Paper Flowers.
Summary: AU Soap Opera Style. In the wealthy town of Paradise Falls, an elite circle of youth control it all. On the surface they have everything. But once you start to dig a little deeper, there's a whole other world of lies, deceit, sex and more. Enjoy your stay.
Disclaimer: The recognizable characters and character traits of any of Disney's Newsies belong to Disney. Any other character is the property of either me or the author that I am borrowing them from.
Chapter 002.
Knock, knock.
Jessica rushed forward as fast as she could in Julie's red dress before Kloppman, the DiVenize's elderly butler, could answer the door. "I got it," she yelled before pulling the door open. "Jack," she squealed as she hopped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Jack chuckled deeply as he lifted Jessica off of the ground once before placing her back down. "I missed you too, Jessie," he laughed as he bent down to give her a kiss.
"Cowboy, what are you doing here?" called a third voice that caused the two to jump apart.
Jessica whirled around in surprise as she faced Luke, still clad in his business suit, as he stood leaning against the foyer stair's banister, his arms crossed. "Luke, I didn't know you were home," she cooed, slipping her hand into Jack's as she grinned in Luke's direction, a look that said "watch it" written in her flashing eyes.
Not noticing the look that Jessica was shooting Luke, Jack lifted the cowboy hat from his head in a gesture he had picked up while living in New Mexico. "Hey, Luke. How are you? Didn't really get to talk to you yesterday on the ride back from the airport. I was a little busy getting reacquainted with my girl here. You know how it is."
Luke glanced over at Jessica and his lip curled appreciatively at the sight of the tight red dress. "Of course."
Jack noticed Luke's glance and grew stiff. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked quickly, his jealous nature awoken as he took a step toward Luke, putting himself between Luke and Jessica.
But before Luke could respond, Jessica pulled on Jack's hand. "Nothing, Jack, nothing. Luke's just kidding around, alright? Besides, it's time to go. The reservations at Chez Maurice are at seven and I don't want to be late."
Jack paused for a moment before shaking his head. "You're right, Jessie. I don't know where my head was just at. And, sorry about that, Luke -- I guess I still haven't slept off yesterday's jet lag, eh?"
"No problem, Jack," Luke said as he approached Jack with his hand extended.
Jack shook Luke's hand for a moment before nodding. "I'll see you later," he said before exiting out the front door, beckoning to Jessica to follow as he did so. But, before she even had a chance to make it out the door, she tensed when she felt Luke's arm on her hip. Whirling around to face him she hissed, "What are you playing at Luke?"
His only response was to wink at her before letting his hand travel down to rest on her rear.
"Jess? Are you coming?"
Jessica jumped back from Luke as Jack entered back into the DiVenize's home. "Yeah, Jack. I was just saying good night to Luke," she said hurriedly before heading out the door.
Jack made to follow her out but paused just inside of the foyer. "Luke," he began as he turned to face the taller man with a smirk, "Jessica is my girl -- I want you to stay away from her or else I'm gonna have to soak you."
"'Soak', Cowboy? Some kind of Santa Fe slang?"
"I mean it, Luke," Jack replied before following Jessica out, leaving a sneering Luke behind.
***
Julie checked her watch as she hurriedly crossed the walk that led to Tibby 's, the pleasant outside cafe where she was meeting her dinner date. It was only quarter to five now -- she wouldn't be meeting him until five o'clock. "I'm glad I made it on time," she murmured as she approached the host at the door. As Julie was known for always being casually late, it was saying something about her dinner date that she was early.
Pushing a strand of her black hair behind her ear, Julie slowed her pace to a stroll. "Good afternoon, Arvie," she greeted the dashing host, a somewhat average built man whose professional-looking black suit accenting his dark skin. "Table for two, please?"
"Anything for you, Miss DiVenize," he winked as he reached for two menus and tucked them under his arm. "The usual table, I assume?"
"If you don't mind," she replied, a grin playing on her lips. "And I thought I told you to call me Julie."
"Sure. Like I'm gonna start addressing the owner of the restaurant where I work by her first name," Arvie answered as he began to lead Julie towards a table, somewhat secluded near the edge of the cafe's perimeter, tables away from the hustle and bustle of the early dinner crowd.
"Well, actually, Luke was given Tibby's when our parents died, so he's the real owner. I'm just his little ole sister," she teased as she followed him and, when she arrived at the cozy table for two, sat down.
"Whatever you say, Miss DiVenize," he replied as he placed the two menus down. "And I assume that when Mister MacKenzie shows up, I should send him this way?"
Julie paused for the moment, cautiously looking in front of and behind her before answering. "That would be great, Arvie. Just tell Michael that I'm at the table already."
Arvie looked a little puzzled at Julie's strange behavior but, nonetheless, nodded. "Sure thing, Miss," he said before nodding and heading back to the front of the cafe.
Julie watched Arvie walk away and, once he had made it among the busy throng at the front of the cafe, she laid her head down in her hands in annoyance -- annoyance at her own actions. "Why must I be so ashamed of Michael?" she murmured out loud as she kept her head down. But Julie knew exactly why she was ashamed: to be a DiVenize in Paradise Falls carried a great weight and there was much that was expected of her. The choice of her future spouse was one thing -- and one of her social standing did not marry the gardener.
"Julie? Is that you?"
As the grin that usual found its way to her face when Michael was near lit up her face, Julie pushed her troubling thoughts from her mind and lifted her head. "Of course it's me, love."