THE VOICE- Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine

CHAPTER #2

It was the end of day four when Christina received a call from her boyfriend. He was cancelling their dinner date. "I've already made reservations Matt, can't you go out with the guys another night?"

Matt Rutler said that he wouldn't go out with his boys another night. Christina got mad and they began to fight, saying heated words over the phone. "Fine! Whatever," she said and hung up.

She couldn't go home when she was this angry, so instead she went to the studio. Once seated at the piano she played around with some cords.  A song began to take shape. A pen and paper helped her get down some lyrics and add structure. Christina pushed her voice into the higher octaves.

Adam was walking down the hall when he heard her and came to listen. He could hear the anger and the sadness in both the lyrics and melody. He stood in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt. Christina had her head down as she wrote lyrics and didn't see him right away. She felt like someone was watching her and looked up.

"Oh, I didn't know someone needed in here."

"I don't. Your voice drew me here. New song?"

She sighed, "maybe. I'm just venting. I can't go home to Max so upset."

"It sounds good, will you sing it again? Mind if I play the piano for you?" He asked sincerely.

She moved off the piano seat and hit one key to start singing. He listened and then began to play along. Eventually she stopped. "This is the part I am struggling with, I don't know how to bridge this part, make it join together."

Adam played a few bars, read the lyrics and sang a piece. She liked his suggestion. "Is this our new duet, as a peace offering?" Christina asked.

Adam declined, "you don't need me on this song."

"Okay," she accepted easily.

"That's it? No snide comment? What's wrong with you?" Adam asked.

"I just don't want to fight tonight."

"Bad day?"

"No, Matt cancelled our dinner date and we had a very bad fight."

Adam nodded.  After a minute of silence he asked, "are you hungry?"

Christina answered, "yes. But I'm not in the mood to go out and get food."

"I'll order chinese food, they can deliver it here. That way you can keep working on your song."

"Okay, sounds good. I'd like beef with mixed veggies and chicken fried rice please." She gave him twenty dollars.

Adam began to order and grinned when Christina said to remember the fortune cookies. Sometimes she reminded him of his little sister, which he found endearing. While they waited for the delivery, Christina sang her song while he played the piano. Eventually a crewman still on site, brought them their chinese food. Adam opened the bag and took out the food.

"Damn, they forgot the fortune cookies," Adam teased. He grinned when Christina pouted like a child. "Just kidding."

She playfully punched his arm. "That was mean."

Adam laughed. They both ate with chopsticks. Christina drank water and Adam had a green tea.

She looked him in the eyes, "who knew we could get along.... Thanks for all this."

He nodded, "when we're not fighting we make a good team."

Christina's phone went off and she checked it. She stopped eating, chopsticks halfway to her mouth.

Adam asked, "what's wrong?"

"Twitter. Matt's supposed to be hanging with the guys, hence why he cancelled on me. I got a tweet with a picture of him sandwiched between two boney girls." She showed Adam the picture. "I'd be okay with him dancing with them, but he has one hand on one girl's ass and the other is on the other girl's breast."

Adam stuffed food in his mouth, so he didn't say the obvious. He watched Christina's face and eyes go through a gauntlet of emotions; anger, sadness, hate and finally acceptance.

"I know they say he's just with me because of the money and that he's a kept man. Maybe this proves they're right. I don't know."

Adam tossed her a fortune cookie, "maybe the cookie will have some good advice."

Christina cracked the cookie open and read, "now is the time to try something new."

"I'd say that answers your question pretty good," Adam grinned.

"What's yours say?"

Adam cracked his fortune cookie and started laughing. "A tub and a rub will change your day."

Christina smirked, "kinky."

"Or maybe it's saying I smell."

She walked up to Adam and sniffed, "nope, you kinda smell nice." She blushed, as she realized how close she was to him.

"Thanks, I think."

Looking at her watch, she broke the awkward silence. "It's getting late, I should go home and relieve the nanny." She gathered her things and as she turned around, Adam was just a step away. She took that step closer and looked up at him. "Sometimes you can be such a sweetheart. I can't figure you out."

Adam felt a sudden urge to kiss her. He looked at her red painted lips, then into her eyes. She didn't back away. The sexual tension rose between them, he smiled and moved away. "Good-night Christina," he said softly.

She blinked and shook her head, as if coming out of a trance. She replied, "see you tomorrow."

Christina walked away, but she wanted to go back and push Adam against the piano and kiss him. This season it wasn't anger that fuelled their tension, but lust. Her heart was racing and her cheeks were hot. He'd totally thrown her off balance. Was this a new game he was playing?