Chapter 9

- Chapter 9 -

Riker, Ratliff, Rydel and Vanessa watch Ross and Laura gaze into each others eyes.

"Umm, shouldn't we get Rocky?" Rydel asks, breaking the silence and their gaze.

Ross and Laura look to her like they weren't just staring at each other.

"What was his deal, anyway? He had such a sour face on when he walked by." Ross says.

"He's mad that he doesn't have a partner. I have to go talk to him." Riker says, getting up and heading to Rocky's room.

"Wait, for what?" Laura asks when Riker is already gone.

"Partner games." Vanessa answers.

"What? Who is...?" Laura starts but then looks at Ross. "Oh..."

"Wow, thanks for not sounding too disappointed." Ross says, sarcastically.

"No! I'm not disappointed. I'm just not surprised." Laura says, briefly touching his shoulder, but then pulling back. Rydel, Ratliff, and Vanessa were watching them.

Ross sighs. "Whatever." He says, looking away.

Laura looks sympathetically at Ross, not meaning to hurt his feelings. Crap. She hopes he isn't mad at her.

Meanwhile, Riker knocks on Rocky's closed door. "Go away." Rocky says, his voice muffled by the door.

That's Riker's cue to go in. He opens the door and leans against the door frame.

Rocky looks to him. "I just said go away. I don't feel like talking to anyone." He says.

"Dude, don't lock yourself in your room for something stupid." Riker tells him.

Rocky gets angry and stands up, facing Riker. "No, you don't know why i'm mad!" He shouts.

Riker stands silently, surprised at Rocky's change in tone.

"I'm mad because of all the girls! I'm mad that i'm always left out! I'm mad because no one ever cares!" Rocky says.

"What do you mean?" Riker asks, cautiously.

"I mean that everyone has a girl. Ratliff always had Kelly. Now, he could have Rydel. You have Vanessa. Ross has Laura and i have absolutely nobody. And you guys don't realize because you don't give any effort to care."

"We do care." Riker says.

"No, you don't! All you guys care about is getting Ross and Laura back together." Rocky says.

"Because it's important! If we don't get them back together, Ross will be screwed up the rest of his life! And god knows what will happen to Laura!" Riker says. "Rocky, we do care about you. We just haven't had the time to consider that you want a girlfriend."

"Why don't you make time, then?" Rocky yells.

"Because we don't want you to be heartbroken like Ross!" Riker yells.

Rocky calms down. "Is he really that crushed?"

Riker walks toward Rocky. "Yes, he really is. One night, he came to me when he couldn't sleep and he literally started to break down. Ross said that there was more than just a mental pain in his heart but he said that he really felt like there was a whole in his chest. Ever since, the break up, you know Ross hasn't been himself. He's trying to hide his pain. He's lost it."

"Why doesn't he tell Laura that?" Rocky says.

"He says that she wouldn't understand because clearly she hasn't been going through the same thing. Ross told me that it's his fault that they broke up and Laura wouldn't want to take him back."

"He hasn't tried!" Rocky says. "What about when they look all lovingly at each other? How could he not know to just try?"

"He doesn't want his heart to be broken more than it already is. He doesn't think he could afford to take the risk. He wants to know for sure that she wants him back." Riker answers.

Rocky looks down. He understands now. Ross was experiencing pain and Rocky wasn't. So, at this point, Ross was the one to focus on.

"But, sure. I don't mind if you take my car and go find yourself a girlfriend. If that's what you really want." Riker says.

Rocky looks at Riker. "Really? You'd do that?"

Riker shrugs. "I should pay attention to all my siblings." He says and Rocky smiles, giving him a brotherly hug. "Thanks, man."

"But, after band rehearsals." Riker says.

Rocky nods and goes downstairs with Riker.

Ross was looking away from everybody with such a down face. Laura was talking to Ratliff, Rydel and Vanessa.

Rocky notices this and goes over to Ross, patting his back and sitting next to him. Ross gives him a slight smile.

After breakfast, Riker says that it's time for band practice. Rocky, Ratliff and Rydel go down to the basement. Riker looks at Vanessa and Laura. "What do you guys want to do?" He asks.

Vanessa looks to Laura. "If it's cool with you, we could go to the living room and watch some tv."

Laura looks to Ross as he gets up. Laura helps herself up and she cringes because of the pain.

Ross picks her up bridal style, this time and walks over to the living room.

Vanessa gets up to talk to Riker. "I really think i should talk to her about Ross."

"Okay, but don't say anything about how he's feeling." Riker says, softly to her.

"Ugh, fine. But, he should tell her that. I think she'll understand."

Riker shakes his head. "Nah, he doesn't think so."

"I guess it's a guy thing." Vanessa shrugs.

Riker looks at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Vanessa rolls her eyes. "Nothing."

Ross sets Laura on the couch and he starts to walk away but Laura grabs his arm. "Ross."

He stops walking and looks at her. She pulls him toward her so now he was closer and on his knees. "What?"

"I'm not disappointed." Laura says.

He looks away and shrugs.

Laura sits up, painfully and turns Ross's face to face her. "I'm not lying to you. Why are you so mad?"

Their faces were inches apart and Laura's hands were on his neck.

"I'm not mad." He says.

"Then, what's your problem?" Laura asks him.

