"Nathan!" Elizabeth's voice rang through the theater. She glowered at him on the screen. "Do you know what dad would do to you if he saw you kissing her?!"
I only snapped about halfway out of my stupor.
I watched the Jack in the bed lean back on the unknown bed with his ever-so-famous 'Brewer smirk'.
"He's never here." He said on the screen smugly. "Besides, I'll be eighteen next month. By then they will have found Carson and this fling will be over. I'll be graduated and I'll be out of this H***-hole."
It was then that I realized that his shirt was open. And that there was a head of shiny blonde hair next to him.
It cut to Elizabeth and she just shook her head and muttered; "How can he be so ****** oblivious…", and headed out of the room in a whirlwind of rage.
I sat there with an open mouth as I watched Jack roll over and stroke the shiny blonde hair. It stirred after a little bit and a girl with beautiful, dark green eyes blink up at him. She smiled lovingly and stretched her arms out, making me immediately notice that the only things she had on was a tank top and absurdly short shorts. Elizabeth's words echoed around my mind and my heart jumped into my throat. 'If he saw you kissing her, kissing her…'
And then, as the blonde girl turned over onto her back, I saw Jack kiss her gently and smile.
That was the final blow and my legs acted as if on their own, standing me up to my normal height. But my eyes stayed glued to the screen, my ears either not paying attention or not hearing the whispers of annoyance from the people seated behind me.
Every smile he gave her, every kiss they shared, felt like someone was twisting a knife further and further into my skin. My feet started to unevenly falter across the ground, slowly taking me down the row, towards the aisle. I became slightly aware that the 'real' Jack was stuttering, but most of my concentration was still on what the people on the screen were saying, rather than what my cheat of a date was trying to say. How can he expect me to even try to be his friend when he keeps something like this from me?!
I heard a thump and my head immediately turned to see Jack had fallen to the wooden floor in the mystery bedroom. He laughed and jumped up, buttoning his shirt back up.
As my shock ebbed a little, fury came in times ten. I pushed my way through the aisle with much more force, driven on by the fact that Jack had recovered from his little 'fall-out' and was making his way towards me.
I finally stepped out by the two strings of lights and made a break for it. Regrettably, I felt an arm wrap around my waist.
And I didn't make it… figures. Every single time I try to get away from him…
"Let. Me. Go!" I whisper-yelled. He didn't reply. Instead I felt his other arm lifting my legs, the warmth from his toned arm soaking into my skin. And that was the moment where I started kicking and biting.
He swore a few times and clamped a hand over my mouth; I bit it. He cussed again and released my face, making me start screaming. But my relief was short lived.
"Oh, you wanna play it that way?" He asked me slyly. I could see the gears of a master-plan turning underneath all that chocolate hair. I started thrashing again and opened my mouth to scream 'help' or something else to annoy the poor theatre people, but I was silenced by his lips.
He's kissing me… is this a good thing or a bad thing? For a minute I let my whole body immerse into the kiss, careful to clamp my hands to my side. My mind slowly went fuzzy.
Then my world snapped back; he's kissing me with the same lips that the preppy blonde kissed. A shudder of disgust traveled down my spine and I forcefully pushed his face, and his dangerously addicting lips, away from me and successfully got my legs down, though he was still holding my waist. Then I started beating him.
"You" – slap – "jerk!" – claw – "What" – punch – "gave" – kick – "you" – slap – "the" – kick – "right" – flip – "to kiss me?!"
My face heated with rage, I stood up and started to walk over his groaning body. But as I was taking that simple step a hand flashed out and yanked on my ankle, almost making me take a face plant. I scowled at the boy on the ground and continued walking out of the theater, ignoring the shocked and/or indecorous stares I was receiving.
"KIM! I don't think you understand! Let me explain!" His voice went in through one ear and out the other. My feet just kept moving.
Finally, I reached the theater door and grimaced at the bright light. I looked down at my phone and was about to text someone, anyone, to come get me before Jack recovered and started chasing after me. When I was almost past the candy-counter I stopped and turned around.
I was looking at least fifteen different men and women with cameras. Paparazzi, my mind whispered. I watched a brown-haired girl, the same one who had run away from Jack, talking to them and gesturing towards the doors I had just came through. Well now I know what her problem was… I thought dryly.
Making a split-second decision I walked up to the big group of angry-looking grungy-type people.
"You said he was gonna be here!" A bald man with a strong accent yelled. The chick's blue eyes widened.
"He was here! I swear! He's just watching the movie!"
"Why in the world would someone come and watch his own movie?" A woman asked incredulously.
"He had a girl with him…" She trailed off, looking troubled.
"So he wasn't here." The same bald man said, sounding disgusted by the fact that not only did he have to drive all the way here, but his subject of interest wasn't there for him to expose.
I decided this to be a good time to interrupt. "Oh no, he's here all right."
The girl spun around and looked at me, her eyebrows shooting up. Her glossy lips pulled back into a smile and she looked back at the paparazzi. "You see! I knew that he was here! This is the gir-"
I clamped a hand over the girl's annoying yapper. I'm not getting mobbed by paparazzi. Not today, not ever.
