I turn in a circle dramatically and look at all the busy people bustling around the airport. Oh good lord! "London!", I say. I follow the rest of my gang, them telling me to hurry it up as I look at the airport in awe. Sadly, I forget that I'm wearing heels and move too fast and take a stumble right into Josh. He turns around, catches me and says smartly, "I knew you couldn't resist me for much longer." I scrunch my eyebrows, narrow my eyes, and turn my lips into a thin line, giving him my famous death glare. He just chuckles. I turn on my heel and move along. I wobble a bit in my heels and Josh just laughs again. Ugh! How infuriating! I can flip a gazillion times but I can't manage to walk in a pair of 4 inch heels! And these aren't even that tall according to other people! I move at a slow pace and then I feel my left heel start to sickle.. "Oh crap!" I scream. It's so loud it the airport, no one pays any attention. I look at my twisted ankle, which is starting to swell. Well that means it isn't broken. I rip off the heels and carry them in my dominant, left, hand. Now I'm about 6 inches shorter than the women and 10 inches shorter than the guys. I stomp to catch up with the group but it hurt my ankle so I step gingerly with that foot. We get to parking lot, and my foot is kIlling me, I can't help but hobble a bit. I start across the pavement and Josh turns around, due to my swearing. "No heels?" He asks sarcastically. I don't look at him I just look forward and walk in front of him with my hobble. He takes notice of my gimp leg and says sincerely,"Are you ok?". "Just peachy!" I respond.
"You want a lift?" he asks. "No! I am fine!" I say sternly. "No your not.." Josh says with an insidious look in his eye. He scoops me up and sets me on his back and runs around the parking lot to the car, me at first struggling and then laughing like I'm 4 years old. He sets down a giggling me in front of our high tech rental car, a black SUV fit for a Queen. (Or in my case a princess). "Thank you kind sir!" I say with an urbane manner. "Your welcome, m'lady," Josh says with a deep bow. Dale comes to the van, giving us a skeptical look. I ignore it with a slight cough and climb into the vehicle. What just happened?! I'm not supposed to befriend him! Sam climbs into the driver's seat and Jason the passenger seat. I sit on the left side, Josh climbs in next to me in the middle, and Dale on the right. I slouch down in my seat. "That's not very lady-like," says Josh. Jason nods in mock agreement. I let out an exasperated sigh and sit up straight. Sam drives us out of the airport and down the freeway. After about an hour, Sam makes a sharp right. I wonder where we are going? He drives until he reaches a dirt road with a small cottage on it. "Hop out." Sam says and motions us to the front door. "Oh, hullo!" says a small little day with much class. "Gloria?!" I shout in horror." "Yes, dahling, nice to see you again too." Gloria responds with a sarcastic smile. "Okay, see you later will pick you and her up at 10." mentions Sam. Gloria nods in acknowledgement. Sam tries to scurry out the door with the boys, but my voice stops him. "What do you mean 10? It's only 1 o'clock,".
"Yes, doll ve have much verk to do," says Gloria as if this is supposed to make sense to me. "Where are you going?" I question furious. "We are going to.. um.. uh," Sam stutters. "A party," Dale says nonchalantly. Before I can even comment they sprint out the door to the car. I run after them. They all dive through the windows or whip open the doors (Jason got on the roof and scrambled through the sun roof once Dale opened it for him.) and locked the doors me stuck outside. I screamed and pounded on the windows, but it was no use, the window were bullet and sound proof. Gloria came outside and grabbed my arm and pulled me back to the house, me giving them a look you'd think they were living me to die. (Which in a way they kinda were) We get inside and I see the SUV drive away leaving a dust cloud behind.
•—-–—-–•—-–—-–•—-–—-–•
"No." Gloria commands.
