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Fox 041: Chef Fox 4

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[AN: This is the fort-first in the Fox Tale series.  Please read them in order.]
[Creative property of Lady Quindecim]

Page Forty One: Chef Fox 4



    I steeled my thoughts of deception, putting them aside until I had time to let them eat at me from the inside, and got to the point at hand.  Here they were, two people that I needed to talk to about this, but approaching was the entire rest of the band.  “Brad, Mags, I really do need to talk to you, but obviously, it’s time for practice, so it will have to wait.”
    “Lab band?” Mags offered.
    I really wanted to talk to them, well, at least Mags, before I had to to deal with Kathy and Julie, but I probably was just being worked up about nothing.  Sure, caution was good, but not everyone was going to be out to get me.  Not yet, anyway.
    So, we all walk into the band hall and break away in our respective directions.  I spy the two would be conspirators, who are going on as if nothing had been said.  Of course, I am sure, they recognize that there was no chance for me to have talked to Cody between lunch and then, but maybe... maybe I was making a bigger deal of things than they needed to be.  Maybe this was just a tiny footnote on the lunchtime conversation.  We had talked about a number of things.  I focussed on convincing myself I was worrying about it too much.

*     *     *
    Roughly an hour later - on the shy side, I was dragging myself out of the band hall and up to the second floor.  Lack of sleep made for a difficult practice.  I had apologized to Drummer Brad, but he had simply muttered something about me not being half as bad as people who were supposed to already have been familiar with the music, only not in so many words.  His words, though, did nothing to alleviate the run-down.
    Needing to, uh, go, I went on into the upstairs restroom, which was empty, thankfully.  As I sat in the stall, however, I heard the restroom door and in a beat, Fox’s shoes were visible in front of the stall.
    “Hurry up and pee, I gotta ask you something.”
    A moment later and I was asking what was up as I walked to the sink.
    “No, that’s what I am wondering.  Those two flagged you down at lunch, then you suddenly need to talk to Mags and Brad?”  There was worry in her eyes.
    “It should be nothing - probably nothing, but, I just... they were there and I was not sure I...” ...could talk to her about it was the rest of the thought, but how could I say that without explaining why.  “Okay.”  I decided I could tell her without sounding panicked.  But it still all came out in a rush.  “The thing is, Kathy said Julie said she wants me to ask Cody to put in a good word for Julie to Keith because Kathy said that Julie really wants to go out with Keith, BUT,” and I need a breath, “I am not comfortable with the whole situation because I mean like I am the new one here, so why me, right, and if it takes Cody putting in a good word for her for Keith to maybe pay her some attention, then that is just like not the makings of a good relationship but I really figure that all that is really moot because Keith is not going to go out with her anyway so it just all really makes me feel like someone is getting set up and I really don’t want any part of anything like that only I am scared that I may be the one being set up because like outside of you, Mags, and maybe Brad and Cody, I don’t know who I can trust really, around here and I really just don’t know what to do and it just seems like there is all this stuff going on and people are trying to get me to do stuff or not do stuff and I am really,” I took another breath, “really tired.”
    “Hang on a min.”  I could not read Fox’s expression, flat and stony as it was, but far from void or vacant.  “Did you just say that you trust me?”
    “Well, yes?  I’ve told you that before.”
    “Okay, nevermind.  You’ll get over that.  So, this, your stress, is kind of like more than just... the girls being stupid girls oh-get-him-to-talk-to-me thing.   This goes back to English this morning.  You are having a heavy day, aren’t you?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Have you talked to Cody?”
    I shook my head.
    “What’s your plan?”
    “I am just going to be straight with him.  He can talk to Keith or not.  Maybe they will have a good laugh, or maybe their cover is blown and this is someone’s sick idea of taking the piss out of them, or... or me.”
    “I think I’ll-”
    “No, you can’t.  I’m sorry, but no.  I mean, then they’ll know I blabbed and they may take meaning to that.  That may be the very thing.”
    “What am I supposed to do?”
    “Nothing.  That was why I was just going to talk to Mags.  You are more of a... take action sort of person which is great, usually, but I don’t think this is so much a... an action-taking sort of situation.”
    “You are really worried about this.”
    Sure I was.  If I blew something with Cody’s cover, I would feel terrible about it, but then everyone would hate me and I really, really did not want to lose Fox.  “Or, I am just tired.  I was up all night.”
    “Sexy boyfriend hidden up in your room?”
    “What? Oh mercy no.”  I smiled a little, “It was my true love; music.”
    “Oh, I can never compete with that.”  It simply did not register.  I thought maybe I had fallen asleep on the lav, dreaming.
    “You’d be surprised.”  That was not out loud, was it?
    Judging by Fox’s shocked reaction, it was out loud.  She turned, hesitated just a moment, said something, or coughed, or something, but it was not the, “We’ll see about that,” that my ears reported before she ran out the door.  If I had a sword right then, I’d have thrown myself swiftly upon it.

