5. A Night Out or Spock and the Red Shirts

A series of short stories documenting the relationship of Bree and Jim. Foundation pieces for a larger novel Bree and Jim have dinner with friends

5. A Night Out or Spock and the Red Shirts

He’s managed it, she marveled to herself. The track pounding beneath her feet as she ran. He’d managed to find something she couldn’t resist. Pizza. She was a sucker for a good one. Just the thought of it made her start to drool as she came around the corner of the track. It was a good thing she was running that day, she thought as she considered the number of calories she was going to eat that night. 

She really did hate running on a track, she’d much rather find a trail, but Tucson in the summer was’t something she wanted to face outside any longer than she had to. It was nothing like her previous home in Montana. There she had a beautifully tended trail that ran along the Missouri River. It was a challenge at times, because the whole thing rolled with the naturally hilly terrain of the city, but no matter how she swore during her runs there, she still loved it every time. 

Maintaining her pace was easy after years of regular running. She was proud of her ability and had competed in a few different races and placed very well, so she could afford to let her mind wander as she worked of every last trace of physical stress. After finishing her obsessing over pizza, her mind wandered to the person she’d be eating with that night, Jim. It wasn’t just him that would be there, she would be joining him and his friends to watch a basketball game. She figured, and so did he since he said so himself, that it wasn't really a date but a chance to hang out and get to know each other in person and enjoy some human company away from Marissa and her family. Honestly, she needed to make some more friends, though she wasn’t sure a bunch of college people were who she needed to be associating with.

She looked down at her watch and realized she’d pushed well past her usual run by 5 minutes. She slowed down and walked, adjusting the music running through her earbuds to a slower pace to cool down before heading back to the apartment for a shower and to relax until later. Maybe she’d pull up Dr Mario on the Wii and see if she could beat Marissa’s recent high score. She heard the jubilant sound of Han helping defeat the empire cut in over her music.

*How’d your run go? -J* (picture attached) 12:45

This was the first time he’d sent a picture she realized with a small tilt of her head. Looking at it, she saw that face with the startling blue eyes and that dimpled smile that belonged to him, and she felt her heart give a little jump. A smile flickered on her face before she realized he wasn’t wearing a t-shirt, but some sort of white collared shirt that crossed over his chest. Some sort of logo over the left breast, it wasn't too tightly fitted and she realized she was slightly disappointed for a moment. Suddenly recognition of the logo set in, Tai Kwon Do. He was wearing a dobok. She recognized it from when her brothers took lessons as boys. She couldn’t see his belt since the photo ended just under the logo on the chest.

*I didn’t know you took Tai Kwon Do. You look look like your comfortable in the uniform. -B* 10:48

Bree made her way off the track now that she’d had a chance to cool down from the run and grabbed her water bottle tand took a long drink, thankful it was now mostly melted from the frozen mass it had been earlier. 

*Wow. Didn’t expect you to recognize it. I better be comfortable. I’ve taken it for years, since high school. 4th dan as of last year. -J* (picture attached) 12:51only most

Another picture, this time obviously not taken by himself, since she could now see the belt tied around his waist and more of the facility behind him. This time she noticed that his smile was more of a smirk, he looked much less comfortable than he had before. 

*Thats cool. I’d rather run. Guess it makes sense for you to have some martial arts training. Must make any confrontations that much easier to deal with. I just run. -B” 12:54

Bree walked out of the gym to her Jeep, and before she put it into drive, an urge to send a pic in return struck her, although she had no idea what to say with it. So instead of trying to be clever, or losing the confidence to do it, she snapped a photo, decided it wasn't too horrible, despite the limp, sweaty hair and the sheen of sweat over the flush of her skin from the run, and sent it.

She heard her phone chime again, but as was her practice to not answer while she was driving, she ignored it for the few blocks it took her to get home. Pulling into her spot in the complex and getting out of the vehicle, she now satisfied her curiosity about his response. 

*Running is good. I do it too. Its come in handy a couple times, but its only mostly come in handy breaking up fights between my sisters. And if its OK to say, you are stunning. -J* 12:53

She stumbled stepping onto the apartment’s patio after reading the last bit. Stunning? He said stunning? Really. Oh my. Bree stopped for a moment to pick up her keys, unlock the door and let herself into the blissfully cool silence of her space. She practically ran to the bathroom and started the shower. It was going to take a few moments to recover from this one. 

Cool water raining over hot skin cooled her body but did nothing for the startled thoughts still lingering. She could hear her phone chime a couple of times while she washed her hair and scrubbed herself clean. Turning off the water, she grabbed her towel and dried off, curious about the messages waiting for her but now almost afraid to see them. Wrapping her hair up, she couldn’t ignore it any longer. 

