'Ception
By the time Christen and Tobin make it back to the dorm, only half of Tobin’s pizza remains and a hint of marinara sauce resides at the corner of Christen’s mouth. Tobin chuckles at the girl as the two finally walk into the Main Lobby and are exposed a generous amount of artificial light. Christen looks over to Tobin, slightly confused as to why her friend is laughing and refuses to look away.
“What?” Christen finally asks after a few moments of walking and waiting fruitlessly for Tobin to speak, “What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing” Tobin states, though the devilish smirk she wears suggests otherwise. Her eyes remain glued to a region of Christen’s face.
“Seriously, Tobin. What is it?” Christen urges, growing slightly frustrated with Tobin’s lack of disclosure. “What? Do I have something on my…?” Christen trails off as Tobin’s eyes begin to humorously glimmer and her suppressed smile surfaces to her lips.
“Yep. A healthy coating of marinara sauce” Tobin chuckles, obviously enjoying watching a flustered Christen. Christen pulls out her phone checks her reflection in the screen. Sure enough, there, on the edge of the right corner of her mouth, resides a red splotch of pizza sauce, on display to any passerby. Christen’s eyes widen.
“Tobin! Why didn’t you tell me?” she demands while patting around in her pockets, searching for anything she could use to clean her face and not look like a complete idiot. Tobin chuckles again in her calm and amused state.
“I didn’t get a good look at you until we came into the building. It was pretty dark outside, after all.” Tobin explains while Christen continues to search her pockets. I swear I had like a napkin or a tissue or something from the game.
“But what about after we came in? You let me walk by the desk guy looking like this!” Christen reprimands, now beginning to rummage through her purse. Tobin releases an abrupt snort while remembering the look on the desk worker’s face after Christen had greeted him with a smile and a wave, completely unaware of her ‘saucy’ appearance.
“Ok, yeah, I should’ve told you. But it was just too funny, I couldn’t resist” Tobin admits with a satisfied grin. Normally Christen would be a little more annoyed. What kind of friend would let another friend do that? But at the present moment, Christen is too preoccupied with finding something – anything – the wipe off her face with.
“You’re right” Christen passive-aggressively concedes as the two continue walking down the hallway, Christen’s eyes still trained exclusively on her purse, “Me looking like a fool is completely hilarious. Comedy gold right there.” Christen pushes aside her wallet, some breath mints, and a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer to peer deeper into her bag. Ok. There has GOT to be something in here. Don’t tell me that I carry all this useless shit around for it to not come in handy when I actually need it to.
“You didn’t look like a fool” Tobin muses as Christen only half-listens at this point, “You actually looked pretty cute. Like a toddler that just ate spaghetti for the first time.” A toddler? Me? So you’re the one that’s been acting like a complete child all night, and I’m the toddler?...Wait, what was that she said before ‘toddler’?...Dammit, why can’t I find a fucking napkin!...Is it too much to ask that –
“Chris” Tobin adds as she abruptly stops the two in the middle of the ground floor hallway. Why are we stopping?
A group of fingers make contact with Christen’s skin, just below her chin. They slowly tilt her head up and draw her gaze from her purse, to directly in front of her. Her eyes connect with Tobin’s.
“Tobin, what are you – ” Christen begins, confusion and nervousness laced in her voice.
“Just hold still” Tobin gently directs as her hand moves up from under Christen’s chin, to lightly cupping the side of Christen’s face. Christen does exactly as she’s told. She stands completely still, even holds her breath for good measure. Slowly, she feels the almost ticklish sensation as Tobin’s thumb grazes her jaw and the lower part of her cheek. Tobin’s eyes are now focused completely on the side of Christen’s face. She draws her thumb back again and repeats the process of running it over the same area of Christen’s skin. This time around, her thumb brushes slightly against a part of Christen’s lower lip. Christen’s mouth instantly goes dry. She swallows and Tobin meets her eyes once again. Christen can feel each of the other girl’s fingertips as they gradually retract from her face.
“There” Tobin finally says, “Good as new.”
Christen hesitantly nods and flashes the best fake smile that she can muster. The electricity coursing from her overcompensating heart proves to be an obstacle for any verbal communication. Her face is now free of one red hue, but is immediately replaced by another. Tobin leads the way to the stairs, and the two venture up to their shared floor.
Upon arrival to each of their respective doors, Tobin insists that they part ways for the night, citing Christen’s constant yawning and Tobin’s knee in need of some ice. Christen tries to protest, but another yawn escapes her, so she reluctantly agrees. They exchange a round of ‘Night’s and disappear into their seemingly solitary rooms.
Once the door closes behind her, Christen trudges over to her bed and falls unceremoniously onto her mattress. The day’s events have finally caught up to her, and all she wants is start over with a fresh new day. To forget all the awkwardness and finally start to come into her own. Her body is heavy, like she hasn’t rested in weeks. She doesn’t even bother to kick off her shoes or switch off the light before she succumbs to much-needed sleep.