*     *     *
    Sadly, I may have power-napped during history.  For one thing, I oddly felt more awake after the class.  For another thing, there was a big gap in my memory.  Of course, after my conversation with Fox, I cannot rule out brain damage.
    Lab band was, naturally, a blast.  It felt so good to simply let everything else in my mind evacuate in favour of the music that filled the void.  Mr and Mrs English teachers with their subversive assignments? What’s English - I forgot.  Some girl likes Keith?  Keith who?  This.  This music was the only thing in my entire life, the core of my existence and the root through which I survive.
    ...Except...
    ‘I can never compete with that.’
    You don’t have to, Fox.  There is no competition, only compliment.  You mirror in life the fire that burns in me when I play.  Do you see it when you look in my eyes?  Do you feel it thrumming in my chest when you lean into me?  Can I ever express these unnamed feelings - passion beyond words or being - without music?
    There is no competition.

*     *     *
    So, strung out on music, things were falling into place with like stupid-clear resolution.  It went like this:
    I was getting the quads on to take out to the practice field, and like a magnet, Mags and Brad were there.  Okay, like perfect, right because with the commotion, here was my opportunity to try and recover something for the day.
    Mags was using that tone that really prevents her voice from carrying. “You wanted to talk to us?  Will now be okay, or-”
    “Yeah, sure.  Actually, just kinda stay close.  It’s okay.”  Cody was walking up, and Kathy and Julie were nearby.
    “Hey, Brad.  Hey, Drummer Girl,” Cody winked.  
    Brad nodded to his brother in greeting.
    “Hey Sweetie,” I greeted, fighting a smirk, wondering where it came from.
    “I wanted to talk to you.”
    “Cool.  Me too.  You first.”  I saw, out of the corner of my eye, Kathy and Julie seemed like they could be paying attention.
    “I was wondering if you were free Saturday evening?”
    I was not phased.  It was all perfectly clear, step by step, line by line, like it was all written out in a well rehearsed script. “You’re asking me out? That’s cool.  Can we double with someone who can drive?”
    He was searching in his gaze.  All three, him, his brother, and Mags.  I imagined them trying to find the primer to decode my messages.  “Sure, of course.  But you wanted to tell me something?”  We all started walking out to the field.  It just kind of looked “normal”.
    “Yeah, but this is gonna sound a little awkward, with me being so new, but you are friends with Keith, right?”
    “Yeah, he’s like my best friend.”
    “So, you’d know if he was like, in a steady relationship or something - not for me,” I laughed playfully, “There is just, maybe someone wondering if he was available before accidentally stepping on toes, sort of thing.”
    “Oh? Anyone I know interested in him?”
    “Well, I am sure there are plenty of girls who are interested in him, but, well, we can talk about it later okay?  Not exactly group conversation material, right?”
    “Oh, no, I suppose not.  But you want me to maybe see what he thinks of her?  Test the waters?”
    I laughed a little, playing the part, “I guess I am kinda obvious.  Aren’t I.”
    “Maybe, but gimme some credit; I am fairly clever.  You can tell me about it later?”
    I nodded.
    “Okay.  Later,” and he dashed to catch up with his section.
    Mags stepped up to my side, taking his place.  “I wanted to ask you about Halloween.”
    “Oh?”  We stopped, letting everyone else pass out of earshot.
    She was a looking at me with an intensity that would have made me terrified had I not been out of my mind.  “What?”  I did not say anything, mostly because I think my brain was shutting down.  Then her eyes were showing things clicking inside.  “Are you off the hook?”
    “Yep.  They heard, and I will explain to Cody later.  He won’t react.”
    “You know this... how?”
    “Code words.  He told me he understood.”
    “Okay, but I was kind of having a heart attack trying to follow along.”  She kind of sighed, putting emphasis on her relief.
    “Don’t freak out, but I kind of ran things past Fox earlier, so I had a plan, more or less.”
    And she looked worried again, “Was that a good idea?  She is very.... reactionary.”
    “Oh, I am pretty sure I blew things completely - but on a different subject - between her and me.  I messed up so bad, I would not be surprised if she forgot all about it.”
    Mags’ expression was of dubious concern as she forced herself to join her section.

