Chapter Four
Sarah woke up feeling disoriented and dizzy. She opened her eyes to see the manager of the store standing over her with a bottle of water. She thanked him and drank a quarter of the bottle before taking in her surroundings. They were in a small room, probably the break room, and she was lying on the table. It smelled of Clorox, so she hoped it had recently been cleaned. The counter to the right of her didn't appear so lucky. There was a microwave and sink there, but there were food stains all over. She tried to sit up and felt the floor shift. She laid back down.
"Ms. Williams," the manager cleared his throat. "Would you like me to call an ambulance?"
"No," she heard her voice crack a little. Ambulances went to hospitals. Sarah had no need for a hospital. It was one thing she feared ever since her mother's death. The sterile, monotone hallways reeked of cleaning product and death. She didn't want to be in a hospital ever again. The closest she got was the doctor's office for a few of Toby's annual exams. That was the extent of her medial visits. "I need a minute, please."
The manager walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Sarah closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. The dizziness began to fade. She breathed in and out a few more times before attempting to sit up. This time she didn't feel the need to do a nose-dive into the floor or fall back onto the table. She gave herself time to adjust to sitting, focusing on her deep breaths.
The blackout was her fault. She hadn't been taking care of herself like she had promised Ashlie. Her novel had consumed her. She had eaten what little she had had left in her fridge over the course of the week. In the past three days alone she had only gotten about ten or eleven hours of sleep. Coupled with the stress of reading her new book to her fans today, it was not a good mix.
She set her feet down on the cold, tiled floor hearing the clack of her shoes as they hit. Standing took a little more adjustment, but she could feel the last of the disoriented haze diluting. She forced herself to walk around the room slowly, getting up the nerve to walk out to the store. Having to see all her fans after such an embarrassing public display was the exact type of recognition, Sarah did not want. She could only hope this wouldn't show up in the papers tomorrow. Ralph would not be happy, but Karen would have a field day. It would only further her argument about Sarah's life path to her father.
"Ms. Williams?" the store manager poked his head in. "Would you like me to call you a cab?" It was obvious he was uncomfortable with her still being here.
"Yes, please," she smiled. "I'm feeling better but I don't think walking home would be wise at this point." The store manager just nodded wordlessly and watched her walk out of the break room into the store. It was less crowded now. Lunchtime was a busy period for working individuals to take a break reading in a corner, or filling up on another dose of coffee. The mid-afternoon was quieter. School wasn't out yet and a majority of people would be in the office until 5:00 p.m. or later. Sarah walked through the store, quietly. She had to grab hold of a bookcase at one point, but she managed to get to the front door without being seen. Once she walked outside, it was a different story.
People in homemade, "I'm Team Jared" T-shirts with poster boards of their favorite quotes from the book and pictures of the covers were waiting. Sarah was unprepared for all the cheers as she walked out onto the sidewalk. "Sarah! Sarah Williams! Hey Sarah!" She had never used a pen name so hearing her name said out loud shouldn't have surprised her, but she couldn't believe so many people cared. She waved and smiled as she made her way to the curb. Her hand shot out quickly as she saw a fresh stream of yellow taxis making their way down the street. She yanked open the door with force, jumping in. As she moved to close the door, a hand held it open.
"Sarah, would you slide over please?" Jareth took a seat next to her. Before she could say anything, he gave her address to the cab driver and they were pulling away from the curb.
"You." She looked at him, really looked at him. His hair was shorter. He was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt. It was such a normal outfit, but as usual he looked amazing. She could make out the muscles in his arms and the edges of a tattoo peeking out from under the left sleeve. She had never been a fan of tattoos. Now it seemed rather appealing. His face was the same, strong and flawless. No imperfection dared to touch his skin, which was still pale and beautiful.
"Long time, no see," he smirked. Suddenly it all came together and Sarah didn't think she saw a Jareth-look-alike the previous week with Ashlie or that it was a coincidence that her fortune cookie had stated his words. Her mind raced. "You don't seem as pleased to see me as I had hoped."
"How did you know my address?" It was a ridiculous question to ask. There were so many far more pressing questions banging around in her head.
"I have my ways."
Sarah realized she was staring and turned away. Her cheeks felt hot. She wanted to believe it was an after effect from the black out, but she knew what it really was. She had spent her time recently writing about Jared coming back for Sonia, secretly longing for the same to happen to her. All those feelings she had kept dormant, the desire locked away because the real man she loved would never return. The heat spread throughout her body. She had never had to worry about these types of feelings before. She had only felt this way for one man, but now he was sitting inches away from her.
The remainder of the cab ride was silent. Sarah wanted to ask all the questions floating through her mind. Their relationship had always been somewhat private. In the end, when her friends had offered their assistance she had refused. She could feel the end of her time with the Goblin King slipping away. What was left, she wanted to remember. It was between them; her and him. She wasn't going to start sharing their lives with a New York cab driver. The trip seemed to last forever. Jareth weathered the journey with complete ease. He sat still aside of her, smiling to himself as if laughing at an inside joke. It made Sarah more restless. He had a dry sense of humor. She could only imagine what he was thinking.
