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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 2, 2007 6:34:05 GMT 7
He smiled at her logic, understanding where she was coming from. "I can't agree more," he said with a tilted head and another smile. For the first time that afternoon, it struck him that she was more playful than he thought. Of course, she had been joking for awhile now, but her eyes seemed to glitter with that familiar curiousity he rarely recognized. Looking down again at his mug, he took another, long drink.
Christian shook his head with a frown. "You're the least of my worries in that area," he said, eyebrows raised in thought of the other people that made him feel uncomfortable. "Unless you plan on whipping out a weapon or suddenly turn rude," he paused, a smaller smile on the corners of his lips, "highly unlikely... then I can assure you that you are fine."
The inquiry of his other drinks made him chuckle. Oh, the list. Cradling his mug in his left hand, Christian narrowed his eyes in thought. "Cappuccinos, Mochas, the Caramel Macchiato." With another faded hint of a smile, he added, "I like practically anything with vanilla flavoring. And the Tazo Chai Latte is my alternative," he said. "Whenever I'm too strung-out for more coffee." A more filling smile settled on his lips. Though he felt like he had dominated the conversation just now, he didn't look down or get uncomfortable. Alexia appeared to be a good companion, not pressing any unwanted information or getting upset when he got the sudden urge to chatter.
Setting his mug on the table with one hand resting on the curve of it's handle and one on the leg of his jeans, Christian nodded in response. "It even has a little 'Chicago' feel to it," he said with a smile that bordered being considered wry. At the query on how often he went, Christian responded, "You could go every night, though some nights are much slower than others." The laughing glitter in her eyes appeared again, making Christian smile and continue a bit easier, "I don't, no. I try and go on Tuesday nights, and the occasional Friday. It's much busier on weekends though. Harder to find a seat," he said with a bit of a laugh and nod towards the still-crowded coffee shop.
Christian hesitated a moment, and then added, "There are two new bands playing this Tuesday, if you wanted to go see them." He watched for her reaction, hoping she didn't think he was asking for anything dramatic or extreme. It was just a suggestion. Or had it not come off as a suggestion? What if it just came out as a suggestion that she go alone? Clearing his throat again, a bit of a habit, he added, "I was planning on going, myself." He ran a hand across the back of his neck before lifting his mug once more and taking his time with drinking.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 2, 2007 7:20:16 GMT 7
When Christian says that she is the least of his worries, when Lexi had said that she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable, she felt touched by his gesture. She could have been loud and obnoxious, and made his afternoon very uncomfortable. But she wasn't really like that, and maybe he could see that in her. And that made an impression on her. When he jokes a little about having a weapon, or being rude, she smirks, as she acts like she is checking her pockets for something. Shaking her head slightly, she says, "Nope, no weapons today. And I have decided that I'll be rude tomorrow, today is reserved for not being rude. Unless you want me to be rude?" She then laughs a little, she was going to drive him crazy if she kept doing this.
Making mental notes on Christian's coffee choices, Lexi notices the pattern, and nods in appreciation. And she notices that he is feeling more comfortable around her. She smiles slightly to herself, that was good, they could become friends, if that is all that she wanted. Did she want more? Maybe, but she wanted to take it slow, too, and she thought she would scare Christian if she tried to go too fast. Better to be patient, and see if he was interested or not. "That's good to know, you have an alternative. I'm pretty much the same way, anything with vanilla flavoring, and something with chai when I've had too much coffee. Which I don't think can happen, but, you never know." She smirks as she says the last part, she was trying to make him laugh again. And she was finding that she really enjoyed listening to him laugh.
Christian was then sharing his habits about going to the Wreck Room, and she was listening intently, as she took another sip of her coffee. Then he was inviting her to go on Tuesday, and see a couple of new bands. Her eye sparkle a little, this sounded like it would be a good time. And she could spend some more time with him, learning what she could, as she tried to get him to be more comfortable around her. And he was feeling uncomfortable about asking her, or so it seemed. "Tuesday? Hey, it sounds like fun! We could meet up there, if you want. What time do you plan on showing up?" She smiled as she said it, and she looked at his eyes. Liking what she saw there, she hoped he wasn't going to chicken out on her. It would be just her luck if he did.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 2, 2007 7:33:09 GMT 7
Looking down, Christian laughed into his coffee mug, looking at his reflection in the liquid. He saw his teeth, a rarity even when he looked in the mirror by himself. His smile faded slightly, but the entertainment remained in his eyes when he lifted them again to look at her. "I'd love to see you try," he said, his tone laced with sincerity despite the humour in his dark eyes.
He grinned at her when she complimented his choices. The afternoon was definitely taking a new turn. It had been good to begin with, but he had assumed his Starbucks stop would be brief before he returned to his apartment. The weather, and fate, apparently, had other plans. That was fine with Christian, though, who sat listening with a smile on his face.