*     *     *
    There Fox stood by the backstage door.  I was thrilled and terrified to see her.  If I said the things I thought I said, were they in response to what I thought I heard?
    She spotted me.  She did not run away (again) which probably means she was waiting for me.  I did not know if that was a good sign, or bad.  It was sad how the confidence I had earlier had drained away so totally.  I did not even have the courage to tell my feet to stop and go the other way.  The silly things were skipping, for goodness sake.  Had they completely forgotten the fool I made of myself?
    At least she was smiling.  Or, at least I was imagining she was.  It was convincing.
    “A long day?”  She asked.
    I nodded.  Like my feet, my stupid mouth had forgotten everything and was smiling.  Smiling broadly, in fact.  “Yeah, like, if I said anything weird - I was just losing my mind.  Pay no attention.”
    “So, you didn’t mean what you said earlier.”
    “About the talking-to-Cody thing, or...?”
    “About the ‘or.’”
    “I was hoping you had forgotten about that.”
    She lost her smile and started walking, quickly.
    Had I not been so sleepy, my body would have already broken and the sight of her walking away, not just my heart.
    Then she stopped.  She turned over her shoulder at me.  “Well?”  She gestured with her head and I felt my smile return briefly until I reminded it that my luck did not need pushing.
    We walked together in silence for a long time, and until we were well away from the school.  Finally, she asked, “Did you get a chance to talk to Cody?”
    “Yes, and thank you for talking with me about it.  I mean, I think it went really well.”
    I could have sworn I saw her wipe a tear away.  “I’d like to hear about it.  I mean, believe it or not, I know how girls can be.”
    It took me a few paces to process before I responded, “Yeah, my kind with our stupid games and ploys and stabs in the back.  Anyway,” I went on before she could remark on my comment, “It just all came together.  I had Mags and Brad there to back me up, if needed.”
    I went on to describe how it played out, starting with Cody asking me for a date on Saturday and finishing with how I had no idea how that was supposed to work, but that I figured he had a plan and a few days to fill me in on it.
    Then she turned the conversation back to when she was waiting for me by the stage door.  “How could you think I could forget what you said?  I have been replaying it over and over again for hours.  Every word, every pause.  And now you take it back?”
    “No, I’m not taking anything back, I just can’t believe... I am not sure what I thought you said was what you actually said.  I’m not sure what I was responding to.”
    She stopped, I stopped, and she looked from side to side.  I had not realised we were already on the path through the park, but she grabbed the front of my coat and, backing up, pulled me onto her trail to the graveyard.  Just a couple steps and she stopped, looking at me, speaking quietly, “So let me get this right.  You meant what you said based on what you thought I said?”
    I was terrified, but without a better plan, the truth made a constrained appearance.  “Yeah.  I meant it.”
    “But maybe you heard wrong?”
    “I think I heard what I wanted to hear.  What did you say?”
    She shook her head, “Maybe I heard what I wanted to hear too.”  She leaned into me, wrapping her arms around me with a comforting sigh.  “DG?”
    My arms found their way around Fox.  “Yes?”
    “I... I like that you believe in me.  I can’t tell you how that feels.  I don’t want to mess that up.”
    All I could think about was that when everything blows up between us, it would be big.
    “Tell me again about this date you and Cody are going on?”  If I did not know better, I would swear she was snuggling into me.
    “I don’t... Wait, Saturday is Mags’ party.  Halloween.  I forgot that was Saturday.  I’ll have to talk to him... I will be working... with you.”
    “Say that last part again.”  There was almost a purr in her voice.
    “I’ll be working with you.”
    “Try not to think about it as work, and say it again.”
    I smiled, “I’ll be with you.”
    “There you go.  Don’t freak out.  Let me just hold onto that while I can.”

