A/N: Hey guys! Another chapter for Luck, Love and Life! I really missed writing for this story, so I watched the movie again for inspiration. To be honest, I prefer writing McFly moments but since Ashley's in the scene, the McFly moments are cut shorter and I have to think hard on writing Jake/Ashley moments. I find it hard... XD because I was used to writing the McFly boys a lot in previous chapters. But ah well, I'm going to finish this story in one way or another. Thanks to McSteph for reviewing again! :D Thank you very much for supporting this story since its first chapter! I love writing Danny's silliness! Thanks again! Now read away! I'm going to write the next chapter pronto - the part where they sing "Too Close for Comfort" in the studio and the little washing machine accident in Jake's apartment. :D
Disclaimer: I don't own Just My Luck or the McFly boys.
Luck, Love and Life
Chapter 11: Unconsciously Falling
...
After having Ashley agree to join him to the Rock 'n' Bowl for her to have a job, he received less of what he expected. At first, he thought he would be able to convince Mac to hire her as a waitress, but suddenly he turned it down. He didn't know if it was his bad luck that caused it… or Ashley's.
"But Mac, c'mon, she needs a job, and I think she's going to do fine," he insisted. Mac shook his head.
"Don't be silly. We have enough waitresses as it is. The only job available is your old one!" he snapped.
"What? No way. She doesn't deserve such a crummy job," he told him.
"Yeah, but you took it."
"I'm a guy, it's fine if I took it. But her?" he asked.
"Jake, you do know this conversation isn't going anywhere right? Either she gets your old job or nothing," Mac said.
"But she's great!"
"You barely know her. It's either that or nothing!"
"Okay, okay then. You won't be sorry," he said, giving up. He walked towards the red-haired girl who was clearly waiting for the unwanted news.
"I didn't get it," she said in a hopeless tone. Jake felt his heartstrings tug.
"No, no, no," he told her immediately. "It's not that!"
Their eyes met and Jake felt the need to help her more. He really wanted to aid her, but he didn't know the reasons why.
"You can have a job, but it's my old job."
"So?" she asked. Jake was taken aback. If she only knew how horrid his old job was, especially that she was a girl. Girls rarely apply for his job, and it was clear why.
"Y… you see, I hope he'd hire you as a waitress or something. My old gig was kind of… uh… janitor, food delivery person, toilet attendant," he replied, hoping she wouldn't agree to it. Indeed, it was kind of a jack-of-all-trades kind of job, and he knew Ashley needed one with more class and simplicity.
"I'll take it!" she said with a grin. Jake exhaled.
"I just hope she can take the situations," he thought to himself.
...
"Jake! Where have you been?" Harry asked as he entered Jake's suite in their exclusive penthouse. The boys were holding Danny's arms like a pack of policemen holding a rabid prisoner.
"Actually, I have to ask that to you four… and why is Danny your captive?" he asked. The boys glared at the brunette Bolton boy, who was chuckling awkwardly.
"Oh… I knew I should've texted Tom instead," Jake remarked.
"Yeah, you should've," Dougie snarled. "We had lunch two times! Thanks a lot, Danny."
"Hey! At least we ate at that bistro!" Danny retorted.
"Yeah, but we paid! Jake was supposed to treat us!" Harry snapped. Tom just rolled his eyes.
"I'm sorry, they get a little childish at times," he said to Jake.
"No, we don't!" the other three screeched.
"Hey! Hey! If it will make you guys stop fighting, I'm going to treat you guys tomorrow, alright?" he said. The four boys instantly jumped for joy.
Danny, surprisingly, stopped first. "You haven't answered our question. Where have you been?"
Jake smiled and remembered his encounter with someone he felt a bond with due to their "lucky" streak.
"Wait, what time did you arrive at the bistro?" he asked.
"About 1:30… why?" Tom asked.
"I just left the bistro at that time," he answered. Dougie and Harry shot death glares at Danny once again before listening to Jake's story.
"Well… I just… helped someone get a job, my old one," he replied. He didn't want to let out all the details to them despite his joy. He knew he was going to end up flustered and being teased by the boys. And after all, the boys knew he was still looking for the girl that gave him his first kiss and enchanted him in the party. Somehow, the feeling he gained at the party returned unconsciously when his eyes first met Ashley's green ones.
"Oh? That bloke must thank you," Danny said.
"I don't think bloke is the right term," Jake said. The boys started laughing.
"Really, Jake?" Dougie asked, wiping tears from his eyes.
"I mean, there is no way a girl would apply for your old job!" Harry exclaimed.
Jake shook his head. If they only knew.
...
Recording sessions filled the schedule of the boys after the following days. They recorded some of their old songs once more for their new compilation album. Yet, they had no idea what to name it yet.
"Maybe we should name it "Unsaid Things" so it'll be new!" Danny exclaimed.
"Dan, that would make the album sound like a single for Unsaid Things," Tom replied, referring to one of their old songs.
"How about, Compiled Awesomeness?" Harry asked.
"That's worse than Danny's idea," Tom said teasingly.
"I know! I know!" Dougie exclaimed." Lizard Wizard!"
The boys stared at him, dumbfounded.
"I think Danny's the smartest among you three today," Tom said. Dougie and Harry kicked him as Danny rested himself on the couch of their suite. They decided to take a one-day break after all the recording sessions they have done. After practicing a few songs they decided to put on their upcoming album, they rested themselves and decided to think of a name for their compilation album rather than the new one.
"Can't we just record our new album? I can't wait to play Transylvania!" Dougie whined.
"Doug, you know we have to record that back home, right?" Tom asked. "Fletch just sent us here to promote our old albums, and Jake gave us a good idea to compile both of them into one!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. But I just can't wait to slap the bass with our new songs!" Dougie said.
