KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU

DISCLAIMERS- This is an uber tale, so I must announce that even though the characters may physically resemble two ladies owned by Renpics and Studio USA, they are my own creation. No infringement is intended, nor any profit gained.

LANGUAGE- Like me, my girls are potty mouths. Consider yourself warned.

SEX- Of course! It wouldn’t be an original Jaden production unless there was some serious girl on girl action!! If this is offensive to you, or illegal where you live, please read no further!!!

DEDICATIONS- For C., who holds my heart captive. And to my friends on the Bardic Circle and Ex-Guards, thanks for the support and feedback. And last, but certainly not least, to St. Lariel, my very own patron saint of barding- Thank you for the support and words of encouragement, but most importantly, Thank You for your friendship!!!!!

My hope is to have this be a weekly episode story. However, if real life should interfere, don’t hold me to that! And should the muse be particularly kind to me, you might get lucky more often than you think. <G>

Questions, comments, and offerings of money, beer and pizza can be sent to: jaden_r@hotmail.com

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" Damnit Janna, what else have you got to do? I know it’s Buffy night, but it isn’t like you don’t tape it anyway. Please, come out with me...just for a few drinks. I need to vent."

"All right then, hurry up and come get me before I change my mind," I sighed, knowing it was easier to give in than to try and fight her.

I hung up the phone and immediately regretted saying yes. The last thing I felt like doing was hanging out at some pub, but since Karen is my best friend, and most likely finding some flaw with the latest love of her life, I figured I could leave the house and hang out with her for a couple of hours.

I changed into a pair of jeans and a black sweater, ran the brush through my hair while scrubbing my teeth, put on a dab of perfume, set the tape for Buffy, and made it out the door before she could honk.

" Way to pull yourself together, Janna," Karen smirked as I climbed into her car.

" Just be thankful I didn’t come in my pajamas," I grumbled.

" You were already in your pj’s?," she shouted, narrowly avoiding slamming into the car in front of us.

" Keep your eyes on the road would ya? It’s only a couple of blocks and yet you’ve still managed to almost get me killed."

" Relax. See, I got you here in one piece.," she grinned and proceeded to take two parking spaces.

" Next time I’m driving."

" Yeah, yeah, you say that all the time."

We walked into the crowded pub and took the last two stools at the bar. Karen ordered a couple of beers, leering at the bartender as she asked for her Miller Lite.

" Get a hold of yourself. Don’t you have a girlfriend?," I reminded her.

" I sort of have a girlfriend, but I think she’s going to dump me."

" You say that all the time, and then you dump them before they can dump you. What makes you so sure?," I asked, taking a pull from my beer.

Karen had returned her attention to the bartender, who was washing out glasses in the sink in front of us, and I had to snap my fingers in front of her face before she came out of her trance.

" Oh, right. Say that again?," she asked, twirling one of her curly dark blonde locks around her finger in total flirt mode.

The bartender chuckled at Karen’s antics, but after years of her routine I wasn’t so easily amused.

" Karen, how many women have you dated in the past six months?"

She pondered for awhile before finally answering, " Six."

" Six women in six months. And each time you say you think they are going to dump you, so you do it first, based on zero evidence."

" There have been signs with Christina though," she said, motioning to the bartender for two more beers.

" Like?"

" She has slowly been taking some of the stuff she has over at my place home with her. Clothes, CD’s, it’s all disappearing."

" Well, yea, that’s a pretty good sign. But have you bothered to ask her what the problem is?"

" No, why would I do that?," Karen sputtered.

" She’s your girlfriend!"

" Yea, well, having a girlfriend is overrated."

" That’s because you always have so many," I grumbled.

" True. Say, when was the last time you had a girlfriend?"

" This isn’t about me, Karen. You were the one who wanted to vent, remember?," I asked, pulling the label off of my beer in bored fashion.

" Yea, but now I want to talk about you. When was the last time you got laid Janna?," she asked, going straight for the kill.

I knew I was blushing furiously, my ears felt hot, and even the bartender stopped what she was doing to hear my answer. I was thankful that the lighting in this place was awful.

" It’s been awhile," I said quietly, knowing full well that Karen knew exactly how long it had been and was about to remind me of it anyways.

" Try a year, hot stuff."

" Well, I’m not complaining."

" It’s not healthy I tell you. All you do is work and then come home and watch TV. I have to drag you away from all your programs otherwise you’d never leave the bloody house."

" I still say I’m happy. And besides, having a girlfriend is overrated, remember?"

" Wise words, my friend, " Karen said as she raised her second beer for a toast.

I pressed my beer to hers, and felt a shuffling against my back as someone climbed onto the recently vacated stool next to mine.

