Meet Me Here Tomorrow (EXTRAORDINARILY SLOW UPDATES, NOT KIDDING)

Lights Out

It was already dark when Christopher drove to Gina's home. It took a while for Chris to get there, but when he did, the lights were off and the shades were drawn, as if no one was home. He rang the doorbell, but no one answered. After a few minutes of standing in the cold, he tried opening the door. It was unlocked. "Hello? Anyone home?" Chris called through the doorway as he rubbed his hands together, in an attempt to warm them a little but to no avail. He looked around the dark entryway, it was as dark as night, but he was able to catch a glimpse of the place with a flash of lightning from the outside. At this, he came in and closed the door so no snow could swirl in.

In that second of illumination, Chris could distinguish that the house was small but clean. The walls were painted a calming light green and the hall was adorned with many framed photos. Where could she be? Thought Chris as he surveyed the rest of the house.

Spotting a light switch, Chris flicked it but no beams of light shone through the dim house. The power probably failed, the storm is wicked out there.

Looking around some more, Chris took in the general layout of the place. No stairs, huh? It's so quaint, but in a homey warm feeling... Dusting the snow from his jacket and taking off his boots, so as not to get the floor wet, he ventured into Gina's home, floorboards creaking noisily. "Gina? Hello? I have your books and stuff." Chris called softly.

A sudden bang resounded through the house, coming from the room across the hall. "Gina!?" Chris exclaimed in alarm. Could that be her? What was the cause of that noise? He hastily dropped Gina's schoolwork on a nearby sidetable, his mind was a whirlwind of alarm. As quick as a puma in skinny jeans, he dashed down the hall, and ripped open the door to reveal a horribly cluttered chamber.

Collapsed on the floor with sweat on her forehead and eyes shut tight, was Gina. Her face was very pink and wet, dampened by a mixture of tears, sweat and snot. Shivering violently on the ground, you could see a long heavy item on the ground with her. It was the size and shape of a baseball bat but it was hard to tell in the dark. It was as if she hadn't the strength to lift it in her feverish stupor. As Christopher scooped the trembling girl in his arms he put a freezing hand to her forehead. It warmed up immediately and she was evidently extremely ill. "Gina! Gina, what exactly happened?" He questioned urgently and he took her through the open doorway into the living room.

"Pa-pa..?" Gina weakly raised her head and her eyes fluttered open momentarily. "Papa, have you come back for me?" She smiled faintly and Chris could feel his heart warming at the sight of the girl he held in his arms.

"No, it's not "Papa",Gina." responded Chris quietly as he lay Gina's legs on the couch, but leaned her upper body in his arms. He pushed her hair away from her face and began rhythmically stroking her cheek.

"C-Chris, what the hell are y-you doing?" Gina inquired, her temperature rising even more at being so close to him. He was close, too close for comfort.

"I'm being nice." Chris said, "you're evidently very sick, so I want you to rely on me a little and to relax. At least until you get better. Is this why you never showed up at school or work?" At these words, Gina became lightheaded, confused at her feelings once again. Focusing to the rumbling of his voice which she could feel from the vibrations in his chest, she succumbed to his words and began to relax. At least it's dark. He can't see me blush.

"No shit." She answered weakly in an attempt to speak hatefully at him as normally. When that didn't work, she changed tactics and asked, "Where's Al? I need my homework."

At this, Chris' hand stopped.

"He couldn't be here today," Chris answered her, very annoyed that she automatically asked for Albert at a time like that and couldn't just appreciate that he was there for her. "He probably got tired of you because you're so needy all the time. I mean, I've got better things to do on my birthday." Chris lied shamelessly. Gina could tell that he was smirking, even though they could hardly see each other.

At this point, Gina was annoyed. Her body tensed up as she pushed away all her relaxed feelings. She was already suffering from hardly being able to breathe, she didn't want to deal with how irritating Chris was. "Leave me alone." Gina grumbled. She sat up abruptly and almost collapsed again, but managed to push herself to the other side of the couch.

"Hey! Be careful!" Chris cried out, worried, his mean voice from earlier, replaced with a concerned one.

"Is th-that why he's not here!?" She sniffled loudly, "Am I a burden to everyone?"

Gina began to weep quietly. She curled up into a ball with her back towards Chris. "Hey no! You're not a burden at all!" Chris came closer to her, trying to console the girl. "You..." Christopher sighed and placed a hand softly on Gina's back. "The truth is...I-I..."

"You what?"

"I've had a horrible and tiring day. I've been ditched by my best friend, I've been turned into a mailboy and now I have to deal with you being sick and your nasty comments. I'm pretty sure that this is the worst birthday I've ever had!"

"Well I'm sorry that I've ruined it for you. Happy birthday, moron." Mumbled Gina grumpily as she shuffled her body even farther away from the warmth of the boy on her couch.

"You didn't let me finish." Chris continued as he moved closer to the shivering girl. " Today may have been horrible, but I'd rather spend it with a pain in the ass like you than where I live now."

Gina lifted her head up and surveyed the boy in the dark. He sounded sincere but she couldn't tell. She took a moment to wipe her nose with her sleeve before whispering shakily, "I guess perfect people like you have problems too, huh?"

"Whoever said I was perfect?" Scoffed Chris.

"Everyone who has ever laid eyes on you!" Gina raised her head and looked him dead in the eyes. "You're attractive, you're smart, you can play basketball like a pro, you've got money, you've got a secure future-"

"That means nothing to me." Chris' voice turned cold and cut through the air like a knife. A shiver ran through Gina. "I don't want that life."

"You listen here!" Gina wobbled as she turned to face him completely. "My father left my mom when I was young and my mother works her ass off to support the both of us. You know how many part-time jobs she has right now?" Gina raged, "Three! Don't you dare take your own privileged life for granted! You effortlessly have everything! I have to work so hard to keep up with you! I hate being pitied for not being adequate but most of all, I hate you!"

A huge coughing fit wracked Gina's body and her mind grew foggy once again. The tears began to flow again and Gina continued, "My dad. My dad left us because he didn't want me. My mom is tired all the time because she decided to keep me. If I wasn't born, my mom would me happy."

Chris pulled Gina close again. "Shut up. You are the most hardworking girl I've ever known and if anyone is perfect here, it's you. Now just shut up and rest," Chris said with a tone of finality. He sighed but with a softer voice, he repeated, "For now, just rest."

Letting herself be pinned against his chest, she finally took in his words. "This conversation isn't over Blake." Gina grumbled, but as she fell into a slumber, the last thing that she could remember was a lingering, feather-light pressure on her lips and the steady beat of Christopher's heart as she realized how she was falling in love. Again.