Chapter 2

The hotel room was still dark as Bam folded his arms under his chin. He stared up at the wall above the headboard of the bed, unable to sleep. There was a mirror attached to the side table next to the bed.

The mirror reflected backwards digital numbers from the clock on top of the television across the room. Bam strained his eyes to read the backwards numbers, too lazy to turn his head to see what time it was. The numbers in the mirror read: 25:2 -- blink—65:2. It took his tired mind a minute to realize that the actual time was 5:26 AM.

He groaned, turned his head, and closed his eyes again. He couldn't sleep because he had something on his mind—no make that someone.

Why was he thinking about her? He tried to talk himself into believing that he was thinking so much about Crystal because he was going to, innocently very innocently, spend time with her that day.

It wasn't like they were going on a date, no they just met! And there was… Jenn. Of course he wouldn't dream of cheating on her… wait. Cheat? Where did that thought come from? He had to get these thoughts out of his head.

He and Crystal, as far as he knew, only had one thing in common; skateboarding. She would be a good friend, a skateboarding buddy, but that would be it. He was getting himself too worked up over this, and there was no reason for him to even concern himself over it. Who was Crystal any way?

Just some random girl with a skateboard whom he found very easy to talk to. She didn't squeal at the sight of him, she didn't pounce on him and ask for his autograph, she didn't ask for a picture of him, or for a hug and kiss on the cheek.

She didn't act like a fan, she treated him like a normal person, like one of her friends, and that felt good to him. Perhaps that was the reason why this Crystal was sticking in his mind.

Then he remembered when she looked over the top of her sunglasses. Those eyes of hers were so beautiful, and they sparkled just right in the sun.

He couldn't remember ever seeing eyes quite that color; aqua blue with tiny specks of green around the pupils. They were the perfect shape too, ones that he could easily lose himself in…

He popped his eyes open as if something startled him. Why in the hell was he thinking about Crystal? Not only Crystal, but, Crystal's eyes?

Was she placing him under a spell with those round pools of aqua? He shook his head and closed his eyes again.

'No!I must stop thinking about her!'

As soon as he started to drift off, he saw an image of Jenn. She was standing there, smiling at him. Her beautiful smile, the only smile that made his knees feel like Jell-o.

Jenn faded away and Crystal appeared with her bright smile. Crystal's smile, he found, was the only one that could stand up to Jenn's.

And when Crystal laughed… that smile of hers was that much better when she laughed. When he saw her smile the day before he wanted to…

Bam jolted up and huffed as if he were waking up from a nightmare. He sat there for a couple minutes, trying to shake Crystal from his thoughts.

He then glanced over toward the side table and caught sight of his cell phone. Picking the phone up, he looked through the numbers he'd collected, searching for the number he wanted.

'Glomb… Jess… Dico… Dunn…'

He thought the names to himself as he passed them. Then he stopped flipping through the names and numbers when he saw the newest one.

Crystal—555-2713

He stared at the numbers for a minute before pressing the button.

He closed his eyes as he put the phone up to his ear and listened to the rings.

"Hello?" the groggy voice asked

"Jenn, sorry that I woke you but…"

"Bam? What are you doing up so early? Isn't it like 5 in the morning there?"

"Yeah… about 5:38 now. I couldn't sleep."

"How come?"

"I don't know… I guess I missed you too much."

"When are you coming home?"

"Um… I haven't decided yet. I might be here for a while."

"But didn't you just say you missed me? Maybe I should fly out there so we can be together."

"No Jenn. Don't do that. I don't want you to bother with getting a plane ticket and everything. I'll see you when I get back."

"All right. If you say so."

"Jenn?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too Bam."

"I guess I'll try to get some sleep now. Maybe hearing your voice will help."

"Ok. You sound like you need to sleep. Call me later then, ok baby?"

"Yeah sure. Bye." He said with a yawn.

He flipped his cell phone closed and sat it back on the table.