(Un)Lucky Coincidences

“I can walk on my own!” Sandra pushed Chris' hand away, who tried to keep her moving. It was 2 in the morning and Chris decided to call it a night and escort Sandra back home. There have been three more pitcher after the first one and walking wasn't easy anymore. And with that not enough it began to rain.
Sandra stood in the middle of the road, spread her arms and started spinning, “This is just beautiful!” She faced Chris and took his hands, “Dance with me, would you?” He smiled and shook his head, “You'll just catch a cold. Let's get you home and you have some sleep. How does that sound?”
“BORING!” Sandra laughed out and started dancing on her own, after letting loose of Chris' hands. “I'm siiiinging in the rain. Just siiiinging in the rain.” But finally he joined her and took her hands again, “What a glooorious feeling?! I'm haaaaappy again.”
They danced all the way back to her flat repeating these lines again and again and cracking with laughter every once in a while.
===
“Shhh! Or we wake up the elderly lady next door.” Sandra whistered covering Chris' mouth with her hand while opening the door to her flat. Chris shoved the hand aside grinning, “I don't care. We're just laughing.” She pushed him inside, “But it's half past two in the morning!” She closed the door, dropped her shoes somewhere and gestured Chris to do the same.
“Let me get some towels and get out of this clothings. I'm freezing.” She made her way to the bathroom also dropping her coat and than her shirt.
Chris dropped his shoes, hung his coat and went to the kitchen, “Do you have something to drink?”
“Just have a look in the fridge. And get me a beer, please.” She left the bathroom with only wearing a towel around her slim body and rubbing another towel on her head. Chris turned around, when she appeared behind him touching his hair. “Here you need it. Let's see if I can find you some cloths. You'll catch a cold, if you leave this on.” She through him a towel and went to her bedroom.
“Here we go.” Dressed in an old sweater and some worn out trousers she entered the living room five minutes later, where Chris had put two bottles of beer onto the table and made himself comfortable on the couch. She carried some old cloths for him to wear. But dropping herself next to him she shrugged, when her arm touched his shirt. “You're wet and cold.” She sat up and started pulling off his shirt, “We need to get you out of this.” Chris was just grinning, “Well, if that's what you want!?”
Sandra hit his shoulder, “Stop being an arsehole and get changed!” She pushed him from the sofa and he left to get dressed in the bathroom still smiling.
Meanwhile Sandra turned on the TV and started watching the movie she planned originally.
“You got to be kidding me! Really?!” Chris came back and dropped himself next to Sandra. She smiled and handed him his pint, “You can leave anytime you want, you know.”
“But who keeps you away from this crap, if I do? You need protection. This is no good.” He pointed to the screen, “Oh bloody hell, now he starts singing.” He hit his forehead with his hand and then drank almost half of his pint right away. “Stop whining! Shut up or go. But don't ruin that for me. I need to shut my head off and that's the best way for me.” She gazed at him sideways with pleading eyes. Chris smiled and swung an arm around her, “Alright. But I'll need more beer to survive this. And weren't you talking about crisps earlier this evening?”
Sandra lifted the package of Walkers and pointed her head towards the kitchen, “Help yourself. You know there is always beer in the fridge.” She didn't turned her eyes from the TV, while she tried not to sound too bothered.
“Cheer up, sweety. I stop whining and you start smiling again. How does that sound?” Chris nodged her shoulder before he stood. Sandra lifted her stare from the screen and gave him her brightest smile. “Much better.” He nodded and left for the kitchen.
===
Sandra jolted awake. The screen showed the DVD menu again and again and there were too many empty bottles in front of her. Confused she looked aside to find Chris sleeping with his head on his breast. She sat up and tried to remember what happened. But after taking a look at the clock on the wall, she decided to wake Chris and just go to bed. She reached her hand to his shoulder and shook it. “Hmm.” He changed his position, but didn't wake up. So she tried again. “What?!” He lifted his head and looked ever more confused than she was. “Why do you shake me? Are they still singing?” She smiled, “No, you survived. But we fell asleep on the couch and it's 5.40am. I'll bring you a blanket and go to bed than, alright?”
“Well, if it doesn't bother you. I can just go home, you know.” He sat up and stretched his arms.
“Don't be silly. Your cloths are still wet and it doesn't bother me at all.” She stood and walked into the bedroom. Searching through her closet for a blanket, she realised that Chris has followed her and sat down on her bed. “Do you have to work tomorrow?” He asked yawning. She just shook her head, “No. But there are still some boring essays, that I have to mark. And boring isn't even the right word to discribe them.” She pulled out a blanket finally smiling, “There it is!” But there was not reaction from Chris. Turning around she saw, that he fell asleep again and rolled himself up on her bed.
“Well, who cares.” She smiled pulling the blanket over Chris and laid down next to him. Not even two minutes later she was fast asleep.
===
The ringing on the door woke Sandra up rapidly. She sat up and immediately her head seemed to explode. “Ohhh.” She moaned and tried to get up, but the door bell rang again. “I'm coming. Stop ringing already!” She held her hand to her head and made her way to the door, almost falling over her coat and shoes. Shaking her head while opening the door, it revealed bright smiling Rory.
“Oh, it's you.” She frawned and invited him in. He kissed her and laughed, “Well, what a nice hello. Are you alright? You don't look good, do you?” She shook her head, “Nay. I went to the pub yesterday with Chris and it was a bit much maybe.” A small smile played her lips, “But give me 10 minutes and some pain killers and I'm ready to go for lunch.” He entered the kitchen and filled the kettle with water, “May we just have a tea first and see if we feel like lunch?” After he turned the kettle on, he took two mugs from the cupboard and placed them on the counter. All the time avoiding eye contact with Sandra. So she reached a hand to his shoulder and turned him around, “What's wrong with you?” She frawned, “You seem nervous. And I don't know why.” His gaze met hers in anxiety, “Well, I want to talk to you about something, but maybe its best to get our teas first and sit down on the sofa?!” Sandra nodded slowly.
