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The Right Choice
By Jaina
"I'm really not so sure about this, Abby."
Kate sank to a seat on the edge of her bed, crushing the phone between her shoulder and her cheek as she appraisingly held up an outfit in each hand.
"What's not to be sure about?" Abby asked as she paced around her apartment. Kate had called her up a few moments before, both exasperated and annoyed when Abby had answered the phone.
"He's a friend of DiNozzo's. That doesn't sound like a good beginning."
Abby couldn't stop from smiling. Kate's antagonism towards Tony was a well known fact in the office. It was equally well known that Tony liked to use that to wind Kate up any chance he got.
"Why did you say yes, then?" It was a question that Abby had been wanting the answer to since she'd heard who Kate was going out with. She was, Abby had to admit, slightly jealous of Tony's friend, even if she was well aware that Kate would never be interested in her as more than a friend.
"He was cute." Over the phone the statement sounded more like a question, and Kate's sigh following it was clearly audible. "I just hadn't been out in a while and it was flattering when he asked."
Abby made a sympathetic noise. The part of her that did not wish to be a sympathetic friend wanted to tell Kate that wasn't a good reason to go out with someone at all.
"What do you think I should do?" Kate asked, dropping the outfits back on the bed beside her and letting herself flop backwards onto the soft surface until she was staring up at the ceiling.
"Don't go out with him." The words were out of Abby's mouth before she could stop them. There was an uncomfortably long moment of silence as she processed what she'd just said and how she'd blurted the words out so quickly. "I mean, if you're really not that interested, don't go. You shouldn't have to put yourself through all of the stilted conversation and awkward silences if you don't want to go."
"Tony won't let me here the end of it," Kate pointed out. "He'll want to know why I blew off his friend."
"Tony won't let you here the end of it, even if - especially if - you do go out with him," Abby countered. "Thought you'd already considered that."
Kate groaned. Clearly she had not considered it.
"I'm canceling," Kate said decisively a moment later. She sat up and looked at the little back dress she'd been holding up in her left hand a few moments before. "Although," she said pensively, "I am all dressed up now with no where to go."
"Oh?" Abby said, struggling to sound casual. "Well you could come over. Maybe we could find somewhere to go. Wouldn't want to waste you getting all dressed up."
"Yeah," Kate agreed with a more than satisfied smile on her face, "I think a girls' night out sounds really nice."
"Okay," Abby agreed, "See you in a few."
Kate dropped the phone to the bed and began stripping out of her clothes, now certain of what she was going to wear.
"Now, maybe I'll even get lucky without having to hear about it from Tony tomorrow morning," Kate murmured to herself as she walked towards the bathroom to finish changing.
The End