Two Roads Diverged

[carini]

Kat

Roger ducked as the vase slammed into the wall right where his head had been.
"It's not what you think Kat. It just... happened."
I slammed the bedroom door and found a suitcase cramming all his shit into it. "You Asshole.", i could hear him outside the door. "What you tripped and you dick just happened to land in MY BEST FRIEND!" He opened the door slowly and moved up behind me. I spun to face him as he tried to put his arms around me. "Don't touch me. If you touch me i'll be arrested for beating the living shit out of you."
He brushed the hair out of my face like he always did. "I love you Kat. It was a mistake. A stupid stupid mistake." I turned and closed the suitcase, pushed past him and walked into the living room seeting the case by the door. "We can get through this Kat. I can't live without you." I gave him an icy look and pushed the case out the front door.
"Well then, Die."

I watched as he stormed down the walk and out to his car. Roger was the past now, it hurt more than i could every imagine. But i knew i was the better for it.

 

[carini]

OOC: i hate to be a bitch but for now this is just a two person thread with me and Angelius... we may xpand it later but right now it;s just us ok... Thanx all

 

[Angelus]

Craig

As I walked down the sidewalk I knew that I looked like a wreck. It had been more than a year since my wife's death and I still tried to figure out why she had been taken from me. I put my hands into the pocket of my trenchcoat and walked over to a park bench, sitting down on it. As soon as I sat down I saw a couple walking hand in hand down the pathway and sighed when I saw how in love they were. I remembered when my wife and I had been like that and felt the tears coming, wishing that they wouldn't.

As I sat there I heard a voice and looked up to see my best friend Alex walking towards me. As soon as he had sat down he looked at me and shook his head and said, "Hey man. You have to get over this. It has been a year."
"She was the love of my life Alex- that is something that is pretty hard to get over."
Alex sighed and said, "Well then I shouldn't have set you up then."
I looked at him in shock, "You did what- why did you do something like that?"
"Because you need someone to be with you, if only for a little while. You are a person that is falling apart and you need someone."
"Okay you pirate- I will say yes. Just to shut you up."

Alex laughed and handed me a piece of paper with a phone number. I took the piece of paper and promised to ring it then got up off the bench, leaving Alex there. I walked out of the park to my apartment building and the first thing that I noticed was all the clothing on the ground. I looked up just in time to see a suitcase fly out the window and jumped out of the way before it hit the ground. I turned and looked at my neighbor and asked her what had happened and the first thing that she told me was, "Kat."
"Ahhhhh," I said before I walked up the steps to my apartment.

 

[HotStuff101]

For later

OOC: For later when it opens up,c an i be Alex, Craig's Friend?

 

[carini]

Kat

I gathered the rest of Roger's stuff in a box and put it in the kitchen. If Beth wanted him that badly she could have him. She could deal with his macho bullshit, his Drinking, his loser friends. All of it.
I threw on a pair of running shoes and headed for the park. I needed to get away from the apartment. the whole place smelled like him.


After running for what seemed like hours i stopped at a small corner store and picked up a few things. I dreaded goin back to my apartment but had no choice.
I trudged up the stairs and fell onto the couch, crying for the first time.


It was about 8 pm when my phone rang and woke me up. I opted to screen the call. I wasn't in the mood to hear from Beth or Roger

 

[Angelus]

I stood there and listened as the phone rang; trying to think of what to say. Every word flew out of my head when I heard a click and then the message of an answering maching Oh shit, I hate these things I thought as I listened to the message. As soon as it had finished I decided to leave a message and said, "Hi, this is Craig. Alex gave me your number and I thought I would call you to fix up a date but I seemed to have missed you so I will try again later."

I then hung up and placed the phone back on the stand, wondering if I should have left my phone number and began kicking myself but knew that I couldn't call back now and do that or I would sound like a total idiot, not a good first impression.

 

[carini]

Kat

I cocked an eyebrow and stared at me answering machine as the man talked. Craig? Alex? DATE? Wow.. wrong number.

