The One That Got Away

Chapter 7

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: You Know What

Chris,

I hope you are well. Though, if we are honest, I bet you are. As I’m sure you know, gossip is avoidable but the news scarcely is.

I’m not sure about this Comic Con thing you mentioned. I get that you want me to escape my own head for a bit maybe, go all crazy and have a little fun…but well…I don’t know okay?

Anyway! I was wondering how you are feeling about everything. I do worry.          

Cheers,

Monique

To:[email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: You Know What

Monique,

Please drop the formalities. We cried on each others’ shoulders at my sister’s funeral. I propositioned you; Much more than once, as I recall… I’m well, thanks for asking.

Comic con is by far the best idea I have ever come up with. Come on, my friends and I are counting on you to beautify our vanilla, nerdy group. One of my friends is a champion at World of Warcraft. You know we won’t get laid if you don’t come meet us even if one of us is an honest to God billionaire. Do you want us to die of blue balls? Surely you don’t want that on your conscience.

So, love. How are you feeling? Will I be seeing you soon?

Chris

P.S. Don’t worry.

P.P.S. Even if I worry about you.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Re: You Know What

Chris,

Fine. Yes, sorry. You did. Hm. This is my work email, though.

That said, I don’t want to be responsible for any more deaths. And Enzo says it’s fun and he might come with me. So you might see me.

I am perfectly well. And yes. You might be. But please, if you want to arrange anything, call.

Monique

P.S. I can’t help it.

P.P.S. Shush.

To:[email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Re: Re: You Know What

Monique,

Fu*k. Yes. Work email.

I’ll call you, t*ts.

Chris

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: You Know What

Christopher Brown. Call me t*ts again and I will castrate you.

With love,

Monique

To:[email protected]

From:[email protected]

Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: You Know What

😉

*****

Monique wasn’t too sure about this comic con thing. She wasn’t really one to fangirl over fictional characters. But she couldn’t imagine a better escape from life than immersing herself in a universe where everyone was dressed as wonder woman and Shrek. She could hang out with Chris and his friends for a few days, get to know him even better…she’d been thinking that maybe it was time she started dating again. And Chris was nice. Besides, Enzo would be with her. What could go wrong?

*****

Oliver was doing a panel at Comic Con presenting to the world his new game. It was an engineering based concept involving actual robot suits. His publicity department had assured him that it would be a hit surpassing even that of his first game, Warrior Androids, which had catapulted him from millionaire to billionaire. He was taking Ty and Chris with him so he could work as well as play. He and Ty had discussed it; feeling bad for missing Chris’ sister, Emily’s funeral. They could do this for him to cheer him up. Steve had to bow out because of work but he and Ty felt they were up to the task of distracting Chris. Especially with the help of the girl he’d been emailing since the funeral. What better way to get him out of a funk than some nice cathartic s*x with someone who knew what he was going through. Chris talked very enthusiastically about her and they seemed close for only having met each other. Oliver was looking forward to meeting her. Maybe she had a friend he could hook up with too. It really was time for his own dry spell to end.

*****

Oliver would be the first one to say that Chris wasn’t an… easy person to live with.

An obsessive compulsive freak would be a nice and accurate description.

Chris stood in the living room, clipboard in hand.

Oliver, and Ty stood in a line, everyone of them with their opened bags in front of them.

“Laptop.”

“Check.”

“Emergency external WiFi Card.”

“Check.”

“Second USB hub.”

Ty looked over the bags to see that they had their hubs packed.

“External hard drive.”

The hard drives were gleaming in their cases.

“Comic books for signing.”

They presented the comics they had selected for signing after checking on the Comic Con website who would be there.

“Digital cameras for panels.”

They presented their cameras.

“Floor plan of the building.”

Ty patted his folded plan.

“List of the convention guests and speakers.”

They nodded happily.

“Star Trek The Original Series phasers”

They checked the phasers at their belts

“Star Trek The Original Series communicators”

The three flipped their communicators open and grinned.

Chris felt carefully that his Vulcan ears were where they should be and crossed that point from his clipboard.

They were ready for their flight to San Diego, their bags packed and their costumes perfect.

Whatever else anybody wanted to say about Chris Brown, sometimes it was a good thing to have him.

*****

Monique packed her things slowly, planning her journey in her head. She would go to this comic con thing that Chris had invited her to because it seemed fun and he had access. And then she would go home and see her mother. She was dreading it, as much as she wanted to see her family again, being home would just remind her of everything she had lost. And she’d been doing such a good job of forgetting. Or running away. Whatever you wanted to call it; it was working. But now they were back in the States, Emily was dead and her brother was a new distraction to focus on. Enzo with the pitying eyes was a pain in the behind but he meant well; she got that. She just didn’t need people who ‘meant well’ right now.

“You all packed?” Enzo asked as he entered the room.

Speak of the devil.

“Almost. Just gathering my unmentionables. You might want to leave me alone for a bit, or turn your back.”

Enzo snorted, “I’ve seen unmentionables before. Emily had plenty,” he scoffed.

“Sure sure; but Emily was a diminutive little white girl. I on the other hand am a tall, svelte, bootylicious, and boobalicious black girl. We have different unmentionables.”

Enzo inclined his head to the side, “Is it still sexist if you talk about yourself like that?” he asked curiously.

“No. It’s called self-awareness,” she replied. Enzo chuckled but wandered out of the room anyway, flopping down on the couch and turning on the TV. Loud. Monique sighed, rolling her eyes, and continued her packing.