CJA + ALC

Chapter 4

I wake up with a start when a weight fall on to my chest. "Wake up!" CJ shouts as he bounces on me. "We're going out to eat breakfast!" He sounds like an excited puppy, he moves so that he isn't sitting on my chest so that I can sit up, I smile at him fondly. 

"M'kay, give me some time to get ready," I rub my eye as he reaches up and ruffles my hair. He shuffles off me and stands next to my bed, hand still in my hair. 

"You should leave your hair curly today, it looks cute," I blush lightly. "Seriously! If you leave your hair down, I'll... I'll wear my glasses instead of contacts."

"Alright, I still need to get dressed," I smile at him again and he pokes my nose. "That means you need to leave the room," I clarify, he blushes and trudges toward the door. 

"Don't take too long!" He shouts once he's out of the room. I slip out of bed and walk over to my suitcase -grabbing a hella cute outfit. I quickly change into black skinny jeans and a green triforce tee-shirt. I look into the mirror above the dresser, ruffling and brushing my hair to one side. I poke my cheek and frown at my appearance; how boring my eyes are, a dull grey when compared to CJ's beautiful, dark green eyes, my hair is too curly and it looks like I bleach it. A knock at the door pulls me out of my thoughts before I could get any deeper into those thoughts again. "Come in!" I call and ruffle my hair again.

"Hey, you ready?" CJ cracks the door open, I nod and follow him out of the room. "Ash isn't coming, she wanted to sleep in today after being woken up at six yesterday to go to work early."

"So it's only us?" I ask, a small smile spreading across my face. CJ nods and we exit the house. "Where are we going?"

"IHOP, I haven't been there in a while, Do you mind walking? It's not that far."

"Nah, it's fine."

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

"So, are you in a relationship?" CJ asks with a nonchalant tone before shoveling pancakes into his mouth. I think before answering.

"No, but I've had my eye on someone for quite a while." My eyes move from CJ's face to the table, then the window, and back to his face. CJ nods and I begin to munch on my bacon. We sit in a comfortable silence for a few moments before I ask- "How about you? Got a boyfriend yet?"

"Nah, only recently realized that I like y- someone," CJ puts another forkful of pancake into his mouth in an attempt to hide the mistake. I decide to not question him about it. "How're you liking California?"

"It's amazing! It's so pretty and all the people here seem to be really nice, how about you?"

"I live here, idiot." CJ chuckles

"I-I um... I know." I look away from CJ to try to hide my blush. I look around the restaurant, children running from tired parents, waitresses and waiters carrying food to tables, old people quietly eating, some of them alone and others in pairs.

"You're even more awkward in person." CJ smiles as I stare down at my plate, still hugely embarrassed. "We're an awkward pair, aren't we?"

"The Awkward Alliance?" I giggle. CJ nods and we carry on in silence. After a minute or two of more silent eating, our waitress comes over to our table, hips swaying..

"You boys doing okay?" She asks, her voice dripping with something that sounds like lust and a light southern accent. I shift in my seat uncomfortably under her unmistakably flirtatious gaze.

"U-um... yeah, we're fine, thank you. Could we... could we get the check?" I manage to stutter out. I look over at CJ for help, only to find him staring at the waitress with murder filling his eyes.

"Of course, I'll be right back with that, I'll also get these dishes out of your way," she reaches over me, breasts practically against my face. She winks at me as she walks away, hips swaying a bit more vigorously. I look back over at CJ, he's glaring at the waitress' back, hatred still clear on his face.

"Well, that was... interesting," I attempt at making a joke.

"She's only getting a 2% tip," he mumbles. "How can she think that that behavior is appropriate in any social situation?" He waves his hands around, sweater sleeves covering his hands and glasses slipping down his nose. How cute he is tends to soften the blow of his anger.

"We could still do a 5% tip at least, CJ. She did a fine job serving, she only did that toward the end- it wasn't the whole meal. She's most likely a college student trying to pay off student loans before she graduates! Not everyone gets full ride scholarships with a 4.0, you know?" I try to reason with him.

"That doesn't excuse her pushing her breasts against your face!" He says harshly. "Not every man enjoys that!"

"What should we do about it? Get a tee-shirt for you that says 'I'm gay' and one for me that says 'I'm bisexual'?"

"No, I'm just saying that her pressing herself against you is inappropriate and she shouldn't be doing it to anyone!"

"Why does this matter so much to you?"

"Because I don't like seeing other people flirt with you!" It takes a few seconds for both of us to register what he just said and a look of horror comes across his face when he does. He stands up quickly and throws money on to the table before rushing out of the restaurant.

"CJ!" I yell, trying to get him to stop. "CJ, wait!" I follow him, but lose sight of him before I even left the building. "CJ!" I call once I'm out in the parking lot, hoping that he'll come back. For a few moments, I stand there and wait. I shake my head and pull out my phone, deciding to text Ash and give CJ some space.

CJ left me at IHOP, I don't know where I am, could you come get me?

I send it and walk over to the grass.

Sure, why'd he leave?

The response is almost instantaneous.

It's a long story...

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

I immediately walk up to my room when we enter the house, CJ didn't come home, the door was locked when Ash left the house to get me and it was locked when we came back, CJ never locks the doors. I sit on my bed and put my head into my hands, my mind filled with what CJ said. He must like me back, why else would he say that? "I don't like seeing other people flirting with you." Why did he run away? I groan and lay back on my bed, mulling over the problem. Should I tell him that I like him back? I don't want things to be awkward between us... What if I'm reading too much into what he said?

"Hey, Ansel," Ash knocks on my door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure..." I call back softly. She walks in and sits on my bed next to me.

"Do you... Can you tell me what happened? Why he left?"

"I'm not really sure what happened... it's like he... the waitress was flirting with me... and CJ was upset with her... when I... when I asked why it mattered... then he said that he didn't like it when other people flirt with me and he ran off... and... and I have no clue where he went," I trail off. "I-I'm sorry... I shouldn't have been teasing him!" Tears begin to stream down my face. "I chased him off and-"

"No, no! He wasn't thinking, it was a heat of the moment action, he'll be home soon."

"He probably hates me!"

"That's a totally unreasonable thing to assume, if anything you should be mad at him for leaving you alone in a strange city," Ash pats my back. "I have to go to work, my shift starts soon, but there's lunch down in the fridge but you had a late breakfast. I'll be going to a friends house after work, you two need some alone time to figure this out." She walks away and I lay down on the bed. Yeah, we do.