I pull myself of the couch and went into the kitchen to eat something. I hadn't eaten all day and was glad i had stopped on the way home.

The message was playing in my head the whole time i cooked. Fate had always dealt me weird hands. Maybe this was one of them. Nah. If it were fate he would have left his number.

I settled onto the couch yet again and eat my pasta. Watching cartoon. "AHHH the remote is mine again" I laughed to myself as i settled in. Life without Roger may actually work.

 

[Angelus]

Craig

I looked over at the phone and wondered if I should call again then walked away. I then walked back and looked at the phone again and walked back to the kitchen before I turned around and looked at the phone. I stood there for a second before I said, "Come on you idiot- pick the thing up and call the woman. Give her your phone number."

I picked the phone up and looked at the phone number then pressed the numbers. After only a few rings it was answered and the first thing I noticed was the woman's voice.
"Hello, who is this?" was the first thing that I heard.
"Oh- umm. Hi, this is Craig Watson. I was given your number by a friend of mine Alex."
There was a short laugh and then the woman said, "Oh, I was wondering when you would call me. I was afraid that you wouldn't call me."
"Believe or not I was as nervous as anything, ummmm."
"Oh sorry, my name's Denise and I would have to believe you about being nervous. Now, when and where would you like to meet me?"
I looked at the phone for a second and thought that this woman was really fast and then said, "Do you know Tony's?"
"The restaurant on the corner of 54th and Grant- I know it well. I will meet you there at seven tomorrow night."
"I will meet you there," I said before I heard her hang up.

As soon as I replaced the phone on the stand I stood there and looked at it and then at the piece of paper and wondered who the hell I had called before. I knew that I would be trying to think of the number that I called and wondering if that person would be wondering just who the hell I was.

 

[carini]

I pushed the button and played bck the mystery man's message. Craig, nice name, he sounded nervous, I couldn't help but wonder about him. I pushed it out of my head and went to bed. This had been far too long day and i needed sleep. As soon as my head hit the pillow i shot back up. Did everything in my apartment wreak of him. I stripped the bed and pillows and shoved all of into a laundry bag. It was 9:30, plenty of time to make it to the laundromat down the street. I slung the bag over my shouder and headed down. Stoppng and turning back to my apartment, if i was gonna get him out of my bedding i better wash some other stuff too. With the bag crammed full of sheets, towels blankets and miscellanious stuff i headed out again.


Everything was tumbling marrily in the dryer as i thumbed through a frighteningly outdated copy of Cosmo. "Wow the cast of the breakfast club was spotted out together having drinks. I really need to get a life." I hear a low manly chuckle and looked up.
"Yeah and there's apearently all sorts of trouble in Iran" I looked p at the handsome blonde man leaning against the toploaders. "I'm Alex."
"I'm Kat"
"So do you beleive all that stuff about laundrymats beong the modern day singles bar?"

Wow. This is not the time.






((OOC: I borrowed you Character figured it might be a fun conflict))

 

[Angelus]

Craig

OOC: I was just wondering about that one and it will add a lot to it- very good idea.


IC: As soon as my head hit the pillow I thought about the person who I had called again and wondered what her phone number was as she sounded nice, even in an answer phone message. I knew that I shouldn't think about it but it kept on running through my mind. I closed my eyes and tried to get some sleep but found that I couldn't for some reason and looked up at the ceiling, suddenly feeling totally nervous.

After a few minutes of looking up at the ceiling I knew that I would never get any sleep and decided to take a walk. I got up and got dressed into some casual clothing then walked out of my apartment, closing and locking the door behind me. After I walked out of the building I walked down the street and tried to figure out a direction to head and headed to my right.

As soon as I came to the front of the laundromat I looked in and smiled when I saw Alex talking to a woman and thought Of all the places, but then again it is Alex. I walked to the door and leaned my head in and said, "Hiya Alex, another late night for ya?" I looked at the woman and saw the look on her face and said, "I would watch this guy, he is a predator."
"Oh god Craig. Will you go away."
I laughed before I closed the door and headed away from the laundromat, my mind again on the person who I had called and I kept wondering if fate had given me a push to call that number but I shook my head and laughed at that thought.

