I had a fun time writing this chapter so I hope you guys enjoy it. Make sure to listen to the song I posted becausssse there's an inside joke between Torah and Van about the song in this chapter. And once again thank you so much for the great comments and votes! I even got tweeted!!! I would really love to hear what you all think is going to happen next because I have a lot of great stuff planned for our delightful little duo. Now go read you literature deprive heathens! Jk, jk, LOVE YOU GUYS!!
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I woke up to the harsh sun streaming in through the glass doors that led to the balcony. Yesterday's events slammed into me as I sat up in the empty bed. I had escaped from the hospital, pissed Tyson off on an extreme level, came to Van's apartment, and fell asleep in his arms. Van was currently nowhere to be found.
Rubbing my eyes with my palm, I looked at the bedside table to see an analog clock. My head cocked to the side at what I saw. How in the hell had I been able to sleep until 3:47? And where was Van?
I laid back down on the pillow and took a deep breath. Leather immediately filled my nostrils. Rolling around, I stuffed my nose into the cushion. The dank smell of leather calmed me down.
Resisting the urge to go back to sleep, I got out of the bed and went to the little bar Van had. There was a small fridge under the counter. When I first opened it, I was met by a wall of liquor, but after rummaging around for a bit, I found a carton of orange juice. It seemed fresh enough. The idea of finding a glass sounded like a lot of work so I just drank straight from the bottle. As I was about to take another gulp, Van walked in the door. He was holding a brown paper bag, a white envelope, and a tray of coffee.
"Glad you decided to wake up little Miss Elemental princess," Van smirked as he put everything but the white envelope on the table. Little did he know I was freaking out.
"What did you just call me?"
"Little Miss El-"
"Don't call me that. The Shard form my dream last night called me that." My entire body began to shudder. Van came towards me and wrapped me in a hug. He continued to murmur soothing words when he placed the white envelope on the counter beside me.
Of course the name had weirded me out, but Van didn't need any more reason to think I was a weak, little girl. While he was distracted with calming me down, I stuck out an arm and grabbed the white envelope. I was pretty sure what ever was in it, was the key to my surprise today, if I hadn't slept through it. Before I could open it though, Van snatched it out of my grasp from behind his back.
"Good try Torah, but nothing is going to ruin this surprise, not even you." I stepped out of his arms and gave him a pouty look.
"How'd you know?" Van stepped back and raised his hands.
"I got eyes in the back of my head, and I felt the envelope against my back." I smiled as I shook my head at him.
"So what do we have here?" I asked eying the brown bag. I was about to pick it up before Van swooped in and got it before me. "Is that a surprise too?"
"Part of it is. Now go to the bathroom and do whatever it is you do to get pretty." I clasped my hand to my mouth.
"Well I'll be, you don't think I'm pretty?"
"The morning look works for very few people, and I'm sorry to say you are just not one of us," Van replied nonchalantly.
"Whatever, I look damn fine." We both laughed as I threw my tangled messy hair behind my back.
"You know what? This look just might be growing on me," Van said to me with an amused look on his face.
"Good answer. Question: do you have any shampoo or conditioner?" I was expecting him a no, but I should have learned that Van was anything but predictable.
"Could you be talking about shampoo and conditioner like this?" Van pulled out two bottles of product that I had used since I was fifteen. He then proceeded to amaze me even more. "And I'm shocked that you forgot about soap, a razor, a tooth brush, a hair brush, and your trademark mascara." He dumped everything in my arms.
"I'll admit it. I'm slightly impressed," I said to him as I walked backwards to the bathroom.
"Dammit, I knew I should have picked up that chap stick, oh wait I did." Smiling like the smart ass he was, he pulled a colorful tube out of his pants pocket and threw it to me. It landed with a small click on top of the pile of toiletries. I laughed when I saw the small tube.
"Lip Smackers in skittle flavor?"
"What can I say? I'm not a chocolate kind of guy." He was leaning on the counter with a toothy grin."You should go shower now, we gotta be out of here in an hour if we're going to make your surprise."
With that, I rounded the corner and walked into the bathroom. Dumping everything on the counter, I grabbed the shampoo, conditioner, soap, and razor. I showered quickly, only slowing down to shave so I wouldn't nick myself. Hopping out of the shower, I grabbed the only towel in the bathroom and wrapped it tightly around myself. It had to be the same one Van used last night, because it smelled so strongly of leather. Without wasting any time, I brushed my teeth, scrunched and twirled my hair so it would dry peicey and sexily, and swiped on a bit of mascara and the Lip Smackers chap stick. It did taste pretty good. I finished up by using the mascara as eyeliner and applied it to just my lower lidx. Looking in the mirror, I saw a sexy young woman that was wearing only a towel.
