lesbians and I liked the idea of her and a lesbian and then she was like ‘maybe I should just get my car then’ and then yeah, you don’t care. I’m just fucking excited.” CC said looking like he was going to start bouncing around the apartment. “I have to go downstairs to meet her.”
“Have fun.” Jason said.
“Be safe!” Mandy added.
“We’re not going to do anything.” CC said as he walked out the door.
“I was talking about the motorcycle.” Mandy yelled after him.
“Riiight.” CC exaggerated the word.
The door locked and they heard the sound of his boots going down the hall.
“Well, we have the place to ourselves.” Jason said pulling Mandy closer.
“I’m watching this.” She warned him.
“I know, maybe later then.”
“Maybe.” She said reaching up to touch his face. “Maybe.”
CC stood out in the parking lot walking along the curb smoking a cigarette. He had thought against it because it might make him smell and he wasn’t quite sure if Helena smoked but he figured if she was going to hang out with him, she might as well get used to the smell. He finished the cigarette and crushed it under his boot as she pulled into the parking lot.
“You look rather dark today.” She said pulling up next to him.
“Black is slimming you know, wanted people to be clear that we were lesbians.” CC smirked.
“Well in that case...” Helena said with a devious look, “You look great tonight, Babe. Wanna get naked later?”
CC snapped. “I just promised my best friends’ girlfriend I wouldn’t.”
“Oh, that’s a shame.” Helena copied him in snapping but had to try harder to keep from laughing than he was.
“Ready to go?” He asked waiting for her to stop giggling.
“Yeah.” She smiled handing him the helmet she had brought along. “Climb on the back.”
“That’s what she said.” CC said throwing his leg over her bike and fastening the helmet.
Helena flipped down her visor and backed the bike up only a little before throttling it forward and riding up over the curb and then through the grass before she was back on the street. She could hear CC laughing and telling her she was insane as her gripped tighter around her waist.
She hit a red light as soon as she was out of the parking lot and took this as a chance to ask him if he had anything in mind.
“Nah, whatever you wanna do is fine with me.”
“Let’s go down Sunset and see what’s going on there.” She said as she kicked the bike into first gear and took off seconds before the light changed to green.
Again she caught CC off guard and he was clinging to her but she laughed thinking to herself that riding on a bike with her was something that he would have to get used to. She may have been a bit of a risky driver, but all the good ones were; at least in her mind. It didn’t matter much to either of them.
Helena was weaving through traffic and the sun was almost gone from sight. CC was a little nervous more for her than himself. He wondered if she normally drove like this or she was doing it just to scare him. Both were entirely possible. He would ask once they were on stable ground.
They made it to Sunset rather quickly and she pulled into the first parking garage after the initial heart stopping speed tour down the strip. She stopped just in time in front of the barricade to the garage to avoid hitting it. CC wasn’t sure if his heart had stopped or was beating faster than ever. He thought she laughed a little as she took the ticket from the machine and the door opened.
CC had to duck to avoid hitting his head on the barricade as she pulled through full throttle making her bike’s growl and echo through the parking lot. She rode up to the floor second from the top and then started looking for spaces. Nothing. She went up to the top and found a place for her bike. She thought of sliding into it sideways but she had never done that with a passenger and didn’t want to risk looking like a retard if she fell over.
“That’s the calmest you’ve driven all night!” CC said pulling his helmet off and leaning back away from Helena’s body.
“Awe, did I scare you?” She asked looking over her shoulder and shaking out her hair.
“Yes.” CC admitted in a moment of candid truth as he got off the bike. “I thought we would die.”
“Oh come on! You did not.” She said slapping a glove she had just removed on the seat.
“I did!” CC insisted.
“Well I’ll behave when I take you home.”
“Takin’ me home, hmm?” He asked grabbing her leg as she was getting off he bike. “You better not behave.”
He pulled her against him still holding her leg up on his side. She was surprisingly more flexible than he thought a banker should be.
“Only if you want me to be.” She said face close to his being as honest as she had even been with him.
He didn’t say anything she freed her leg to stand on her own two feet and lock her gloves away in a compartment under the seat. She had turned away from CC because of the situation he had put her in. For a moment she had considered getting back on the bike and taking him back home but then remembered she shouldn’t.
“Where you wanna go?” She asked hanging her helmet on the handle bars.
“I don’t know. Kinda hungry I guess.” He shrugged.
She took the helmet from his hand and hung it on the other side.
“Don’t most people take their helmets with them?”
“If someone steals them then that’s their problem. Mine probably won’t fit them anyways.”
“Why? Your head too big?” CC asked putting his hands on either side of her head and rubbing his fingertips against her scalp.
