Read My Lips

Chapter Eight

Two left turns and a right later, Christina knew without a doubt that they were lost, but Dean was determined to show her that there was nothing wrong. Christina, who had been clutching Dean's arm for dear life, was looking around in worry trying to determine what was a passageway and what was just cornstalk clumped together. This maze was very confusing. She was getting very tired and her feet were starting to hurt. She let go of Dean's arm and sat down on the ground, hugging her panda tightly. Dean filled the spot next to her and Christina laid her head on his shoulder. Dean took the risk of kissing her on the top of the head and when she didn't protest, snuggled into her hair. A lizard raced by and Christina leaped about 2 feet in the hair and landed on Dean's lap. He laughed and ran his fingers through her hair. He turned her face. "It's okay," he assured. She took deep breaths, but didn't leave Dean's lap, not quite being able to move. Eventually Christina was able to remove herself from Dean's lap. With the panda sitting on top of her, she leaned back, the heels of her hands, digging into the dirt behind her. She felt her thumb press into something that felt far more than dirt. She turned around and spotted something silver peeking out from the ground. She picked it up. It was a charm bracelet with a huge heart center in the middle. AC was engraved in the center. Around it were smaller charms. One was a small dog, another a soccer ball, one that's had ballet slippers, and the last one was a pink ribbon, one lace crossing over the other symbolizing breast cancer. Those charms made Christina think of one of her professors, Professor Caroline. She had won her battle of breast cancer nearly two years ago and she had a small Yorkie named Princess. Her 20 year old daughter just performed the Nutcracker last month. She hadn't attended the show, but Professor Caroline wouldn't shut up about it. Her 26 year old son has been playing professional soccer in Brazil ever since he turned 18 and moved out. Maybe it was her professor's but it couldn't be possible, she headed to Brazil as soon as school let out today, unless she came beforehand. But at the tent, Christina spotted a bunch of bare charm bracelets without engraved text on them and loose charms scattered about in small baskets. AC could be anybody. She decided to stuff it in her back pocket. Dean tapped her on the shoulder. "You okay?" he asked and she nodded. He hadn't noticed her examining the bracelet because he was too busy staring up at the moon. It was a perfect night and he could stay in this corn maze forever, but the way Christina ran her fingers through her hair let him know that it was time to go. He got up off the ground, pulling her with him and they started off again, Christina's panda dragging behind no longer the focus point.

When they finally emerged through the exit, Christina sank to her knees and kissed the exit. Dean rolled his eyes and smiled at her before picking her panda up off the ground. After giving the sign love and affection, Christina spun around and retrieved the stuffed animal from him. "We weren't even in there that long," Dean stated as they headed to his Range Rover. Dean opened the door and before Christina got in a familiar black Dodge Charger raced by and by the spotlight the moon made on the charger she spotted a swish of jet black hair from the passenger seat. Christina frowned. "Are you okay?" Dead asked I'm concern, but Christina wasn't paying attention to him. She watched the Charger speed down the road before it made a right turn. She shook her head and settled herself in her seat, panda in her lap.

They got home and Dean parked in his space. Christina got out and smiled at her Ford Mustang before following Dean inside. "Hello!" the lady at the front desk called out to them. "How was the festival?" "Awesome," Dean replied with a grin. That's when the lady spotted the panda in Christina's arms and she too broke into a grin.

They stopped at Christina's door once they made it off the elevator on their floor. "I had a great time," Dean said, jamming his fist in his pockets. Christina nodded in agreement. "I hope we can do this again sometime." Christina excitedly smiled before she made her panda kiss Dean on the cheek. She fished out her keys and unlocked her apartment door. She gave Dean a wave over her shoulder before gently closing the door behind her. Dean stood at her door for a few more moments, grinning like an idiot before going to his apartment.