A knock on the door causes Christen to stir. She gazes out the window and sees that it’s still pitch black outside. From the window, she glances over to Kelley’s bed; it’s still empty. Begrudgingly, Christen forces her body out of bed. Once on her slightly stable feet, she shuffles to the door while attempting to rub the drowsiness from her eyes. Probably Kelley, drunk and lost her key again. How many times are we going to have to change the lock on this damn door before she finally learns to be more careful?
As Christen cracks open the door, she isn’t met with the person she was expecting. Instead, it’s the person she never expects, but always welcomes without a shred of hesitance.
“Hey” Christen sleepily greets as she blinks a few times against the vastly more abrasive light streaming in through the hallway.
“Hey” Tobin returns, seemingly more awake and alert than the slowly functioning girl in front of her.
“What’s up?” Christen asks as she leans against the door frame for a little more support. Tobin takes in her sleepy appearance as Christen fights to suppress a yawn.
“Couldn’t sleep” Tobin simply answers, taking yet another moment to look Christen up and down, “But it seems that you don’t have that problem.”
“Not at all” Christen quickly replies with a small smirk, earning a fond one in return. Tobin smiles at her for a few beats more before asking the question that’s been playing on her lips.
“Can I come in?” she gently asks. Christen lets out a faux reluctant sigh before responding.
“I suppose” she exhales, “But do you have any idea what time it is?” Tobin’s smirk widens as Christen moves aside and allows her to enter.
“Late” Tobin answers as she shuts the door behind her. Christen humoredly grins and decides to lean against the wall just beside the door as Tobin stuffs her hands in her pockets and faces her again.
“So” Christen starts as she crosses her arms over her chest, “Why have you come to see me during this ‘late’ hour of the night?”
“I told you, I couldn’t sleep” Tobin earnestly responds, though her eyes avoid Christen’s.
“Yeah, I know” Christen continues, “So what’s on your mind that’s causing you to lose sleep? Huh? What is it that you can’t stop thinking about?” Tobin’s gaze shoots up and is immediately directed at Christen. One of her eyebrows quirks with befuddlement and surprise.
“How do you know it’s because I have something on my mind?” Tobin asks, shocked that Christen could have so quickly guessed the source of her sleeplessness. Christen pushes off from her leaning position on the wall.
“Tobin, come on” she breathes knowingly, “You played a full ninety today, woke up early because of class, and dealt with your friends’ unrelenting hazing. The only logical explanation for your inability to sleep is if something is going on up there.” Christen gestures to Tobin’s head.
“That’s right, you’re also a Psych major. I keep forgetting that” Tobin chuckles, inadvertently avoiding Christen’s directness. Christen smiles back before letting it fade and replacing it with a more serious expression.
“So what is it?” she prods.
“What’s what?” Tobin asks, having already forgotten Christen’s original question.
“What’s on your mind?” Tobin’s innocent smirk fades and she looks down to her feet, shifting her weight to buy some time. “Tobin” Christen tries again, “You can tell me. I won’t – ”
“Your lips.”
“My… what?”
“Your lips.” Tobin repeats, this time looking Christen directly in the eye. My lips?
“I… I’m sorry, I’m not following. What do you mean ‘my lips’?”
“I mean” Tobin takes in a deep breath and lets out a long sigh, “You’re lips are on my mind. Ever since that night we watched the movie together, ever since we nearly got run-over by that car in the middle of the street, ever since we stopped in the hallway earlier tonight. You’re lips are always on my mind.” Tobin looks pained, like she’s desperate to tell Christen exactly what she means, but she can’t seem to figure out how. My lips…always…
“W-Why are they – ”
“Chris” Tobin interrupts, taking a step closer, “Do I really have to say it?” Tobin’s gaze is intense now, like it can only be saying one thing, but Christen still struggles to catch up. To make sense of this situation. To decipher Tobin’s underlying message. Say what? What is it you have to say? What is it about my lips? What is it about my lips that cause you to lose sleep at night? What is it about my lips that make them always on your mind?... ‘always’… What is it?
Tobin takes Christen’s pause as her reply. She takes another deep breath before continuing.
“Christen – Chris, listen. Whenever I’m around you, I don’t want to be anywhere else. I never want to leave your side. Whenever I hear your laugh, I never want it to stop. Whenever I see your smile, I feel like my heart might explode and I’ll just float away, into space. Whenever I’m with you, I can’t take my eyes off of you. You see, Chris, you’re addictive. It’s like I can never get enough of you. You’re constantly running through my thoughts. And those lips, your lips, I just… I just can’t shake the thought of how badly I want to kiss them.”
Christen stands completely still, the embodiment of pure, and utter shock. Her brain races a million miles a minute, yet she’s unable of concocting a single comprehensive thought. She just feels like static. Like the black and white dots shimmering across a television screen on the incorrect input. It’s as if she, herself, is unable to find the correct input – the correct way to respond.
“I want to kiss them so badly” Tobin gently echoes as she takes another step closer to Christen, leaving hardly any space between them. Then do it.
“B-But we’re friends…” Christen stammers as Tobin inches closer. Do it.
“Yeah…” Tobin nods.
“And neighbors…” Christen continues, Tobin approaches still. Just do it.
“Uh-huh…” Tobin mutters in a low tone, her pupils visibly dilated.