I smiled charmingly at the bald man and gestured towards the doors that lead to the movie that I was just watching. "He is in there, and he'll be out shortly."
His eyebrows rose. Clearly he has had enough of teenage girls today. "Just trust me!" I pleaded.
He sighed. "Fine. You've got two minutes until we leave."
"Just wait." I said, beaming. I leaned against the counter, pushing the girl next to me so that I could shut her up again if she tried to say something I did not want to get out.
It was, oh, seven seconds or so before Jack shoved through the doors, slightly limping. "Kim!" He shouted, his eyes obviously only looking for one thing only. Then he spotted the mass of lenses and bad hairdos standing by me and his mouth popped open. And then he was lost behind a wall of flashes.
Sick em' boys.
And then I smiled sweetly at the girl, patted her head, and walked out.
A sleek, blue sports car parked on the curb and Jerry walked out of it in a dark leather jacket. My eyebrows rose. Who knew that Jerry owns such a cool ride?
"Yo!" He called out to me, walking around the car. "So I heard that the date didn't go very well."
"Where'd you hear that from?" I asked sarcastically as he sat down on the sidewalk next to me.
"You." He can really be that bad at misinterpreting sarcasm? Really?
I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Well, it was fine, until I saw Jack on a freaking movie screen!"
He looked at me, confused. "You didn't know about that?"
"I was supposed to?"
"Um…" he scratched his neck nervously. "Jack said that he'd tell you in an email or something over the summer."
"Well that never happened." We both sat there, staring at the asphalt. After a while Jerry started picking up pebbles and tried to hit the top of a lamppost with them. After about five minutes I stood up and walked over to the car door. It was locked. I walked around to the driver's door and saw one of those key pads on the door. You know, the ones where if you locked your keys in the car you can type in a code and it unlocks the door? Yeah, one of those. I stopped to think for a minute and then typed in 1-1-1-1-1.
Click
Well that was stupidly easy.
Then I busied myself with walking back around to the passenger's side, slipping my seatbelt on, and rolling down the window to see Jerry, now standing up, cursing as he kept missing. And missing. And missing.
"Jerry!" I screamed, making him almost fall over in shock. "Can we please just go somewhere else? I'm sure that by now Jack has escaped the paparazzi and is probably looking for me. And we're only three blocks away from that freaking theater!"
"Ok, I'm coming! Calm down mamacita! Yeesh!" He muttered as he walked over to his door and sunk into the expensive leather seats. Seems like Jack and Jerry have the same taste in car interiors. Typical.
"Where are we going Chica?" He asked, turning the radio onto Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes. Sure. His radio works.
"I dunno. Anywhere. Anywhere away from here." I could feel him staring at me for a minute. Then he silently put the key into the ignition and we drove off.
"Jerry, why are we at a KFC?"
"I'm hungry." He replied simply, walking up to the door. I slowly trailed behind, rubbing my head. A migraine was budding.
We walked in to oldies music and a warm tile décor. I sighed and watched Jerry order a root beer float and a whole bucket of chicken. Now how is he going to eat all of that?!
Wait, scratch that sentence. The only boy I know who eats more than Jerry is Eddie, and that's saying something.
Walking over to them, I ordered a small soda and wandered over to get myself a Pepsi. Now, I usually hate caffeine, it makes my heart beat fast and that scares me, but I desperately need that energy! (And plus the Pepsi is cold... yummy.)
I sat across from Jerry in a booth, him on the edge of his seat, waiting for his truck-load of chicken, me watching the small TV that was hanging up by the cash register out of pure boredom.
"Jerry?" The lady said at the counter. Jerry immediately sprung up and grabbed his float and bucket.
I didn't even notice him return; "This is Gossip-Central and we're bringing you a special sudden report! It seems budding actor and Karate-hottie Jackson Brewer had a date earlier today! Witnesses report that they had – get this – a physical fight in the middle of the movie! It sounds like this feisty lady is also big on martial arts! But what does all of this mean for actress Catherine Arita?" They inserted a picture of the blonde that Jack was sitting on the bed with. "Did they break up? Or, more importantly, could Jack be cheating on Catherine? And who is this mystery girl?"
And then to my shock, they showed a picture of the backside of me, my lightly curled hair cascading down my back as I walked away. It was blurry, but it was definitely me.
"Does Jack have a thing for blondes? More will be told tomorrow at our regular scheduled show. This has been Maria Smith with Entertainment Weekly, and have a good evening."
Jerry, oblivious to what had just happened, was happily spooning the ice cream into his mouth. I slowly laid my head in my hands. And there, ladies and gentleman, goes my life. Goodbye walking on the street. Goodbye school. Goodbye lying and then being forced to work at the library. From now on I shall be a hermit named Charles. And someday when I emerge and ask people stupid questions, they will ask if I've lived under a rock my whole life, and I will not argue, because they will be right.
I sighed and grabbed Jerry's root beer float, ignoring his protests and grabbing the extra spoon that was sitting on the table next to him. I spooned about half of the ice cream into my Pepsi. I don't care how unsanitary Jerry's germs are. I need this.
