ER ➸ John Carter

⋆Part 10: After dancing⋆

"Do you like him?"

After I ran away from John I finally found Carol. She was standing in the hall way looking at John and I dancing.

'Outside?' She asked. 'Outside.' I said and we grabbed our coats to go outside on the back porch, it was quiet there so we could discuss what just happend.

'How bad was it?' I asked as I pulled my coat tightly around my body. It was still snowing and the wind was icy.

'Well...' She said pausing and I looked at her. 'There are probably going to be some rumors.' She said.

'Oh, god.' I groaned. 'I mean we were just dancing right? What are they going to say.' I told her and she gave me a look.

'Valerie don't lie to yourself.' She said and I sighed. 'And how am I going to react around him?' I asked.

'That depends.' She replied and I started pacing. 'On what?' I asked.

'Do you like him?' she answered and I stopped to look at her. 'Carol come on, he's my friend.' I said.

'Would it be that crazy? I mean there was definitely something going on back there.' She asked.

'I don't know, maybe it did but I did drink two glasses of champagne and he looked.. well.. you know.' I rambled and she laughed.

'How did it make you feel?' She asked. My mind went nuts again, flashing back to John. I could still feel his hands on my hips but did that mean that I liked him? I smiled at the thought.

'I don't know.' I replied because I couldn't put into words what was going on in my head. 'I just wanted to have some fun tonight. How did I make such a mess, one minute I was trying to find you and the next I was almost kissing John at a work party.' I said and Carol laughed again and I laughed with her.

'God, I'm an idiot...' I said as I leaned against the wooden railing next to her 'But anyway, how is it going with you?' I asked trying to change to subject.

'Great, actually.' She said and she grew a big smile on her face. I looked at her to see her wander off. 'What happened?' I curiously asked and she snapped back to reality.

'I'll tell you tomorrow.' She said making me want to know even more. 'Okay...' I said sounding a bit suspicious of what she was going to tell me.

'I'm freezing, let's get back inside.' She said to me. 'Great idea.' I said to her. Here we go.

Carol and I went back inside to the warm house when we bumped into Ross.

'Hey, I've been looking all over for you.' He said, meaning Carol.

'We were discussing something.' She replied and Doug looked at her with wide eyes trying to tell her something.

'No, not that.' She said while I was just giving confused looks to the couple. 'Well, I need to go find John.' I said and Carol focused her attention on me.

'I better resolve this now or I will reconsider everything I ever said to him while slowly going crazy.' I rambled and she smiled. 'Good luck.' She said and I thanked her. I walked away seeing Doug and Carol whispering and laughing. I guess I found the reason why she was late.

I walked through the crowd trying to ignore everyone's looks, I couldn't find John anywhere. Then I saw doctor Greene or well Mark.

!Hey Mark, have you seen John?' I said and he quickly scanned the room. 'No haven't seen him.' He kindly said, I sighed and I thanked him.

I walked back to the hallway and just when I thought he had gone home I saw him standing against the kitchen counter. With his hands in his hair. I leaned against the door frame and took a deep breath.

'Hey' I said almost whispering and he immediately looked up.

'Uh... hey.' He said as he walked over to me. 'We need to talk.' We both said at the same time and we both smiled. 'You first.' We both said again.

'We have to break this cycle were in.' I said smiling. 

'I'm sorry if I embarrassed you.' He said now standing before me.

'No, you didn't.' I told him as I put my head on the door frame. 'I don't know what came over me.' He continued and I chuckled. 

'I know, me either.' I said. 

'And also I'm kind of drunk.' He laughed as he pushed his hair back, a nervous habit of him. He leaned closer again as we were standing under the open french doors. 

'Me too. I can't really hold my liquor.' I replied with a smile and I looked down at the floor. He put two fingers under my chin, he lifted up my face to make me look at him. 

'Friends?' He asked with hope in his eyes. 'Friends.' I said. I don't know why but when I said it I felt the a small sting. He embraced me in a hug and I snuggled my head in the crook of his neck. He smelled like mint and a fresh shower. I was so glad we made up. I pulled back and saw the biggest smile on his face.

'Now let's get back to the party.' He said and we walked back to living room.