"But... Please?" I ask my hand lingering over a jelly donut, which I don't like but that's the only unhealthy thing she owned. "No, now valk again," Gloria says with a dour expression. I say and put her dictionary on my head, I walk barefoot across a tape line on her wooden floors. "Finally! It's only taken you an hour! Now let add the heels." Gloria exclaims. I gulp,"but I'm starved." "After you get ze heels down", says Gloria. I reluctantly put the heels on and place the book back on my head. Before I take 2 steps the book tumbles off and I land in a heap on the floor. Gloria face-palms and sighs. Her and I both share the same thought, "This is going to be a long day,".
•—-–—-–•—-–—-–•—-–—-–•
"Almost.. Almost! ALMOST!" Gloria says with increasing urgency. "YES!" We both scream simultaneously. We collapse into each other. I finally can walk in heels "I'm so proud of you." Gloria says. And I lean into the little women, who is growing on me. "Now, you may eat." Gloria praises and motions towards the jelly donut. I grab it hungrily, but Gloria slaps my hand. "What?!" I exclaim. "Vell, first those aren't proper manners and second I vas motion to ze apples and celery behind it." My heart drops and I set the donut back on its plate and grab the celery. I bite it fiercely and she narrows her eyes at me, and just like that motherly moment is gone.
•—-–—-–•—-–—-–•—-–—-–•
When the doorbell rings, I casually walk to it open it and say, "Won't you come in," to Dale, Jason, Sam and Josh. The four walk in wondering if there is a trick up my sleeve. Gloria calls out to us from another room, "Coming!". She comes out to the living pulling a hard top suitcase behind her, similar to the pink one she supplied me with. "I am ready,". So now Gloria is staying with us in our hotel room. We pile into the car, my back straight against the seat. It is a fairly quite ride to the hotel. We get there and go up to our presidential suite with four bedrooms. Sam in one, Gloria in another, Jason and Dale in the 3rd, and Josh and I in the last. I was to tired to even protest. I just came into the room and changed into spankies and a t-shirt, Josh coming in shortly after I changed. I brush my teeth, wash my face and lay out on our bedroom floor and stretch. I do my middle splits and I can feel Josh eyeing my butt, but I am to tired to care. "Kat?" he asks. "Hm?" I reply, eyes closed. "Those only one bed."
"Yep, and I don't really care." I state.
And there the conversation ends. I stand up and climb into the bed and he does too. I turn off the lights through the switch by my bed and fall asleep almost instantly.
•—-–—-–•—-–—-–•—-–—-–•
I wake up in a cold sweat screaming. Josh jolts awake and notices my panicked state. "Kat. Kat! It was just a dream!" I get out of bed thrashing and he hops up and pulls me into his arms. I try to pull away, pushing away from him but he is much stronger than me and holds me until I giving up and fall into his chest. After a few minutes of me crying so much that its hard to breathe, he brings me back to the bed. He starts to let me go, but I stop him by chocking out a soft," no,". Josh says, "Kat, it was just a dream,". Then I say, "No it wasn't, it was when my father was screaming at me because I didn't land a flip and it was the middle if the night and he was making me practice,".
"It's okay, he is gone and I am here," Josh says consoling me. Then he turns my chin up and kisses me on the lips more gentle than the first time. I try to say no but then I give up and kiss him back. His tongue presses on my lips and I let him in. He starts kissing me with a bit more force now and my head says stop, but my heart says go. He put his hands on my hips and pushes down massaging my tummy. He moves his hand upward and I think, "No, unless you stop now, things could turns out the wrong way." He moves his hands up towards my chest and finally I get the courage to say, "Stop,". He barely notices and starts to suck my neck. I push him and say, "Stop! This is a mistake." He finally stops and he lets go of me. "I just don't understand," Josh mutters and lets go of me, turns out the light and faces away from me. I am suddenly left feeling cold, and I want to feel his warm embrace again. But what was I thinking? I shouldn't let him kiss me like that.. While my guard was down! I turn over to go to sleep convincing myself I did the right thing, but a little voice in the back of my head says, "you're falling for him," and I think it may be right.