When they finally arrived at her apartment building, she reached into her clutch for money, but Jareth was already handing the man cash. He held the door open for her, as she climbed out of the cab. "Charming," he commented on the building, as she unlocked the gate. He said it in a sincere voice, but Sarah felt as if he was judging.
"I like it," she stated flatly.
He ignored her tone. Inside, Sarah started for the stairs. "May I suggest the elevator instead?" Sarah wanted to object, but she caught herself and followed his lead into the elevator. She couldn't be the same naïve, childish girl she had been in the Labyrinth. She pressed the button for her floor. "Thirteen. How ironic," Jareth mused aloud.
Sarah wanted to start the interrogation right then and there, but they were still too public for some of her questions. She bit her tongue. Jareth leaned against the corner of the elevator across from her, humming to himself, acting completely unaware of how crazy his words were making her. When the chime signaled they had reached her floor, the doors sprung open and she lead him to her door. With the final key, she let him in.
Seeing him walk into her apartment felt surreal. He looked out of place. It wasn't any specific detail about his appearance. The clothes were all typical. His hair was in fashion. He wasn't sporting any eyeliner or blue highlights. It was his movements, the way he shifted around. It was relaxed. There was no hint of awkwardness or rushing in his motions. He danced through the apartment as if he was air, barely touching, barely making a noise. He seemed to be taking everything in, slowly analyzing every detail in her home. It was strangely comfortable. It felt almost protective, but she was glad her bedroom was upstairs. She was less comfortable with the idea of him analyzing the items in that room. Sarah didn't notice him watching her watch him until he spoke.
"You should eat something."
She caught herself before she shot back a sarcastic retort and nodded, "You're probably right." She walked over to the kitchen, putting her clutch on the counter top and opening the fridge. It was empty. She shut the door, mentally kicking herself for not thinking to stop at the store on the taxi ride home.
"Allow me," Jareth voice came from over her shoulder.
She jumped. "Why must you do that?"
"Do what?" he feigned confusion, as he reached past her to open the fridge again. "What would you like?"
"But there's nothing there. It's-," Sarah stopped when she saw the fresh produce that filled her kitchen appliance.
"Surely you remember, Sarah, not everything is what it seems."
She tried to ignore the comment. He sounded like he was asking for her to snap back at him. She reached into the cool fridge, pulling out several vegetables. She placed them under the sink, rinsing them off, before she pulled out a cutting board and began dicing them up. Standing nearby, Jareth silently observed her. She could feel his eyes taking in her every move. It made her feel much like a bug under a magnifying glass. She thought about other things, like her novel, which she still had to finish. The inspiration had died off considerably since this morning. It wasn't enough to distract her from Jareth's watchful gaze.
After about twenty minutes, she had a mini vegetable casserole in her oven. She asked Jareth if he wanted some, but he said, "Thank you, but no." While she waited for the casserole to become crispy, she poured herself a glass of water. When she offered one to the Goblin King, he turned it down. She sat down at the kitchen bar, picking the best way to begin her series of questions for him. Meanwhile, he had taken to strolling around her apartment again, this time taking an interest in the multiple shelves of books she had in the living room.
"Why are you here?" It was the question that had been plaguing her the most. After the events that transpired the night of her victory, she assumed the only reason he came to the mortal world was when he was called upon to take away a child.
"To hear your reading," he responded, plucking a copy of 'Basis for Comparison' off the shelf. "I wanted to get a copy signed for my personal collection." Sarah raised an eyebrow at him, not believing his reason. "I quite enjoyed the playful banter between your main characters. It felt very familiar." Sarah blushed. "Wherever did you get the inspiration for them?"
She felt her cheeks burning more. Even though she knew he wasn't here to see her read at Barnes and Nobles, she couldn't deny the unease she had at telling him the truth. The novels had been a release for her. Regardless of her intentions when she had began writing, they had morphed into a larger than life opportunity. The secret she had kept her entire life was now one of the most-read teen novels in the country. Hiding how she felt was not an option, but she wasn't ready to put that on the table yet. She wanted to know the real reason he was in New York City. He was not easy to bargain with. She would have to give him something, if she was going to learn the truth. She opened her mouth to speak, when the timer went off on the oven.
"Ah", the Goblin King smirked, "Saved by the bell."
Wordlessly thanking whatever higher power was up there, Sarah retrieved the casserole from the oven. The food was a welcomed distraction. She was grateful for the ability to eat something after the unexpected events of the day. Jareth left her in peace to eat, while he paged through her novel. Sarah would have rather he read something other than one of her books, but she didn't want to provoke him. She ate quietly, devising a way to get the information she wanted without leaking the truth of her inspiration to him. Deep down, she understood he already knew, but she did not want to give him the satisfaction of saying it out loud. As she finished her casserole, a knock came at the door.