*Sorry. Was that too much? -J* 1:00

*You aren’t ditching me tonight are you? -J* 1:03

*It was just a surprise. Not ditching. You promised pizza. -B* 1:10

Bree pulled on her underclothes, a comfortable pair of denim capris and then dug around in her shirts to find one she thought he’d like her in. She settled for a blue shirt with Captain America’s shield on it and thought briefly that some day she’d need to start buying more adult clothes. She pulled a pair of socks out of the top drawer and walked out to her chair and plopped down in it. She had some time to kill before going over to the pizza place for the game. 

~~~~~~~~

Pulling into the parking lot for the pizzaria, she didn’t see Jim’s truck, but she realized that with the close proximity to the campus, that it was entirely possible that he either walked or grabbed a ride with one of his friends that they’d be with tonight. Of course, she could have beaten them here too. She decided to avoid looking too eager and sent Jim a message to see where they were.

*You guys at the restaurant? -B* 7:00

*Yep, we just got a table and drinks are on the way. -J* 7:01

She shut off the Jeep and got out to go inside. Walking in through the door, she took a quick look around, it was a small place, but definitely bigger than it had looked from the outside. It was well lit, but then that could have been because the sun as shining in from the front windows. Taking off her sunglasses, she saw him at the same time that he saw her. They both raised their hands in greeting as he lighted at something his friend must have said. 

As she walked towards the table, he snagged what must have been their waitress for the night and said something to her quickly before she scurried off. Jim pulled out the chair next to him as she got close, and she took the seat while giving a quick look over the others assembled at the table all clad in UA red shirts. He placed his arm over the back of her chair, relaxing back into the seat and towards her as he introduced his friends to her.

“Bree, meet Artie-“

Artie, thin and long limbed, lifted his chin in her direction, “Hey.”

“Chell-“

“Howdy,” the one with the dark curly hair saluted.

“Ben-“

An attractive, almost feminine fellow lifted his already half empty glass towards her. 

“and Spock. 

“Despite the name I have and understand emotion, its an unfortunate nickname,” he grinned at her. 

“Guys, meet Bree,” Jim Finally finished, she lifted her hand in a little wave.

“Hey all.” Bree greeted them in return, suddenly feeling awkward as now all five men had their attention on her for a moment before returning to what they were talking about before she came in, apparently reviewing the game that was on the television. 

Turning her attention to Jim, since he was the only one she actually knew, she asked him how they knew each other. He pointed out each in turn and gave a quick rundown, most were new acquaintances, Artie from a sociology class, Ben and Chell from Ethics course, and Spock had gone to school with him in Cheney but had left with his family when his dad was restationed with the military and happened to run into him when he joined the dojo just after classes started. 

Just as Spock was leaning over to talk to her, the waitress came up to the table, plopping another pitcher of what she thought was beer in the middle of the table and setting a pint glass of something dark in front of Bree. “Doctor Pepper for the lady, though if you need anything harder, let me know. This is a tough pack of guys your with,” and winked before she wandered off again. 

Bree gaped at the drink and Jim gave her shoulder a little squeeze. She smiled at him and took a drink. The waitress having taken her lead, Spock continued with what he was getting ready to say.

“Jim says your a paramedic here in town. Hows that working for you? Its a bit of a change coming from Nowhere, Montana, eh?”

“I am, and its good. Reminds me of Virginia, but much hotter. I think it helps that I usually partner up with someone that grew up in the area and is a great friend.”

Spock nodded, “Makes sense, whereabouts in Virginia?”

“Specifically Newport News, but I worked in Norfolk when I became an EMT.”

“Brave lady, working a guys career in a Navy town,” He raised his glass to her, and she raised hers in return. He wasn’t that far off, a decade ago, there weren’t many females in the field and it was hard to be taken seriously. 

Bree leaned back into her chair and felt Jim’s arm still slung around the back of it, the heat from it pleasant against her back. He was chatting with the boys as they all watched the game, their pizza having shown up and everyone enjoying a couple slices. It was one of the best pizzas she’d had in a long time. She might have to get a small pie to take home to Marissa. 

“Enjoying yourself?” A rough whisper in her ear startled her. Jim’s breath on her ear. She turned and looked into those eyes, inches from hers and couldn’t help but smile and nod. For the first time she noticed gold flecks in amongst the blue, but then again this was the first time they’d been close enough that she could see them.

“Immensely. Everyone is fun, though I have no idea whats going on with the game, not a basketball person.” She smiled at him again and tilted her head minutely. 

Rubbing his fingers on her arm in a comforting way from where they were slung over the back of her seat, they talked and enjoyed the rest of the evening in close proximity to each other. 

Eventually the pitcher had been drunk a couple times over and the pizza all gone, the bill paid and game over, everyone was ready to go for the night. The other that they were with walked out ahead of Jim and Bree who walked next to each other, and he escorted her to her car while pointing out the minivan that they had driven together in. She stood in the space of the open door, and Jim rested his hand on the corner of the door while he leaned on the vehicle. Seeing Spock getting into the driver’s seat, she crinkled her eyes concerned about someone who’d been drinking attempting to drive. Jim smoothed a hand over her shoulder and gave a little laugh before returning his hand onto the door again. 

“He’s good. We don’t drink when we go out like this. First we have class in the morning and second, we aren’t kids anymore. Jennie, the waitress was keeping us stocked with this half lemonade half iced tea things she makes,” he explained. “I got you the Dr Pepper because I know you like it.Plus I wanted to see the guys laugh when she picked on us, its kind of a running joke.” 

“Well, I’m glad for all of that, though next time I’ll have to try this half and half thing, sounds interesting.” Bree smiled up at Jim. 

“Next time?” He raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

“Well, yeah.” Bree scuffed one of her worn sneakers at the parking lot surface, suddenly feeling like a teenager again. “I may not understand the game, but getting out with new people, and sweethearts like yourself, its fun.” 

Jim stood up, smiling at her and took a small step towards her before wrapping her in a friendly hug. Breathing against her ear again, he thanked her for coming and then let her go. In the moment he had held her, she had felt her heart flutter and kick in her chest, and if he hadn’t felt it, she would have been amazed. 

As he stepped back out of her space and smiled at her again just as Spock honked at him, signaling their desire to return back to where they belonged. Jim raised his hand in their direction and before he took another step back  and turned, told Bree to text him once she was home safe. She got into her Jeep and watched him jump into the passenger seat and wave as they pulled away and out into the smattering of traffic that always seemed to surround the campus. Before buckling herself in and starting to make her way home. 

Author's Note

not edited, just written and put up. Any editing, voice or tone issues, let me know.