"Chaos and Harmony" Chris Albert

Hi

I'm slapping these out.

Rainie's POV

I sat across from Jonah the IHOP. He was talking. I sat next to Elisa too. We all listened. Mike was just looking over at Jonah. Staring at him. He nudged me. "Do you know what he's tlaking about?" He whispered.

"No," I said.

Jonah kept talking. And I was sitting there eating chocolate chip pancakes and thinking about them and being here at the IHOP on route 27.

It was sort of late. And I didn't know if Paul was going. If he was there, I would have said I needed to meet with a publisher or something and slipped out. But he wasn't here. And I had a feeling I wouldn't be seeing him much for now. Especially after the night before.

Sean came out of nowhere. He sat down at the end. "Hey," He said. "Elisa, we signed that band and we heard about that band with the Auto Tuner guy. We have a meeting this week with them."

"Really?" She asked. "Cool."

"Is that that band you sent me with the techno guy and the good band?" Bennett asked Elisa.

"Yeah," Sean said. "Totally sick band, but we need to talk the guy into dropping the Auto Tune."

He shrugged out of his jacket. He looked around. "Where's Paul?" Sean asked.

I felt all of these heat rush through my neck when I heard his name. "Parents, but he's been reading all afternoon." Jonah said.

"Oh yeah," Bennett pointed his fork at me. "He told me you guys talked about your books os I lent him some. He got through one in a couple hours. I think he really like them."

I nodded. Touching my neck. Strangly it was not hot at the touch. "Cool," I said.

Sean leaned forward looking at me. "I reado ne of your recent ones." He said. "I like it, isn't it all metaphorical?"

I paused. I didn't talk much about the meaning. "Uh, yeah." I said. I cleared my throat. "It is."

"It's really cool," Sean said. "I loved it. When's your next book coming out?"

"Few months," Elisa said. "Right?"

"Yeah," I said. We made eye contact and I looekd away. She was worried again. I coughed a little. I didn't know why. This wasn't anxiety related. I took my pills. My throat was jsut scratchy.

They started tlaking. I went quiet. When we were leaving Elisa saw my duffle bag in the back. "Do you want to crash on our couch?" She asked nicely.

I shook my head. "No, I'm going home tonight," I said. "But thanks."

"No problem. Remember, you can always stay over."

"I know," I said. "Goodnight."

Elisa's POV

I was lying down. He came in climbing under the blankets and "spooning" me. He kissed my neck. "Hi," He said. We shifted and went back to fitting together nicely.

"Hi," I said. I turned my face to kiss him. He kissed me back. When I started to turn back he kept kissing me. He pulled me closer to him. I smiled and we finally stopped and just lay still.

"I missed you so much." He whispered.

"I missed you too." I said.

He kissed my neck. "Can I ask you something?" He whispered.

"Sure," I said.

He reached over turning on a light. I rolled onto my back. He looked at me. "You're not putting your life on hold for me, are you?" He asked suddenly. His face was concerned.

I looked at him steadily. "No," I said. "Why?"

He paused. Touching my face. "I talked to Paul," He said. "About why he broke up with Rainie. And he said it was because she was giving up too many things for him."

I paused. Freezing. "You're not brekaing up with me are you?" I asked.

He froze too. "No," He said. He kissed me. "Never. I can't live without you."

I started kissing him. "Good," I said into his lips. We kept kissing. He wove his fingers into mine. "I love you," I whispered when his lips moved to my neck.

"I love you more." Hr said smiling agaisnt my skin.

"No, never." I said.

He laughed softly kissing me. And we made love to each other that night for the first itme since he's been home.

Paul's POV

I was staying in again the next night. Everyone was going out to see a bunch of Conor Oberst wannabe acts where most likely half the crowd would be running up tkaing pictures with Bennett and getting autographs and talking about our band.

We were out of beer so I was going to go get some. Walking out a car was pulled up in front. Rainie froze. "Hey," She said.

My heart started pounding. "Hi," I said.

"Is Elisa home?" She asked.

"No," I said scratching my neck. "Uh, they went to a show in the city."

"Oh," She said. She opened her mouth to talk.

I interrupted her. "I read your books." I said. "The ones I haven't read yet."

Her eyebrows went up. "All of them?" She said. "There were four."

I paused. "I know," I said. I realized I sounded pathetic. And weird and needy. I jsut wanted to be with her. I know it was just a one night stand. But there was a part of me that wanted to be with her so badly. Not in any kind of relaitonship. Just talking to her.

She looked down. "Can we talk Paul?" She said. "About the other night?"

I swallowed. "Is that okay with you if we do?" I asked.

She nodded. And followed me inside.