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Date Posted: 01:21:52 07/29/01 Sun
Author: Kelley
Subject: Crossroads--Chapter 35

Wow so much for my story huh? I said Spring break didn't I? Yikes. Sorry bout the wait. I finally finished chapter 35.

For a recap: Carrie's resolve is slowly breaking down as she continually becomes more aware of her feelings for mike. She's determined not let another man break her heart. In the last chapter, she and Mike were renting movies for a movie night at Carrie's place. Mike chose the clever Thomas Crown Affair and Carrie has chosen two romance movies. And now.. back to Crossroads Chapter 35. Finally! Enjoy and of course feedback is appreciated :)

Kel

Crossroads: Chapter 35

From the previous chapter:

“Never know Horton, might learn a few things from Brad” She laughed lightly as they walked out of the video store and parted ways until later that night.


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Carrie had all but mopped the floors upon returning home. Everything was finally done. She wasn’t quite sure whether to cook dinner or not but decided against it since it would entail re-washing the dishes she had just done that morning. Take out or pizza was the options. Besides, Mike could help her decide what to order. Now the only thing left was to wait. He should be here soon.

She walked over to turn on the stereo and put on some Sarah McLachlan. She went around to light a few candles to make the place smell somewhat decent and sat down with a book. After a little while a knock startled her out of her reading trance. She stole a quick glance at herself in the mirror by the door and took a deep breath, and turned the knob to open it.

He stood in a pair of blue jeans and a nice royal blue shirt. She sucked in a breath at how adorable he looked and immediately chastised herself for the thought. He thought she looked radiant in the spagetti strapped tank top and the pair of black pants she had changed into. She had her hair pulled back into a pony tail with a few loose ends that had escaped, framing her face.

“Hey Mike.. c’mon in.” She stepped aside to let him in and closed the door behind him.

“The place looks great.” He smiled back at her awkwardly. He saw the movies on her coffee table and picked one of them up.

“Oh Mike, I wasn’t sure what to do about dinner. I thought maybe I might cook but thought we might want to order take out or a pizza since we’re watching movies all night. What do you think?”

“Sounds great. You call in the order and I’ll turn off the CD and put in the movie. Or we can wait for the pizza to get here first. Whatever the lady desires.”

“Let’s do that instead. That way we won’t be interrupted when the movie starts. Now what do we want to drink.. I have a bottle of wine and wine coolers in the fridge or I also have soda, kool aid, and the likes.”

“Well I don’t want to have too much alcohol since I’m driving home tonight. But I’d like a wine cooler. I’m responsible and I’ll give you my keys, how’s that!”

She laughed and went to get him and herself a wine cooler. One every now and then didn’t hurt much. She popped open the lids of them and brought them back to the couch where he sat looking at the book she was reading.

“First not one but two romance movies and now a romance book? Geez, what is it with you women and romance?” He smirked at her teasingly.

“Well a girl has to know what to be looking for when she comes across a handsome looking man.”

Intrigued, he inquired further.

“So.. what are some of the things one looks for in a man then if I may ask?” Sensing a shift in conversation she became distinctly aware of his interest in her answers and decided to be trutful and honest. She looked down. She couldn’t look at him when she answered.

“Well you know my past with Austin so I guess the first thing on the list is love, plain and simple.” She walked past him and looked out at the window down at the park under her apartment window.

“I want to be able to trust another man with my secrets, my hopes and my dreams. I also want him to be honest, telling me everything he feels. I want him to respect my individual choices and yet be able to seek his advice about what he thinks I should do. Someone who’s been a friend to me, someone I feel I can trust to open up to without fear of being left behind in the future. I want to feel safe and secure in love. and most of all.. I want to find someone I can trust .. with my heart.” She noticed a single tear had slid down her cheek at her confession but swept it away before he could see her.

He walked over to where she was standing and simply put his hand on her shoulder. He felt it best not to say anything. Words were not spoken as a mutual understanding crossed the distance between them. She placed her hand upon his and stood for a few moments allowing him to comfort her once again. Finally she broke the ice. She pulled herself out of the hurt she felt and decided to shift things again back to where they were. It was so weird to her, being able to talk to Mike like that. She wanted to tell him more but.. not yet and certainly not here.

