Unexpected Turns

Who: Chrissy and Thom
Where: The party!
When: Evening

Chrissy came to Kavin's party looking like she just walked off the runway. She wasn't one to do things in halves, especially for a social gathering of this magnitude. Kavin's house had a bit more space than Gabe's, but people were still filling every inch, crunched together and spread across every little bit of space there was. Despite the cold out, she wore a skirt, a short one, tight around her thighs, a pair of strappy black heels to match it and a sparkly, low-cut white blouse. She discarded her jacket with everyone else's once she arrived, fashionably late of course, and made her way towards the band. Appearances were to be kept. She leaned against the wall, watching Thom play, making sure her eyes didn't drift from the boy. She even gave him a smile or two when she caught his attention. A few moments with Thom and then she'd head off to mingle through the crowd, and Gabe owed her a drink so he was to be found too.

Thom had been relieved when Chrissy didn't show early for time before they began, as she'd asked for. They were half way through one of their more upbeat numbers when he lifted his eyes at the start of a line and she was standing there. He was proud of himself that he didn't miss a beat, continuing on, even meeting her eyes and smiling a little. He was getting better at this acting thing, it seemed. They played a few more as Thom made sure that she was the centre of his attention, before he called a halt and announced they were taking a short break. Placing his guitar carefully back on its stand, he headed over to her.

He was good. She'd give him that. Good at a lot of things apparently. Acting being one of them, because if she were an onlooker and not in on the scam, she'd actually have thought that he only had eyes for her. She smiled as he came towards her, hands moving to his hips, resting lightly against them. "Hiya, baby." She said, eyes meeting his. "Sorry I ran late, couldn't find anything to wear."

"Well, you look great," Thom told her, slipping an arm round her and pulling her off towards the kitchen. Really, what he needed right now was a drink. Possibly more than one, if he had to do this all night. Though he figured that he'd go back to playing and she'd go off to find her minions, or whatever. He couldn't see her as being the type to stand and watch him all night. Which meant that he didn't have to play to her all night either.

"Mmm." she replied, following his lead to the kitchen. "So do you." she told him, hand finding the front of his shirt and pressing lightly against his stomach. "I think I'll have to come to more of your sets. You look pretty hot up there." She was laying it on thick and the people around them were eating it up. She could feel the eyes on them and was enjoying every little second of it.

Thom found the beer and grabbed a glass for himself. "You want?" he offered to Chrissy after he'd downed half of it - for the liquid content as well as the alcohol. He was really thirsty already, though thankfully it wasn't as hot here as it had been last week at Gabe's, so he didn't feel like he was sweating out half his body weight.

She took the cup, fingers lightly encircling the red plastic and took a sip of it, then another before handing it back to him. "Having a good time?" she questioned. The fingertips of the hand on his stomach brushing across his shirt in little circular motions, slowly trailing slightly upwards onto his chest.

"Always," he told her, giving her his entire attention as he took the cup back and took another sip. "You know how much I love playing with the band," he added, as though they'd had long and indepth conversations in private about the subject.

"Mhm. My sexy musician." she said for good measure. The part was just so easy to play with him. He made it believable and believable was definitely something she was going for.

Thom chuckled and finished off his beer, setting the cup down on the side. "So, you gonna be alright here on your own tonight, since I'm neglecting you and all?" he asked, inwardly rolling his eyes at himself - Chrissy never seemed to want for company now, did she. But, that was the part he was playing - concerned, attentive boyfriend.

She smiled and shook her head, her curls swishing around her face. "No, I think I'll manage. Gabey owes me a drink sometime tonight." she said. "Since he's such a woman beater and all." she rolled her eyes at that, knowing the sarcasm would help the ears around them smash out that rumor easily. "Or, wait, are you the woman beater? I forget." she giggled.

