He Says, She Says

It had been three days of this crazy chase that I had sent him on, and that left Cat and I in the cafe without him. Cat was looking intently at the counter and I was completely ignoring what was on her mind. "Tell me again how you convinced him it was Rachel," she said and I just put down my cup and rolled my eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, "it's just, she's so plain and who did you get her to play it cool."

"I've told you the story about a thousand times," I said, "pile of Liz's dresses, your dress, he goes to Liz who tells him Rachel gave it to her."

"But how did you get that train wreck," she gestured over to the girl carrying the shaky tray and then dropping it.

I bit my lip, "we zapped her." She looked at me humorless and I shook my head, "who cares, it's working." She shrugged and we went back to eating the fries that were already on our plate. Then it hit me, "are you going home for break, because we're all going over to California, and I was wondering if you'd want to come with us."

"And by us you mean," she asked.

"Oh you know, me, Anderson, hopefully you," I said and then I got quick and fast for the last part, "and Liz."

"No,"she said, "I'd much rather listen to my parents love my siblings more than me, then go anywhere with your annoying friend." I nodded, it was fair enough, Liz was a strong personality and she was spoiled. "Wait," she put her hands up on the table, "when are you leaving, soon I'm assuming, you haven't even started packing, we have to go home right now and pack." She stood up and tried to move me, but I held my ground. Cat was crazy organized and always packed six months in advanced and if she didn't have six months, she'd pack as soon as she knew. Sometimes she had a bag packed just in case someone invited her over.

"Cat," I said, "try not to be crazy, but I think I'm going to pack tomorrow."

"And you're leaving?"

"The day after tomorrow," I said and she just leaned back and shook her head in disappointment. I laughed and took a sip of the drink that had been set in front of me.

"Is that Anderson," Cat asked squinting at the door. It was him, standing outside just looking in with flowers in his hands. I nodded my head and she said, "doesn't he know it's raining."

"Oh what's a little rain," I said, "I just cannot believe Anderson is holding flowers, the guy has never really had a girlfriend, I didn't know he knew the conventional cliche moves of the modern man."

She looked at me, "like we haven't all seen movies." I made a face mocking her and then we both sat back and watched as the door rang, meaning he had finally come in. He walked right past us and straight to the counter. Rachel turned around and had a shocked, somewhat scared expression. "Can you hear anything," Cat said hitting my shoulder. I pushed her hand away and just shook my head. Rachel started walking to the back, the place marked employees only. Anderson left the flowers on the counter and ran around to where he wasn't supposed to be. "You're not supposed to be back here," some guy yelled. Cat looked at me and said, "I heard that."

"Me too," I said, "but now I can't see anything, dammit." We just sat there staring at the door and when Anderson came out we both scrambled to pretend like we weren't spying. He sat down and I looked up, "Oh hey, Anderson, how's it going."

"Do you mean what happened back there," he pointed, "where the two of you couldn't see."

"Yes," Cat said impatiently.

"Rachel's the one, she's the girl from that night," he said kind of sadly.

"Yeah," Cat said, "I think we were able to establish that, Romeo."

"I went back there and I kissed her," he said and Cat and I gave a chorus of awws. "Yeah, but ..."

"She turned you down," I nodded sympathetically.

"Sid," he laughed, "come on it's me."

"Oh yeah," I rolled my eyes, "I forgot, you are just oozing charm." He gave me a serious look and I continued, "okay so if she had this laps in judgement and is giving you a chance, then what is wrong."

"One, it's not a laps in judgement," he said, "and it just wasn't right, it wasn't the same kiss, it didn't feel as perfect."

"Oh my god is there no pleasing you," I said, "you were drunk and she was angry it was a completely different dynamic, not to mention the fact that you've been building it up to impossibly high levels ever since." He made an unsure face and I shook my head, "Anderson, you've been chasing this girl for a while, I think you owe it to yourself to give her a chance, don't you think."

"You're right," he said standing up, "she is the one, she is perfect."

"In case you also forgot," Cat said, "she is Rachel, she is a complete train wreck."

"Shut up Cat," we both said at the same time and then I continued, "if he says she's perfect, then she is perfect."

She laughed, "cheese and rice Sid, what's eating you." I glared at her and she took a sip of her coffee. "hey I have an idea," she said, "we should all go home and pack for your trip."

"Damn," he said, "I forgot about the trip. I have a girlfriend for the first time in, well a long time, and I'm not going to see her on Christmas or New Years."

"It's too soon in the relationship for big holidays," I said, "we're doin' you two a favor."