 

[carini]

"So do you beleive all that stuff about laundrymats being the modern day singles bar?"

Wow. This is not the time.

"I've heard that, but all i can think is, 'Do I really want to hit on I who has just watched me load all my dirty underwear into that machine?'. It just seems awkward."

He laughed again. I had to admit i liked the laugh. I felt myself just start to laugh to when i heard the door creak open. I looked up to see a man peek his head in the door

"Hiya Alex, another late night for ya?" I looked up at the man feeling extremely foolish all of a sudden. "I would watch this guy, he is a predator."

"Oh god Craig. Will you go away." and as quickly as he appeared he was gone.

It was a full ten seconds and a nother cheesy pick up line before everything clicked. I know that voice. "Did you just call that guy Craig?"

"Yeah, Why?" No it's just a coincedense, Common names, don;t say that.

"Nothing, he just seemed familair. Did he go to school around here? I think i went to School with a guy named Craig."

"Nah he went to school somwhere in the midwest. Do you live around here? Maybe you've just seen him around?"

That's it exactly, the names are a coinsidence and i;ve seen him around here. I have to admit. i like this guy.

"Yeah i do live around here. I can't belive i'm gonna say this, but, Do you wanna go back to my place and have a drink or something?"

 

[Angelus]

Craig

I kept on walking, trying to figure out just where I was going when I came upon a convenience store and walked in. As soon as I walked in I noticed that it was pretty much empty and instantly found myself at peace. I walked to the aisles and tried to find something to buy when I heard the bell over the door open and looked to see this beautiful woman walk in. My eyes widened when I saw this woman as she was absolutely gorgeous and I found myself staring. I then noticed that she was walking towards me then stopped and smiled, "If you don't close your mouth then it is going to get stuck like that and you are going to look awfully funny."
I closed my mouth and tried to think of something to say but found that the words were escaping me. The woman then walked past me and as soon as she did I turned and walked up to her and said, "I don't mean to say this but you have to be the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen in my life."
The woman laughed and said, "That is cute and if I didn't have a boyfriend then I would give you my phone number."

I stood there in total shock and found that my mind had gone totally blank. I wondered what to say next but I then noticed that she had disappeared and wondered if I had been imagining things. I shook my head in disappointment and grabbed some stuff off the shelves then walked to the counter. I was just about to pay for my stuff but before I could I felt a nudge and looked to see the woman standing there. My mind went totally blank again and I stood there unable to say anything which caused her to laugh.
"If you are this articulate then you should try and write down what you are going to say before you talk to me."
After I paid for my stuff and she put her stuff on the counter I heard, "I will be waiting for your call."

I walked out of the store, still in total shock and wondered what it was about me today. I had had two woman jump at the chance to be with me and I didn't feel any different. I shrugged my shoulders and walked back the way that I came just in time to see Alex and the woman that he had been talking to walk out of the laundromat and I saw the large grin on Alex's face. Some guys just have all the luck I thought as I stood there.

 

[carini]

"Yeah i do live around here. I can't belive i'm gonna say this, but, Do you wanna go back to my place and have a drink or something?"

"That'd be great."

I quickly folded up my laudry and the two of us were off. I had no idea what i was going to do. He was attractive and meaningless sex did sound like fun, but something was gnawing at me.

"You live here?" He asked as we approached my building.

"Yes."

"That's now you know my buddy. He lives in this building, Watson, Craig Watson, 2d." My keys hit the floor with a thunk.

"Craig Watson?"

"Yeah, do you know him?"

It was him. This was all way too bizzare.

 

[Angelus]

Craig

I had decided to walk a different way to my apartment building as I didn't want to see Alex and his new woman sucking face all the way in front of me. As soon as I walked up the steps to the building I sighed because I saw that even though I had taken my time to get there Alex and the woman were standing there. I walked up the steps slowly and said, "Ummm excuse me but would you mind if I get past you?"

