"You don't like rollercoasters?" Kevin asked in amazement.
"Hate 'em," Lori answered. They were walking the park, looking in shops and at all of the awesome movie paraphernalia. The tension (not negative, positive) between the two of them was so thick, you could almost reach out and touch it.
Kevin had his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He kept glancing around nervously, stealing looks at Lori when he didn't think she was looking. Lori was fidgeting with her rings, her hair...anything to keep her mind off from him. She kept peeking at him out of the corner of her eyes. She thought she had caught him looking at her a couple of times, but she wasn't sure.
"So," Kevin said looking at the ground. "How long have you and Alesha been friends?"
"Five million...err...five years," Lori said smiling.
"Ya'll have been friends for almost as long as me and fellas? That is so cool," he said nodding. "How did ya'll meet?"
"We were roommates our first year of college."
Kevin's eyebrows raised. "Oh really? And how did that work?"
Lori grinned. "God we hated each other at first. She was dating this really annoying guy at the time. He had to spend every waking hour with her. In our room of course," she grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Was very clingy and possessive. He didn't like her doing stuff with other people," she shook her head.
"Sounds like Nick," Kevin said smiling.
"Oh no. Kyle was much worse," she shrugged. "After they broke up though, she changed. Guess she became "herself". Dunno. But we became really close after that. Now she's like my little sister."
"Hmmm," he said. There was a few moments of silence again. "So, are you a fan?" he asked suddenly.
Lori grinned. "Fishing for compliments are ya?" She laughed as his face flushed. "Yes, I'm a fan."
"I was just curious. You didn't flip out at the airport when you saw me and Nick there."
"I figured ya'll had plenty of people doing that already." She smiled. "Besides, Alesha had told me a lot about you guys."
Kevin groaned, "Alesha? Greeeaaat. What has she told you?"
"Oh...nothing much. Just that you're really sweet and cute. OH! And she says that you can't dance." Lori giggled.
"Oh she did, did she?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "I'll have to remember that." He smiled at her. "So, what ELSE did she have to say?"
"Ummm, that you're kinda quiet and WAY too serious. She says that you keep to yourself a lot. She thinks that you need to come out of your shell." (author's note: any reference to ninja turtles that you might infer from that statement, was not intended *grins* nor was any references to his infamous "turtle dance")
Kevin nodded. "She's crazy, huh?"
Lori laughed. "Yeah, she's definitely got a wild streak."
"How about you? Are you just as crazy? Ya'll seem to get along really well. Or is it that you are her opposite?"
Giggling, Lori said in a mock whisper, "Don't let this sweet and innocent act fool you. I can be just as crazy as anyone."
Kevin laughed. "So, who's your favorite boy?"
Lori blushed. "Weeelll...to be completely honest with you...I had a mad crush on AJ at first. But," she said softly, peeking at him, "I think I'm slowly changing my mind."
Kevin smirked. "Yeah. He's a lot of people's favorite. So, if not AJ, then who? Nick?"
"No, he's Lesha's."
"Yes, well," Kevin grinned. "She seems to be his, too. Strange relationship."
"Yes, yes it is. I still can't figure it out."
Kevin looked at her puzzled. "Really? Why's that?"
Lori shrugged. "I don't know. Just wouldn't have put those two together, I guess. But then again...they're so happy with each other." She shook her head.
"And who would you have put her with? She seems like an AJ type of girl. They're both off the wall."
"Oh gawd no," Lori said. "She'd kill him."
Kevin laughed. "Why do you say that?"
"Well, not to badmouth the boy, but AJ seems so overprotective, possessive, demanding, and overbearing. Alesha can't stand that."
Kevin nodded. "Yes, yes he is. Terribly so."
"He seems like he'd be an awesome friend, but I don't think he's very good boyfriend material."
Kevin looked at her funny. "He's not that bad. Just hasn't found the right woman yet." He looked at the ground and asked, "So tell me, do you have a boyfriend?"
Lori shook her head. "Nope."
Kevin looked at her in shock. "No? Why not?"
Laughing Lori winked. "Haven't found the right man yet." She smiled. "Seriously thought. The girls at the office are always trying to set me up on blind dates and stuff. But so far there just hasn't been any spark."
Kevin nodded. "I know what you mean. The guys are always trying to set me up with someone." He sighed. "It's hard though, because as soon as I get interested in someone, I have to leave. Probably the worst part about my job." Lori nodded. "So," he said looking at her again. "Do you think Alesha and Nick are serious?"
"Yes, I do," Lori said nodding.
"I wonder," he said looking away. "Nick is so young. He's only been in one really serious relationship. I hope Lesh is prepared for all the crap that's gonna get thrown at her."
Lori smiled, "If anyone can handle this, it's Alesha. Besides, she really loves him."
"But she hasn't known him that long." Kevin shook his head. "How can she say that she loves him?"
"Alesha has really learned how to tune into and trust her instincts. From what she's told me, she and Nick had a strong connection from the very beginning." Lori smiled softly. "Besides, you can tell by the way they look at each other and act around each other that it's real."
He looked down at the ground and then her. "They do have some weird connection, don't they?"
"Yes," Lori said.
"Have you ever felt that?" they both asked simultaneously.
Chuckling softly, Kevin answered first. "No," he looked at her suddenly. "Well...kind of..."
Lori said softly, "I haven't. Until now..."
"Until now?" he asked looking at her, confused. Lori nodded staring into his eyes. "Me either," he said softly.
"Really?" she asked.
He nodded slowly. "From the moment I seen you at the airport." He blushed and looked away. He smiled, embarrassed. "I just thought that you and AJ...well...ya know...ya'll just seemed to click. And I thought..."
Lori smiled. "I'll admit that when Lesh told me that she had met ya'll, I was hoping to maybe hook up with AJ. But then I met you and now..."
"So you don't like AJ? I mean...at least...not ya know..." he asked blushing again.
Lori leaned over and kissed his cheek. "No. I don't like AJ that way," she said softly.
Surprised, Kevin smiled. "Guess not." He reached over and touched her face softly, looking deep into her eyes. Slowly, he leaned in and kissed her gently.