The cups have been filled and the both dropped theirself onto the couch. After only a few seconds Sandra broke the silence, “So what is on your mind?”
Rory looked into his mug, “Well, I really don't know how to say this, to be honest.” He was fiddling with his fingers and still avoided eye contact with Sandra. She put down her cup and led Rory's hands to do the same. Than she took his palms and made him look her in the eyes, “What ever you're going to say, just do it. But don't be so nervous. I won't eat you alive.” She smiled to encourage him and ease the situation.
He gave his best to smile, too, “Well, okay than. I wanted to talk about us, actually.” With a frawn he watch Sandra for any reaction, but she just nodded and waited for him to continue.
He took a deep breath, “I know the last months haven't been easy for you. Settling down in a new place and finding yourself around. But throughout the last weeks I could see, that you're not really happy anymore. And to be honest, me either. We somehow lost the time for each other and I think it's best to call it off.” He looked her in the eyes with a small smile, “But I want you still around, if you're fine with that. You're just too much fun, to let you go.” He winked and laughed out to ease the situation.
Sandra just looked at him while he was talking, but didn't show any kind of reaction. Finally she managed a small smile, “I'm fine with that. I really thought that it was just me, who felt lost in the last weeks. I'm glad that you're feeling the same way.” But then she looked to the ground, “But it will be strange not kissing and cuddling anymore, you know. So may it's best if we could keep our distance for maybe a week?!” Lifting her gaze back to Rory's she found him smiling, “Sounds fair. If you still come to the pub and to the shows with us. I'm perfectly fine with some temporary distance.” He laughed, “Vivien would probably kill me, if you stop seeing us.” Now Sandra laughed too, “Perhaps, you're right.”
Rory straightened his shirt, “Well, are you still fancy for lunch? Or would you prefer to catch some sleep?” Sandra tilted her head, “To be honest, I can't eat yet. Sorry. But maybe next time? In case I'll finish this horrible essays someday.”
With a smile Rory stood than, “Alright. Then I'm off and leave you to your thoughts.” After Sandra stood too, he embraced her in a hug, “Oh, I almost forgot. We have this intimate show next mouth and I thought of asking you to come along. Vivien forced me to do so.” He said with a wink. “But really, it would be nice to have you around.” Pulling back from the hug Sandra smiled, “Yeah. Sounds fun. But let me know about the details again, before I'll miss it, alright?” She led Rory to the hall and opened the door for him. “I will. So see you soon.” Rory embraced her in another quick hug and she relaxed in his arms. “This is strange.” She said under her breath. He just giggled, “I know, but I can't help myself. Let's call it a habbit and just leave it like this?”
Inhaling his sence one more time before parting Sandra could only smile, “I always felt save in your arms and this won't change. So I would be happy, if hugs are still included in our friendship?!”
“They still are.” Rory laughed and than made his way down the stairs, “See you soon.”
===
Sandra put her mug into the sinker and stared out of the window. The world outside seemed to be as busy as always, like nothing had changed. “Well, move on than.” She sighed and said under her breath. Even she hadn't been really happy these past weeks, it was surreal that it was Rory saying it out loud. And even though it seemed right to part she felt somehow lost. Much more than before. 'How will it be meeting the gents after this? Will it be the same? Or strange? And how is this so called friendship supposed to work? Like we've never had strong feelings for each other?' Sandra shook her head, “Just give it a chance and stop thinking too much about it!” She told herself and reached her hand out to the kettle.
“Good morning.” The rough voice made her wince. Slowly she turned around to find Chris standing there scratching his neck, “Sorry. I didn't meant to scare you.” He took a step forward, “Are you alright? I mean, I'm not really sure, but I thought you were saying something.” He frawned.
Sandra took a deep breath, “Yeah. But it was more to calm myself down. Sorry, sometimes I'm wierd. Just ignore it.” Than she turned around to the counter again, “Would you like some tea?”
Chris walked next to her and gazed at her sideways, “Sure. Thanks. But what's wrong, that you need to calm down?” This whole situation was quiet confusing for him and he had not the slightest idea what Sandra was talking about.
“Well, ...” She started but trailed off when she reached for the box of tea. Chris took her arm and turned her to face him, “What's wrong?” He looked her straight into the eyes and there was not space for any excuses.
She inhaled, “Rory was here earlier. And we ... we called it off.” Waiting for any reaction she scanned his gaze, but Chris remained motionless. “Chris?” She frawned.
He shook his head and fixed his stare on her again, “Really? Are you alright?”
“Yeah. I think so. It's just strange, that he felt the same throughout the past weeks and I don't know, but somehow I feel even more lost now. Although I'm glad we sorted that out.” Shrugging her shoulders she turned to the mugs and filled them with water.
She almost dropped the kettle, when Chris embraced her in a hug, “Cheer up, will you? What are you both going to do now?” After putting the kettle down she pulled her arms around Chris' back, “Stay friends?!” He chuckled. “Yeah. I know. But really I hope that nothing will change between you, gents, and I. You're basically the only friends I have here.” She pressed her face into his chest, “And I don't want to go back home. I feel pretty much like home here, finally.”
Chris squeezed her once again and than held her out at arm's length with a bright smile, “Good to hear you stay our company. Who would go to the pubs with me, when you'd go back? That would be terrible.” She laughed and hit his arm, “Nice to know, that you only need me to get drunk.”