Christian cleared his throat again - a habit that popped up when he was nervous or anxious, it seemed. "I normally get there a few minutes early," he started, moving his mug to balance on his jeans rather than the wooden table. "I'll probably be there at 7:15, but the show doesn't start until 7:30." He glanced at her with a small, more reserved, smile and took another drink of his latte.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 2, 2007 8:16:16 GMT 7
Lexi is grinning, as she watches Christian laugh into his coffee mug. She was thinking that it wasn't that funny, but he obviously had a different sense of humor than she did. Which was a little refreshing to her, she would have to find out exactly what that sense of humor was like. When he looked at her, she could see the humor in his eyes, and she laughed a little herself. And then he didn't think she could be rude. Her eyes lighting up slightly, a smirk on her lips, she says, "Oh really? No, you don't. I can be rude, and it's usually not very pretty. But I'll be happy to demonstrate at another time." She then laughs a little again, this was really fun, watching him open up a little.
As Christian talks about his habits when he goes to the Wreck Room, he seemed a little more nervous. And she nods slightly, as she thinks about what he said. "Okay, I can be there at 7:15. Do I meet you out front, or inside? Either one works for me." As she waits for him to respond, she pulls a piece of paper, and a pen, out of her purse. As she writes on the slip of paper, she says, "Here is my cell, and my e-mail address. Just in case you need to get in touch with me before, if something comes up." Or even if he just wanted to talk, she was thinking. But she didn't want to put any more pressure on him then he was already doing to himself. She wanted him to still feel comfortable around her.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 2, 2007 8:41:56 GMT 7
Christian, more relaxed than before, raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with her response. Although he had just met the student, she appeared to be spunky and sweet rather than rude and unpleasant. Then again, first impressions were not necessarily the entire picture. That was something Christian knew well. "Another time..." he humphed a little to himself, deep down in his throat. "An excuse," he concluded teasingly after a moment, casting a smile her way.
"I can meet you outside," he said, feeling his insides settle when she began to write down contact information. "It has more rooms and levels than it knows what to do with. If you get lost, there is no telling what might happen," he said with a chuckle.
When she spoke again, he set his mug on the table and reached for his wallet. Pulling out one of his business cards, Christian turned it over and wrote his personal e-mail. His cell phone number was on the front, strangely enough, along with his business number and extension. He pushed his card across the table and put his wallet back away, saying, "Any of those numbers are fine to call. I should be the only one to answer either of them."
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 2, 2007 9:18:45 GMT 7
Lexi could tell that Christian didn't believe her, when she said she could be rude. She didn't want to frighten him off, by proving how rude she could be. But then he summed it up nicely, as it seemed that he was teasing her a little about it. Smiling back at him, she shrugs her shoulders, and nods at him. That was as far as she wanted to go down that road for now.
When Christian suggests that they meet outside, she feels a little relieved. She didn't want to get lost inside of a strange club, looking for him, in the middle of the city. It was probably perfectly safe, but it was better that way, and she appreciated it. "Oh, okay, that sounds good. And I'd rather not get lost, it would spoil my whole evening, if I missed you." A little flirty, but she felt comfortable enough with him now to flirt a little bit with him.
Taking the business card from him, she looks at the numbers on the front, and the e-mail on the back, before she slipped it into her purse. She picks up her mug, and sips at her coffee, as she watches him with her eyes. As he gives further information on the numbers, she nods slightly, and then smiles at him. "That's good to know, I would hate to dial one of those numbers, and get your boss, or something. It might be a little embarrassing for the both of us." She then laughs a little, before sipping on her coffee again. She was starting to look forward to this little outing that they had planned, and spending more time with him.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 2, 2007 9:39:38 GMT 7
If he were capable of blushing, he might have just then. Instead, he smiled and chuckled, deep in his throat. He ran his fingers along the edges of his mug, watching the liquid move slightly inside. "We wouldn't want that," he said after a moment, glancing up at her with a soft smile.
Was he being flirtatious? It had been long enough for Christian to question his own actions. He had not really been, or acted, interested in anyone since Rachel left. He had gone out a few times, but it never amounted to anything but a first date - if it could even be called that. He always got skiddish, not wanting to take any strides into something he couldn't put his whole heart into.
Now, sitting across the table from the younger girl, he wondered if he was going to react the same way. But, they didn't say this was a first date. It was just going to the Wreck Room - hardly a proper location for a date. Realizing he was spending too much time concentrating on his own thoughts and inner debates, Christian coughed and brought his mug to lips, briefly hiding his expression to take a drink and collect his thoughts.
"Perhaps," he said with a smile, looking at her briefly before turning his eyes to the weather outside. It appeared to be slowing down, which was good. His long day would probably kick into his system once he was up and moving again. Now that he sat, though, across from Alexia and in the comfort of the coffee shop, he could honestly say that leaving was almost disheartening. He had enjoyed the conversation with the Rutherford student, surprisingly enough.
"I think it might be clearing up," he mentioned with a nod out the window. The sun, though not yet peeking through the grey clouds, was reflecting behind them just enough to be detectable. People were beginning to walk more slowly, and some of the customers in the shop were starting to venture back outside.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 2, 2007 9:59:31 GMT 7
Lexi thought that Christian was blushing for a moment, but then she didn't think he was. And she returns his smile with a smirk of her own, and shakes her head slowly. "No, we wouldn't want that. At least, I wouldn't." She watches him, as she sips at her drink, and she smiles at him. He was looking a little uncomfortable, she wondered what was running through his mind to make him feel that way. Too bad she could just come out and ask him, their relationship wasn't at that point yet.
