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Chapter Two: Quality Time


"I just love when Howie jinxes us like this... every damn storm, he does it. Do you think he's learned? No!" Tierja replied sarcastically. Her dark irises danced in the soft candlelight that illuminated the living room.

"Are you just going to sit there and let her badger me?" Howie questioned his girlfriend, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you expect me to do?" Ana drawled as if she wasn't phased by any of the passing events nor the heinous thunder and lightening cracking just outside the large window. Instead, her blue-green eyes were intensely focused on the vanilla candle before her, holding her dainty hands just above the flame to watch it dance mysteriously within the light. An amused expression played across her impish face, catching the stranger off-guard.

"Ana doesn't care what happens as long as she has her fire to play with," Tierja laughed, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She took a sip of wine from her glass, content just resting in Kevin's arms. "Been like that since I can remember. Little pyromaniac."

"And you let her do that? Play with fire inside the house?" Kevin quickly questioned, glancing down at Tierja's profile within the darkness of the house. Since the power had ceased, Tierja had glued straight to his side. Not that Kevin was in any place to judge. He had been instantly attracted to Tierja and welcomed her closeness.

"I'm not a child," Ana answered, withdrawing from the candle to scoot back onto the couch with Howie. Immediately, she reached for a blonde curl to twirl around her finger, demonstraiting her inability to actually sit still. If anything, she was just mesmerized by the dancing light. She found it almost as calming as water. "And, she's just bullshitting. I'm not a pyromaniac. I just like candles."

"Yeah, she has about a thousand of them in her bedroom and bathroom combined, and that is something I'm not bullshitting about," Tierja replied, placing her hand on the back of Kevin's neck. She felt knots and tense muscles, beginning to massage them. "You can even ask Howie. Her perfect idea of love making is soft music, rose petals, tons of candles lit--"

"I think he'd rather hear about your love profile instead of mine. And what makes you think that Howie has even had the privilage to dip into my erotic fantasies?" Ana interupted with a fixed scowl, unable to sit still as another crack of lightening streaked through the house. The wind whistled wildly against the old home, causing Tierja to shrink backward into the opposite couch. Ana also tensed for a moment, standing to locate something to entertain herself within the house.

"Storms get really bad around here," Kevin commented after a moment of silence, glancing to Howie with question. "Nothing like it was down in Florida half the time."

"You get used to it, just like anywhere else," Howie shrugged, squinting to see what Ana was rummaging around for. "And I don't care what anyone says, a tornado is ten times worse than a hurricane."

"I'll disagree. I'd rather dance with sharp objects whirling around in high velocities with the chance of getting impaled and thrown into a bloody mess than drown in a freaking hurricane," Ana quipped, causing Tierja to frown at the freakishly horrifying image that Ana had planted.

"Did you find anything to occupy yourself yet, Missy? I really didn't need the picture you just put in my head," Tierja asked, taking a long sip of the wine.

"You didn't have to imagine what I said. Though, I would hope for a sharp piece of metal to just pierce my heart to get it over with---"

"Anastacia Grace, don't you dare finish that sentence!"

"Why?!"

"Because I'm older--"

"Baby, did you find anything to keep our minds off the storm?" Howie stopped the argument between them.

"The only thing I found was a Ouija board and a deck of kinky cards for strip poker..." Ana trailed, tossing the cards back into the black closet. She pushed the door shut with her behind, walking to offer the game toward Howie. "And, I may be brazen, but not that brazen to strip down to nothing with a man I've never met in the room. At least, not without a serious dump of alcohol into my system..."

"Let's just play with the Oujia board," Tierja replied, scooting closer to the edge of the couch. Howie pulled out the board, placing it on the coffee table. He took out the white arrowshaped piece and set it in the middle.

"Can I just announce that this goes against all the moral teachings of Christianity..." Ana's sentence stopped halfway when she caught Tierja's deadly glare highlighted by the sweet smelling candles. She quickly swallowed her words, deciding not to jolt the slumbering beast from its peaceful state. She had never met Tierja's full wrath, but known many in psychatric care for just that. So, finally behaving, she settled onto the floor between the coffee table and couch like an innocent child.

"It's just for fun. Not like we're trying to get the Devil like that girl in The Exorcist or something," Tierja sat down on the floor diagonal from Ana, setting her glass and wine bottle next to her. "Then again, there was that time we talked to a serial kill--"

"Who said that he watched me shower and you play with your favorite vibrator - King Tut," Ana tempted, keeping her posture squared as she peeked her beautiful eyes upward to catch Kevin or Howie's reactions.

"Hey, it's a damn good vibrator--"

"Are you trying to elicit a response from us?" Kevin finally interupted, staring at each girl for the longest moment. He shook his head in disbelief, quickly glancing back to Howie for confirmation that he actually dated one of them.

