The Other Side - Chapter 30

"The Other Side - Chapter 29" 

Becky viciously attacked the top of her alarm clock three times before she realized the incessant jangling was coming from the telephone. Her eyes flew open to the half light of a sun that was just as stubborn as she was to get up that morning. She fumbled for the receiver and managed to reach the piece to her mouth just after the fifth ring.

"Hel - oh, crap I - ack!"

"Becks?!"

Becky groaned from her new position on the floor. Her cheek had skidded against the carpet and her legs knotted pitifully in her bed sheets, still on top of the bed. It took all of her strength to keep the phone by her ear.

"Yeah - I'm here. I - just - hold on a sec." She slid her legs off the bed with a loud thump. "Ok. I'm ok. Hello?"

"Becks! I cannot believe you didn't call me last night! I had to call up my dear, sweet cousin earlier this morning to figure out what was going on and he barely gave me any information but what he gave me was -"

Becky blinked in confusion. "Lynn?"

"Yes this is Lynn! Your best friend! The one that you are supposed to tell everything and here you are keeping the bestest, juiciest secret from me for ages! I mean - this is even bigger than Jacob Jones! This is bigger than the apocalypse and you are just laying there in be -"

"Bestest? What about Jacob? I - what time is it?"

"6:17. And this is not about Jacob don't you go changing the subject you little cheese-eating munchkin! I know your marauding ways! I want to hear about the kiss!"

It was only about that time that Becky had orientated herself into a proper position and pushed her mass of hair away from her face. She took a deep breath and digested what her friend was saying.

"6:17. You have called me at 6:17 in the morning."

"I couldn't stand it any longer! I had to hear how the date went!"

Becky, surprisingly for the situation, hid a smile. The date. And what a date. She had never been so giddy over a three second kiss before. Well... Becky cleared her throat.

"But Lynn. I only got back from the date late last night. How was I supposed to tell you?"

"Call me! Just like I have called you! Come on Becky, you know the rules!"

"Lynn, sometimes I think I am putting my life on the line just being your friend."

Lynn giggled over the line. "Thanks! Now! Up and at them - I'm taking you out for breakfast!"

"Nu-uh! No way! I'm going back to bed!"

"Wanna bet?" At that moment there was a harsh knocking echoing through the apartment. Becky gnashed her teeth and slammed the phone down on its cradle. However, that wasn't enough to stop Lynn's voice.

"Let me in!" She screamed through the crack in the door, distinctly rapping the tune to jingle bells against the wood, even if it was September.

Becky stormed across the apartment and swung the door open to reveal a beaming Lynn clad in a triple layered purple skirt and an orange tank top under a navy half sweater. Her short blonde hair was tucked smartly behind her ears. She held a cute pink cell phone in her hand.

"Hiya Becky!"

"I'm going to kill you."

Lynn flounced into the apartment and placed her hands her hands on Becky's shoulders, holding her at arms length. "One cannot waste away their life in bed!"

Becky rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Sleeping. How silly. After all, it's only essential for every species on the planet."

Lynn fluttered her hand in the air to knock away Becky's words. "Carpe diem, my friend! Carpe Diem!" Lynn pumped one fist in the air, the other one placed firmly on her hip. "Now put on some clothes! We're going to IHOP!"

Becky stared at her friend for a moment, blinking, before slowly turning and shuffling back to her room to do Lynn's bidding. There was no fighting with the girl. Becky knew full and well that she was going to the International House of Pancakes, whether she liked it or not.

Under Lynn's strict watch Becky managed to throw on a pair of jeans and light weight tan sweater to battle the crisping autumn air in about five minutes. By the sixth the two were out walking on the empty sidewalks, chatting. Actually, Lynn was reprimanding and Becky was concentrating on walking.

"You, my dear Becky, have been spending far too much time in the normal. You need to branch out! Breathe the fresh air that only sunrise can bring!" Lynn made a big show of taking a deep breath. Becky did the same, but only to release it on a sigh.

"Normal? Lynn, my life has been anything but normal lately."

"Ok, so I guess when a person comes back from a summer in Africa where she fell in love with the most famous movie star on the planet they are granted some down time. But really! Where's the crazy Becky I used to know and love? I really miss her so."

Becky stiffened. She wasn't sure which bothered her more - the reminder of her love, no her infatuation with Jacob, or the declaration of her changing.

Lynn noticed her friend tense. "Don't get me wrong Becks, I'm not trying to attack you! It's just..." Lynn sighed, the smile dropping uncharacteristically from her face. "I remember when I could call you up at 6:17 and offer IHOP and you would practically beat me to the building. Africa really toned you down."

Becky kicked at the sidewalk. The instant the words were out of her friend's mouth she knew what she meant. Becky was never like Lynn in her hyper prancing, but she did remember times when she could surprise her. It seemed forever since she had come up with her own spontaneous idea.

Suddenly, she looked up from her gaze at the sidewalk and let a smile creep over her face. So why wait to get back to that?

"Race you there!"

-------

"Ohmigosh, Becky! Have you tried the butter pecan syrup?!"

Becky chewed her food rapidly in order to answer the question. Shoving the mass of pancake over to her one cheek she managed to sputter out the words while keeping all her food in her mouth.

"Jeez Lynn, I can only put so many flavors onna plate!"

The great thing about IHOP was the general acceptance of bad manners.

"Well, maybe you'll just have to order yourself another plate!" Lynn took a swig of her orange juice. Her elbows were planted securely on the table and her dirty napkins were everywhere but on her lap.