"VAN," I yelled from the small crack I had made in the door.
"YES," he yelled back from the kitchen area.
"I DON"T HAVE ANY CLOTHES!" I heard his gravelly laugh as he walked around the corner that separated us. He had the brown bag in his hand.
"You don't think I forgot about clothes did you?" Leaning up against the wall, I took in what he was wearing. He was decked in khaki cargo shorts, a tight fitting white t-shirt that served his muscular form very well, and black vans. "Torah?" he asked getting my attention back.
"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself from getting jealous of your clothes covered body," I replied in a sarcastic voice.
"Yeah, I enjoy being naked too, but..." he trailed off with a smirk.
"That is not what I meant and you know it." I was fighting back the blush that was threatening to arrive.
"You're the one that said it," he continued with a smirk.
"Whatever. So you got me clothes too?"
"Yes ma'am I did." He walked towards the bathroom door that I was hiding my towel covered body behind. There was a way to make this situation work in my favor.
"And you got me everything that a grown woman needs?" Van cleared his throat, but there was no blush, yet.
"I uh think so."
"Can I see the bag?" I reached an arm out for it, but Van pulled it out of my range.
"No can do Torah, there's still some stuff in here that I can't give you yet."
"Well can I have a bra and underwear at least?" I shot at him. His eyes dropped to the floor as he fumbled through the bag. His hand came out with white boy short panties covered in blue polka dots and a white bra with bit of lace on it. I probably would have picked out the same thing. He handed over the items and I slipped them on after I shut the door and dropped my towel. They both fit perfectly. Looking in the mirror, I liked the way they fit my body in fact. My boobs looked great and the underwear was crazy comfortable. I looked hot in it. Opening the door, I peeked out at van. His back was against the wall and he was looking at the ceiling.
"How did you know I was a 38 B?" He looked at me with a bashful expression.
"I didn't. I bought five other sizes and hoped at least one of them was right." I laughed at his boyishness.
"Well what about tampons?" I asked real matter of factly. Van's face turned beet red.
"You're on your um...?" His eyes were almost popping out of his head as he stumbled through the sentence
"Period?" I finished for him. "No, I just wanted to see your face. Do I get pants and a shirt now?"
"I should go throw them off the balcony for what you just did, but I am a gentleman, so yes." His face was only a slight pink as he threw me jean cut offs and a white tank top. I quickly pulled them on and walked out of the bathroom with the chap stick in my back pocket.
"So is this all I get, a small tank top to match my equally small shorts?" I cocked my hip out as his gaze lingered on my legs for just a little too long.
"I personally think you look good."
"Oh I know I look good, but I don't need the rest of the world to know that."
"Yeah, there's more, but you can't have it just yet."
"When?" I whined like a little baby.
"In about fifteen minutes. Here, I got you some shoes too." He handed me a pair of black flip flops.
"And here I thought I was going to get stripper heels," I muttered as I stepped into the shoes.
"Oh trust me, I thought about it." Van was smirking like a mad man. I just walked past him and hit the elevator button. "Ah, come on Torah. I was just messing with you."
"You've been doing that a lot lately."
"Only because I know you'll be completely in love with me after today." He came to stand beside me as the elevator doors opened.
"You sound pretty sure there," I said as we stepped in.
"Oh I am positive," he grinned as he leaned against the back wall.
"So it's something in Boston right?"
"Yes," he complied.
"And I really like it?"
"Very much so."
"Have I been to wherever we're going before?"
"Tons of times." I was about to ask another question when the ding of the elevators cut me off.
"No more questions," Van stuck his hand in the bag yet again and pulled out a red bandana.
"You're not about to do what I think you are, are you?" I questioned once again as we exited the elevator.
"Yes, and I'm sorry to tell you, you've used up your question quota for the hour, so no more."
"Fine," I snapped at him in a joking way as I turned around.
I didn't have to see to know he was right behind me. Static was bouncing all around me when I felt his warm breathes on my bare shoulder. He draped his arms over them as he pulled the bandana up and over my eyes. All I could see was black, and because I was me, I became completely disoriented, until I felt Van take my hand in his. He pulled on it til I turned around and was maybe facing him. I really had no idea.
"How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Four?" I said with a questioning tone.
"Close, it was twelve." Van placed both of his hands on my shoulders and led me to what I assumed was his car when his answer hit me.
"Son, you don't have twelve fingers." I heard the click of the door.
"How would you know? You're blindfolded." I could hear the smirk on his face. That and the laugh at my shocked expression as he picked me up bridal style and placed me in the car.
