CHAPTER 4
Kya slipped the sunglasses into her pocket and went up to the front door. She unlocked it and slipped in, getting past all the teenyboppers that were screaming at her to let them in.
Her palms were throbbing from their meeting with the sidewalk. Fred, Lisa, and Nikki were already there. Since Nikki and Kya both had to work today, they had decided not to go clubbing last night. Instead they were going when they got off work. Nikki spotted Kya and noticed the blood on her hands.
Nikki ran up to her friend. "Ky, what happened?" Nikki asked, gingerly grabbing her friend's wrists. Everyone else walked up to her to see.
Kya winced. "Umm...it's a long story. I'll tell you all later. But, are there any band-aids around here?"
Fred nodded. "Go check in the lounge. Take your time too. We've got everything pretty much under control." he said. Fred felt bad for making Kya work today. She was always filling in when someone called in sick.
Kya walked back to the lounge and started searching through the cupboards. She found the box of Barbie band-aids, and laughingly put two on her hands. They were starting to feel better already. The way Kya saw it, this was just a bad start to what was going to be a bad day.
Fred came in. "So, what happened, Kya?" he asked, concerned.
She shrugged. "I was almost hit by a car, but some guy came out of nowhere and knocked me out of the car's way onto the sidewalk." she said.
Fred was shocked. "Are you ok?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. So what do you want me to do today?"
"Well, Lisa and Mike are working the desk upstairs, Nikki and Casey have offered to take care of the front counter, and I've got to hang around the band to get something if they need it. Brendon's gonna help but you can help me there too, you know like with their water, and if you're not needed there then just walk around the store to see if any customers need any help. You know the drill." he said. Kya nodded. Fred continued. "Right now they're out there setting the table and chairs up if you want to go help out."
Kya helped them set everything up. At eight the doors opened and the line was formed inside next to the table. Only a few regular customers shopped around. Lipton, the boyband, was late. At 8:15 when the quintuplet got there, Kya was upstairs helping an older man find a computer game for his son. Kya knew they were there though, when the screaming all of a sudden got louder. Kya rolled her eyes and continued doing her job.
Jhon followed Brandon into the Megastore glancing at all of the workers there. He searched for a familiar curly head, but he saw none. He almost ran into the back of Brandonwhen the other four stopped walking. JC turned around to glare at him and Jhon looked back sheepishly. He turned to his fans and smiled his charming smile. The girls went crazy. They sat down at the table starting with Jay, then Lance, JC, Mikah, and finally Jhon. The signing started.
"Where's their water?" Jhon heard one of the managers ask a worker.
"I don't know," the blonde guy answered back. "Kya is supposed to get it."
"Where's Kya?" the manager asked. Jhon listened with interest until Mikah kicked his leg under the table. Jhon turned towards Mikah who nodded towards the nervous girl standing in front of Jhon.
Jhon turned to her, signing her picture. "And what's your name?" he asked, smiling.
"Umm...uh...Tina," the girl stuttered.
"Well thanks for coming, Tina. And stay Lipton." Jhon said, handing her picture.
Then, above the noise of all the girls screaming, the members ofLipton heard a very masculine yell. But it wasn't for them.
"Ky!" the blond worker called to someone standing near the railing upstairs. JC, Jhon, Lance, Mikah, and Jay all turned to see who Ky was.
They saw a brown curly head stick out over the railing. "What?" she yelled back. The blond gestured for her to come down and she nodded in compliance. The five guys turned back to their signing.
"What, Brendon?" Kya asked when she got downstairs.
"Lipton needs their water. That's your job," Brendon said.
"Oh poor babies. Sorry, I was just doing my job helping a customer, but I'll get right on it, Cap'n Crunch!" Kya said while saluting Brendon. Unbeknownst to her, Jhon was watching her. He turned back to his signing, trying to think of what to say to her.
Kyacame back with her hands full of glasses and a large water pitcher. The girls in line, though, paid no attention to her. They wouldn't acknowledge that she was there, therefore Kya couldn't get by them to get to the table.
"Alright teenyboppers!" Kya yelled. "Whoever doesn't move out of my way is going to be soaked when they meet their dreamboat."
The line parted like the Red Sea.Lipton started laughing at the startled looks on the fans faces.
Kya smiled and started pouring the water, starting at the end with the dark haired guy.
"Thank you," JC said, smiling up at her.
"No prob," Kya said back. Then she poured water for the next two guys.
She got to the fourth guy. "Thanks sweetheart," he, Mikah said, winking at her.
"Anytime babe," she replied.
She poured the bleach guy's water and turned to walk away, when he grabbed her wrist. He turned her hand over, revealing the Barbie band-aid on her palm. He ran his finger lightly over it.
"Peanut Butter always did like the color pink," the curly haired boy said. Mikah, who was the only guy who could hear Jhon, was staring at him like he was possessed. The other three friends were looking at him strangely and the fans just looked on in wonder and shock.
Kya pulled her hand away and for a second Jhon thought she wasn't going to respond. Just then, a hand grabbed his ear and pulled him up, knocking his chair over backwards.
"Oww! What was that for?" he exclaimed, rubbing his ear.
"That, Jhon Randall Dowing, is for not keeping in touch. And it's also for just running off this morning. Oh, by the way, I hate the color pink," Kya said, finishing sweetly. Jhon just looked at her. Kya smiled. "But I am glad you're here now," she said. She reached out and hugged Jhon. He hugged back, grinning. There was a loud scream from one of the fans. Jhon and Kya turned towards the scream, still holding onto each other.
The scream came from a very short, very young girl. "YOU TWO-TIMING SNAKE! What about me? What about our baby?" she shrieked. The security guard caught her just before she fainted.
Jhon looked shocked but Kya and the other guys were trying their hardest not to laugh. Kya patted Jhon's shoulder. "We'll talk later, Jhon."
"But..." he stuttered.
"No buts. You've got a signing to finish and I've got work to do." she said, sensibly. She hugged him one last time and kissed him on the cheek. Jhon turned back to the now upset fans and Kya walked away. She turned back around and called out, "Jhon!"
He looked back at her, "Yeah?"
"Thanks for saving me, yet again, this morning." she said.
Jhon grinned. "No problem, Peanut Butter. I'm used to it."
Kya just laughed.