Becky groaned and let her fork clatter to her plate. "Are you kidding me?! I'm about to explode! It cannot be good to pile this much food into a person's stomach this early in the day."

She leaned back into the booth, splaying her legs out in front of her, precariously invading Lynn's personal leg room. For Becky, this morning had been a sort of amazing awakening. She had the greatest urge to run in the streets and dig through her closet for her colorful African wraps. She hadn't realized how off track she had been. She simply hadn't noticed just how much of herself she had put away when she came back from Africa.

I can't change the fact that Jacob altered the way I love. But I can change how the other parts of my life have been.

And in that instant, Jacob Jones felt like a million years away. As Becky looked across the booth to Lynn, who was still shoveling pancakes into her mouth but with less enthusiasm than just minutes prior, she felt as though her life was on the right track again.

"Lynn, honey, you have butter pecan syrup all over your face."

Lynn barely had the energy to wave away the comment. "I like it like that. Proves to all that I have mastered the largest stack of pancakes IHOP had to offer. D'ya think they give out medals?"

"Maybe if you hold place hostage for long enough they'll let you keep the plate."

Lynn's blue eyes glittered mischievously. "There's my girl!"

Becky grinned. "Come on, Lynn. I think if I stick around here any longer I'll never be able to get the smell of breakfast out of my nose for as long as I live."

It wasn't long before the bill was paid for and they two girls were out on the street again. Lynn handed Becky a handful of mints. Becky could only shake her head and pop one in her mouth.

"You know, it's really mean to take the entire dish of mints. They're really only a one per person kind of deal."

Lynn laughed. "But I hate just having one! That's never sufficient to freshen my breath!" She proceeded to shove several into her mouth at once and headed down the street.

"Wait - where are you going now? I should probably get back to -"

Lynn cut her off with a wink over her shoulder. "Oh no! This morning isn't over yet. It's not even 8 yet and I have a mission that you are going to help me with."

Becky bit her lip and scurried up next to her friend. "Oh jeez. This isn't going to have anything to do with tying down Gary with his own boxer shorts as he sleeps and then pouring cold water over him, is it?"

Lynn only quickened her pace down the sidewalk.

-----

"Lynn! I know I told you that I wanted to be more spontaneous again but really, I don't want to rush into this kind of thing! Plus, I was under the influence of a lot of syrup and - "

"Shush, Beck! You're going to wake him up!"

Becky forced her mouth shut. Lynn gently clicked the door open with her own personal key and crept into the apartment. Becky hesitated outside for a moment before being mentally dragged in by Lynn's eyes.

"But what if he freaks out on us and whips out pepper spray or -"

Lynn suppressed a giggle and rolled her eyes before tip-toeing through the hall. Becky let her eyes meander over the rooms that were clad in hues of light blue, green, and tan. Manly, yet decorative. Gary was just racking up points in every aspect of his life.

Lynn led the way to the kitchen and quickly grabbed a can of cheese whiz for herself and tossed Becky one of whipped cream.

"You are the most evil cousin ever!" Becky hissed and Lynn had to stifle an excited giggle in her sleep. With a "come on" motion she led Becky to the very back room which was obviously his bedroom.

Lynn held a finger to her lips and then gently pressed on the slightly open door, letting it slowly swing open.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

Gary came flying out of the room, screaming a battle war cry at the top of his lungs. He immediately grabbed the can of cheese whiz from his cousin's grasp and turned on the nozzle full force.

Becky stared in full shock as her friend was pummeled to the ground with the disgusting orange substance. Lynn screeched through the attack.

"Run, Becky! Run! Save yourself!"

She didn't need to be told twice. Within an instant she had turned on her heels and was bolting down the short hall blindly. She had no idea where anything led and just tried not to get lost in the small space.

"Becky! He's coming!"

Becky couldn't help but let out a half laugh half scream as she heard Gary's heavy footsteps quickly erasing the distance between them. She ducked behind a corner and took the offense, holding the whipped cream like an assault weapon. Within seconds he flew around the corner and she pressed down on the top, letting out a thick stream of sugar fly all over his head and bare chest.

Becky stopped short, however, when she realized it really was his bare chest.

He was tanned and muscular and obviously only slept in his boxers. To make matters that much more embarrassing, the pair just happened to be the same exact one he was wearing when she had previously removed his pants on the stairs.

She bit her lip and put the can at her side.

"I...guess you really were sleeping?" She really hoped her cheeks weren't as red as she thought they were.

"Yeah, but when two girls break into my apartment, 'whisper,' and rummage around in the kitchen it's hard to stay asleep."

Becky let a grin play on her lips as she lifted her eyes from the floor to match with his. When they did, she was startled to see how intently his cool, dark ones were returning her gaze. Before she could even notice the action, he had closed what little gap there was between them, placing his hands on her waist.

"I guess you just like to take every chance you can to see me with my pants off."

Becky tore her eyes away from his. "That was not my intention at all! If you heard our whispering, you would know I didn't want to come at -"

She couldn't finish her sentence as he closed his lips over hers. The sweet taste of the whipped cream filled her mouth. He pulled her closer to him, undoubtedly smearing cream and cheese whiz over her sweater. Becky let the can drop from her hand as she reached up to place her hands around his neck...

Becky broke the kiss just long enough to utter two little words.

"Carpe diem."

"The Other Side - Chapter 31"