"Am I really supposed to believe you have twelve fingers?" Hopefully I was looking at him.
'No, you're supposed to believe I have fourteen. I only held up twelve of them." I couldn't help laughing.
"You're silly Van."
"Oh you think its funny having fourteen fingers. I'm really hurt by your lack of sensitivity," he said in fake anger as he shut my car door. A few seconds later his door opened and I heard him start the car. The sound of the engine purring was such a turn on.
"I'm sorry for making fun of your fingers Van." A huge smile was plastered on my face.
"It's cool. I took some time to think about it and I decided that you're forgiven."
"Good. I'm glad our relationship is strong enough to get past such big hurdles."
"You have no idea," Van muttered, his tone all seriousness.
"What?" I immediately asked.
"Nevermind." Just by his tone, I could tell that Van did not want to talk about it. We sat in silence for about ten minutes, until I heard the engine stop.
"Does that mean we're here?" I didn't even try to stop the squeals. Even though I hadn't acted like it, I was really excited for my surprise.
"Yes it does."
"Can I take my blind fold off?"
"Not yet." I heard the crinkle of that damn brown bag once again. "Lift your arms up will ya?" Not even wanting to argue, strange for me I know, I complied. An
itchy, yet very familiar fabric, was tugged onto my body. "Now you can take the blind fold off."With fidgeting fingers, I slid the bandana onto my forehead. The first thing I did was grab Van's hands.
"Ahah, you do not have fourteen fingers liar." When I looked up at Van with a laugh, all coherent thoughts left me as I saw that beautiful white jersey that I had fallen in love with as a kid living in Boston.
My eyes darted back to my own shirt to see the deep red jersey I was wearing. I delicately traced the outlining of the beautiful Red Sox. Looking out the windshield, I saw the holy grail of all buildings none to man: Fenway Park. I pounced on Van and pulled him into a back breaking hug.
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you so so so so so much Van. I haven't been to a Red Sox's game in years. I can't even begin to explain how much this means to me. Thank you thank you thank you thank you!"
"I'm guessing you like it?" I pulled back and looked into his amused eyes.
"I love it." I tried to fit as much gratitude as I could in that one small sentence.
"Well as much as I'm enjoying this, we should go unless you want to miss the game." Not needing to here it twice, I scrambled over his lap and out his door.
"Hurry up," I whined as I grabbed Van's hand and pulled him out of the car. He locked the door and turned around to face me with his eyebrows raised and mouth cocked to the side. It was the face he made when we were kids and something really fun was about to happen. "What?" I excitedly asked.
"Oh nothing, I was just thinking it'd be fun to race to the stadium." We started walking slowly and eying each other's movements.
"Oh yeah? There are quite a few people here." Our pace picked up a little bit.
"You think so?" In the split second that it took to take a glance to estimate the distance between us and Fenway before I gave Van a witty reply, he had already taken off.
I shot off right after him, into the crowd of baseball loving, and soon to be annoyed, northerners. Van was only about ten feet ahead of me as I hopped onto a cement ledge and bypassed him.
"Loser buys first round of beer!" I yelled back at him as I let loose a wild, carefree laugh.
My legs were pumping as fast as I could get them to go, causing me to almost stumble when the cement wall dropped off. When I got my footing back, Van had just passed me. Running diagonally through the crowd, I got to the street and got parallel to Van. He was across the crowd of people from me, but we still managed eye contact for a split second. He was dying of laughter, and so was I, as we raced through a crowd of people our own age like little kids. Giving Van a little wave, I cut through the street and ran along the sidewalk that was the last stretch to the stadium. I was going to win!
"I don't think so Tor!" A not even breathless Van yelled at me as he passed.
I almost collapsed on the ground when I saw him squeeze between two overly large women. He looked back at me to see me howling like a banshee, not liking what he saw, he flipped me the bird. Trying to get it together, I ran after him, making sure to go around the two women. Looking back ahead, I saw there was a fence blocking our way. Expecting to go around it, I started to turn yet again, but Van cleared the fence in one graceful leap. He landed in a run and kept going. There was no way that I would be able to do that, so I ran along the fence until I found the gap that everyone else was using. Van was only about twenty feet ahead of me, but he was showing no signs of slowing down. Kicking it into high gear, I raised my speed to a dead sprint after him. The more curses I heard, the closer I was getting to him. Fenway Park was only about fifty feet away now. Looking ahead, I saw the crowd wasn't moving at one point. So I went to the far side, and inched my way steadily through it. Not even five seconds after I reached the stadium, Van exited the crowd. I could only smirk at him.
