Lucky Me
Chapter 076
We were supposed to leave on Wednesday (tomorrow). I was packing for at least ten minutes when an unexpected event occurred: I got the gift back. My Dad's gift from Christmas that Jack had taken from the boathouse before those awful few months when we were at each other's throats (more like stabbing each other in the back with smiles).
I was speechless by the insight my father had when I was only fourteen. He had my grandpa's old Air Force wings fashioned into a necklace. It was my second set of wings from my Dad (since it has been said that the father carried the mutant gene).
Back to the sentimental and less of the scientific! Jack came into my room and sat on my bed then started to pet my evil cat (which I officially named Lucifer). I felt really awkward pulling out, er, certain items from my drawers and shoving them into my duffel bag, but Jack was ten million miles away.
"Is something wrong?" I tried to sound as casual as possible, like I was asking him about the state of the grass outside. "You're really quiet."
"You should be thankful," he joked half-heartedly.
I gave him 'the look', "I had enough of your silence on that Saturday."
"What are you talking about?" He questioned and then bit his lip, and looked down at the purring demon in a fur coat. "It doesn't matter. I came to give you something, Kerry."
"You can try, but I should warn you I know where a fair amount of penicillin is."
He gave a short laugh at that.
"It's- come here." I raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and decided to play nice. I sat down next to him on the bed and Lucy looked at me and hissed. I gave a nasty glare to Lucy and flexed my claws at him. Lucy ran away. "It's this."
He pulled out a box from the pocket of his jeans and handed it to me. My eyes were getting rather tired of tearing up as my heart was getting extremely worried about the amount of heart beats it was skipping these days.
"My present from-"
"Your Dad, yes," Jack replied solemnly. "I had it all this time, I didn't know when to give it back to you and you never really asked for it."
"I wasn't sure that you kept it or threw it away," I confessed reluctantly.
He took my chin in his fingers to turn my eyes to his.
"Do you really think I'd do that to you? Knowing how much this means to you?"
I swallowed hard.
"You were pretty mad at me." For no good reason I might add after I thought about it.
"But I'm not that petty." Uh-huh, sure this coming from a male who went out with another female just to get me jealous. Yeah, I'd say he's above petty paybacks. "Open it, I hope you don't mind."
Opening it? Why should I mind—?
"Ohh…"
It wasn't a bad 'oh' or an 'oh' that would be followed by taking a very powerful being's name in vain, it was the type of 'oh' that a girl looking at jewelry from a guy she, uh, really, really liked had given her.
"I really hope you don't mind. I added to it, I can have it removed if you don't-"
"I love it." I replied, again my brain raised face-palmed in frustration. "Why did you-?"
"Because-it fit you." He wasn't telling the whole truth. You didn't live with someone for a whole year without picking up on their habits. I gave my attention back to the necklace now lying in my hands. It was only a silver set of pilot's wings with feathered wings on either side of a shield with vertical lines. It used to be a pin, but now it had a hoop on the top that allowed for a chain to go through.
And there was a teardrop shaped stone attached to the bottom of the shield.
Half blue, half green.
"Is it real?"
He let out a good long laugh at that question.
"Why is that always the first question females ask?"
I glared at him, "Because men are notoriously cheap."
"Point," he sobered, "So you like it?"
"Nice way to avoid the question." I smirked at him, but his smile was in that 'I'm-thinking-of-picnic-in-the-parks' glazed over expression. "I like it, I love it, and I told you that."
"It is real, and it was expensive." Just had to slip that in. "Now turn around and I'll put it on you."
I did as he asked; sweeping my hair into a hand so he had access to my neck.
"But what if I lose it?"
"It's a gift from your Dad; I don't think you'll ever lose it."
My entire body sagged, I had already lost it once.
Getting up, I examined it in the mirror provided for me on the inside of my closet door. It was really pretty, the wings were shiny and the jewel/gem thingie sparkled. I felt like such a girl-girl. He came up behind me and smiled.
Turning to look at him, I grinned.
"I'm glad to see you got over whatever was bugging you on Saturday."
An eyebrow rose. "You lost me."
"Saturday, our date?" I walked over to the dress and picked up people's exhibit A, the chubby angel on the cloud. "Remember?"
His brows knitted together.
"Kerry, I called you to cancel. I didn't leave the mansion on the Saturday." When I asked why, "Because someone stole my 'Jack' image inducer."
