Where Were YOU?

Posted on 15 Mar 2016 @ 9:26am by Ensign Kelly Khan & Ensign Elisha Cherno

1,515 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Outbreak
Location: Cadet Quarters

Elisha chewed her lip as she approached the Cadet barracks. She didn't know if she could actually pull off this deception. Part of her wanted to make up all kinds of ridiculous details, but she knew she could never get it right. So, she decided to just go with the truth- but not all of it.

She walked into her room like nothing was wrong and smiled at Kelly. "Good morning," she said cheerfully.

Kelly had a pair of earbuds in her ears and was doing a strange shuffling dance when Elisha came in, but she turned out still moving and came to a stop when she saw her friend come into the barracks wearing a black t-shirt that had "Risa Gets a Rise Out of Me" on the front and that it was clearly too big for her. She reached up and took out the earbuds. "Elisha! Oh wow...where were you last night? We thought you were in the brig!"

"No, I uh..." she started. "Well, um... a man caught me as I was leaving the lounge. He heard us singing and wanted to compliment me. I ended up going back to his quarters with him. He lent me his shirt. Not sure where mine is...."

"You don't know where your shirt is after going back...ohhhh," Kelly's eyes went wide. "You got lucky, didn't you? Tell me all about it! Who is he? What's he look like? Did he make the crew in the next quarters bang on the wall at three in the morning?"

"Um, have you ever met Ensign Xavier Hernandez?" she asked. "Tallish Hispanic guy? Well, obviously Hispanic, with a name like that...."

"Hernandez...I can't say it rings a bell, but did he ring your bell?" Kelly asked. "I mean, you're wearing his shirt, so something must have happened."

"He's got an adorable puppy," hedged Elisha, pulling off the shirt and tossing it onto her bunk. "He's called Pequeño. He's a fuzzy little puff ball. You should see him!"

"A puppy, huh?" Kelly asked with a wicked laugh. "I had no idea that was the new code. I'll remember that one. So how did you end up wearing his shirt?"

"I told you," said Elisha, rummaging around for clean underpants. "He lent it to me. Wait a second!" she said suddenly, turning to look at Kelly. "Why would I have been in the Brig?" she asked, a laughing smile playing at her lips.

"Right," Kelly said. "After you magically lost yours. How would I know how you ended up in the brig? You're the one who lost her shirt while with El Pequeño."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Elisha, going back to her search for underpants. "He's not Pequeño. Not in the least. His dog is, though. Although, now that you mention it, I was technically with the dog, too, as he was in the room as well. But, all he did was eat and sleep."

"He's not little at all, hmm? Sounds like you had a really good night," Kelly said. "You lose your shirt, get a hot blooded man and was out all night."

"Yeah, it was fun," she said. "How about you? Have any fun?"

"Oh yeah, loads of it," Kelly said. "I had to do night shift on the bridge and it was about as exciting as watching paint dry. The night shift crew are so stimulating that a Vulcan would fall asleep. So tell me more about Mister Hernandez."

"There's really nothing else to tell," Elisha said, finally finding a pair of underpants. But, only one pair- she was going to have to rectify that. "He's a nice guy. We had breakfast together."

"Mmhmm," Kelly said. "What about during the night?"

Elisha hesitated for a moment. "Oh, all right," she said finally. "So I fell asleep on the floor with a puppy in my lap while he played the saxophone, so he put me in his bed and slept on the sofa."

"Riggggght," Kelly said. "Because that's what every hot guy does with a beautiful woman. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

"Cross my heart," said Elisha. "Come on, you know me. Do you really think I would meet a man and sleep with him an hour later?"

"No, but it doesn't explain the shirt," Kelly said. "Still, I won't press you on it."

"He lent it to me to mess with my roommate," said Elisha honestly. "Only, I'm not good at messing with people. I swapped mine out for this one as a joke. I gotta go back later and get mine."

Kelly laughed. "I want to meet this guy," she said. "Anyone who doesn't take advantage of a beautiful young woman when they pass out is a good guy in my book."

"Mine, too," said Elisha. "You can come with me to get the shirt later, if you want."

"I'll take your word on it, but if he's really cute, maybe you could treat him to dinner," Kelly suggested.

"Don't be silly!" said Elisha. "He's not interested in me."

"How do you know?" Kelly retorted. "He liked your singing...you went back to his quarters with him, he played saxophone for you, then he put you in his bed and gave you a shirt. If he doesn't like you, then he must be the most eligible bachelor on the ship. Do you really want him to get away?"

Elisha thought about it. But, no, there really weren't any actual signs that he had any romantic interest in her at all. "I mean, no," she said. "But, I just don't think he's interested. Why would he be interested in me?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" Kelly countered. "At the very least, make it a thank you dinner so you can spend more time with him to see."

"What do you mean why wouldn't he be?" asked Elisha incredulously. "I'm weird, I'm a geek, I'm awkward; take your pick!"

"You're also beautiful, smart, a great singer, and someone would be a fool to not snatch you up," Kelly said. "I'd try if you liked girls, for that matter."

Well, that had unexpectedly made her feel better. "Thanks," she said, giving her friend a grateful smile. "But, I really don't think he's interested. I mean, he's gorgeous! And funny. And a gentleman. And did I mention gorgeous?"

"So you're saying that he might be able to win a competition for looks if he's the only contestant?" Kelly joked, amused at her friends enthusiasm over the guy.

"He'd win if everybody in the universe were contestants," Elisha said. "But, that isn't the point. The point is that I just don't do well with guys."

"You obviously did good enough last night," Kelly pointed out. "So invite him to a thank you dinner in the lounge so it's a public place. Get to know him."

Elisha thought about it for a few moments, but just the thought of sitting across the table from him on an actual date terrified her. "No," she said. "No, I really can't. I'm just... I can't. Maybe his dog, though."

"You'd take his dog out for a thank you dinner?" Kelly raised an eyebrow. "You spent last night in his quarters, Elisha and came back wearing one of his shirts. I doubt that a dinner in public would kill you."

"I... I don't know," Elisha replied, almost dejectedly. "What would I even say to him? I'm no good at flirting. I'm even worse at taking compliments."

"Smile and say thank you. Find something about him to compliment, laugh at his jokes as long as they aren't lame, and be yourself. Well, no, don't be yourself. Just relax and if he's understanding, he'll know not to push you," Kelly told her.

"I don't know..." Elisha hedged, biting her lip. "I didn't do too well at it last night. I'm lousy at relating to guys."

Kelly thought for a moment. "I'd offer you advice, but he'd hear me over your combadge. Maybe we can work something out where I'm nearby?"

"No, that's probably not a good idea," said Elisha. "Look, I'm just not cut out for a relationship, okay? I've made peace with that. I'll be fine. I'll get a cat."

"Elisha!" Kelly groaned. "You think he's gorgeous and he sounds like a really nice guy. Besides, I just suggested a dinner, not for you to jump his bones."

"Look, I'm just... I'm not dateable, okay?" said Elisha. "I get all flustered and wind up sticking my elbow in a jar of pickles or twisting my ankle or knocking him into a pool. It just doesn't work out for me."

"You'll never know until you try," Kelly persisted.

"I have tried," said Elisha, grabbing her bathrobe. "I'm a menace. I need a shower before I go on duty." And with that, she headed towards the bathroom.

"Okay," Kelly said. "If you change your mind, let me know."

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