"How you feeling there champ?" I asked patting his back.
"It's a bitter defeat, but I'll get over it. Did you see that sweet jump I pulled over the fence though?"We truly were ten years old.
Our banter continued until we reached the gates that led to the promise land. Van pulled the white envelope out of his back pocket and gave it to the old man that checked our tickets. I was so giddy that peeing my pants would not have surprised me as we walked into Fenway Park. Taking in a deep breath of the baseball park, was like breathing in my childhood. Peanuts, beer, and dirt wafted through my nose. It sounded disgusting, but to me, it smelled like heaven. My dad had always been a huge Red Sox fan, and I just picked up on it. When I was a kid, up until the day I left, I could have told you the entire roster for each season, every player's batting average, or every pitcher's ERA, anything. After my mom had died though, I just lost my passion for it though. But you could never truly give up something you had loved so hard and for so long.
Turning back to Van, I saw him gazing at me with admiration. "What?"
"I'm just glad you're happy is all."
"I'm very happy," I was about to give him another hug when a chesty brunette bumped me out of the way.
"Excuse me, I'm a dancer for the Boston Red Sox and I was just wondering if you'd like their schedule?" Her chest was stuck out at Van like huge, fake missiles. I turned away from them, because this was definitely not something I wanted to see.
"That's okay." Wait, what? "Let's go Torah." Van's gentle hand clasped mine as he pulled me away from the brunette.
Van had just turned down a very pretty made up dancer, for me. I was a sweaty mess, and I'm pretty sure my hair was a lost cause. He wasn't kidding when he said he was going to change. I might have to rethink a few things.
"Are you ready for another surprise?" Van asked me as he stopped walking. The crowd parted around us as we stood besides an opening for the seats. "It's the last one, but I'm thinking you'll like it."
"There is nothing that could happen at Fenway that I wouldn't like." I smiled up at him.
He just tugged me towards the stairs that led to the seats. I sighed at the familiar field. I had spent countless hours of my youth here, and some of it was shared with Van. He kept walking down the stairs with his hand still in mine. He didn't stop until we reached the bottom step.
"Are you telling me that we're sitting right behind the Red Sox dugout?" I was looking at Van in complete awe. Before he could finish his nod, I catapulted myself into his arms.
"I told you you'd like it. Now go sit down. I'm going to get us some beer."
"What seats are we?" I yelled after Van who was walking up the stairs.
"Five and six." The gasp wasn't even that embarrassing. Seats five and six were right in front of the dugouts opening aka I would be able to almost feel the sweat of the Gods of Boston.
I plopped down in seat five and let my thoughts wreak havoc while I waited or Van. He had been so great to me today. He had bought all of that bathroom stuff, a jersey, gotten amazing tickets, and completely blown off an easy lay. Not to mention, he was now buying me beer, and beer was very good. Van was obviously trying to get on my good side, but what for? Did he want me, or did he want all of me, my personality, my sarcasm, my wild hair, my past, all of it? I was pulled out of my thoughts when Van himself sat beside me with two Coronas in his hand.
"Baby, will you be my Corona and lime?" He asked as he handed me the beer.
"And you'll be my main squeeze?" I finished before taking a sip. It felt good on my dry throat. "How did you score these seats Vanny boy?"
"You remember that guy I spoke with last night?" He propped his feet up on top of the dugout.
"The one you spoke Russian with?" I added as I joined my feet with his.
"Yeah, that one. Well he's the Red Sox General Manager's uncle, and he owed me a favor." He was staring out towards the field.
"And you wasted it on little old me?" Van scoffed.
"Are you kidding me? There is no one in the world that I would rather go to a baseball game with. Besides, take a look around." I glanced behind us and scanned the crowds.
"What is it?" I suspiciously asked him.
"I'm sitting by the hottest girl in the stadium," Van grinned as he threw an arm around my shoulders.
This was my childhood fantasy coming alive. Sure, it was a little odd that my dream had been to go to a Red Sox's game on a date with Van, but it's what I had always wanted. Was this even a date though? What if we were just here as friends? He had called me hot though. But then again, I think Raidon's hot and we're just friends. Did I only want to be Van's friend? Well at least I could say I won the award for the year's dumbest question now.
"Get out of your head Braniac, it' time for the anthem." Van was grinning as he pulled me out of my seat as a cheesy rendition of the national anthem flowed through the speakers
Standing up, I looked around the field trying to find the singer. Not being able to locate her, I glanced at the jumbotron hoping it would show her. My eyes widened when I realized she was standing right in front of the dugout and was hidden from our view. That's not what surprised me though. What got me was seeing Van and I on the giant screen. My right hand shot to my heart as the Torah on the jumbotron. I heard Van snicker beside me and saw him do it on the screen.