It was Wednesday and we were standing in front of the ticket counter at the local airport. I was told to pack light since we'd be there for three days, that was, of course, unless I felt like I needed more time. Professor was actually very understanding and agreed to my hasty request without much questioning.
"Why…" I started, only to have Scott cut me off.
"Didn't we take one of the jets? Because if this is what you need to feel normal, than it starts with having to get there."
Okay, let me try again, "Why-"
"Because you asked me to." Scott wasn't looking at me, which was a good thing because I was rolling my eyes. No, things weren't all magically better between Scott and me, it was put on 'hold' in some unspoken mutual agreement way. I didn't know how long it was going to last, but hopefully the residue of the nightmares would subside before then.
It still chilled me to think about that awful nightmare. Choosing between Scott and Zach, both my Dads in different ways and me having to choose which one I wanted to be with.
I sighed and hoped try number three would be the charm. "Why-"
"I don't know why, I was hoping you could tell me that. You wanted me here, but you jump at the sound of my voice and have been for the past few days. I hope you'll explain this, because we all really want an answer." Scott pointed out.
I narrowed my eyes in a bored way.
"Well that's all fine, but did he have to come with us?" I asked, jerking a thumb over my shoulder where a glowering Chris stood.
Glaring at him was all I could do because if I said anything about what the little twerp did, I'd have to explain a lot more than a stolen image inducer to Scott.
On the plane I was a little put out since I was forced to sit next to Chris.
I wanted to throttle Chris. The temptation of opening the hatch door and letting him get sucked out was very strong but Scott told us to be on our best behavior. If he had only said to be on good behavior Chris would have so been airborne.
Scott, the brave yet not so intelligent man, booked the flights so we were all sharing the same side of the plane. Three seats in a row.
After the normal spill about what to do and not to do while on the plane and after we took off, Scott was the first to say something.
"What's wrong, Kerry?" Oh sure, wait until I was trapped and then start with the poking and prodding.
"Nothing."
"Right."
"Nothing," Chris mocked, "liar."
"Then why don't you elaborate you faker?" Chris' stare dropped into the sub-zero category. "Didn't think you would."
I turned my nose up in the air, crossed my arms, and faced away from him. Scott gave me this 'do-I-need-to-order-alcohol-now?' look.
After another thirty minutes, Scott finally had enough and made a hasty exit to the bathrooms. I sat next to Chris, arms folded, and eyes set in a firm glare.
Then I heard him sigh.
"You are so frickin' stubborn."
I bristled.
"Sweet talking me isn't going to make me forget," I snapped sarcastically.
From the corner of my eye, I saw him whip his head around to face me. No doubt he was glaring at me.
"If I was trying to sweet talk you, I'd have mentioned your lack of boobs, love handles, and odd shaped head."
Let's just say when Scott came back from the bathroom, Chris and I was staring hotly at each other. Both pair of eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, faces set in the 'if-I-wouldn't-get-arrested-for-it…' mask. Then the genius man suggested the insane.
"Since it appears the two of you aren't getting along, perhaps I should take the middle seat?"
Not even caring that I lost the little staring contest, I got up, allowed Scott in, and plopped down in the aisle seat.
"I'm sticking with my original idea of guys." I glared at the seat in front of me. It should have caught fire.
"And that would be?"
"They suck!"
Scott eased back into his chair- after looking at my death-ray stare at the seat in front of me and then to Chris who was doing the same thing but only out the window.
"At least I don't have to worry about you dating then." Glare shifted from back of the seat to Scott's face and then back to the seat.
After a few more minutes, the flight attendant (Attila the Hun because this one was even more strict than Scott, heck, I think Scott was scared of this woman. I wondered if I could set her and Mr. Poovey up on a date?) said they were going to start the in-flight movie, if you wanted it, look at the seat in front of you and put on the headphones provided.
"You suck," Chris muttered.
Scott fidgeted with the screen in front of him.
"Pimple face, pus eating maggot with no morals and no ba-."
"Kerry!"
"Bank account," I finished and smiled innocently at Scott, who sighed, and quickly put on his headphones.
Chris glared over at me, the only reason I knew this was because I was giving him the stink eye first. He was such a creep! He stole Jack's image inducer and used it to go on a date with me! It would be sweet if it wasn't so freaking disturbing!