It was more of a loud pounding than an actual knock. Sarah turned around, startled and undid the deadbolt. Ashlie came sweeping in. "Sarah! Are you alright? I heard what happened at the bookstore. Aidan was there and he said he saw you collapse and a man-." Ashlie stopped the second she saw Jareth lounging on Sarah's couch. "Who is that?" Ashlie gave Sarah a pointed look, then glanced back at the man, and back at her friend. "Is that the guy who caught you?"
"Caught me?" Sarah asked, puzzled.
"I'm Jareth," the Goblin King came forward and shook Ashlie's hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you..."
"Ashlie."
"Ashlie. Sarah and I are old friends."
"Really?" Ashlie stared at him, skeptically. Despite the ease of his lie, Sarah noticed that her friend didn't seem to be buying it. She turned to Sarah, keeping her back to Jareth, and made a face. Sarah just shrugged, feeling a small blush creep back into her cheeks. Ashlie whipped around upon seeing the color. "Will you excuse us for just a sec? Girl talk." Ashlie led Sarah upstairs and shut the bedroom door behind her. Crossing her arms over her chest, she glared at Sarah. "An old friend?"
Sarah could feel the disbelief radiating off her best friend. She tried to think of a true explanation that would not make her sound crazy or cause her friend to make her think she had hit her head too hard during her blackout. "He is an old friend," Sarah began. "I knew him before I was accepted at Hamilton." Ashlie listened quietly, but she didn't seem to believe it all yet. "We have a history," Sarah admitted. She wasn't sure how much more of the truth she could reveal before things got complicated. She also had an uncanny feeling that the Goblin King could hear her words, even though he was downstairs. "I ended things a long time ago and I haven't seen him since that day, until earlier in the bookstore."
Ashlie's face relaxed. She uncrossed her arms and hugged Sarah. Sarah felt some of her harbored emotions slip out from the unexpected embrace. The edges of her eyes burned. The pain she had kept hidden from everyone but herself felt stronger now, more real. Ashlie pulled away, choosing to take a seat on the edge of Sarah's bed. She patted the space in front of her. Sarah sat down and took a deep breath. It made the stinging go away. She was able to compose herself, just as Ashlie asked, "Why did you end things?"
"Toby." Sarah didn't have to hide that truth. It was hard to admit, since deep down Toby's life would never have been in danger if she hadn't asked Jareth to come take him away. Once Toby was gone, she realized how awful the request had been. "He was just a baby."
"Oh, Sarah," Ashlie hugged her again. Now a tear did slip out. Ashlie reached over to the nightstand and pulled a tissue free. Sarah wiped away the evidence of her breaking resolve. First she had a blackout, now she couldn't control the water works. She was usually more in control. "Do you know why he is here?" Sarah shook her head. Ashlie smiled. "We should invite him to come out with us tonight." Ashlie was overjoyed at the idea, jumping off the bed and heading for the door, before Sarah could say a word.
"Wait, Ashlie-" Sarah tried to stop her friend. She wanted to speak to the Goblin King alone first. She wanted answers. Sarah rounded the corner of her bedroom door, rushing down the steps, but it was too late. Ashlie was already inviting Jareth out. Sarah held her breath, waiting for his answer, unsure if she wanted him to say yes or no.
"I would be honored," Jareth replied, the beginnings of a smile curling his lips.
"Great!" Ashlie broke into a full-faced grin. "We're going to J'z on West 32nd. Happy Hour starts at 5:00, which is about twenty minutes, so we should leave now. Aidan and Ben will meet us there. Are you ready to go now?"
It was a question, but she didn't expect to hear any response other than Sarah's agreement. Sarah nodded, hoping her green dress wasn't too much for the bar. "Awesome! We need to celebrate the new book and," she paused eyeing Jareth once more, "other new things. Let's go!" And as quickly as she had barged into the apartment, she walked out.
Sarah hung back, waiting for the Goblin King to say something. When he slipped past her after Ashlie, barely making a sound, she sighed in frustration. Locking up her apartment once again, she hurried to the elevator before the doors closed on her. Her best friend was bouncing on the balls of her feet, excited for the adventurous night out. On her other side, Jareth leaned casually, one foot up against the wall, his knee jutting out in the dark jeans. The pose made her realize how toned his legs were. They matched his arms perfectly. More of the tattoo was visible now and she could see it was an intricate maze. Just looking at him standing there made the blush come back all over again. Her emotions had already bubbled over once today. She didn't believe she would be able to contain them. As if sensing her inner struggle, Jareth glanced over at her and winked.
It was going to be a long night.
Author's Note: Thank you everyone for your reviews so far! It makes me feel more inspired to keep writing this story out. We all know how great David Bowie is and how crucial the songs were to the movie. I couldn't pass up an opportunity for the Goblin King to make use of his vocal talents! Stay tuned for the next chapter where he encounters a karaoke bar and Sarah encounters just how powerful her feelings are.