“Enough about that. You’ve listened to me more than enough for tonight. Let’s get back to the movies shall we? The pizza should be here any time as well.” He didn’t push and wanted to lighten things up.
“Of course.. but we watch MY movie first.” He picked it up hugging it close to him and pouting as a small kid would do. She laughed,. Precisely the intended effect he hoped to have achieved.

“Alright Horton, give the movie over.” She stood with her hand extended towards him. He plopped into her hands. She took the movie and was sticking it into the VCR as the doorbell rang. Mike went to the door and opened it, handing the cash to the pizza guy and shut the door. He sat the pizza on the coffee table and went to the kitchen opening cupboards.

“Let’s see.. where do you keep the paper plates?” He asked, still continuing to look.

“Bottom right.” He bent down to where she had told him.

“Aha.. now we’re in business.” He made his way to the couch with the plates but just before he sat down she yelled.

“WAIT! Hit the lights. I can’t watch movies with all the lights on unless it’s a scary movie.”

“Oh right. Since when have you ever watched Scary movies? I seem to recall someone screaming at the sound of thunder and lightening outside several months ago??” He claimed as he walked over and turned the lights out.

“Listen smarty pants, I’ll have you know I saw all the Freddy Kreuger movies! So THERE” She laughed.

“Oh please. Freddy Krueger doesn’t count. Scary movies constitute Friday the 13th or Halloween.”

“Give me a break and just start the movie will ya? And your pizza’s getting cold!” He laughed at her remarks and went to sit next to her on the couch. They sat eating their pizza in silence while the openings of The Thomas Crown Affair began.

After finishing the pizza Carrie sat her empty plate on the pizza box and sat back against the couch. Mike had his feet upon the coffee table even though he knew he wasn’t supposed to. Somewhere in the middle of the movie he had stretched and without thinking draped his arms around her. She had covered herself up in a blanket and he could see she was still shivering. So he pulled her closer to him. And they continued the rest of the movie until the end credits played.

She pulled out of his embrace and got up to rewind the movie and get them refills of wine coolers again. One more couldn’t hurt right? Besides, Mike could crash on the couch if he needed to. She opened them and took them back to the couch while he put the next movie in.the VCR. Legends of the Fall.

“Uh oh.. here comes the sappy Brad again. Actually truth be told I’m not sure I managed to see this movie when it came out..I vaguely remember working a lot due to someone’s vacation.”

“Well good.. then you can watch it for the first time while I watch Brad.” She had a wide goofy grin spread across her face. He knew she was mocking him and made a sneer back at her.

“Well fine then.. I’ll look at the pretty girls.” He laughed back at her. She plopped next to him, handing him the bottle as she took a drink of her own. The movie started and soon they were watching Brad, and the others.

Mike became enthralled with the plot of these brothers, their father and the harrowing heartbreak the three brothers are put through, eventually breaking their bond as brothers because of one beautiful woman. Halfway through the movie he saw tears in Carrie’s eyes and reached for a few tissues. He took one and dabbed her eyes for her. She smiled at him as they both went back to watching the movie. Further on, the scene that really tore at Mike’s heart was of the moment Brad’s characters wife is murdered in cold blood. In the aftermath, watching Tristan deal with losing the only happiness he had ever really known in his life gave Mike a lump in his throat as Carrie saw him stifling his own tears. She took hold of his hand and kept it there for the remaining part of the movie. Further along she had once again snuggled up to Mike, allowing him to wrap her in his arms again. It felt.. comfortable and for the second time, not awkward as she had expected. To her.. it just.. was.

Mike looked down at her. She had snuggled up against him as they sat watching the movie. She was soundly asleep against his chest as the closing credits of the movie played. He turned down the volume of the movie and just watched her sleep for a few minutes before softly kissing the top of her head. He whispered very quietly to himself.

“If only you knew how much I loved you.” He said nothing more as he drifted into a sound sleep. She fluttered her eyes and smiled. She’d heard his words and somehow, even with all the awkward moments between them she knew she couldn’t stay in denial any longer so she admitted silently to herself the truth. And the truth was…

She was falling in love with him too.

TBC

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