"Twiggy, anal retentive valley girl."
"Two-timing, double faced monkey butt sucker." I turned and looked dead ahead of me. You did not have a younger sibling and not learn how to throw dumb insults and names at each other.
That's when a peanut hit my nose. I snapped my eyes back to Chris who had this smug look on his face that I just wanted to rearrange. I was not going to be as childish as he. I was not!
In irritation, I stuffed the last of my five sticks of gum into my mouth, and chewed on it like a dog on a bone.
Scott cleared his throat and leaned forward, since when were the opening credits so interesting?
So I patiently waited for Chris to turn back toward the window. Through the corner of my eye, I saw my victim lean back in his seat, his eyes facing away from me and my slowly growing smirk.
That's when the flight attendant walked by, her smile couldn't be more fake if you asked her to do it. She eyed both Chris and me, but he didn't notice of course.
Just as quick as a shoot, I bit my wad of gum in half, snatched it from between my teeth, reached over and jammed some gum in his hair. It was past his shoulders. It was only fair. It was about as long as mine and if he hadn't turned around a second later, I really would have made it stick in there.
"What are you trying to do? Jam a peanut in my ear?" He asked darkly, I smirked.
"Darn, I guess you caught me." I feigned disappointment and crossed my arms, a glop of my gum successfully resting in his hair.
Well, at least that was until he went to run his fingers through his hair…let's just say it went downhill from there.
"You!" The angry woman grabbed me by the arm, gave one warning look to Chris and hauled me from the seat. "Are coming with me!"
Like I had a choice? She had a grip that would have made Miss Rogue cringe. She dragged me down the aisle, pushed open a curtain, and shoved me into a seat.
"If I hear one word from you or one compliant because you have discovered a new way to make a nuisance of yourself. I'll be very upset," she growled. Yeah, be upset my right wing. She was upset and ready to stone me with a complimentary bag of peanuts.
She turned on her heel and stormed back to wherever it was stewardess went when highly ticked off (and pretending not to be). I crossed my arms, and then decided it was best not to make eye contact with anyone. I must have looked just so classy with the bits of chicken and fish smooshed in my hair and clothes. It was sad and really pathetic. Not to mention anger stoking.
I would have asked for a napkin or something but another stewardess gave me a glare that made my ancestors and future children shudder. I flipped my eyes up to the moon (saying skyward would be dumb since I was in the sky).
Then I felt someone stop by my chair after a moment, I gave the woman a bored look. She gave me a hateful 'thou-art-scum' expression.
"I would like to change seats with you."
I hiked an eyebrow up.
"I don't think I am allowed-"
"M-Ms. Parker!" The evil flight attendant came rushing up to the middle age woman with severely tight hair. "I-I'm sure this little girl," why did I have a feeling she was about to say some two bit gutter description? "Wouldn't mind exchanging seats. Where are you sitting by the way?"
The woman looked like Emma Frost as a nasty scowl crossed her face.
"I'm in row 2 seat b. Isn't it your life to know this type of menial information?" The evil one's eyes popped open painfully and she smiled nervously, grabbing me by the arm, and once again dragged me up the aisle.
"I have the strangest sense of déjà vu, don't you?"
She, again, threw me down in the seat and glared at me. Looking past me, at whoever was lucky enough to be by the window, the evil one went pale and quickly started a Porky Pig impression.
"T-this must be some mistake!"
"There is no mistake, Ms. James." Aw, so she did have a name (and a rocket in her tush because she ran away really fast)-but….wait a second. "Hello, Miss Summers." Came a smooth, strong voice. I nearly melted when I saw who it was I sitting by.
"H-hello," I stuttered, I recognized the voice, the gorgeous face, but the name completely escaped me at the moment. The light gray eyes, almost looking like a shiny nickel, and my brain suddenly started to drip out of my mouth as I drooled over this guy (not really but you understand).
"Do you not recognize me?"
Oh, I recognized him, no problem. It was getting any of my other senses beside sight to work when he was around that was my problem. Then he did the really dangerous thing and smiled at me. Now, I loved Jack's boyish smile, it's the type that made you feel shy and loved all at once. This smile, this gorgeous angel on earth (well, air, whatever) had a smile that made you feel like you were wrapped in velvet with a box of chocolate candy. It wasn't a full watt or even a toothy one, but a wisp of the lips rising to one side. More like a ghost of a smile. It was just so-seductive yet naïve? I dunno. It was just making my gears clink and break.