Then I scowled and ate it.
"Thanks Jerry." I said quietly, stepping out of the car. He gave me a two-fingered salute and drove away.
I made my way onto the concrete porch and took a big breath. Time to face the whirlwind.
I came into screaming, Aunt Rose scrubbing an unknown substance off the wall, and a blushing Hanna. I didn't even ask, I just pushed through the mess and started up the stairs.
"Kimmy!" I froze. Uncle Rono. Looks like he got out the vodka again. "We all saw you on that TV honey!" He started coughing for a minute and then regained his voice; "What a smart move Kimmy-girl! Did you do that for pu-umm…-pub-publicity?"
I clenched my hands and stomped up to my room. If a drunk slob could tell that's me who can't?!
Falling face down on my bed I let out a frustrated scream that was fortunately muffled in my blanket. I fingered the fuzz on it and looked at my alarm clock. 11:34 P.M.
Time to go to bed and not get up in the morning.
I got a quick shower, slipped on my aqua shorts, and then, half an hour later, I was still lying on my bed, wide awake.
After lying there for five minutes I decided to read.
Thump
My head shot up and I looked around the room, confused.
Thump
I slowly got up and walked around my room before I heard it again;
Thump
What the heck?! I scanned the room, before I heard a ping and walked towards my window. I unlocked it and slid the glass and the bug-screen up. Please don't be there, please don't be there…
"Kim!" I cringed. And he's here. "Do you know how freaking long it took me to get away from those stupid people?!"
His brown eyes and hair looked black from the darkness that was surrounding him like a blanket, but even I could tell that he was glaring at me.
"Do I care?" I hissed back.
"You should!" Then he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I'm just really annoyed right now."
"Well could you be a little quieter? My family is probably in bed right now!"
"Then come down here."
I looked at him incredulously for a moment. Then I said sarcastically; "And how am I supposed to do that?"
"Jump and I'll catch you!"
Yeah. Catch me. Right. He'll probably let me splat on the lawn like bird poop.
I sighed. "Stay there, I'm coming down." Opening my closet I grabbed my brown slipper-boots and ran downstairs, slipping through the slide-door in the back. I know for a fact that the front door is constantly monitored by cameras. Then I walked around the house, cursing as I stumbled, which happened a lot, and finally found the impatient, disheveled dark haired boy that had disturbed my well-deserved reading session.
"What do you want?" I asked, crossing my arms indignantly. And for once he didn't flash those pearly-whites. For once he didn't smirk or laugh at my stubborn attitude. For once he didn't toss a joke my way, hoping it would provoke me. For once he was totally serious.
"To talk." He said simply. Then he grabbed my hand and led me away. I frowned but followed. I stupidly wondered what he thought he do to make what had happened disappear. Isn't curiosity what killed the cat?
I guess I just can't help my inquisitive nature.
After walking for about ten minutes – in total silence, might I add – we reached Jack's destination.
"A ball park? Really? I mean, I know you played baseball a little in second grade but…"
"Don't you recognize this?" His eyes blazed as he glanced over the expansive grass. I followed his gaze but didn't see anything familiar. After a few minutes he pointed to a huge silver rock that was shining in the moonlight at the opposite end of the park. The same one that we had played on as kids. But I hadn't been back to this ballpark for ages… Ever since sixth grade, for obvious reasons.
"Oh…" I breathed out. "I didn't know that they still had that."
"They didn't. It was moved to the front of the city office building. But last week I had them move it back here. Apparently being somewhat famous has its advantages." He smiled wanly, still avoiding my gaze. "We were actually supposed to come here after the movie…"
He trailed off as I started across the freshly-cut lawn. I could hear him following me, our footsteps soft and muted. Getting closer I could see that someone had repainted it. It was much shinier than I ever remembered it being, but it was still cool and rough against my palms. Suddenly, two hands lifted me, gasping, up to the top.
Jack hopped up beside me. "Thank you. Thank you for this." I said quietly.
In response he grabbed my hand. For a moment I contemplated seizing it back and demand answers. Answers to questions I wanted to ask so badly.
They ran through my head; Why didn't you tell me that you wanted to be an actor? Why was I the last to know? Did you see the report? And who is Catherine? Are you dating her? And most importantly; Do you even have any feelings for me? Or is this all just a scam?
But I bit my tongue, something I rarely do around Jack. Somehow that boy and his attitude always provoked me in ways that shouldn't be possible. I was constantly fighting between my feelings of love and hate for him. But right now, he isn't the normal Jack.
So I let him have his moment.
And then his moment turned magical.
He gently leant me back, letting me use his arm like a cushion. Then my breath was taken away. "The stars…" I whispered. "They're so…"
"Beautiful." He murmured. I could feel him looking at me, even though my eyes were wide with wonder as I stared up at the twinkling lights. "Just like you." It was so faint, I swear only the wind could hear it. I was sure that it wasn't meant for my ears. But somehow it still reached me.
I kept silent, my breath hitching as he shifted his arm from under my hair. He leaned over and softly molded his lips onto mine. And right there, that kiss meant more than any apology he had ever given to me.
And then he was gone.