Thom considered this - how was he meant to react here? What would she want? Was he meant to play the part of 'jealous boyfriend' and get up in arms about her going off with her ex, who there'd been rumours about in the last few days? Or was he meant to be okay with her, because he was safe and secure in the knowledge she'd do nothing? Didn't really matter what the truth was, but what was the image she wanted to put forward? She hadn't let him know that part. "I'm not sure - you know I never listen to gossip," he said, lightly, latching onto the other subject since he had an answer to that one. "So - I have a few minutes. Did you... want to go somewhere a little quieter?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Oh, good. She'd said good, right? Damn good. She smiled, biting her bottom lip for show and giving him a little nod. Her fingertips trailed down his chest again and then back up, latching onto his collar and pulling his lips down to hers for a quick, teasing little kiss. "I think that's a good idea..." she whispered against his lips, eyes opening to catch his. "Lead the way."

Outside was a consideration, but Thom did actually want somewhere properly private, so he headed them back towards the bedrooms and lucked out - the first one he found was empty and he led them inside, shutting the door behind them as he turned to her.

She raised a brow at him. "Wow, didn't think you had it in you." she teased, fingertips brushing playfully across his stomach, but she pulled her hand back and smiled. Figuring he probably had something he wanted to say away from the ears of everyone else.

"We needed to talk," he told her, flipping the light on and keeping his distance - the act was for public eyes only, after all. "Gabe - 'Gabey'. How am I meant to react to that?" he asked her, seriously. "Given the latest rumours, the fact he's your ex... What are you looking for from me? Jealousy? A calm assurance that you'd be faithful? What - I need to know how to play that for you."

Chrissy rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "You don't need to 'play' that for me." she told him. "You need to play it however you'd really act. What if this was perfectly legit. Would you trust me? Would you be jealous? Would it annoy you that I gave someone else a nickname and you're still 'Thom'?" she asked. "You really need to take some initiative too here, baby."

Thom looked at her as though she'd grown another head. "I'm not talking about a nickname - I'm talking about the fact that I'm meant to be your boyfriend and there are rumours going round about you having slept with your ex and him getting you pregnant. And now you're telling me, in front of everyone, that while I'm playing, you're going to be spending your time with the same said ex. So, whether the rumours are true or not - and I don't really give a damn whether they are, people will expect a reaction from me in regards to you spending time with Gabe. So, I'm asking you - what reaction do you want? Secure boyfriend, or jealous boyfriend? Because my normal reaction? Would not be to go out with a girl like you in the first place, so I can't tell."

Again she rolled her eyes. "You have gone out with a girl like me, so don't even play that game. You might not have wanted to this time, that's the only difference. And seriously, I've been nothing but nice to you, this whole damn time. I could be making things a whole hell of a lot worse, so you really might want to take a step back and watch how you talk to me, Harkin."

"No - I went out with a nice, sweet girl who turned into a girl like you. And then we broke up," Thom amended. There had been a time he'd liked Em. Hell, for a lot of that time he'd loved her - until he'd realised what exactly she was doing. Even then he'd tried to hold on, hoping that she'd change. "But fine, you want to know what my reaction would be? I'll - figure it out," he allowed. "And you really don't care? You're not out for any particular game here?" he checked.

She sighed and moved closer to him, hand moving up his stomach and across his chest, grabbing hold of his shirt collar and pulling him down towards her. "Act jealous." she said. "Glare a little, give Gabe a dirty look or two for good measure." she told him, voice soft and breath warm against his face. "Make it look good." she said, eyes meeting his. She didn't let go of the collar, instead, the closeness sent a warm sensation over her body. She swallowed air, and blinked a couple of times, still unable to pull away.

"Fine, will do," Thom told her, reaching up and unhooking her hand from his collar, straightening back up again as he let her hand go. "So - now that's sorted, we done here? I should get back to the band," he said, stepping away from her again.

"No, we're not done here, not just yet." she told him. "You can't just go back looking like you haven't done anything. You have to at least look a little disheveled. People will think we like... talked or something." She sighed and stepped closer to him again, giving his shirt a good couple of tugs, making it look less than perfect. "And you don't even have any lipstick on you or anything, come here." she directed.

"You know, people know me - they wouldn't be at all surprised at me talking to you. Well, actually - but once they got past that..." he joked, with a touch of sarcasm.

