Take a Chance
“So, where is this thing you’re suppose to go to? Did your friend, Tobin, tell you the right address?” Alex asked as she looped her arm with Kelley’s as they walked down the streets of New York.
“Yeah, knowing her she’s probably drunk off her ass and typed in the wrong street, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t think I’m going to go.” The shorter woman responded with a shrug.
“Is it that bad? Does it have to do with that Ann girl? I mean, I’m happy to offer my services. I’m all dressed up with nothing to do. I can be your bodyguard.” Alex replied flexing her arms with a wink.
“She's going to be there with someone.” Kelley replied, her smile fading slightly.
“Well, you saved my marriage so that kind of makes you a hero. Heroes aren’t afraid to face their ex’s. I’ll come and I can pretend to be your girlfriend. It’s the least I can do. That’ll make her jealous. ”
“She’ll know you aren’t my type, Lex.” Kelley replied with a laugh.
“Oh my god, I was just brainstorming. Maybe she’ll think that I changed your type. That’ll drive her crazy!" After Kelley didn’t budge, the taller woman got on one knee and grabbed her hand. “Kelley O’Hara.”
“Alex Morgan.” Kelley looked down at the woman with a laugh. “This is stupid.”
“Will you be my pretend girlfriend for the night?” Alex asked with a grin, completely ignoring Kelley’s comment.
After a few moments of silence and a roll of her eyes, Kelley grabbed Alex’s hand and pulled her up. “Fine. Let’s go, you idiot.”
“You don’t talk to your significant other like that, Kell.” She teased as they walked side by side.
After a few blocks, Kelley stopped outside of a packed bar with a almost panicked look on her face.
“You’re good, I’m right here.” Alex mumbled, squeezing Kelley’s hand that was intertwined in her own.
After a few breaths, they walked through the door and not a second later a body collided into Kelley’s.
“Kells!” Tobin yelled, with a huge smile on her face, hugging the shorter woman. “I was only able to get three hundred fifty bucks. I hope it’s enough.” She said, sticking the money out before looking over at Alex. “Hi.” She said with a goofy drunken smile.
“Hey, I’m Alex.”
“And I’m Tobin.” She replied looking in between Kelley and Alex.
“It’s nice to meet you, and that’s very kind of you, but we are actually all set now. We don’t need the money. Thank you, though.” Alex replied, pushing the money back into Tobin’s hand.
“My pleasure, here Kell.” She replied, handing Kelley a hotel card with a wink.
“It’s not like that, Alex. I’m sharing a hotel room with her.” She said after she saw Alex’s wide eyes. “Where’s Christen? Why isn’t she stopping you from turning into a drunken mess?” She asked, with a chuckle.
“Hey! I am not a drunken mess. I can walk and I can talk. Therefore, I’m just drunk, not a mess.” Tobin replied, playfully shoving her. “She’s actually over talking to Ali, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go steal her away.” She said, before wandering over and wrapping the other girl in a hug. Her signature grin plastered on her face.
“Sorry, Lex, the girl is the happiest drunk in the world and never stops talking.” Kelley replied, before she felt a small tap on her shoulder.
“Kelley…” A soft voice whispered out that made Kelley’s blood run cold.
“Ann, hey...” She muttered out, giving her a hug as she sighed to herself. “Ann, this is Alex. Alex this is Ann.” She said as she snaked her hand around Alex’s waist to give her some sense of control of the situation.
“I thought I had missed you, but you’re here.” Ann replied looking at Kelley’s guitar. “Are you working?”
“No, no.” Kelley started to say before Alex cut her off.
“Yes, she has an audition tomorrow for her favorite band. They loved her.” She said, with a wink, as her hand rubbed Kelley’s back to try and give her support of some kind.
“Kell…” The women started off, smiling. “That’s great! I’m so proud of you! Come on, spill the details. I want to know everything.”
“Hey, babe.” A deep voice came from over the bar as a man walked over to the small group. He handed Ann a glass of water.
Kelley’s hand gripped tightly to Alex’s hip as she saw the man lean down to kiss Ann.
“Derek, this is Kelley and Alex. Kelley, Alex, this is Derek.” Ann muttered, never taking her eyes off of Kelley.
