(no subject)

[amityville_sweetheart]

Corrine's picked up the phone to call him four times in the past hour. She doesn't want to be alone. Kelly is already in bed, already asleep, so she's not really alone, but... damnit. This house is too big and there's too many bad things soaked into the walls and she can't get away from it.

She'd been doing so good, really, but she was too lonely and it was cold outside and there was nothing on TV and she was alone. She didn't want to be alone. She'd cried in bed and tried to sleep, and it'd been useless because she kept thinking of him and how much she wanted him there in bed next to her. Just so she could sleep. Just for a little while. Just until she adjusted to this. She was allowed 'adjustment' time, right? Not together anymore but still kind of together, just until... until... when? Tomorrow? Next week?

This was the right thing to do. It was good for them. She kept telling herself that.

It wasn't really that she needed Caleb specifically, but anyone here with her right now would be good. She was putting on her brave face as always but right now it felt like the ceiling of the world was coming down on her head. So she'd done what she always did, and she hated herself now.

This was it, though. Really. Just one last, as she empties the shot glass. She really needed sleep. If she could just sleep, she'd be okay. Just a little more to sleep. It was too late to go anywhere and she didn't want to leave Kelly alone so it wasn't even like she could run to the store and buy a little box of those sleep aid things. So just one more. One more, and then sleep. It'd be okay. It was just for sleep.

Corrine picks up the phone again, staring at the receiver through blurred vision. In her peripheral, the bottle is almost empty. She starts dialing, and stops halfway through. She puts the phone down and stares at it.

Just one more. For sleep.

Comments

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

Kelly just stares at Corrine. Maybe she's only been camping out here a week, but there's a few things she's learned.

1. Corrine hardly ever looks like she's just rolled out of bed, even when she has. She's watched her brush her hair before going to get the mail.

2. Corrine is an absolute neat freak, especially when it comes to the kitchen. Crumbs are a crime against man and God, if Corrine was to be believed. Don't even get started on sticky fingerprints.

3. Corrine's an avid vegetarian... except for Slim Jims, apparently. There's a steadily declining stash in the top left cupboard. But bacon does not count.

4. ...She was pretty sure Corrine was gay. Lives alone in a big house, wildly eccentric, unpredictably moody, with two cats. Definitely gay. The vibe she's getting now is... not so much. How'd someone like her ever get someone like Caleb?

Kelly grabs a bacon slice of her own, beginning to nibble and watching the two adults quietly. This could get interesting.

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Caleb isn’t quite sure what to say or do for a moment, and as a result just stands there for a seconds before getting back to placing his share of breakfast on his own plate.

“Hungry there, lo-” he cuts himself off, butnot before habitually beginning the affectionate nickname he usually attaches to statements directed at Corrine.

He’ll never forget that she’s a vegetarian, not after having stumbled across that bit of information in such an embarrassing manner during their first date. The memory brings a smile to his lips as he sits down, and begins eating.

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

"What're you grinning about?" she says sourly through a mouthful of french toast.

Corrine's eyes suddenly glaze over as she stares at him. She remembers singing loudly to annoy him, and she woke up in bed this morning... and he's still here. Er.

She goes over to the pantry, trying to look casual as she searches around inside. "So, uh... h-how'd you sleep? Was the couch comfortable...?"

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Well, how … subtle.

“I wouldn’t know,” he says as he takes a bite of French toast. “But you’re recliner was remarkably comfortable.”

He just shakes his head and continues to smile minutely.

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

"Oh," she sighs, trying not to sound too relieved. They didn't sleep together. Good. Well, no, not good, because really-- no. No. It was fine. Good. Better this way.

Right.

She keeps searching the pantry.

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

Kelly looks from Caleb to Corrine's back, grinning knowingly. She wasn't born yesterday, after all. Adults always thought they were so clever, and really they just made themselves look more and more stupid.

"You could've just asked if you fucked," Kelly says with a little grin. "Wouldn'ta bothered me. Everybody does it; or almost everybody. There's still Janet Reno, and Rosie O'Donnell."