“And…” For the love of God, just fucking do it.
“And” Tobin repeats as she leans closer to whisper into Christen’s ear, “We can make an exception.”
Chills run down Christen’s spine as she feels Tobin’s warm breath on her ear. And before she even has a chance to grow used to the feeling, she feels a pair of two supple lips make contact with her neck. She nearly falls over from the overwhelming euphoric rush that fills her body and swirls around in her head and the pit of her stomach. Nearly, if it weren’t for the sturdy arms that wrap around her waist and pull her closer.
“Chris” Tobin mumbles against the skin of the area below Christen’s ear, where she just placed the tenderest of kisses. “I can’t just sit by anymore” she places another kiss on Christen’s neck.
“I can’t just be your friend, your neighbor.” Lightly on Christen’s collarbone.
“It’s fucking killing me.” Her jaw.
“You mean so much more to me than that, you have no idea.” The corner of her mouth, nearly on her lips.
At this point, Christen’s heart is swimming and her knees are weak.
“What do I mean to you?” Christen asks at a level that is barely audible. Tobin pauses as she leans her face directly in front of Christen’s. She smiles warmly and peers determinedly into Christen’s eyes.
“So much” Tobin simply answers. Christen smiles back before Tobin continues. “You’re the light of my life and a total BOSS ASS BITCH, BITCH, BITCH, BITCH, BITCH, BITCH, BITCH.” What the hell was that?
“Tobin, what are you saying?” Christen eagerly questions as she is taken completely off guard by Tobin’s sudden outburst. Tobin pulls her in close again.
“Sorry” Tobin sheepishly apologizes, “What I was saying was you mean so much to me because you’re A BOSS ASS BITCH, BITCH, BITCH, BITCH, BITCH, BITCH, BITCH.” What the Fuck?!
Christen’s eyes shoot open and locate the source of the sound. It’s her phone ringing with an unknown ringtone. Christen sits up in her bed and looks at the caller ID name on the lock screen of her phone.
Kelley.
Christen looks around and notices that she is all alone in her room. Everything is exactly as it was when she walked in the door. Right before… she fell asleep. So it… was only just a dream?
Christen’s phone continues to blare the popular Nicki Minaj song as Christen snaps out of her thoughts. Kelley must have stolen my phone again and made this her ringtone. Real funny, Kels. I never should have told her my password. Worst mistake ever.
When Christen finally answers the phone, she is immediately met with a wave of loud music and a murmuring crowd.
“Hello?”
“Pressy?! Is that your beautiful voice I’m hearing?” Kelley overenthusiastically drawls into the phone. She’s been drinking.
“What’s up, Kels? Why are you calling?” Christen asks, slightly confused.
“What? A girl can’t just call her roomie for the sake of having a conversation?” Kelley replies, sounding a little bit offended. Christen glances at the electric clock on the other side of the room. 3:37 am.
“Not at nearly 3:40 in the morning” Christen retorts. She can hear Kelley sigh on the other end.
“Alright, Pressy, ya got me. I’m really drunk. Emily says you should come pick me up.” Kelley admits. Christen sighs, deep down she had a feeling this would happen when the team mentioned going out earlier.
“Fine, I’ll figure out a way to come get you. Where are you right now?” Christen concedes.
“I’m at Sherman’s on 9th” Kelley slowly explains.
“The place with the neon flamingo?”
“Yup.”
“The place that hardly ever cards?”
“That’d be the one.”
“The place that is swimming with health code violations and probably a few venereal diseases?”
“Correctamundo.” Christen rolls her eyes.
“Alright, stay there until I come to get you. No leaving with anyone else, you understand?” Christen instructs as she searches the room for her room key. In the background she can hear Kelley having a side conversation with someone else.
‘Hey Kelley, a bunch of us are going to get some tats, you in?’… ‘Nooo wayyyy, tats? Those are sick!’… ‘So are you in?’
“Kelley, did you hear what I just said? Stay there until I get you, no leaving.” Christen orders after hearing that ill-fated exchange.
“Actually, change of plans. Imma go get a tattoo with Paul instead” Kelley responds.
“Kelley, that’s a horrible idea! And who’s Paul?” Christen reprimands.
“Paul’s cool. He has a hat that says ‘Blink if you want me’ on it. Isn’t that funny? Everybody blinks!”
“Kels, stop talking to Paul, don’t get a tattoo, and stay there.”
“But I want a tattoo.”
“Not like this. Stay there.”
“But I want a tattoooooo”
“Kelley, no.”
“Kelley, yes.”
“I’m on my way. Stay there.”
“Tattoo.”
“No!”
“Yes!”
“Stay there!”
“Tattooooooooo–”
Christen finally ends the call knowing that it won’t get any better from there. She grabs her bag and makes her way to the door. She doesn’t have a car, but she has an idea of someone who does. As she reaches for the handle, she pauses for a moment and glances to the wall beside the doorframe. She raises her hand to the corner of her mouth, poking and prodding a seemingly tender area. She stays like that for a moment, thinking back to her extremely vivid dream. It felt so… real. So… right.
But then she snaps out of it and returns to the mission at hand.
Rescue Kelley.