"You're a real pain in the ass." she said, though a smile moved across her face. A real smile, not one of her usual fake ones that had become a frequent occurrence. It was becoming a little hard to keep the smile away, even if he was kind of being a jerk.

"You said you wanted me to be myself," Thom pointed out. "I'm just doing that," he added, noting the smile. At least the girl had a sense of humour, and he could be funny when he wanted to be.

"But you also said that being yourself would mean not being with me, so that makes my statement null and void, right?" she teased. "So be someone different, like I dunno... Johnny Depp or something." she giggled.

"What - Johnny Depp would date you?" Thom asked, knowing he was putting off the inevitable - she wanted kisses before they left. Marks for show. He knew that, but they were alone - if she wanted them, she'd have to instigate it.

"Have I told you lately that I really hate you?" she asked, though the words came through with another smile. She had figured he wouldn't go in for the kisses, not when the weren't in public, but she didn't mind that so much really. She could deal with that, at least for right now. After all, kissing her in private wasn't part of the deal, no matter who started it. She leaned up, her lips finding his in a soft little kiss. She might start it, but she was curious if he'd run with it.

Thom pulled away and looked at her. "Before we start this," he ask, reasonably, seriously, all joking gone from his tone. "You wearing enough lipstick - since that's what you were after," he pointed out.

She laughed softly. "I'm looking for you looking like you spent all this time making out with me. So stop talking, start kissing. Kiss me enough and the lipstick won't matter because your lips will be all flushed and you'll look like you've been making out." she told him. "Course if you want me to put more lipstick on, then you have to spend a while in the bathroom wiping off the smears." she teased, hand moving to reach into her purse.

Thom reached out and caught her hand, stopping her. "Okay, okay - I'm good without smears. Just checking," he told her, before leaning down slightly and kissing her. He didn't bother with soft - she wanted to look like she'd been kissed, she wanted him to look like he'd been kissed, and 'soft' wasn't going to get them there. At least, not without really drawing this out for hours. So, he went straight for 'forcefully' instead.

Wow. That was about the only word her brain could focus around when he kissed her like that. It was a bit surprising, his forcefulness, and though he was most likely doing it to avoid spending too much time on this activity, she couldn't say she minded in the slightest. She tilted her head, blonde curls falling over her shoulder as her hands shifted up around his neck, fingertips of one brushing through his hair.

He put a hand to the small of her back to steady them both against each other as he continued kissing her, his eyes closing out of sheer force of habit, before he caught that and opened them again, making himself look down at her face, reminding himself what he was doing - and why he was doing it. That this wasn't just making out with someone in a bedroom at a party.

Her eyes flickered open, catching him looking at her and she pulled away with a ragged little breath. "That's so creepy..." she breathed out. Him looking at her the whole time, she could feel his eyes burning holes in her face almost. "Do you have to do that...?" she asked. "Look at me like that..."

Thom brushed the back of his hand across his mouth, lightly. "You didn't put 'make this a pleasant experience' into the deal, Chrissy," he reminded her. "You want me to act like I'm really into this - then corner me in public. As it is, I think we've done enough to keep the image up now, don't you?" he asked her, glancing toward the door.

"You really are an ass, you know that?" she said, her joking having gone away completely, disappearing with that real smile of hers. She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and shoved past him. "Funny how this is supposed to be my show and you seem to be running everything." she pointed out.

He reached out and caught her arm as she walked past him. "No, Chrissy - that was never the deal. The deal was 'public'. The deal was I make it look like we're dating. Which I have been doing. In fact, I've been going kinda above and beyond with this one. You're not the only one being 'nice' here, Chrissy. Just remember - it's you who wanted this. You came to me. So, you could say it's my show," he pointed out, hoping he hadn't just pushed things too far.

She glared at him. "Seems like you're getting a whole hell of a lot more out of this than I am." she told him. "Yeah, you've done really great in public, I'll give you that. But you really need to take into consideration just how much my world had to change to suit you. It's not fair, and really, I'm starting to think I'd much rather torture Kaysen that have you pretend to like me since it's so fucking hard for anyone to ever actually like me."