The man smiled politely, shaking both of their hands. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Kelley has an audition for that band that we saw a month ago in Philly.”
“Oh, wow! That’s great. Congratulations.” Derek replied, with a courteous smile.
“Thank you.” Kelley replied, with a nod as she licked her lips nervously. She looked between Ann and the man beside her, not knowing what to make of the pair.
“I know it’s kind of late, but would you guys like to grab a cup of coffee somewhere?” Ann optimistically asked.
Before Alex could answer, Kelley blurted out, “You know, I wish we could, but we’re actually running late for something. We just wanted to stop by to see everybody.”
“Okay, yeah. Of course.” She said, her smile falling slightly. “Well, if something frees up, I’m at the SOHO Grand?”
“Yeah, for sure.” She said, with a small nod. “I’ll talk to you soon, maybe? It was good seeing you. Come on, Lex.” She replied, before grabbing Alex’s arm and walking out the door. Ann’s eyes watching them all the way through the door.
After walking in silence for a good ten minutes, they stopped at a pair of stairs and sat down. “I don’t understand why we had to run out of there like that.” Alex questioned.
“Who’s running...?” Kelley muttered, looking down at her hands and rubbing them slightly.
“That was running. Trust me, I’m the poster girl for running.” Alex replied, looking at Kelley sadly. “Running is easy.”
“Yeah, well, you'd think after four years, I'd have something more interesting to say when I finally saw her again.”
Alex sighed to herself, taking in the information. “Four years? How’d you guys meet?”
“Sophomore year, Stanford Pre-Med, if you can believe it." She trailed off as her hands played with the straps of her guitar.
“I can’t, but I have a good imagination.” She teased softly as she waited for Kelley to continue.
“My heart was never really in it, I was always playing music in my spare time. Ann noticed, she always said to be true to who I was.”
“Because she loved you.” Alex said sadly. “What happened?”
“Yeah, sometimes I wonder if she ever really did.” She replied, before continuing, “She was a Graphics Major and she got a job offer in Philly, and being the idiot that I am, I bought a ring…I was clutching the box in my hand all day. So much that my hand was cramping…” She said, chuckling quietly as her eyes filled with tears. “I got home to the apartment and my heart was pounding, but not because I was nervous. I was excited, I was really happy.” Kelley said, clearing her throat slightly. “I walked in and I could just tell something was different. She sat me down at the table and said she thought it was a good time for a break.”
“What did you do?” Alex asked, looking at Kelley with painfully sad eyes.
“What could I do? Beg? Cry? I didn’t…I just sat there, devastated. I was just so completely-” Kelley trailed off, trying to think of the right word.
“Blindsided?” Alex offered, reaching out to grab Kelley’s hand.
“Yeah.” She said, with a chuckle and tear filled eyes. "That was it, until tonight.” She said shaking her head to herself. “It’s funny, I got to the station and I just could not leave. “
“Then you got stuck with me.” Alex said, with a small smile and an elbow to the arm as Kelley looked over at her.
“Oh, I’m stuck with you?”
“Sorry to tell you.”
“Sounds bad when you put it like that.” Kelley joked.
“I’m sorry. “ Alex said looking at Kelley seriously.
Kelley looked at Alex with a confused look on her face, “For what?”
“For making you sit out here and talk about this for so long; for not making you go back.”
Kelley let out an amused scoff as she shook her head. “Oh no, I’m not going back there.” She said standing up
“You know that there’s something there between you. Regardless of who she was with. You saw it and I saw it. You didn’t come to New York for a sign, to not do anything about that sign. You have a chance.”
“Of what? Being slammed again?” Kelley said sarcastically.
“Haven’t you felt slammed everyday since that night? The chance may be one in a million, maybe even a trillion, but there’s still a chance.” She said as she stood up from the stairs as well. “And that guy she was with, Derek? I’ve seen guys like that all my life; you’re worth a thousand Derek’s. Sometimes you just have to make the choice and jump.”
Kelley stood there for a minute before nodding. “Fuck it, you’re right. Okay, I’ll do it.” She replied as she handed her guitar to Alex. She started walking in the direction of the bar.