"I really like you, Carmel," Ted said with a smile.
"I've barely said like, two words," Carmel replied with a nervous laugh.
"Haven't you heard of love at first sight?" Ted asked.
"Um yeah, but this isn't love," Carmel replied, sneaking a glance at JC.
Ted looked at Carmel. "Are you *sure* you aren't with that guy?"
Carmel's head snapped around to face Ted. "Absolutely not. The day JC and I get together is the day Hanson hits number one on TRL."
Ted laughed. "You're my dream girl-you're pretty, funny, sweet-"
"You know what? I think my friends are calling me," Carmel said.
"Oh come on, sweetie, we've barely had time to get to know each other." Ted grabbed Carmel's arm as she tried to slide out of the booth.
"Let go of me please," Carmel said politely.
"I don't think so."
"Bryce! Hey!" Serena exclaimed.
"Hey everyone-what's Carmel doing over there with that guy?" Bryce asked, taking a seat.
"Having a little drink," Justin replied with a grin and a pat on JC's back. "Right JC?"
"Shut up," JC muttered and looked back at Carmel who wasn't laughing anymore. The guy-Ted-was gripping Carmel's arm and she was trying to get away. JC sat up straighter. "Hey-"
"What's up, JC?" Lance asked.
JC saw Carmel's lips form the words, "Let go," and Ted just laughed as Carmel tried to yank her arm away.
"JC, what's wrong?" Serena asked.
JC didn't answer-he stood up and stalked to Ted's table.
"Ted, can you let go of my arm? You're hurting me," Carmel said.
"Why?" Ted asked.
"Excuse me, Fred," JC's voice said.
Ted looked up at JC. "It's *Ted*."
"Whatever. Let go of Carmel please."
"Why should I? You two aren't going out..."
"And that means what? Let her go-can't you see she wants to go back to our table?"
"Is he right, Carmel?" Ted asked.
Carmel nodded her head. "*Yeah*."
"Now let her go," JC said.
Ted reluctantly loosened his grip on her arm and Carmel quickly slid out of the booth and stood next to JC. Ted looked at them. "Are you *sure* you two aren't hooked up?"
Carmel spoke without thinking. "I lied. We *are* together-we were just in a fight."
JC looked at Carmel, clearly surprised as her hand slipped into his. "Uuhhh...yeah."
Ted shook his head. "Man, I should've known a girl like you was taken."
"Yeah, well, now you know," JC said. "Bye Fred."
JC and Carmel let go of each other the minute they got back to the table.
"Ooohh, I didn't know you two had something going on," Chris said with a teasing smile.
"Oh yeah, their fighting is just a cover up for the way they *really* feel about each other," Serena added.
"Shut up. I had to convince Ted I had a boyfriend," Carmel explained.
"Looks like you needed me after all," JC said.
Carmel angrily turned toward JC. "I did *not* need you-I could've handled that situation by myself."
"It sure didn't look that way to me," JC replied.
"I could've gotten rid of Ted on my own if you hadn't come swooping in like some overprotective boyfriend," Carmel said.
"Well, I'm sorry for trying to help you out a little bit," JC replied angrily.
"Well, *don't* help me next time-I can take care of my self," Carmel said.
"If you hadn't gone off with that loser in the first place, you wouldn't have been in that situation and I wouldn't have had to have helped you," JC retorted.
"Oh, you're blaming that on *me*?" Carmel's voice rose a couple of notches. "I'm not the one who told you to help me-you did that yourself, JC."
The others were cringing as theu watched JC's and Carmel's heated argument and listened to their voices grow louder and louder until they finally exploded.
"Could you just *not* be a jerk for like two seconds?" Carmel yelled.
"Could you not be a witch for a minute?" JC yelled back.
"Not to *you*!" Carmel shouted.
"I can stand not being a jerk for two seconds, but you can't even be nice to me for that long!" JC exclaimed.
"Don't even *start* that 'Be nice to me' crap!"
"I've had enough of you tonight!" JC yelled.
"Fine!" Carmel shouted.
"Good!"
Joey, Bryce, Serena, Chris, Lance and Justin looked at each other as the table fell into a silence with the only sounds being the music and other people talking.
|
|
