© 2000 Chaotic Bliss Fan
Fiction
Through the good and bad, I’ve always been right
here
An arms length away
Right in front of your face
This close to your lips, right at your fingertips
Darling what would you say
If I told you it’s an arm length away
“Jillie, darlin’, where are you?” Lance yelled as he let himself into
Jillian’s house. She had lived down the
street from him since he moved in after touring. They started with the friendly neighborly wave, then ended up
being more of good friends.
“I’m upstairs changing. I’ll be right down.”
Jillian smiled at the sound of Lance’s voice. She’d been so lucky to find a friend like him. She told him everything and loved spending
time with him.
Lance
went into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
He grabbed a Bud Light and opened it.
He wondered into the family room and flipped on the news.
“Where are we going tonight?” Jillian asked as she kissed Lance hello.
“You’re choice tonight.”
“How about a cozy dinner and drinks. I don’t feel much like going out.”
Oh god, here we go the dramatics of another boyfriend
lost Lance thought. “Why not?” he asked
dreading having to sit through another break-up story.
“I just don’t think I could have fun and not think of
how Kieran stomped all over my heart.”
“Then why not stay in and order Chinese.” Lance suggested.
“Sounds
wonderful! You always know just how to
make me feel better.” Jillian leaned
over and kissed Lance on the check. “Do
you think we could watch Adam Sandler movie too?”
The
Adam Sandler movie night went well and it was three days later before Jillie
called Lance.
“Hello.” He’d been ‘busy’ when the phone interrupted
him.
“Howdy
Lance, what’cha doing tonight?”
Jillie’s chipper voice rang.
Lance
looked over at the woman lying next to him in bed. She wasn’t who he wanted, but if he couldn’t have Jillian then
this woman would do, for now.
“Nothing.” Jillie’s mood swings
were driving him nuts. She must have
either gotten back with Kieren or found someone new. Why couldn’t it be him?
Did she even realize that he cared about her?
“I
want to go out tonight. Can you find
someone to go with you?”
Oh
great it sounds like another double date where the evening is spent wishing I
were with her, Lance thought. “I can
ask Stef and see what she’s doing tonight.”
The woman laying next to him gave him a questioning look at the mention
of her name.. Lance placed his hand
over the phone before explaining, “It’s
Jillian, she want us to go gout tonight.
Are you free?”
Yeah,
sound like great fun,” she said as she rolled her eyes.
“Jillian,
it’s fine. We can go out. What time?”
Lance thanked God that Stef was a good sport. She never minded going out with him at her last minute.
“Is
she there?” Jillie asked almost hurt.
“Yeah,”
Lance answered trying to ignore the fact that she sounded hurt.
Jillian
quickly recovered from the shock. Why
should I be concerned about who’s at his house. I’m in love with Kieren. “How
about 7 at my house?”
“Fine,
see you then.” Lance hung up and looked
over at Stef. “Thanks for this.”
“Anything
for you Lance.” Stef leaned over and
kissed him on the nose before getting up for the day.
“Where
are you going?” Lance whined.
Stef
stopped, “Come on Lance last night was fun and all, but we don’t need to
pretend that it was anything serious. I
needed to forget what’s his name and you needed to pretend that I was
Jillian.” She knew how Lance felt about
her and t didn’t bother her. Their
friendship was the perfect arrangement.
The
day went by quickly as Lance sat at his desk at his company. He’d stared absentmindedly out the window
most the morning and now he sat in a meeting not even hearing a word that was
spoken. He felt guilty for using Stef
the way that he does, but he couldn’t help himself the first time they ended up
in bed together. The next time was
easier and now months later they weren’t even ashamed of the fact that they
each loved other people. He found it
easy to confide in her and she in him.
Lance was awoken from his daydream from the person sitting next to
him. “Hm?”
“Meeting’s
over. Ready to go back to your office
and daydream?”
“Stef,
what’s happening to me?”
“Love
sucks, doesn’t it?” Stef smiled as she
gathered her notes and left the boardroom.
Lance
went through the rest of the day in a daze.
He barely responded when necessary, but somehow made it through the
day. He headed home at five and
immediately poured himself a drink. As
the cool liquid ran down his throat he wondered why he was letting this date bother
him so much. “I love her, that’s why,”
he said to himself.
For so long, I’ve longed to hold you, oh the nights
I almost told you
I stopped myself, afraid of just what you might say
And the love that you have searched for, that seems
so out of reach
Have you ever stopped to think it might be me
An arms length away
Right in front of your face
This close to your lips, right at your fingertips
Darling what would you say
If I told you it’s an arm length away
The doorbell sounded as Lance
finished the drink. “Coming.” Wow, Stef’s early, Lance thought. Lance opened the door only to find Jillian
standing there. “I thought we were
meeting at your house.”
“We are. I just had to come and talk to you before we
went out.” Jillian walked into Lance’s
house and headed for the living room.
Lance followed. “What’s up?”
“Lance, you know how much I
value your friendship right?” Jillian walked over to the bar and grabbed
herself a beer.
Oh
no, now what? Lance pondered. “Yes, I realize.” Lance really wondered if it was the shoulder
to cry on she valued or him.
Jillian turned towards him. “I can’t go out with Kieran tonight.”
“Why, what did he do this time?”
“He didn’t do anything. The problem is that he’s not you.” Lance stared at her dumbfounded. Did she just say what he thought that she said? She walked over to where Lance was seated on
the couch. She sat next to him and
grabbed his hands. “I love you,
Lance.” She laughed as tears began to
stream down her face. “I’ve loved you
for so long now that I can’t remember when I didn’t.” Lance opened his mouth to speak, but Jillian placed a finger over
his lips. “Please let me finish. I thought that you weren’t interested in me,
and then I got a phone call today from Stef.
At first I was jealous of her, but now I know that you really don’t love
her, do you?”
Lance opened his mouth to speak,
paused to make sure that she was going to actually let him speak, and then
simply said, “No, I love you.” Lance
ran his free hand down her cheek. “Do
you know how long I’ve wanted to tell you that?”
Jillian laughed. “It looks like we could have save a lot of
heartache if we’d been honest from the beginning.”
Lance pulled her close to
him. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted
to kiss you?” He didn’t wait another
second. Their lips met in a sweet
dance. When they finally broke apart
Lance asked, “What about our dates?”
“I canceled them. Permanently!” Jillian leaned over and kissed Lance again. “I’m a one man woman now.”
That one true love, you’re dreaming of
Darling what would you say
If I told you it’s an arms length away
That one true love, you’re dreaming of
If I told you it’s an arms length away
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