Chapter One
Buffy, Bathrooms, and a Beer
"Buffy? Buffy, what's wrong?"
"Angel is dead! Hello!" Dana pointed out to the television, abhorred that Willow could be so dense. She clutched her pillow dramatically, and remained riveted to the screen. There was a jingling of keys, and the door of the apartment swung open. "Hey Brette" Dana greeted her roommate, still facing the TV.
"Hey Dana" Brette replied, as she dashed for the couch. It was Saturday, and it was their ritual to watch 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer'. Brette loved the whole 'girl kicks butt' theme, and Dana, well, Dana loved Angel. "Whaddi miss?" she asked quickly.
"Buffy is all depressed cause Angel is dead, and no one understands what's wrong with her." Dana explained, peeling her eyes away as commercial began.
Brette grabbed the pack of Mike & Ike's, and poured some into her palm. They conversed over their day, relishing in the fact that it was Saturday and there were no classes.
Just as the commercial break finished, the phone rang. The two girls attempted to block out the shrill rings until the caller hung up, but that plan was soon abandoned: whoever it was was determined to get a hold of one of them. "Alright!" Brette grumbled. "I'm coming!" Grabbing the portable off of the table, she clicked it on. "Yeah" Brette answered absently, still focused on the show.
"Is Dana there?"
"Jus' a sec" Brette responded, passing the phone to Dana, who grimaced.
"Hello?"
"Dana! Oh, thank God I found you! It's me, Jesse!"
Dana sighed. When Jesse called, he usually needed a favor. "Hey Jesse, what's up?"
"I need a favor" he began, and Dana mentally ticked herself a point. "Listen, we're short staffed for the party at the Marriott tonight, Lisa and Aaron both called in sick. You're on the call list for tonight, I need you to come serve" Jesse panted into the phone, thrilled that he had managed to locate the extra help.
"I have to come in?" Dana asked him in disbelief. "I can't, I've got my midterm coming up, I've got some serious studying to do in about half an hour." '...after Buffy' she added silently.
"You're the one that signed up for call tonight, you've gotta come in" he pointed out, desperate for the assistance.
"But I-"
"-Will be at the Marriott in 20 minutes." Jesse finished Dana's sentence. "Thanks bunches D, you're a life saver!" The phone clicked off, and Dana groaned.
"I wonder if Jesse realizes how utterly annoying he is?" she asked loudly, only to be shushed by Brette. Tossing her study notes and a sweater into her oversize backpack, she changed into black pants and a white shirt. "Maybe they have cable in the staff room" Dana consoled herself as she jogged towards her second hand Mercedes. "I can watch during my breaks"
- - -later- - -
"I need to piss" Brian Littrell whispered to his best friend Nick, then stood up from his place at the table. "If you'll excuse me for a moment, I have some business to take care of. I'll be back in a couple minutes," he excused himself. The party had been relatively slow so far, and also fairly boring. It was the normal press party, asking the same questions, giving the same answers that had been said time and time again. Almost everyone in attendance was glued in a lump around the table, whether they were a member of the press or not. He stepped down from the makeshift stage upon which the table was, and upon which the DJ would later play, and moved away from the mass of people who had gathered in their huge conference room. He made his way down a long hall, following the signs that created an increasingly large distance between the conference room and him. Brian spotted a figure sitting on the linoleum about twenty feet away from him, and called out to it. " 'Scuse me?" he called loudly. There was no response, so Brian tried again. "Excuse me?"
- - -at the same time- - -
"Excuse me?" the voice persisted.
Dana looked up with distaste. She had finally managed to escape the god-awful party and get some quiet study time, and this guy had the guts to interrupt her. "Can I help you?" she asked through clenched teeth.
"Actually you can" he replied amicably, seemingly oblivious to her annoyance. "I was looking for the washrooms, and I somehow ended up back here with you. Can you tell me where they are?"
"Do you work here?" she asked. The guy was silhouetted against the light shining from the far end of the hall. "Cause all you'll find down here are employee washrooms."
"No, I'm--" he paused. "I don't work here, I just came from the press party down the hall."