Alex and the woman looked at me and I saw the look on the woman's face and wondered why she was looking at me like I was the ghost of Christmas Past. I gave her a quick glance and noticed to my surprise that it was Kat, well that was the name that everyone in the building called her. I slowly walked past the two of them and patted Alex on the shoulder then walked into the building and headed for the stairs.

As soon as I hit the stairs I took a quick look back and shook my head wondering how people like Alex could get so lucky with women but yet I never did, well until tonight that was which I thought was weird. I then walked up the stairs and to my apartment and after I walked in and closed the door I wondered who's bed Alex would be waking up in tomorrow morning.

I then shook my head to clear that thought away and then sat down on the couch, turned on the tv and opened up a bag of popcorn- hoping that I would get tired soon.

 

[carini]

My jaw dropped as Craig walked past. So that's him. The answering machine mystery man. God damn fate had a wicked sense of humor. I could feel Alex's hand slip around my waist and guide me upstairs. We were barely in my door and he kissed me. God it felt good. I hadn;t been really truely kissed like that in a long long time. We stumbled our way toward the couch and knocked into the table with the aswering machine.

"Hi, this is Craig. Alex gave me your number and I thought I would call you to fix up a date but I seemed to have missed you so I will try again later."

We broke our kiss. "What the?" Alex muttered staring at the machine.

 

[Angelus]

Craig

I looked at the tv screen and saw that there was nothing interesting on it so I decided that I should at least try and get some sleep. I walked to my bedroom and got changed to go to bed then got into the bed and closed my eyes. It was then that I heard the knocking on my door and I opened my eyes, wondering who the hell would come around at this time of night and got up out of the bed. I then heard another knock on the door and said, "Hold your horses- I'm coming."

As soon as I opened the door I was surprised to see Alex standing there. He walked straight past me into my apartment and then sat down on the couch and I could tell that he was not in a happy mood. As soon as I closed the door I walked over to my chair and sat down, looked at him and said, "What the hell are you doing here. You should be with the woman Kat right now."
Alex looked at me and said, "I couldn't do anything because I heard a message from you about a date that I had set up for you."
"You what?!" I exclaimed and then sat back in total shock.

I couldn't think of what to say, I had called a person in my own apartment building and it was someone that Alex had his eyes on. At first I couldn't say a thing until I heard Alex say, "Well, are you going to go out on a date with this woman or not?"
"I umm- I, well not that I know of. I think that I dialled the wrong number which is pretty stupid."
Alex looked at me and laughed then stood and said, "So you don't mind if I go back to her apartment and see what happens then?"
"Nope, not at all," I said but I felt myself shout out No! to that answer.

Alex got up and slapped me on the back before he walked back out of my apartment and I knew where he was heading and for some reason my mind was telling him to stop him but for some reason I didn't know why.

 

[carini]

"What the?" Alex pulled away. "be right back.
"Hey wait it was just a wrong.."he was already out the door "number"
I shut and locked the door behind him. This was nuts. Fate was being an evil bitch again. I lean on the wall by the door waiting for Alex to come back. If he came back. Where the fuck he'd gone i had no clue, but i did no one thing. This did give me time to come to my senses.

He knocked. I opened the door and he was kissing me again before i could even speak. Hard as it was i broke the kiss "I don't think i can do this anymore."
"what's stopping you" his lips were to mine again, god it feels good.
"I think doing this now. This fast. Maybe a horrible mistake." He pulled back smiling.
"ok i get it. I guess i did give you backing out time. I've only got myself to blame. Can i get your number? Maybe we can go get some dinner."
"Sure" we went back into the apratment and i grabbed a pen and wrote the number on his hand laughing. "the place is a mess, my roommate just moved out and i can;t find anything. Call me ok."
"Oh i most defanatly will"

And with that i was alone again. I made my bed and fell almost instantly asleep

 

[Angelus]

Craig

When I woke up that morning I found myself in an utterly miserable and horrid mood. I couldn't think of why I was like that but I was not feeling in the best of moods. I walked straight into the shower, hoping that it would help get rid of whatever was making me feel so bad but it didn't work. As soon as I got dressed I sat down at the table with a bowl of cereal and tried to think of what had put me in this foul mood and the only thing that popped into my head was the woman Kat with Alex last night. I shook my head and laughed, "Don't be an idiot Craig- why the hell would you be in a foul mood because of that? Wake yourself up you idiot."