"As if you're the only one who can't wait," Danny said. "I want to start recording the songs too!"
"Let's stop talking about these kinds of stuff! We have a free day! We can do whatever we want! Let's do something good!" Harry said, breaking the boring spirit they were bonded in since the wee hours of the morning when they woke up.
The four boys looked at each other with devious glee written on their faces.
"Elevator Wars or Playstation || battle?" Dougie asked.
"Playstation!" the other three screeched.
"I call Crash Bandicoot!" Harry said. "What? I love playing the good guy in racing games!"
"Fine, but I won't use Neo Cortex!" Tom said.
"It's a tag team racing game! You're bound to have two characters, you know! Don't be picky!" Danny exclaimed. "Still, I want to use Crash!"
"I'm going to use him and that's final!" Harry told him.
"Shut up, you two! It's stupid to fight over something that trivial. Plus, I'm the one who's going to use him!" Dougie shouted.
"First one who reaches the console will get to play him!" Tom screeched, and they ran towards the television with the gaming console to start.
...
The next day, Jake took the boys in for another recording session in which Mr. Phillips asked for the title of the album. They disappointed him half-heartedly by answering him that they were still thinking about it. It was quite hard for them since it was a compilation album, after all. What could they possibly call it? Tom dismissed the idea of calling it "McFly Hits" as Mr. Phillips suggested, because he decided that two albums weren't enough for an album entitled with that.
"Well, make sure you boys can figure out a title for that album so we can hit the charts! You boys are going to do great," Damon told them. They nodded and left with Jake to the Rock 'n' Bowl. They entered with exciting news as Mac told one of the waitresses to turn up the radio. The chorus of Five Colours in Her Hair blasted melodically in the Rock 'n' Bowl and caused the boys to celebrate inwardly.
"No way!"
"That's it! We did it!"
"Ohoh!"
"Yeeeeah!"
Dougie and Danny shook each others' hands as Tom and Harry smothered Jake in a hug.
"Let's celebrate! Burger and fries on me," Mac said. Danny felt ecstasy roll down his spine. Free food and their song on the radio definitely made the day of the McFly boys. The boys and Jake sat down on a nearby table and started discussing.
"Phillips will tell us tonight. In the meantime, we have to focus on the fine tuning that…" Jake stopped when a red-haired beauty caught his eye. Ashley was holding a fluorescent bulb as she climbed the ladder and opened one of the hidden containers of fluorescent lamps. She was going to replace it, probably. Jake watched her as she had a hard time.
"See, that's no good. She should've gone up without the bulb then brought the old one because now, she's going to be juggling…" The old bulb fell from her grasp and shattered into pieces as it made contact with the counter. Danny applauded Jake's prediction as the other boys chattered about it.
"And she should've turned off the light first because now she's gonna be…"
The sound of electricity and a loud female screech captured the attention of all the people in the Rock 'n' Bowl. Jake, meanwhile, took action immediately. "…electrocuted."
He left his seat and preparedly ran behind the ladder as Ashley fell backwards. He was able to catch her in time, and it suddenly made his heart race to make contact with her.
He brought her to one of the old employee rooms of the Rock 'n' Bowl as the boys begged Mac to give them more free food without being obvious. Ashley remained on a lumpy, but manageable couch as Jake gave her a bottle of juice and placed it on the tip of her fingers. He took out a tube of toothpaste from his "SOL backpack" and placed some on a face towel.
"Is that toothpaste?" Ashley asked.
"Uh, yeah! It's an ancient Chinese remedy for burnt fingers," he explained, dabbing some toothpaste on the face towel. Ashley was smiling in gratefulness after a very unfortunate electrocution.
"I've got everything on this backpack," he explained. "Yeah, it pays to be prepared."
He started rubbing small amounts on toothpaste on her burnt fingers. "I've got everything in this backpack. I have first aid, extra socks."
"Isn't that a bit defeatist?" she asked.
"No, I'm a realist. You've been out there," he replied. Indeed, he learned how to be practical and realistic in his approach in life, especially due to his past unlucky streak. "Hey, let me see your cell phone."
After being lectured on how to flip a branded cell phone, he checked the contacts list and was surprised. She had contacts of fancy restaurants which had names he couldn't pronounce, some names of celebrities, high-class workers, but no numbers for hospitals or emergency agencies.
"Are you nuts? Unlucky people need hospitals. Also, never call 911, they take forever. Fire response – they're good," he advised. Ashley nodded.
After giving a joke, they laughed together and silence immediately fell on them. Ashley was busy checking her fingers and hoped for their quick healing, but Jake couldn't help but notice her beauty… and the fact that they were alone made it slightly awkward for him.
"You know what? Um… this backpack just seems to bring you through everything. And I think it's time to pass it on," he said.
"Oh, no, no, no, no, I couldn't," Ashley said.
"No, no, honestly. I think you should have it," he insisted. "Please, you need it more than I do."
His spirit lifted when Ashley finally accepted his old backpack that assisted him in the times his unlucky streaks kick in. He didn't want to see her get hurt again by her unluckiness.
"Thank you," she said, smiling. Jake's phone suddenly rang and he answered it immediately after seeing it was Katy. She called him about problems with her key. Apparently she lost it. Jake offered to fetch her and spend time with her in his penthouse suite later. Ashley left while he was at the middle of the conversation, which unconsciously made him feel downhearted.
A/N: Yeah, so it's obvious Jake's falling in love with her. XD More chapters coming soon! Please R&R, no flames! And stay tuned! I assure the next chapter's longer and there are more McFly moments. :D