"Oh" was all she said. Dana had no desire to associate with the people in the party that had forced her out of her nice, comfy apartment. So she returned to her paper and continued to read.
Brian shuffled uncomfortably. This girl was obviously in no hurry to answer him. "So can you tell me where the washrooms are?"
"Just go in the door marked washroom." Dana said with finality, indicating that the conversation was over.
"Uh, thanks I guess" Brian stuttered, not expecting her to be so abrupt. She obviously didn't recognize him, for which Brian was thankful: it was a rarity to have such blissful anonymity, no matter how brief. He moved past the girl, and glanced down at her as she read. She had longish brown hair, which was kind of wavy. It wasn't really long hair, just medium long. Unknowingly, he stopped in front of her and just watched her.
After a few seconds, she caught on and looked up at him. "You would be watching me because...?" she asked him bluntly.
"Just stopping to think" he lied. "I still have no idea where the door marked washroom is."
She rolled her eyes. 'Let's hope you don't breed' Dana thought, hauling herself to her feet. 'The world can't handle such stupidity in more than one person at a time.' "Follow me."
Brian did as he was instructed. He walked beside the girl in dead silence for a few minutes, before deciding to break the ice. "I'm Brian" he introduced.
"Dana" she replied.
He waited for a moment to see if she would give him something to continue the conversation on. She didn't. "So what were you doing on the floor in this hallway Dana?"
"Studying."
"Not much of a talker, are we?" he asked under his breath, beginning to dislike the fact that Dana seemed to have a stick wedged up her ass... it was no matter however, because she intrigued him.
"Here, washroom." Dana was eager to get away from this Brian guy, and return to her notes. The half-hour break would be up soon, and this bonehead had used most of it so far. "Do you need help getting back too, or can you manage that alone?"
Sarcasm was very obvious, and Brian only shook his head. "No, you can leave... but if they find my body trapped amidst the spider webs somewhere in these halls I expect you to take full responsibility," he replied, attempting to lighten the mood with a joke. Unfortunately Dana's sense of humor didn't surface.
"Meaning you'd like me to stay?" she sighed.
"It'd be appreciated."
"Fine, just... hurry" Dana sat down next to the door, and waited, tapping her foot impatiently. She could hear everything through the thin door. Finally, she heard the flush of a toilet, and the door pushed open. "Don't you wash?" she asked him, disgusted.
"Yes" he replied with equal disgust. "Why, don't you?"
"Yea, I do too. Let's go, wash and we can leave." They walked back in silence, Brian not daring to further annoy Dana with small talk. Dana picked her belongings up off the floor, and continued to walk alongside with him. The silence became very uncomfortable, and they were both thankful when the clamor and din of the party became evident.
"Well, thank you for saving me from the hallway Dana" Brian extended his hand, forcing nice-ness upon himself. "It was a pleasure to meet you."
"Pleasure to meet you too, Brian." She shook his hand firmly. Even though she was annoyed, he was being polite to her. 'He has some good sides' she thought satirically.
They went their separate ways; Dana returned to the buffet table, Brian to his table at the front of the room. He sat back down, and smiled falsely. "So, where are we?" he asked, submerging himself into the dull conversation.
- - -time passes- - -
Dana rested her elbows against the counter top and exhaled. People were finally coming over to the food, now that the press had been shooed away and the party had begun. Drinks were on the house, something Dana was sure the hosts would regret later, judging by the number of people that had come running for free shots and beers. She spotted Brian making his way over to her. "Can I help you?" she asked once her arrived at the counter.
"That sounds familiar" he teased. "I do believe those were the first words you said to me last time we met."
She rolled her eyes playfully, being in a better mood now then she was when they first met. "Sorry about my earlier psycho-bitch attitude. I was a little pissed off about some stuff."
"Care to share?" Brian offered. "I'm good at eliminating the evil psycho-bitch."
She shook her head, smiling crookedly. "Nope. This psycho-bitch is bigger than you and I." Remembering something she'd heard from earlier in the party, she asked him, "Why didn't you tell me who you were?"
He opened his mouth, and stopped, surprised by her question. "Huh?" was the only legible answer he could provide. 'She knows who I am' Brian thought unhappily. He'd been enjoying having someone treat him like a normal person.