"I-uh, M-Mr. Wa-Worthington's—"
Yes, folks, this was as intelligent as I could be when faced with the greatest beauty I'd ever seen (could you feel the strong tide of teenage hormones?).
"Donovan St. Loy, Miss Summers." I had to hold in a geeky laugh when he said his name and mine together.
"Y-yeah. I mean yes." Suddenly I felt the need to enroll myself in a finishing school. "I-was-you- How stupid do I sound?"
I looked away from him, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Do you not care for flying?"
Yeah, I absolutely held back a snort from that comment and shook my head in the negative.
"Do you care to elaborate on how you came to wear such a—decorative attire?"
My eyes shot open and over to him.
"I-had problems with one of my so-called friends." The way I spat out the last word should have been a heavy indication that I was using the term extremely loosely.
"Please, do continue."
Having him 'pick' the conversational topic was the only way to prevent myself from becoming even more of a girly, giddy idiot.
"It's hard to explain but my friend, Chris, decided to back stab me by pretending to be my—my good friend. And just because he likes me he pulled this stupid stunt and I found out last night and now we are traveling to Washington together!"
"Alone?" The word was beautiful. Don't ask me why. Guess it might have to do with Mr. Sexy Silver Eyes saying something like a suggestive (though he totally did not say it in a suggestive way) word like 'alone'.
He could have said 'snicker doodle' and I'd probably reacted the same.
"No! No. I'm going there with my dad. Chris only came along because it was either that or face homicide charges since he and this Julie girl hate each other." I chanced a glance at his stoic face and quickly muttered, "And I'm talking your ear off." I put my crimson face in my hands.
Then I heard him laugh softly, it was more like a gentle, joking growl, man, I needed therapy.
"You have yet to answer my question." He had an accent.
Ugh, could this guy be any more Harlequin worthy?
"Oh, right. He flicked a peanut at me; I shoved gum in his hair. When I went to the bathroom, he ordered fish for my meal. I don't really like fish, especially the type you can't name. So I flung my fish at him, and we started a huge food fight and my dad was completely ignoring us." I left out about the hair pulling and the ketchup packet squirting just for time sake…and because the lack of maturity it would have shown.
"Indeed. This is the reason Ms. James relocated you to the first class cabin?" I turned to him, there was no smile, but his lips weren't in a rigid line either, more like a soft line (so hard to explain yet so worth trying) on his face but still knee weakening.
"I guess so." I gave him a weak smile, and I doubt he thought my smile was as powerfully stimulating as I thought his was.
"I will order a meal for you, since you must be famished." I started to resemble what the fish sticks in my hair once looked like.
"Ms. James." He barely raised his voice but bam there she was.
Humph. Must be one of the perks of being rich to not to have to practically torch my seat in order to get a stewardess to come.
"Yes, sir?"
"Please have a lunch plate brought to Miss Summers immediately." She opened her mouth to protest but he barely raised an eyebrow and she stuttered an apology before scampering off.
"I don't have any money to-"
"Miss Summers, please do not insult my manners with such trivial matters as money." My first impression got a work-out today as my mouth hung open again. Donovan's eyebrow tweaked slightly before he turned toward the window.
After having a much better meal delivered and devoured, my mouth decided to leave my common sense behind and asked something that any sane person probably wouldn't have.
"So," I started nearly purring over the full stomach I had. "Is this like a rich man's carpool?"
He turned to me and just stared. No expression to speak of, it was like being in a staring contest with a Ken doll.
I cleared my throat before trying to tunnel my way out of the grave I stumbled in.
"You know, I thought since you were rich you'd have your own plane or something and not riding around on a—a normal plane." My cheeks could have been used as landing beacons they were probably so red.
He didn't say anything immediately but after what felt like eternity he finally did say something and it wasn't 'idiot' like I was expecting.
"Your assumption is partially correct," Donovan leaned back in his seat, interlaced his fingers and rested his hands on his stomach—probably a nice, toned tummy, too. (bad! Bad! Down hormones!) "I do have several private jets. However, since my company is considering purchasing this airline, I felt it best to test the quality of the product."
I blinked. What else could I really do? I mean here I sat next to a guy talking about buying a major airline like it was a used cd from a Goodwill store!