"They are," Howie nodded with a shrug.

"Is it working?" Tierja asked, tracing her fingers along the thick muscles in his knee and lower thigh.

"What kind of reaction are you looking for?" Kevin questioned, glancing down at the enticing woman just beside his legs. He felt his body react from her sensual touch, stiffening dramatically as blood pulsed to all the inappropriate portions of his body. He found the idea of her owning a vibrator slightly thrilling, assuming she was very much into exploring her sexuality. Sometimes the normal routine could be boring. And, with her quirky personality, Kevin thought she was far from boring.

"Maybe something like... I could do things that vibrator can't... or maybe a couple other things. I can't say them with mixed company," Tierja gave a sultry smile, her fingers going farther up before heading back to his knee. She had felt Kevin stiffen from her touch, knowing her goal was close to being accomplished.

"Don't start things you can't finish," Kevin answered, swallowing hard to rid the heavy lump in his throat.

"Especially when you don't know how he'll react--" Ana's voice was stopped short with Howie clamping his hand against her glossed lips. She fidgeted for a brief moment, reaching to pull at his hand. Being the youngest of the group always seemed to have great disadvantages for the bubbling woman.

"Shh, don't interrupt. It's been a really long time since Kev's met a woman who could make him stammer like that," Howie whispered into Ana's ear, his breath tickling her skin. "It means he likes them."

"Sorry..." Ana replied as Howie slowly dropped his hand away from her mouth after she kissed his palm. She tried not to act like his hot breath had thrown her into a tizzy of excitement. So, she sat straighter against the couch, leaning back. She offered an infectious pout, her blue-green eyes catching the flickering glow of the candles. "But you didn't even comment to my shower comment. Very atypical. You're too antsy."

"I can't help that you make me antsy," Howie muttered, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her smooth lips.

"Just one of the many services I offer," Ana quipped, causing him to quickly silence her with another kiss. She smiled against his lips, loving how crazy she drove him. Not many men tolerated her craziness.

"Hey, if you two are finished, we could start playing the game now," Tierja interrupted. She had convinced Kevin to sit on the floor and settled hself inbetween his legs.

"It's not like I make him kiss me that often," Ana snorted, finally pulling away from Howie's closeness.

"Oh no, not at all. Have we forgotten that one time you two got caught in the theater--"

"We've been permanently banished..." Ana trailed with an impish smirk of delight.

"I rest my case," Tierja threw her hands up in the air with a laugh. "You may have known Howie to be tame before, but not after he hooked up with Missy over there."

"Tame is an understatement," Kevin confirmed, surprised to hear just a snippet of what seemed like a steamy event. Howie was always one to travel within the lines of reasoning. He hated to get involved in heated disputes or to draw a lot of attention on himself. He was docile and sweet, completely opposite of the aura exploding from Ana's pseudo-innocent form. "I can't imagine him making out in a movie theatre--"

"Not exactly making out," Ana interupted, reaching up to offer Howie a hand. She hoped he would sit beside her on the floor, but wanted him to at least make the decision. He seemed unsettled for some unknown reason. As if Kevin bursting into the home unexpectedly had caused him to confront his past and present together.

"No, more like close to sex," Tierja replied as Howie settled on the floor behind Ana, wrapping his arms around her waist. "Half naked and all--"

"Do we need to get into what you've been caught doing, Miss Blackwell?" Howie narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I've never been caught in a movie theatre!" Tierja exclaimed.

"Caught be the opperative word," Ana quipped, settling her hands against Howie's hands that wrapped so perfectly around her waist. She quickly glanced to Kevin as Tierja blushed. "Besides, don't think I've corrupted or tainted his innocent soul or something, Mr. Richardson. It was an empty theatre with two old betties sitting right up next to the screen with such heavy cataracts that they probably thought we were two huge cats fighting for a scrap of fish."

"It's alright, there's no need to explain what happened. I can see you've done Howie for the better... he seems a lot happier since the last time I saw him," Kevin replied with a nod, offering his friend a reassuring smile. He had practically barged back into his life and knew it was hard considering past events. "I'm glad you caught hold of him, Ana. I really am."

"You don't even know me..." Ana trailed, tilting her head to the side in retrospection. She felt Howie tense slightly beneath her, sending large warning signals down along her spine. She tightened in response, not sure of why she was getting mixed signals.

"I'm just a good judge of character."

"But you still don't--"

"Hey, how about we start this game? The ghosts are waiting for us," Tierja interrupted, noticing the uncomfortable look on Howie's face. He never talked about his old friends, but she had a feeling there were many bad memories.

"Can I ask any question I want?" Ana quickly asked, leaning up from Howie's embrace. She flexed her fingers, placing the tips of her fingers upon the triangular object as instructed. Her blue-green eyes glittered within the candlelight, showing that her moods and thoughts changed as much as the shifting rains pelting the cozy home.