“While that feels nice and I’m inclined to just stand here, you’re hungry. And I have a small head.”
“Well I don’t.” CC said with an underlying meaning.
“That remains to be seen.” Helena said giving his thigh a tap.
CC jumped at the contact and then followed after her. “Feisty today are we?”
“Bikes do that to me.” She shrugged. “Got a problem?”
The elevator doors opened.
“No,” He said letting her enter first, “in fact I think you should only be allowed to ride your bike before seeing me.”
“Think you’ll get somewhere?” She asked leaning against the glass wall of the elevator.
CC took the time to notice the black leather pants she was wearing, the black t-shirt that had holes cut into it everywhere, and the leather jacket to top it off. She noticed he was looking and shrugged out of the jacket. The shirt didn’t really cover much of her up besides her chest. CC unconsciously bit the inside of his lip and gave her another once over.
“What’s eight times four?” She asked suddenly.
“What?”
“Eight times four.” She repeated.
“I don’t... what are you asking that for?”
“Just answer me.”
“Uhm...” CC paused for a moment noticing the way she was intently staring at him. “Thirty-two?”
“Five seconds, not bad. But the question in your voice, now that tells me something.”
“What? I’m so confused.”
“Guys loose the ability to think as fast as they normally do when confronted with an attractive female. I was just testing you to guess how attractive I looked tonight.” She shrugged back into the jacket.
The elevator hit the bottom floor. She stepped out before him and he watched her legs carry her over the gap between the elevator floor and parking garage floor.
“You coming?” She asked over her shoulder.
“More ways than one.” He muttered to himself. “God damn I’m going to sound like an idiot tonight.”
They stepped out of the parking garage and CC threw his arm around her shoulders.
“Hi.” She said looking up at him, black bangs falling in her eyes.
“Hey.” He brushed the bangs back for her.
“What are you doing?”
“Well, it’s the Strip and a girl as attractive as you are-tonight anyway-shouldn’t be without protection.”
“I see the motor skills have improved along with the lying skills.”
“Hmm?” CC asked feigning confusion.
“And you were doing so well.” She laughed. “See, you would have been fine without the ‘tonight anyway’ because that just makes it more obvious what you think of me all the time?”
“Anyone ever tell you how cocky and annoying you are?” CC asked giving her a push with his hip.
“All the time.” She said coming right back to him and throwing her arm around his back. “All the time.”
They walked the remaining way down the street that had turned off the Strip to take them to the parking garage and then they were confronted with an intersection and three ways to go.
“What do you want to eat?” She asked looking across and down both ends of the street.
“I don’t know.”
“Well, there’s fast food shit down there, Italian over there, and then sushi that way.” She gestured in the three directions.
“Sushi!” CC almost shouted heading across the street. “I could eat it all the time!”
“Good, that’s where we were going anyways.” Helena laughed at his enthusiasm.
“And if I had said pizza?”
“I would have said sushi.” She shrugged.
“Ahh, your shoulder went into my ribs when you did that.” CC said looking at her with mock hurt on his face.
“Maybe you shouldn’t be so skinny.” She said patting his stomach with her free hand.
“Maybe. That’s why we’re going to eat, right?”
“Sure.” Helena smiled grabbing for the door.
“Not so fast little lady. Men get doors.”
“Still the same then.” She winked pulling the door open. “We’re lesbians, remember?”
“Woman! Give me the door.”
“Yes Sir!” She saluted him and let him take the door from her.
He gestured for her to walk in before him and she did so. CC came up behind her as she stood waiting for the hostess and placed his hands on her hips, she leaned back and let him support her. They were seated not long after and went over the menu. Well at least Helena went over the menu, CC knew what he wanted.
After they had ordered Helena started bombarding him with questions just to see how well he could keep up. Sometimes she even asked him a new question while he was still answering another.
“What are you doing? You are like the worst interviewer ever!” CC exclaimed stopping her.
“Actually, I’m not that interested in the answers so much as response time. You’re a lot calmer now. Responses are almost immediate.”
“So... I don’t find you attractive anymore?” He asked confused.
“You do, you’re just more comfortable now.”
“Good to know how I am feeling.” He said dripping with sarcasm.
Helena shrugged and rested her chin in her hands. “Got any questions for me?”
“Yeah, actually.” CC smirked playing with a drink coaster. “How attractive do you think I think you are?”
“Mmm at least an eight point five.” She said. “Possibly a nine right now.”
She slipped out of her jacket again and left in on the seat next to her. “Now a nine point five.”
“Why not a ten?” He asked.
“I’m not naked.”
“You’re good.” CC smiled.
He was thinking to himself just how good she could be... in his bed.