Just then the doorbell rang and I told the person to enter, knowing who it would be and wasn't surprised to see Alex walk in. As soon as he entered I noticed the huge grin on his face and the first thought that popped into my head was he got lucky last night and with that thought my foul mood intensified. I shook my head which caused Alex to look at me with a weird look and say, "You alright buddy- you don't look like you are in that good a mood."
"Well you do you lucky prick. So, what time did you leave her place last night?"
Alex looked at me and laughed and I knew instantly what he was thinking. As soon as he opened his mouth to say something I said, "Don't even say it. I don't care if you screwed her brains out all night- just don't tell me about it."
Alex laughed again and said, "Okay- I won't tell you a thing except that I got her phone number."
I looked at him with more than a little anger although I knew it had no right to be there and said, "We have to get going man."

After I cleared the table and grabbed my briefcase the two of us left my apartment. I locked the door and walked down the stairs and as soon as I did I saw someone I didn't wish to see, Kat. Alex smiled when he saw her and walked up to her- got close and said something into her ear which caused her to look at me. As soon as I saw her look at me with a smile on her face my foul mood and rage came back and I walked forward and grabbed Alex's arm.
"Come on- we have to go."

As soon as we were out of the building Alex turned to me and said, "What the fuck was all that about?"
"We need to get to work and I for one do not wish to be late because you are talking to your latest conquest in the hallway."
"Because we are friends I will forget that you said that Craig but if you ever say anything like that to me again I will knock your lights out."
I didn't say a thing as the cab pulled up. The two of us got into the back of the cab in total silence and I knew that I had just screwed up for no reason at all. As soon as the cab was underway I turned to Alex and said, "I am sorry man. I don't know what has come over me this morning."
Alex turned his head, "You are jealous of me and this woman Kat."
"Oh hell no. That is about the furthest from the truth that you can get. I doubt if I could ever go out on a date with her- ever."
Alex said nothing, he just smiled and sat back.

 

[carini]

I woke up with a start. Dammit, my alarm didn;t go off. I charged into the shower and threw on some clothes and charged out. I screeched to a halt seeing Alex and Craig in the hall. Alex moved in and whispered to me. "I'll call you tonight, Can't talk now someone's a bit jealous."

"Come on- we have to go" and before i had a chance to react they were gone.

I halled ass to the office and was only 15 minutes late. 14 minutes longer than my boss would tolerate. "Kat, can i see you in my office please." Shit
"Yes Sir?"
"Is there a reason why you've been having this tardiness issue."
"I've had a lot going on personally Sir. I'll try to not let it effect my work anymore."
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry Sir."
"don't let it happen again"

God i hate this job.

i plodded through the day, eager for lunch. If anyone tells you Advertising is glamourous shoot them in the head.

"That's it Kat, I'm buying you a new alarm clock." Sarah tossed me my coat and we walked toward the door. Lunch was gonna be fun. I had a lot to tell her.

 

[Angelus]

Craig

As soon as it was time for our lunch Alex and I walked out of the office and to the elevator. I looked at him with a smile, my foul mood having gone a while ago which left me to wonder what I had been so angry about. I turned to Alex and said, "Alex, buddy. I am so sorry about what I said to you this morning. I had no right to say what I did."
"Forget it man. I know why you said what you did and it is fine with me."
I looked at him and saw the expression on his face,Oh oh, what is he thinking now?was the first thing that popped into my head and I said, "No way. There is no way that I am jealous of you and that woman Kat."
Alex laughed and said, "I wasn't even thinking that. I was thinking that you definitely need to get laid and by the looks of it in a bad way."
I looked at him in somewhat shock and had to agree with what he said but before I could say anything the doors opened and the two of us walked out.