The next morning Dean woke up with an aching face. He slept for 8 hours with a smile on his face. He's never been so happy. It was 6:00 on the dot when he decided to head down to the lobby. Now for anything particular just to lounge around and Christina was awake. When he made it to the lobby floor his heart sank down into his stomach. Christina was already in the lounge area sitting next to a man. He looked over six feet and his muscles were bulging from his shirt to a point where his shirt looked like it was painted on. Looking at him and then looking down at himself, Dean grew a little self-conscious. Maybe Christina didn't have the same feelings for Dean as he did for her. Maybe she thought yesterday was just a friendly hang out, but the bouquet of flowers he gave her before they headed out was supposed to say otherwise. All he could see was blood red. He should've made a move. He should've kissed her at her door when he had the chance. He should've claimed her as his before she bid him goodnight now another man was coming to take her away. He bared his teeth at the man before stomping back to the elevators.

It was 8:30 and Dean was still sulking in his room. He heard a knock at the door about an hour after he returned to his apartment, but he refused to answer it. How could he let her slip through his fingers like that? But as much as he hated to admit it he couldn't blame the man for having his eyes set on her. He remember his neighbor across the hall, the one that asked him to keep his music down when Dean was on his way to the laundry room. He remember how the man looked at Christina. She was everything you could want in a girl. She had the brains, the long hair, beautiful eyes, her masterpiece of a body, who wouldn't want that in their arms?

Christina was sitting in her room with absolutely nothing to do. She had gotten two tickets to New York last night and was planning on telling Dean an hour ago but he wasn't home. If only she had his number so that she could tell him the good news. After Dean gave her a magical time last night she thought she would pay him back by flying him to New York so that he wouldn't spend Thanksgiving alone. Maybe she should try his apartment again.
Knock! Knock!
No answer. She tried once again, but she could tell the door wasn't going to be open anytime soon. She decided to get his number from the front desk lady.

"Good morning Ms. Whitecastle!" The lady greeted enthusiastically. Christina nodded in a greeting way. "So," the lady began, casually leaning onto her desk, "How was your night?" Christina blushed, looking down at her shoes. "I'm gonna take that as amazing. Did you get his digits?" Christina shook her head making the lady lean back in her chair, mortified. "What?!" Christina sheepishly nodded. "Well we have to fix that." The lady held up a finger before getting up and going into the back room. She emerged from that room minutes later with a scrap piece of paper in her hands. She handed the slip to Christina. "Make sure you call," the lady playfully scolded. Christina smiled, making an X over her heart before going back to her apartment.
Holding her phone and the scrap paper with Dean's number on it in the air, side by side, she punched in the correct numbers. Afterwards she threw the paper away and texted him:
Hey
Then she wondered if he was even awake. He was usually up at this time. Her phone beeped:
Who is this?
She palmed faced herself. How could she forget to say who she was?
Christina, I have great news for you.
The reply took a longer time than she had expected:
I don't want to see your ugly face ever again. I can't believe this, didn't last night mean anything to you?
Christina frowned at her phone. The first sentence hurt, but she had no idea what he was getting at. Last night meant everything to her. She thought it was the start of something special:
What are you talking about?
He replied immediately:
You know exactly what I'm talking about.
Okay, this was ridiculous. Christina got up off the bed and headed next door, leaving her phone behind.
Knock! Knock!
"What?!" Dean shouted as he finally opened the door. "What could you possible want?" Christina had confusion written all over her face. Hours ago they were laughing and having a good time now they were back to their old ways and Christina had no idea why. "Does your boyfriend know where you were last night?" Christina stepped back. Boyfriend? Last time she checked her relationship status hadn't changed from single. "Just forget about that," Dean stated, "and get the hell out of my face." Christina's eyes grew wide in surprise. She quickly fished out the two New York plane tickets from her back pocket and showed them to Dean, but he smacked them away. Christina gathered them up off the floor and tried showing them to him again, but this time Dean smacked her away. Christina held her her cheek. "Read my lips," Dean growled cornering Christina up against the wall and getting in her face. "Get. The. Hell. Away from me." He stormed into his apartment and slammed the door so hard that Christina jumped.