"Oh, what - because it's so hard to find someone else to pick on?" Thom asked her. "Since you so clearly seem to lack the ability to function without being able to make someone's life a misery?" Since that was what he'd taken from that little statement. "Maybe that's why people don't like you, Chrissy - because you're a bully. Because you can only feel good about yourself when you're making someone else's life hell."

She continued to glare at him, burning holes through him with her eyes. "Like me being nice would change one motherfucking thing." she said, careful to keep her voice low despite the noise coming through the door. "What would that change? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I could turn everything around, right now, be nice to everyone all sunshine and light and it wouldn't change a damn thing. You'd still hate me, the rest of the school would still assume I was fucking half the school, and I'd still go home to an empty motherfucking house every goddamn night." She wanted to cry, she really did, but she bit back that urge and the tears stayed back, barely letting her eyes glisten just slightly with a bit of moisture. "So if making people feel like shit makes me feel better, then who the fuck are you to judge me?"

"I'm someone who gives a damn about the people you make feel like shit," Thom told her, not backing down. "Because you know what? You're not the only fucking one who goes home to an empty house every night. So don't try and play that little pity card on me - you're talking to the wrong person. And what would it change? Today, tomorrow? Nothing - because you've been at this for years, Chrissy, and people aren't goldfish. They remember. And for the longest time, they'd think you were playing them." Hell, he was sure he was being played, even now. "But, eventually - maybe it'd make a difference." It'd make a difference to her victims straight away, but Thom wasn't going to appeal to her selfless side, since he was convinced she didn't have one.

"That's the fucked up part, right there." she told him. "You give a damn about Kaysen. That's it. You could care less if I fucked with anyone else. Seriously, you pretty much just said so yourself. But what makes her so different that her misery is any more important than mine?" she asked. "Who feels bad for me? Who cares that my life sucks?" She was laying it on pretty thick, and she knew he wasn't going to buy it, even if there was a lot of truth to everything that she was saying. Her life wasn't sunshine and rainbows. Far from it. The outward appearance was about all she had going for her. Clothes and possessions were her parents idea of love, and maybe that was the reason that Chrissy was the way she was. For attention. For some form of interaction, even if it wasn't the best kind. "It wouldn't make a difference. No matter how long I kept it up."

"You don't get to compare your life to Kaysen's," Thom told her, bluntly. "You two are nothing alike. You want to compare your life to someone's? Compare it to mine. You might find more there. And who feels bad for me? Who cares my life sucks? Nobody - that's who. But you don't find me out there bitching about it and making people's lives hell. I just get on with it. Like everybody else does, Chrissy."

She didn't say anything for a long time. She really just didn't have any comeback for that. He was right, and she couldn't argue with him no matter how much she wanted to. But she did find one little thing to latch on to that made his life a great deal more bearable than hers. "At least you have Isaac." she pointed out. "You two have been attached at the hip since god knows when. You can complain to him all you want about whatever you want and you know that he's always going to be there. I don't have that. Never have, and obviously I never will because I'm such a bitch and all. Even if I wanted that, it's not going to happen. Everyone's the same around me. Getting the details out, spreading them around. I can't trust anyone, not like you can. Hell for all I know you can go around blasting everything I just said across the school." she sighed and shook her head, brushing her hair over her shoulder and finally yanking her arm away from his. "I don't want to do this anymore." she told him. "It's not working out the way I thought it would and as much as I enjoy seeing you all pissed off, I don't want to anymore."

Shit, no - he couldn't let this end. He couldn't. He had to try something, stop her breaking this off. "Chrissy," he said, modulating his voice to something more normal. "I'm not going to say anything to anyone else. I wouldn't do that. Not even - I just wouldn't do it, it's not me," he promised truthfully. "I'm sorry - look, I - if you want someone to talk to, I can do that. Really, I can. And you can trust me. Please. Look - how did you think it would work out? I could - we could do this differently," he told her.

"No, we couldn't." she told him, taking a step back towards the door. It was odd to have him not wanting to break their thing off, whatever it was. She hadn't thought that he cared quite that much about Kaysen. Having pegged him for jumping at the chance to be rid of her, she raised an eyebrow, more than a little bewildered. "You don't want to keep this going anymore than I do." she told him. "Why bother? It's not worth it."