"Yeah, yeah, you can ask any question you want. Little pervert," Tierja laughed, her fingers next to Ana's. She shivered slightly as the wind pick up strength, shaking the house slightly. "Come on boys, let's play!"

"Alright..." Howie murmured, threading his arms underneath Ana's to rest upon the tool. He made sure his fingers were slightly separated from Ana's touch, somewhat unsure of himself.

"Is something wrong?" Tierja raised an eyebrow as Kevin placed his fingers next to hers.

"With who?" both men quickly blurted as the thunder cracked loudly.

"The both of you. There's this tension... what's going on?"

"Nothing, why don't you let Ana ask the first question," Kevin answered, nudging Tierja slightly to hasten the switch of conversation. He was still a stranger to this new group that Howie formed. As much as he was attracted to Tierja, he was still the outsider. Even if he did share a romantic kiss with the beautiful woman.

"Hmm... which question should I ask..." Ana pondered for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip. "Aha! If there are any spirits in this room... are you as good looking as Vin Diesel?"

"You are completely obsessed with Vin--"

"So?" Ana quickly challenged, although she deflated when the object never moved with their hands. She puckered her bottom lip with disappointment, causing Tierja to snicker into Kevin's shoulder. Only, Ana quickly straightened to ask another question, knowing it would agitate Tierja to no extent. "Am I going to die a horrifying, bloody, and painful death?"

"Ana! I hate when you ask those--"

"Shh! It's moving!" Ana hissed, watching the piece moved over towards no very slowly. "Damn, I was hoping to get impaled by shrapnel or--"

"You're not funny! Y'know that?" Tierja continued just the same, purposely guiding the piece of the game toward 'no.' She hated speaking about death and destruction, especially when it involved her best friend. Ana had such a morbid fascination with death, which resulted in all the bloody horror movies she watched. But, Tierja wanted to stay far away from the subject.

"What? Should of I just asked for a painful death instead of bloody?"

"Neither, you know I don't like talking about death! It's just not funny and you still talk about it," Tierja frowned as their hands hovered over 'no'. "Someone else ask a question and it better not be about death. I mean it."

Everyone sat in silence for a few moments after Ana was reprimanded and another crack of thunder rattled the house. Tierja jumped in fright as lightening illuminated the room, perhaps even showing a speck of a spirtual presense. She squeaked in shock, spurring Kevin to muster something. "Who's in love in this room?"

"It's moving towards H... D... A... L... our initials, Baby. At least we know we're in love," Ana leaned back and kissed Howie under the chin, causing him to smile softly.

"I didn't have any doubts about that," Tierja laughed softly at Ana's eagerness toward the answer. She found it adorable that Ana was so intriugued by the answer, because Ana had always questioned Howie's adoration and love for her. It wasn't because Howie was unfaithful, but because as outgoing and personable as Ana professed to be, she was still shy and fragile inside, afraid of being left alone in life.

"Yeah, you can hush now-- hey, it's moving again! TB... KR... gee, I wonder whose initials are those," Ana teased, wriggling her eyebrows at her best friend. "You two sure do move fast!"

"You're hilarious," Tierja rolled her eyes, throwing a small pillow at Ana's head.

"TB... Do you realize that you're initials stand for Tuberculosis? Are you sure you want to get involved in someone with a communicable disease?" Ana instantly questioned, glancing toward Kevin as Tierja glared daggers.

"I do not have Tuberculosis! You are something else," Tierja tried to grab another pillow and found none. "At least my initials don't stand for Aluminum--"

"Hey, it just means I make checmical reactions," Ana shrugged, looking up at Howie with a wink.

"You better stop while you're ahead," Howie compromised.

"Alright, alright... Tier, why don't you ask a question?" Ana relented, sulking back into his arms.

"Hmm... is this the worst of the storm we're going to see?" Tierja asked, praying that the object will point to yes. She hated tornados.

Only, their hands all settled upon 'No.'

*~*~*

"Kevin? Can I ask you a question?" Tierja asked. They had finished the game, a little nervous at some of the answers. The couples had relented to sitting on opposite couches, talking softly over the cracks of lightning and crashes of thunder.

"Of course. What's on your mind?"

"What's really wrong between you and Howie? I can feel it, I just don't know what it is. Please tell me, because I never knew he had friends in Florida until tonight."

"Tier... it was the past. It's not a big deal."

"Obviously it's a big deal to Howie--"

"You're going to ask me until I give in, aren't you?" Kevin sighed heavily, tugging on his ponytail. All he wanted to do was forget what he had done, but knew it wasn't going to be easy, especially if he persued a relationship with Tierja.

"You've got it. Just tell me. Please?"