" Sorry about that, " a female voice offered as I turned to see who my new neighbor was.

I was taken aback at first, seeing as how she didn’t look old enough to be in a bar, and then because she was so damned cute. Her face was clean of make up, save for a bit of gloss on her lips, and her eyes were the greenest I had ever seen, with the slightest hint of gold along the iris. Her reddish blonde hair fell just below her ears, and she ran her hands through it to push it out of her eyes. She smiled slightly, not enough to show any teeth, but by then I didn’t care.

" Damn, she’s hot, " I heard whispered in my ear, and I turned to see Karen gawking at my dream woman.

" I saw her first, " I growled as convincingly as I could, and smiled when I saw Karen call back her inner wolf, and go back to drinking her beer.

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, " Uh, can I buy you a drink?"

She looked at me and smiled again, this time showing me beautiful straight teeth, and said, " I suppose I could let you do that."

I called the bartender over and she ordered a beer of her own, which she hit against mine before taking a long drink.

" Ahhh. Now that hit the spot."

" Long day?," I asked, hoping she felt like talking.

" Long week, actually. Thanks for the beer, my name is Aaryn."

" Janna," I replied.

" Well Janna, don’t take this the wrong way, but I really need to get a bit of reading done. I have a big test tomorrow."

I tried to hide my disappointment and smiled at her, " No problem, it was nice meeting you Aaryn."

" Likewise," she said, then turned her attention to the book in front of her.

" That went well," Karen giggled.

" Shut up, smartass."

" Oh well, what can you do?"

" Not much it would seem," I said, suddenly feeling very sorry for myself.

" Are you going to ask her for the digits?"

" You know, she is sitting right next to me, you could try to be a bit more discreet."

" She can’t hear us," Karen rolled her eyes at me, as though I were totally beyond help.

" Well, at least try to be a bit more quiet for my sake, okay?," I sighed.

" Fine, so are you going to ask?"

" I don’t know."

" Are you nuts? She is way too hot to pass up, even if she does say no," Karen asked, not bothering to lower her voice.

" Honestly, what do you think my chances are?," I asked, unsure of whether or not I really wanted her to be honest with me at all.

" On a scale of one to ten?"

" Sure."

" I’d say a six.," Karen said seriously.

" Just a six?," I wondered.

" Well, she did toss you aside for a book, she took her free beer and ran."

" She has to study, she does have a test," I said, trying to convince myself that she didn’t just take me for the free beer.

" Still, if it’s for a good looking woman, and I were interested I would have to toss the book instead. It’s not like she couldn’t cheat on the test."

" Your logic astounds me."

" I have that effect on most people."

" Let’s just finish these beers and get out of here. I still don’t know why I let you drag me out tonight."

" Easy Janna, Buffy will be waiting for you when you get home."

" That’s comforting."

" I bet."

" Just a six huh?," I asked, stealing a glance at Aaryn. She really was quite beautiful, and the way her face looked all serious while she was reading, it just made my heart hurt. It made me want to know her, it made me want to be close to her, it made me want to see her studying on my couch, with her feet on my lap while I read the newspaper. It made me want her. Bad.

" Maybe a six-point-five, but that’s kind of pushing it."

" Whatever, " I said as I took my last swig of beer and threw some money down to cover the tab.

I stood up and stretched out my legs when I saw Aaryn look over at me and smile again. I couldn’t leave without knowing, I at least had to try. Six or no six!

Here goes nothing, I thought.

" Uhm, Aaryn?"

" Yes?"

" I was wondering...," I trailed off, unsure of myself and any courage I thought I possessed..

" Yes?"

" If it would be possible for me to, uhm...have your phone number? I would understand..."

" Yes."

" ..if you said no, I mean I am a stranger that you just met in a bar..."

" I said yes."

"...but I would really like to give you a call. Maybe we could have some coffee, or go to a movie.."

" Janna?"

" Yeah?," I said, finally meeting her eyes.

" I said yes."

" You did?"

" Yeah, awhile back. Here you go."

She handed me a white napkin with her name and number neatly written upon it in blue ink.

" Right, then I’ll give you a call, say tomorrow night?," I asked.

" Sounds good."

" Okay, well goodnight, and good luck on your test," I offered.

" Goodnight Janna, thanks."

Karen and I started to walk away and I began to wonder why she already had her name and number written, when Aaryn called out to me once more.

" Hey Janna?"

" Yeah?," I turned to face her.

" Your chances were much better than a six, I was hoping you would realize that and ask," she laughed.

I stood there with my mouth open, until Karen finally pulled me out of there and led me to the car.

I clutched her number in my hand the whole ride home, while Karen chanted, " Janna’s got a girlfriend, Janna’s got a girlfriend."

Episode 2

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