Something To Talk About

It had been more than a month since Ryan and I had met in the grocery store in the middle of the night, and we'd become pretty good friends. He still hadn't talked to his girlfriend, and on two other nights he had come over while she had gone out clubbing all night.

I'd met Keltie a few times when Ryan had invited both Jon and I over for dinner, fettuccini alfredo (salad for the anti-carb princess), but for the most part, even when I had been visiting, she hadn't really talked to me.

Jon and I had been hanging out regularly and got along very well, but hadn't actually brought up the soulmate thing that Ryan had been so insistant upon at first.

The boys were only going to be in Vegas for a few more days before taking off into the mountains to write their new record. I was sort of sad about it, just a little bit in secret, though because I still didn't really know many other people in the city.

It was getting late on a Saturday night and Jon was walking me to my door after another semi-confusing night of just hanging out.

"So, um..." He mumbled swinging my hand back and forth (sometimes it was like Jon and I held hands because we thought maybe that was what we were supposed to be doing) and when I turned to face him he was much closer than he'd been a moment before, "I had fun wth you tonight."

"Yeah, me too," Was my automatic response, then suddenly his hands were on my waiste and he was leaning towards me.

That's when it happened.

He kissed me.

Just like that.

'I had fun tonight'

KISS.

It was slow and gentle, sweet even. He didn't drool on me, or try and force his tongue into my mouth. By all accounts it should have been an amazing kiss. Except that it was weird.

I kept my lips pressed closed but forgot to even shut my eyes. It really only lasted a few moments before he pulled away, but left his arms around me. He was smiing, but there was just a little bit of sadness in his expression.

I bit my lip having no idea what to say. I wasn't sure why he'd kissed me. Maybe it was like the hand holding, it just felt like thats what we were supposed to be doing. We were dating after all... Weren't we?

"Jon," I whispered, "I uh..."

"It's okay," He shook his head and sighed, "This isn't working, is it?"

"I dont think so," I admitted, "I wanted it to because you're really great and everything, but..."

"I just dont feel it," He shrugged, "You know how when you kiss someone you're supposed to be with, you're supposed to feel that thing...?"

"Yeah, The Spark," I nodded, "There's just no... magic."

"Not for lack of trying, though," He let his hands fall away from my middle, shaking his head, "I mean, by all accounts, we should be pefect for eachother, but..."

"We're not." I jutted out my bottom lip, "Bummer."

He laughed, "It's not the end of the world. I'd still like to be friends with you."

"I hope you mean that."

"I do." He stepped forward again, drawing me into a hug, "I'll call you tomorrow and we'll hang out again before we leave."

"Alright." I hugged him back and waved as he walked back to his car, "Goodnight Jon..."

I wandered up through my biulding and as I approached my place, I noticed a figure slouched beside the door. At first it looked like a homeless person had snuck in to get out of the cold desert night, but as I got closer I recognized the hobo hat and unmistakeable scarf.

Ryan was leaning against my door frame, head back, eyes closed and a bottle concealed by a brown paper bag in his hand.

"Ryan?" I asked softly, crouching beside him, and he forced his eyes open with much effort.

"Oh hey," He mumbled, nonchlantly, almost as if he was suprised to see me in my own hallway.

"How did you get in?" I wondered.

"I dunno," He shrugged and blinked lazily, "How was your date?"

"Well, why dont you come in and tell me about your night, and then I'll tell you about mine?" I held out my hand and he let me pull him up off the floor.

He leaned on me as I unlocked my door, and I tugged the almost empty bottle from his his hand. Sniffing it, I almost gagged at the scent of the cinnamon whiskey, then tossed it into the sink, annoyed.

"Don't judge me," Ryan slurred angrily at the edge of my kitchen, "You don't even know anything, Danya..."

I poured him a glass of water, and handed it to him, then took his face in my hands, looking into his eyes.

"Ryan, what happened tonight?" I asked and suddenly saw his eyes get watery, then he hastly tore my hands away from him.

"Why do you even fucking care?!" He raised his voice stumbling back towards the living room, sloshing water onto my floor.

I sighed and followed him into the living room, pulling out his bed, grabbing some pillows and spreading out some blankets for him.

After glancing back at him one more time I turned and walked back down the hall to my room.

"I'm sorry..." He sighed impatiently and I paused for a moment in the doorway, briefly considering trying to talk to him, but deciding against it, walked into my room and closed the door behind me.