As soon as we got to the cafe and got our food we sat down at a table and Alex kicked me lightly, causing me to look at him.
"So, did you?"
"Did I what?"
"Did you call that women who's phone number I gave you?"
"Oh yeah- of course I did. In fact we have a date tonight."
Alex looked at me as if he couldn't believe his ears, "And they say that I have a way with women. It is always the people that you never suspect."
I laughed then began to eat the food that I had gotten and thought about the date tonight and Alex's comment.

 

[carini]

We were in the elvator all of five seconds before sarah started grilling "Alright cinder, spill it, what's going on?"
"I kicked Roger out yesterday"
Dead silence
"Good. He was a bastard. So you cried yourself to sleep and overslept?"
"Not exactly..." Sarah gave me one of her famous, i'm reading all your thoughts so please hold still for a second, looks.
"You little minx. You found a screw my blues away guy didn;t ya."
"Not exactly"
"Then What!?!"
"I'l never say" i smiled coyly and walked out across the lobby.

Opted to grab a bite at the cafe just around the corner. My jaw hit the floor when i saw who was already there.
"Well hello Kat," Alex smiled and Sarah elbowed me.
"Oh Alex, Craig, This is Sarah Berg"

 

[Angelus]

Craig

When I saw Kat my first thought was Of all the luck but then that thought disappeared when I saw the person that Kat had come in with. She was beautiful and I found that I couldn't take my eyes off her until I got a punch in the arm from Alex and I looked at him.
"Move will ya."
I looked up to see Kat standing there, a smile on her face. I moved to sit beside Alex and found myself looking at the woman who had come in with Kat. I smiled at her, "Hi, I'm Craig but you already know that- and I am most pleased to meet you Sarah."
She looked over at Kat and whispered something which made her laugh then looked at me.
"And I am pleased to meet you Craig."

I then realized that I sounded like I did when I started a meeting with a client and knew it was wrong. I leaned forward and said in a voice that only she could hear, "Would you like to go to another table and leave these two love birds alone?"
"Ummm- oh what the hell. Sure."
The two of us stood up which caused Alex and Kat to look at us but instead of saying anything I just grinned. Sarah and I then moved to a more private table and sat down at it. As soon as the two of us sat down I cleared my throat and said, "I am sorry for sounding like a lawyer then."
Sarah laughed, "Don't be sorry- you're just nervous."
"You are right about that. It is not every day that I talk to a beautiful woman."
Sarah smiled, leaned forward and said, "Keep on piling that on and I may have to ask you for your phone number."
I grinned and said, "I wish." which caused Sarah to laugh quietly.

 

[carini]

I Sat with Alex and watched Sarah flirt with Craig, feeling a jealousy pang out of nowhere.
"Looks like they're hitting it off"
I couldn;t help but laugh. "Yeah, i wonder when she'll tell him she's married."

Alex laughed and flagged down a waitress

 

[Angelus]

Craig

As I sat there I found that I couldn't take my eyes off Sarah and wondered if I was staring. She looked at me and smiled and I knew that I was but I found that I couldn't help it, she was beautiful. She then leaned forward and whispered, "If you keep looking at me like that then the people that know me will think that I am having an affair with you."
I was instantly taken aback- it was just my luck to see an attractive woman just to find out that she was married. I moved forward and looked at her and said, "Let them think that. You and I are the only ones that know the truth."
She leaned forward and punched me in the arm and said, "You are going to get me into trouble."
"If I can help it...most definitely."

 

[carini]

Alex smiled that same, you know you want me smile, "I'm really sorry about last night, it was just, well, weird"
I shifted nervously smiling back, "Yeah kind of a twisted fate kinda thing. yesterday deffinatly ranks high in my weirdest days list." The waitress appeared as if from nowhere.
"What can i get you two."
"Four" Sarah chirped pushing me over in the booth. "I know i want a salad."
We order and ate in relative silence. This was all getting extremely weird. He was My new best friend, the guy i almost slept with and the mystery man i thought might be my destiny all sitting at one table. "Shit, Kat we gotta run. If your late again... i don;t even want to think about it. Nice meeting you two."