Yes it is. "I wouldn't have agreed to it in the first place if it wasn't worth it, Chrissy," Thom told her.

"Why is Kaysen so important?" she questioned, crossing her arms across her chest. "If it was anyone else you wouldn't give a damn." She wanted to know what was so damn special about Kaysen St. James aside from being Isaac's sister. "Do you like her or something? It can't be that because if it was you wouldn't have pissed her off so much by dating me in the first place."

"Even if I did like her, she has a boyfriend," Thom pointed out, because he didn't want to totally dispell the idea that he was doing all of this because he liked her - that could be a useful excuse if he needed one ever. But useful excuses could be more powerful if they were outwardly denied. "I told you, she's like a little sister to me. I don't have much in the way of family, so Isaac and Kaysen are it. And Isaac can take care of himself."

"But even if that is the case," she began. "Aren't you just pissing her off more and making her hate you?" she questioned. "You're a smart boy, so you obviously don't like her, boyfriend or not. And if you like her as a sister, you're kinda dumb for dating me anyways, because I'm sure she's pissed off at you regardless."

See, that was the difference between them, he knew. Chrissy was looking at this for personal gain. All he wanted was to make Kaysen's life easier. If that meant she hated him, then she hated him. It wasn't about him at all. "I don't care if she's pissed at me, Chrissy. I care that her life's not full of the hell that you've caused her in the past."

"That's all well and good, but seriously, this... us... whatever the hell you want to call it. It's not really doing much, but making the rumors suck more. Now I'm not only a slut, but apparently a cheating slut." she informed him, though she kept it as rumors and not a bit of truth.

"What do you want? From all of this? Seriously, Chrissy?" Thom asked her, his tone not suggesting that he was offering anything right now, but just an honest curiosity. "Why did you start this with me? If you were still interested in Gabe, or... whoever else? I don't - I don't get it," he admitted, finally, more softly.

"Do you want the truth?" she questioned. "I don't know what I wanted. And Gabe..." she sighed. "I don't trust you enough to tell you everything between me and him..."

"I don't tell, Chrissy. I never have - I hate gossip, anyone will tell you that. And I'm as good as my word. Look - think about it, okay? Don't just end this. You say you don't know what you want, so - don't go making snap decisions. Go back out there, have a good time. And maybe we can talk tomorrow? Go somewhere, figure this out - figure out what you want. And if you want to talk about things, you want help figuring out what it is you want? Maybe I can help with that - I can listen, at least. And I promise it won't go any further," he said, hoping that might work.

She sighed. "You know, I wish you wanted to stay in this for me." she muttered quietly. "Never thought fake breaking up would be so damn difficult." She glanced at the floor for a moment and the let her eyes move back up to his. "I'm supposed to go shopping tomorrow, didn't get much done today and I need a costume for this masquerade thing everyone's talking about. How hard is it going to be for me to weasel you into going with me?"

"To the masquerade, or shopping for costumes?" Thom asked her. "Either way, you don't have to weasel at all - just tell me what time and where," he added, feeling hopeful. That was a good sign, right? That she wasn't just walking away anymore. He'd do anything, after all. Whatever it took.

"Both if you're up for it. Need someone to tell me how hot I look in my skimpy costume." she did give a little smile, though she was slightly annoyed that he'd gotten her to change her mind about just walking out. "Probationary period if you will. Because I am in no way making any promises to keep this going." she warned him. "You're lucky I'm talking to you at all, getting all pissy like that." Again she smiled, joking a bit. Only the slightest hint of truth in the statement.

"Hot, right, got it - I promise to be on my best behaviour," he told her, figuring now that he'd got his reprieve, he'd have to butter up for a while. He'd got too close to the line and she'd called him on it. She had more of an inkling of how far he'd go now, which meant that she had the upper hand here. "And - what I said, about being willing to listen. That's an open offer," he added, icing on the cake if she wanted it.