"Alright... it was about five years ago, and Howie was still living in Florida. We have three other friends down there. Brian, who's my cousin, Nick and A.J. We've known each other since ninety-three, and were really close. That is, until one day when I heard this rumor that Howie had been sleeping with my then girlfriend. I just snapped and before I knew it, I was at Howie's house. We were screaming at each other, him claiming he didn't even touch her and all of a sudden I was on top of him delivering punches. I broke his jaw, gave him two black eyes, cracked his nose... it was bad. Our friendships all disentegrated after that, which was my fault," Kevin swallowed the lump growing in his throat. "Howie moved out of state, Brian went back to Kentucky, Nick moved to Tampa, A.J. moved to California and I was just... floating around. I was lost without the guys, but I no matter how much I apologized, none of them would forgive me. I guess seeing Howie tonight and acting like nothing happened would fix things..."

"He didn't..." Tierja couldn't even muster the appropriate words to finish the sentence. She swallowed quickly, pulling away from Kevin's comforting embrace. She tucked her brunette streaked locks behind her ears before pushing her glasses higher on the bridge of her nose. Immediately, she began to play with the tongue ring in her mouth, trying her best to step lightly over the confession. Only, per usual, Tierja could only think of Ana's best interest. "He didn't do it do he?"

"No, it wasn't Howie. Some other guy I worked with at my old job did... but by the time I confronted them about it, she dumped me anyway. I lost my best friends because of that cheating whore," Kevin looked down at his scraped hands from when he crashed his motorcycle. He had been hoping the impact would kill him, but to his astonishment, he didn't.

"He's faithful through and through?"

"He's the most faithful man I know."

"So, it's you he's reacting to, not Ana?" Tierja repeated, just making sure she understood the facts as plainly as possible.

"It's all about me being here. It has nothing to do with Ana. I can tell he loves her a lot, and he'll treat her like a queen."

"Good..."

"Does that change how you feel about me? I'll leave if you want me to... I wouldn't blame you, either--"

"I can't throw you back out into that storm!"

"It would make Howie happy--"

"Stop talking like that. I'm not letting you leave until this storm is over. Do you hear me?"

"What about after the storm?" Kevin asked after several minutes of silence. He dropped his gaze to his hands again, knowing that he still had no right to interfere with Howie's new life. The man had been overjoyed when he stepped into Tierja's household that night, till he realized that Kevin was the victim underneath Tierja's tender care.

"I honestly don't know right now..." Tierja began to chew on her lip, a habit she developed from Ana. She was so confused on what to do. "I care for you a lot, Kevin. I can tell you that much, and I can see myself dating you. But Howie... he's been my friend for over three years, and I can't stand to cause him any pain--"

"I understand, Tierja," Kevin was quick to interupt, wanting to hasten the explosion of pain into his heart. He had felt nothing for another woman since the betrayal. Tierja was the first to actually stir a desire within the depth of his entire being. He should have realized as much when he saw Howie, however. Their friendships were cursed and tainted from the very beginning. And, whenever any of them stumbled upon another by rare coincidence, Hell ensued.

"Kevin, I don't want to hurt you. There are things I feel with you that I have never felt before--"

"I understand, Tierja. Really, I do. I shouldn't expect you to choose me over a friend," Kevin repeated, wishing he had died when he crashed. At least Howie wouldn't be miserable and he wouldn't be falling for a woman he couldn't have.

"Kevin--"

"Okay! Howie can only be so entertaining in the dark with candles! Someone else occupy my time!" Ana called loudly, infamously interupting a deep conversation that Tierja had intitiated. Only, true to Ana's innocent nature, she didn't realize what she had done. Instead, she was only trying to elicit some kind of reaction from Howie. A reaction that she was used to instead of the gloomy man she had met three years ago.

"What did you have in mind, Missy?" Tierja sighed heavily, turning her gaze towards Ana's voice. She knew the girl meant no harm, but she did have the worst timing.

"I..." Ana blanked for a second, furling her blonde brows in confusion. She hadn't exactly expected a response from Tierja and Kevin. She glanced back to Howie with depression, her shoulders slumping forward. "I... don't know..."

"Has the storm let up yet?" Howie finally spoke, getting to his feet and walking over to the picture window.

"No, it's probably just beginning," Tierja answered, watching Ana's usual impish streak deflate quicker than a party balloon changing between extreme temperatures. She found it disheartening.

"It's been going on for so--"

"What's that noise?" Kevin interrupted, hearing a long wailing sound coming through the rain, thunder and lightning.

"Nothing good. That's for sure," Ana murmured distractedly.

"That can't be the siren..." Tierja stood and went towards the front door.

"What siren?" Kevin repeated with alarm.

"The tornado--" she was cut off as she opened the door, a loud siren going off.





This chapter was done with the help of my best girl, Anastacia. Thank you so much!