Rich people were scary.
"Then shouldn't you sit in economy?" Stupid mouth! Stay shut! "Isn't that were most of the money is made? If it was really made up here in the 'Never Neverland' section, it'd be bigger."
"Indeed."
And that was the extent of my conversation of buying planes.
Next time, I was going to chew on taffy or a Jolly Rancher or something to keep my jaw firmly stuck together.
"What's wrong with you?" Chris grumbled, "You weren't the one who had to go around apologizing to everyone." He shot me an irritated eye. "Or get their nasty looks."
Scott hadn't said a word, well, besides the threat of having the two of us (Chris and I) take separate cabs to the hotel. Now he sat up front, arms crossed, and not happy. Shocker.
"Oh don't be such a dork. It's not like I got off easy."
"Punishment times ten, you got to sit and priss around with the stuck up snobs of first class. I can see where you'll be emotionally scarred for life."
"Nothing scares me more than the thought of you trying to kiss me again."
He shut up. When we got to the hotel, we got two separate rooms. I felt nervous and sick being so close to my old home. It caught me off guard when Chris followed me to the room, slammed my door, and stared at me.
"Okay, talk," he demanded.
"About what?" I asked, coldly.
"About why you can't just get over it."
I couldn't believe he'd say something like that!
Oh, wait, yes I could.
"Did I make any moves on you while we were out?"
I forced myself to answer. "No."
"Did I do anything wrong?"
My answer was going to be a 'yes' but the look he glared had me re-wording it slightly.
"I suppose nothing inappropriate."
"I just wanted to talk to you without you trying to throw me out or threaten to chop off essential parts of my body."
"If that's what you wanted you should have just come out and said it!"
"You wouldn't listen, just like you're not listening now. Once an idea gets into that thick skull of yours, it's nearly impossible to eradicate it because your brain wraps around it so tightly it chokes out the possibility of anything else!"
I felt like punching him.
"That is not true!"
"Great defense, maybe you should study to be a lawyer."
Suddenly the idea of asking if Mr. Remy had a voodoo doll he could lend me just became so appealing. I crossed my arms and told him to leave. I really didn't want to fight with him without an audience, where would the fun be in that?
Later that night, when I was sure Scott at least was in bed and not holding a glass to the wall to eavesdrop (not like he would— I think). I pulled out the calling card Jack gave me and dialed up his number. I really needed to hear a friendly voice.
"How was your trip?" Jack questioned. I called him around ten that night (I knew Scott was most likely in bed and I wouldn't get caught). The poor male of my species should have never asked that.
"Besides having idiot Chris tag along, having peanuts, fish, and chicken thrown at me and getting covered in coleslaw and peas—I hate peas—then thrown in to first class, being even embarrassed and told I would never be able to ride on another airplane again? Fine. Everything has been great." I huffed as I landed on my bed, spread out as much as possible.
He laughed.
"I see. And why is Chris an idiot now?"
"What do you mean, now? Chris is always an idiot." I muttered, curling up into a ball. "He pretended to be you that Saturday. I wasn't sure it was him, but when Jack came to visit after you left and I grabbed his hand—it was bandaged. I hurt the same hand on Chris and made double sure it was him before threatening his life repeatedly." Makes it sound so simple didn't it? Actually I had thrown everything but the cat at Chris when I had found out. And that was only because the cat was smart enough to run from me.
"Oh." Like that was the one answer that summed up everything. "Did— you have fun?"
I raised an eyebrow and held the phone away to give it a questionable look. Putting the phone back to my ear, I replied, "What kind of question is that? I thought it was you." I paused, trying to recall that day, "Okay, I thought it was partially you."
"Partially me? Please explain this theory to the uneducated minds in the way of Kookie." It was so nice to hear him be happy and joking again.
"Chris, while pretending to be you, had certain things that just weren't you. He was too quite, not quick on the comebacks…and he blushed. A lot."
"What were you two doing to make him blush?"
"Nothing, he just grabbed my hand once and started to blush like cherry." I shrugged, even though I know he wouldn't see it. "Don't ask me why he acted like such a sheltered priest on parole."
"I'm sure Kurt would be thrilled to hear that analogy."
We talked for about a half hour more before I started to yawn and begged him to let me get some sleep. His last words were echoing through my head as I drifted off to dream land.
"It's nice to hear you laugh again, Kerry."