She eyed him suspiciously. Half wanting to test him on the topic of listening and keeping his mouth shut. Sure he was silent about the deal, but it didn't exactly make him look good either. "I want to tell you something." she told him. "Make you understand me and Gabe a little more... but I think you'll open your mouth... really." she lied, maybe not completely, but she wasn't really sure if he would tell or not. Of course if he did, she'd deny it. Not like anyone had any proof.

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind on that, other than tell you again that I wouldn't. It's up to you whether you belive me or not," Thom told her, simply.

"Gabe was my first." she said, eyes not leaving his. "That's why things are so weird between us. At least for me. I don't think he even knows, because I didn't tell him, but that's why things are like they are with us. It's just... confusing I guess. If that makes sense. So no, I don't have a thing for Gabe, not really. I just think that there's a lot of feelings for him I won't ever be able to get rid of no matter how many people I sleep with." She trailed off after that, eyes moving to the ground. She really hadn't meant to elaborate quite so much on the topic. If he told, god she'd kill him. Deny it, and kill him.

"Makes it complicated," Thom said, simply. Not that he knew from experience - the loss of his own virginity wasn't something he anticipated for a good few years yet, unfortunately, but he could imagine that it could get complicated. What there wasn't was any sign that she'd just given him something he'd be spreading around. He'd actually been being honest when he said he didn't do that kind of thing.

She could almost feel that he wasn't going to say anything to anyone. It was like he was radiating trustworthiness and it slightly confused her. "And you don't want to rush out there and tell everyone?" she questioned, eyebrow arcing slightly.

"Why would I?" Thom asked her, actually a little confused about that. "It's nobody else's business. If I want to entertain people, I'll go pick up my guitar, not feed them other people's lives."

She shrugged. "I don't know, put me in my place, get back at me. Shove it my face that you can do just as much damage to me as I can to you?..."

"I'm not out to damage you, Chrissy. I never have been. You know what I want. Hurting you isn't going to achieve that and random cruelty has never appealled to me. I have absolutely no reason to share anything you tell me with anyone else. And I won't, that's all there is to it."

"Well, I guess I'm forced to place some little bit of trust in you then..." she said, brushing her fingers through her hair and adjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder. "Kinda feel better now that I told someone, so thank you. For that much at least. And for the record, it is pretty hot when you play." she told him, a grin playing across her face, hoping to lighten the topic with something else.

Thom chuckled a little at that, giving her that much, since she was making the effort, and obviously doing to. "I'll see you later - go, have some fun or something. I really should get back," he said, aware that he was overdue on his break now.

"Yeah, before people think that we're making a baby." she giggled, backing up a few more steps towards the door. "I'll call you tomorrow when I decide what time to shop, kay?" she said, though he'd already said whenever she wanted, he'd be there. "And try not to be too jealous of Gabe." she teased.

"Jealous, but not too jealous, got it," he agreed, stepping toward the door and holding a hand out for hers. "Wanna make our grand entrance. Exit. Return?" he asked her.

She smiled, ruffled her hair just a bit for effect and took his outstretched hand, pulling him towards her and opening the door at the same time, forcing him into a very public kiss as they hit the hallway. There was no way he could protest it now.

He didn't even try - he'd originally figured she'd pull something like that, though the turn of the last few minutes had him doubting it. But, when she kissed him, he went with it, pushing her to the side and up against the wall by the door, kissing her deeply for a moment, then pulling back. "Seriously, Chrissy - I gotta get back," he told her, for the benefit of their audience.

Her lips found his neck for a moment, brushing across the flesh in little kisses and light bites as they made their way up to his ear. "Find me later?" she said softly, but not soft enough that everyone in close proximity wouldn't hear them.

Thom for once didn't have to fake the little gasp that escaped him - she was, in fact, good at that. "Sure, course," he said, pulling away. "Later," he agreed, brushing a final small kiss across her lips, before heading back to the band.

Chrissy couldn't help but feel pleased with herself, that little gasp was enough to know that she had at least set him off, even in the slightest of ways. It wasn't faked. He couldn't have faked it. Knowing that eyes were on her, she faked a look of surprise and straightened her clothes out for good measure before putting a smile on and heading through the crowd. She wanted to find Gabe, the boy owed her a drink.