"I know you don't want to be my partner. You want nothing to do with me." Ross says.

"I do want to be your partner. And i do want everything to do with you." Laura says, meaning it 100%.

Ross looks at her and can't control himself. I mean, what she just said was really meaningful to him. He gets closer to him and his lips crash into her's.

He kisses her, trying to tell her something that he can't tell her with words.

Unfortunately, kissing her didn't express that something he can't tell with words.

Laura thought she should pull away but, she enjoyed this too much. Instead, she kisses him back.

Things between them weren't exactly 'cool'. Why make it worse by pulling away and not enjoy the rest of this sweet kiss?

She wanted things to be back to normal because she wasn't exactly proud that Ross and her were broken up. She regretted the breakup and wish that their little arguments never began.

Ross pulls away this time, both of their faces red. "Sorry-." He starts but, Laura puts a finger to his lips to shut him up.

"Don't be." She says, smiling. "Friends?" She asks him, dropping her finger from his mouth.

"With benefits?" Ross asks her, smiling flirtatiously, and waggling his eyebrows.

Laura laughs and hits his chest. "Ew, just go do your rehearsals."

"I wish i didn't, that day." Ross says and looks into her eyes, solemnly.

Laura's amused expression quickly changes to a sad expression. "Ross, don't. I don't want to talk about-."

"No, i need to tell you." He says, grabbing her hands. "I'm really sorry for blowing you off that day. I was so stupid for going to band rehearsals instead of with you. The reason was-."

Laura cuts him off. "It's fine. I forgive you. Just go do your thing."

He smiles at her but really feels like he should tell her the real reason he blew her off. "Okay, but, friends with benefits?"

Laura laughs. "Friends with limited benefits."

Ross kisses her briefly one more time, with a smile plastered on his face. He pulls away and goes downstairs to the basement.

As Ross passes by Riker and Vanessa, Riker notices he doesn't have a sad expression on and his face was slightly tinted pink. It was normal for like the first time in a while.

"Someone's happy." Riker mutters to Vanessa, referring to Ross.

Vanessa goes to the freezer to get an ice pack for Laura. "Ross? Ooh, i'm gonna see Laura."

"Kay, bye." Riker says.

"See ya." Vanessa says back and hurries to the living room.

Laura was laying on the couch facing the ceiling with her eyes closed. She had a pleased expression on her reddish face.

"Laurrrrra!" Vanessa exclaims. "What happened!?"

Laura snaps her eyes open and looks to her. "Apparently, me and Ross are friends with limited benefits." She says, amused.

"Well, at least you're friends. But, geez! I want to know how much kissing is going on! You and Ross seem so much happier after a kiss." Vanessa says.

"We miss the feeling, i guess." Laura says as Vanessa gives her the ice pack to ice her side.

Laura puts the ice directly over the bandage in her waist. "If you miss the feeling, then get back together." Vanessa says.

Laura thinks about what she says as Vanessa gets out two pain reliever pulls and runs to get a water.

Laura takes the pills and drinks it down. "It's not that easy. I still don't forgive him for trying to make me jealous by getting a new girlfriend. That was so low of him."

"You guys are getting back together. And then, later you'll marry him, just like Riker said."

"I'm not marrying Ross." Laura says. "And you like Riker."

"Laura, please. I barely know him. Don't try to tease me like that. Only i can tease you about Ross."

Laura rolls her eyes and Vanessa turns on the tv, looking for something good.

Downstairs, R5 practiced and they did so well. Ross didn't mess up and Rocky did fine.

After rehearsals, everyone was all sweaty, laying on the floor, and drinking water.

"You did good today, Ross. I wonder what put you in such a good mood." Ratliff says.

"Don't ruin my mood, Ellington." Ross says with a smile on his face, looking up at the ceiling.

"Whoa, formal names now?" Ratliff says.

"It has something to do with Laura. I wonder how happy she is right now." Rydel says.

Ross closes his eyes and smiles. It made him happy that they were both happy.

Rocky gets up. "I'm gonna go shower now." He says.

Rydel sits up. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to get a girlfriend." Rocky exclaims and runs upstairs.

He almost runs into Vanessa. "Sorry, Ness!"

"Where are you going!?" Vanessa calls after him.

"I'm getting a girlfriend!" He says back, running up the stairs.

Vanessa looks after him as Riker, Ratliff, Ross and Rydel walk upstairs.

"You have to tell him to be careful. It's storming outside, you know." She tells Riker.

Riker shrugs. "He'll be fine."

Then, they all head to the living room. Ross sits by Laura and the rest of them sit near them on the couch.

"So, what partner game could we do?" Ratliff asks.

Riker, Ratliff, Rydel, and Vanessa look at each other. How could they not think of a partner game that would bring, Ross and Laura closer?

Vanessa laughs. "I don't really think we need to do a partner game. Things look good to me."

Their gazes shift to Ross and Laura, who look back at them, slightly confused.

They turn back to each other. "Yep, i guess they look good to me." Rydel says,

But, who really knows how long things will stay good?

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Ha! I bet you weren't expecting a chapter today! But, look at this!

Hehe, okay. I hoped you guys liked it.

Please vote, it means a lot to me.

Anyways, i don't know when the next chapter is coming but, stay tuned! I'm full of surprises! :)

- allaboutraura