As the singer kept belting out lyrics, Van started to get a little board. I was watching us on the jumbotron when I noticed Van had crossed his eyes.
"Stop that," I whispered to him through a clamped mouth.
He just stuck his tongue out and started wildly shaking his head. I heard a few laughs behind us.
"Van, you're disrespecting our country." He turned to me laughing.
"You think I'm disrespecting the country? What about this woman taking a massive shit on our anthem? No, no, no, I'm saving this performance for her."
"Oh yeah, and how are you going to do that?" As the woman finished up the song, Van busted into the world's best worst dancing, and this all took place with us on the jumbotron.
He started with a robot that looked like it had too much oil which he transformed into an aggressive river dance as the song ended, but the camera on us
didn't move. It just zoomed in on Van.
"See Torah, the crowd loves me," Van said to me as he did the whitest crump I had ever seen. I just lowered my head in shame.
Van finished off with a very adult version of the Macarena to the sound of the entire stadium clapping and the announcer's voice blasting through the speakers saying the sweetest words.
"PLAY BALL!"
As we settled back in our seats, Van put his arm back around me. "It's totally cool," he said like a cocky twenty four year-old.
"What is?"
"Acting like you're my girlfriend so the crowd loves you too. Just be careful though, because a few girls might get jealous," he said turning to me with his
curved smile. That's how I knew he was trying to make me laugh and have a good time.
"Like this group of college girls coming up?" I asked looking over his shoulder at three girls coming down the stairs.
He glanced back too. "You can't know there in college just from one glance."
"Oh yes I can, and I can also tell you that the blonde one is going to be the most aggressive."
"No way, the brunette will be, or maybe the bleach blond, no it'll be the brunette."
"Wanna bet?" I asked with a playful gleam in my eyes.
"You're on," he shook my hand right before the girls reached us.
"Hey there," the brunette that looked like she was a cast member of Jersey Shore said with a pageant smile to Van.
I scooted a bit away from Van expecting him to ditch me, but his grip tightened on my shoulder as he tugged me back towards him. I scratched my nose in an effort to hide my beaming smile.
"We saw you dancing and we just had to come introduce ourselves," the blonde added. "I'm Melissa, this is Lena," she said pointing to the beach blonde and turned her finger to the brunette, "this is Penny.
"It's nice to meet you girls. So what brought you to Fenway?" Van was giving them a smile, but not his usual curved one, not my smile.
"We're actually visiting from UMass Boston. What about you?" 'Penny' asked.
"I'm actually here with my girlfriend, Torah." Holy balls, I knew it was just for show, but Van had called me his girlfriend. My eyes shot to his and he was looking at me with my curved smile.
"Torah? Isn't that the name of the like Jewish bible?" the bleach blonde questioned with squinted eyes. I just stared at her, not willing to even justify that question with an answer.
"So you have a girlfriend?" the brunette asked not even paying me any mind.
"Yes I do, and I'd really like to enjoy this game with her." Van gave her a look like she was retarded.
"Your loss," she muttered as she flipped her hair and dragged the bleach blonde back to their seats. The other blonde stayed behind though. She gave me a look as if she was appraising me and looked back at Van.
"Well, I'll be right up in row F if you want to come find me," she gushed as she tried to hand Van a slip of paper, but I intercepted it.
'If you ever get bored, call me' the note said, and it proceeded to give her number.
"Wow, that's really great of you, but I think I'm good for know. I'll let you know if it changes though." I spoke with as much exuberance as I could possibly
muster. Some older men that were sitting behind us began to laugh.
"I think that's your cue to leave, Blondie," One of them said to her with a badly hidden laugh. I turned around to face three snickering old men. She uttered a disgusting gasp and stormed off,
"You going to pay up son? I think you're girlfriend here just won a bet," the one in the middle nodded at Van. Well I just made three new best friends.
"Oh, he's not my boyfriend. We're just..." I let the sentence drop, because truth was, I had no idea what we were.
"Could have fooled me," the man on the left with the green hat added, "If I were only a few years younger."
"Gentlemen, please, I'm trying to seduce this young woman." I turned away from the older man to look at Van from under my bangs. A shy smile was plastered on my face. He was looking at me with a small hint of a smile, but there was a gleam in his eyes that showed he was dead serious.
That's how the rest of the game went. Just a good old baseball game filled with light bantering, cursing at dumb plays, jumping up at good plays, the occasional tidbit from old men, and as always, beer. That's how the rest of the game went, almost perfect, but then we reached the seventh inning.