[You have been reading the fort-first installment of the Fox Tale Series by Lady Quindecim.]
[If you received this text from a source other than DeviantArt, please let the author know via e-mail to lady.quindecim@gmail.com]
[I hope you have enjoyed this installment]
If this is the first one you are reading, by all means please stop and read the first one [link] first, then proceed in order, if you would be so kind.

And if you like it/them, let me know. If you do not, I would still like to know. If you are completely indifferent and do not feel it is worth your time to comment, that's okay, you can let me know that as well.


Part One: Fox at First Sight → [link]
Part Two: Foxy Lady → [link]
Part Three: Still a Fox → [link]
Part Four: Fellowship of the Fox → [link]
Part Five: Fox Free Period → [link]
Part Six: Fox, but not Forgotten → [link]
Part Seven: Fox Report → [link]
Part Eight: Fox in socks → [link]
Part Nine: Lingering Fox → [link]
Part Ten: Bargain with a Fox → [link]
Part Eleven: Speechless Fox → [link]
Part Twelve: Fox Filled Dreams → [link]
Part Thirteen: In a Box, With a Fox → [link]
Part Fourteen: Fox and Stone → [link]
Part Fifteen: Chef Fox & On the Spot → [link]
Part Sixteen: Fox Proud → [link]
Part Seventeen: Fox is Watching → [link]
Part Eighteen: Foxless Day? → [link]
Part Nineteen: Cornered Without a Fox → [link]
Part Twenty: A Fighting Fox → [link]
Part Twenty One: What Fox Can Never Know → [link]
Part Twenty Two: The Wounded Fox → [link]
Part Twenty Three: The True Fox → [link]
Part Twenty Four: Holding On To Fox → [link]
Part Twenty Five: A Box for Fox → [link]
Part Twenty Six: A Locked Box for Fox → [link]
Part Twenty Seven: Putting Fox Aside → [link]
Page Twenty Eight: The Fox Path → [link]
Page Twenty Nine: Fox Has Secrets → [link]
Page Thirty: Happy Fox → [link]
Page Thirty One: Walking With Fox → [link]
Page Thirty Two: Fox’s Gift → [link]
Page Thirty Three: A Foxed Conviction → [link]
Page Thirty Four: Fox’s Town → [link]
Page Thirty Five: Fox at Hand → [link]
Page Thirty Six: A Foxy Habit → [link]
Page Thirty Seven: I Can Dream About Fox → [link]
Page Thirty Eight: Chef Fox 1 → [link]
Page Thirty Nine: Chef Fox 2 → [link]
Page Forty: Chef Fox 3 → [link]
Page Forty One: Chef Fox 4 → You are Here ←
Page Forty Two: Searching for Fox → [link]

If, for whatever reason, you want to use any of this/these, please check with me first.

As always, comments and feedback are welcome.
© 2013 - 2024 LadyQuindecim
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