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

She catches him by surprise, and he almost chokes on his scrambled eggs. Several coughs and a long sip of his orange juice later…

“Kelly, please! I – I’m trying to eat here! There’s simply no reason to go involving Janet Reno in a sentence that includes the word sex …or, uh, any derivatives thereto … under those circumstances. It’s simply uncouth, you see.”

The whole time he’s trying not to laugh.

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

There's a loud *THUMP* and a yelp of surprise as Corrine smacks her head on something, perfectly timed after Kelly's first sentence. She's still got her back to them, and she's crouching down looking under and behind shelves.

"That's not what I was asking!" she responds indignantly.

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

Kelly shares a glance with Caleb, trying to stifle her own laughter. "Uh-huh. We believe you."

She shoves a forkful of scrambled eggs in her mouth, leaning in her seat as she chews. She's trying to get a look at what exactly Corrine's looking for, then it suddenly dawns on her. She frowns, putting her fork down. "If you're looking for the vodka, it went down the drain with everything else."

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

"Kelly, I know you think your smart-assery is really hysterical, but righ--" She stops, staying very still for a moment.

Corrine then stands, turning towards them, a sweet but obviously long-suffering smile on her face. "Cute. Really cute."

She's glaring right at Caleb as she crosses her arms over her chest. "This was your idea, wasn't it? Here's something maybe you hadn't thought of-- stay the fuck out of my life already, mm?"

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Caleb sinks in his chair, knowing full well that he may have overstepped the boundaries with that. He’d still do it again, though.

“Sorry, I’m just worried about you. I’ve seen what alcoholism can do to people, and I just don’t want to see you have to go through bottoming out. Last time someone I cared about did that, he nearly died before he got his stomach pumped.”

An uneasy silence hang sin the air as Caleb wipes his mouth with a napkin. “You’re right, though. I did say I’d take you up on your offer to screw off just as soon as you were sober, and, uh .. you do appear sober now, so, uh …good day, then?”

He’s obviously uncomfortable, but what’s to be done? She does hate him – that much is evident after last night. And despite a powerful desire to set things right with her, Caleb isn’t sure what to do. All he can do is honor her wishes, and give her some space. The thought that this would be their last meeting until she chose to initiate another – assuming that ever happened – makes him want to cry. He doesn’t, though. He’ll save that for later.

Caleb gets up, goes over to the coat rack, and grabs his trench coat. As he slips it on, he nods to Kelly. “It’s been a pleasure meeting you, Kelly.” Then to Corrine. “I … I’ll phone you with the results of your inquiry. Aside from that .. uh … I’ll leave the ball in your court.”

[outcast-xtras.livejournal.com]

"Whoa! Whoa! Wait!" Kelly jumps from her seat, staring at Caleb. "You're just going to let her talk to you like that? What a fuckin' throw rug. Jesus Jumped-Up Christ, what'd she do, neuter you while she was at it?"

She swivels around, glaring down at Corrine. "And you've got some fuckin' nerve. All he did was stay with you most of the night to make sure you didn't break your alkie neck, put you in bed without taking advantage of you, and then made you breakfast! No guy I know would'a done that! I know you're, like, ten flavors of socially inept, but a little respect, huh?"

[damage-girl.livejournal.com]

Corrine's over at Kelly in what seems like one quick stride. Her face contorts in anger, her voice slowly rising in volume. "You're fifteen years old and a week clean, and you think you're gonna call me on my shit? In my house?

She stares down at Kelly, her lips pursed into an evil little smirk. "And I've got some nerve? Who the fuck cleaned your sorry ass up when you were strung out and violated on my kitchen floor? Not to mention what PUT you there in the first place?"

[caleb-z.livejournal.com]

Acting would complicate things. He should stay out of it. This isn’t his business, anyway…

“Enough!” He says just a little too loudly as he places himself between Corrine and Kelly, making sure that his body language doesn’t favor either one.

To Kelly. “I appreciate the help, but there’s no need for this.” To Corrine, a little more sternly. “No. Need. She was merely trying to return a favor paid, Corrine.” If you’d be so kind as to get your head back into the fresh air, you’d have realized that by now.