"Who you were" she repeated. "You only said 'Brian', you didn't say 'Hey I'm Brian, one of the guys who is paying for this little shindig.' If you would have said that I'd have been a little nicer... after all, you're paying my check tonight."
He laughed, realizing she didn't know, and avoided responding. "So Dana, you can help me now" he grinned.
"Oh, it's gonna be like that, is it?" she asked, and he nodded reverently, eyes twinkling. "Okay, shoot"
"You can pour me a coke, and my friends want a Mike's Hard, and a beer," he relayed his orders.
"Gee, quite the daredevil!" she said with mild sarcasm, feeling flirty. "A coke?! Brian! You're what, around twenty-three? That'd be my guess... "
"Twenty-four," he corrected her.
"Twenty-four," Dana continued while preparing the drinks, "And you're only getting a coke? Come on, live a little! Have a sunrise at least!"
"Not tonight" he shook his head ruefully and sat on the barstool. "I had my fun last weekend... " he trailed off, remembering the bar hopping he and Howie had done the previous weekend. There was a steady murmur of voices around them that swelled every so often. Minute's later Dana set the tall mug, a bottle, and a glass of coke in front of him.
"Enjoy" Dana smiled.
"Thanks Dana" Brian replied, and returned to his seat.
"Who's the girl?" Nick asked, stealing a sip of AJ's beer.
"Huh? What do you mean 'Who's the girl'?" Brian was spaced out.
"The girl you were just talking to at the bar," Nick laughed. "What other girl were you talking to at the bar?"
"I dunno... " he trailed off. " That girl, as you so eloquently put it, was Dana," he told Nick distractedly. Pushing the beer in the direction of the empty chair that was AJ's, Brian sipped his own drink thoughtfully.
"So what's up with Dana?" Nick grabbed the glass away from Brian and took another swig of coke.
"Why are you so intent on making small talk about Dana the bar worker?"
"Cause nothing else is happening." Nick replied.
Brian decided to change the topic. "How are things going with Rachel the girlfriend?" Nick knew two Rachel's, so Brian had to specify which one.
"Pretty good," Nick nodded. "How are things going with Dana the bar worker?"
"There are no 'things' with Dana the bar worker, I've known her for like twenty minutes." Brian retorted.
"Whatever you say..." Nick smirked. He knew when Brian was interested in someone, sexually or otherwise. He eyed Brian suspiciously, knowing that his friend would eventually spill the dirt.
"What?!" Brian exclaimed after a few minutes. "Why the hell are you looking at me like that?"
Nick gave Brian an innocent look, as if to say 'who, me?' and averted his eyes smugly.
"What is with you? There is nothing going on with me and Dana!" Brian defended himself from Nick's accusing eyes.
"Oh, so it's just Dana now? You're on a name basis?"
"So did you watch the Lakers game last night?" Brian wondered, hoping that Nick would give up on the stupid game of Q&A he had developed.
"The Lakers didn't play last night. If you're going to change the subject at least make it believable Brian," Nick chided, amused that Brian was so flustered over this girl. "The Spurs played last night, against the Timberwolves. And no, I didn't watch the game, you and I were on the bus, travelling home."
"Oh, yeah." He covered his mistake mutely, and once again stirred his drink.
"What's the matter? Dana erased your brain?"
Brian groaned inwardly, and was about to reply when Kevin returned to the table and grabbed his Mike's Hard. Returning to silence, Brian stirred his drink, and gaxed at the crowd of dancing people. 'Dancing... dance... Dana' he associated the words silently. Reverting his glance to the bar, he watched her with mild interest.
AJ came back and grasped his beer. They were all in a boisterous mood, thrilled to be back in Florida. There was this party tonight, and the last concert of the tour tomorrow. Then it was all over. "Almost finished guys," AJ told them with wide eyes. "One - more - night!" he finished, and chugged the whole thing. After that, Brian had only one word to describe the forth coming night, and it came into mind when AJ slammed down the empty beer mug and headed for the dance floor... long... especially for the sober half of the Backstreet Boys. Which, by the end of the night, would consist of Brian... and only Brian.
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