And then he is looking out the window, and Lexi's gaze follows his. The rain was ending, and he confirms that, his voice confirming her fears. She hadn't wanted this to end, and now, here it was coming to an end. The only comfort she had was that it was only for now, and it would continue on Tuesday. Nodding slightly, she sighs, trying not to let the disappointment show, and she says, "Well, it had to clear up sometime, didn't it?" Turning back to him, she smiles warmly at him, and sips a little more at her coffee. She wasn't going to leave until she had finished her mug, and she didn't think he had finished his yet either. She wanted this to last as long as possible.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 2, 2007 10:16:32 GMT 7
Her last remark made him smile, despite the hesitancy he felt in his stomach. "We wouldn't want it to rain forever," he joked, rubbing his hand up his arm as he relaxed against the back of the chair. She was not ready to leave, and in a way, he wasn't either. There was no significant rush. Not yet, at least. A new gameshow was on tonight that he wanted to catch, but that was not until seven. One glance at his watch confirmed it was only four-thirty now.
His mind was drawing a blank at idle conversation. It was a time like this that made Christian anxious. Awkward silences did not suit him in the least. Yet, when it came to starting a discussion, it was almost life-threatening. His lack of social skills definitely needed some work.
Finally, after a few moments of thinking beneath the security of his coffee mug at his lips, Christian let his drink hover over his jeans. With no other casual and relevant topic in mind, he asked, "What kind of music do you like?" It was linked, in a way, to the Wreck Room. Even though the past few exchanges had not directly concerned it, it felt smooth enough to add into the conversation.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 2, 2007 10:38:23 GMT 7
Lexi smirks back at Christian, he was trying to lighten the tension, and she did appreciate it. Shrugging her shoulders slightly, she lifts her eyebrows, and she says, "I guess not. Unless we had an ark that we could depend on. You got one of those handy, in case of emergencies?" She laughs a little, she was still trying not to show her disappointment, and this was one way of hiding it.
And then there was silence, it wasn't really an awkward one, just silence. And Lexi thought she needed to say something. But what else was there to talk about, except leaving, and saying goodbye? And then, Christian asks her about the kind of music she liked. Lifting her eyebrows, and scrunching her face up in thought, she finally looks back at him, and says, "Well, there is lots of different kinds of music that I like. Rock, pop, dance, a little soul, hip-hop, funk. I'm not really into country that much, despite where I come from. Sometimes a little classical. It depends on my mood of course. What about you?" She smirks, sipping at the last of her coffee, now he was going to have to say something about himself. And she wanted to hear what he had to say abut his musical tastes.
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Post by Christian Patrick Elliot on Apr 2, 2007 10:50:17 GMT 7
Christian smiled at her humour, watching as she arched her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders. She appeared a hint disheartened, but Christian did not acknowledge that it might be due to their soon parting. He never assumed anything good or emotional derived from him. He never had, and likely never would. It simply wasn't in him to be confident in himself. Not in social barriers, at least.
"In my back pocket, actually." A streak of boldness seemed to creep in his voice, lowering his tone just enough to sound serious. His eyes were smiling, even if his lips were not curved in their casual, unique way. "Just in case."
He listened with interest as she relayed her musical interests. She had a varied taste, which proved good and worthy of Christian's admiration. One thing that bothered him more than all else was someone who struck purely to one genre of music. You could no expand with a closed mind. Then again, he was not exactly worthy of preaching such a statement.
"Not country," he said in agreement with her, nodding casually for the sake of motion. "More of the older rock, the classics," he said with a pleasant smile. "Aerosmith has always been a favorite. Although," he added, lifting his brows to look at her and capture her attention, "the band on Tuesday is more a mix of Aerosmith and Green Day, if you can imagine." The smile grew on his lips at the thought of such an interesting combination. The one snippet that he heard last week also reminded me a little of the Police, but a page could hold only so many clues to the entire novel.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 2, 2007 12:35:30 GMT 7
She was pleasantly surprised, when he began joking with her about the ark. She looks down at his hip area, and then leans sideways a little, trying to see his back pocket. She then looks at him seriously, and lifts her fine brows, and says, "I don't believe you." But her eyes were sparkling again, the laughter simmering just under the surface. And it was good to see him actually try to use some of the same good natured joking on her.
Lexi made a slight face, as Christian starts to describe the band, and it's style of music, to her. "Oh, you like dinosaur rock? I think that's what they call it these days. And the band sounds like a cross between Aerosmith, and Green Day? That is an unusual combination. And now I see why you want to go see them. It sounds like it'll be interesting, to say the least." Thinking about what he had said earlier, she tilts her head, and gives him a look. "Didn't you say there were two bands? Who does the second one sound like?" She looks at him, a little wide-eyed, wondering how he was going to describe the second band. She hoped he didn't say something like 'Black Sabbath and Marilyn Manson', because she would find that extremely funny, and probably fall off her chair from laughter.
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