Chapter 5- But the Rock Star always gets the girl
Krystal's house-
Krystal was woken up by a ray of sunlight that had shown through her den's window. The fire in the fireplace had gone out hours ago. She was slightly confused at this time because she thought she had fallen asleep in the middle of the floor, but she felt like a chair or couch was right behind her.
"Crap," she muttered silently turning around to see Jack's body lying next to hers.
His face looked cold and blue but he held a slight comfortable smile. One of his arms was draped over Krystal's waist, probably because it had gotten so cold during the night they huddled together for warmth. His expression made her smile because he looked so innocent and vulnerable. She could see seven year old Jack in her mind, playing in the sandbox at the park. The first time she laid eyes on him was that day at the park. He was a thin, shy little creature whom she had chosen to torture. He really wasn't that bad looking, with his little overalls, dirty sneakers and those piercing green eyes. Seven year old Jack just wanted a good friend to play with and talk to, but she never gave him a chance. Looking over at nineteen year old Jack, she noticed he wasn't bad looking either. Actually he was kind of, handsome, in his leather jacket and chain draped jeans. She never really looked at him this way before. He had a strong jaw bone that curved into firm cheek bones. He had full pink lips and a slightly pointy nose. His eyes were closed so she couldn't observe them, but she would never forget the way they looked at her.
She was careful not to wake him, by removing his arm from her waist and substituting it with a large pillow, she got up. Grabbing some hot coco mix and two large mugs from the kitchen's cupboard, she boiled water and waited for Jack to wake up and realize that they had fallen asleep, together. The clock on the oven read 9:23 a.m and she knew that Jack never got up before noon. She left the hot drinks in the microwave so that she could heat them when he finally woke up. She did two loads of laundry and while folding the first load Jack found her sitting in the living room watching television.
"How long have you been up?" he asked her scratching at his head.
"Since nine," she said placing the laundry basket to the side.
"I usually don't get up this early," he said stretching his arms above his head.
She looked over to the clock on the window sill and it was only 10:39 a.m.
"Where did you sleep?" he asked making his way over to the couch.
She didn't know if she wanted to tell him that they had fallen asleep huddled together in front of the fireplace. The last thing she wanted to do was lead him on.
"On the floor," she said holding one finger up to tell him hold on a second as she ran downstairs to get the next batch of laundry.
He tried to remember what happen last night. Then he remembered that she fell asleep first. Her body went limp against his, and instead of waking her up he lowered both of their bodies down on the floor. He was stroking her hair and then that must have been when he fell asleep.
She ran back upstairs with her laundry and started folding it.
"I didn't mean to stay here," he said watching as she carefully folded one of her favorite t-shirts.
"I know. I guess it got so warm dat we didn't feel like gettin up so we feel asleep," she said nervously.
"I better call Bobby and tell him I'm over here. He's probably pissed off," he said.
"You're an adult. Bobby doesn't need to check every time you wipe your ass," she said in his defense.
He laughed a little bit and said, "I know, but since the shooting, he's been a little more protective."
"That's understandable," she said handing him the cordless phone.
Jack disappeared into the kitchen for some privacy. Krystal let her hair out of its bun and shook her head letting the curls dangle in front of her makeup-less face.
"Looks like a fire cracker went off," he said joining her back in the living room.
"You tell no one, dat you've seen me like this. We clear?" she said sternly but playfully.
"What are you gunna do if I tell?" he challenged her.
She threw a pair of her father's briefs at him.
"Oh come on Red!" he yelled, "That's wrong."
She giggled hysterically, "They're holy briefs. Consider yaself blessed!"
They both laughed as they threw the briefs back and forth at each other before Krystal folded them back up.
Jack lowered his head and cleared his throat, "You doing anything today?" he asked her shyly.
Krystal was caught off guard by his question, but she recovered to say, "Well today is what? Monday? At one, I have to go sign up for dance classes."
"Oh," Jack sighed.
Krystal noticed his disappointment and without looking up from the laundry she said, "We could get together later."
He looked up, "Yeah, maybe you could come over and play poker."
She lifted the heavy load of folded laundry off of her lap and sat it on the floor, "Could we maybe play here? I don't wanna run into ya brother."
"Which one?" he asked.
"Well actually both, but I was takin bout Bobby," she replied.
"We could always play up in my room," he said eagerly.
She paused for a second, not sure what to say but he answered before she could, "Invite Sara and Lana over too," he said.
"Oh, ok," she said knowing that her two best friends would definitely jump at the chance to spend time in Jack's room.
"What time?" he asked.
"I think they both get outta work at six, so maybe seven?" she said.
"Ok, I'll go now then. I'll see you at seven?" his voice trembled as he walked towards the front door.
She followed behind him and said, "Seven it is."
Mercer house-
Jack slowly walked home after staying the night at Krystal's house. He was in too much of a good mood to go home and let Bobby walk all over him.
"And where the fuck have you been?" Bobby yelled slamming the door behind Jack.
"I fell asleep at Red's house," he said ignoring his brother's tirade.
"What do you mean, you fell asleep?" Bobby asked him.
"We were talking and we just feel asleep," Jack said walking past Bobby to go upstairs.
"Oh, so you fell asleep together?" Bobby prompted.
Jack shut his room door and picked up his guitar. He didn't understand why Bobby was so angry. Was it because he didn't tell him where he was, or was it because Bobby really liked Krystal? He chuckled to himself at that last thought. Was Bobby actually jealousy, of Jack?
He spent the next few hours writing words and making up beats for a new song. He had only gone downstairs once to grab a sandwich since he got home. Bobby hadn't barged into Jack's room asking him millions of questions like Jack had expected, and when he realized this it was already six thirty. He searched his closet for a deck of cards but couldn't find any, that's when he heard the door bell ring. It was almost like he was moving in slow motion, he heard Bobby answer the door and before he could even get half way down the stairs Bobby said, "Hey Red."
"Shit," Jack said under his breath knowing the last person Krystal wanted to see was Bobby.
Krystal pushed past Bobby and followed Jack upstairs.
"Sorry bout that," Jack said opening his bedroom door.
"Dat's ok. Sara and Lana said they were gunna meet me here, I know I'm a bit early," she said as he helped her take her coat off.
"Ok," Jack said, remembering he never found a deck of playing cards, "Hold on a sec."
He had to go downstairs and ask Bobby for his stack of cards. Bobby was in the kitchen sitting down by the back door drinking a beer.
"Do you have a deck of cards I can borrow?" Jack asked Bobby.
"There on my nightstand," Bobby said drunkenly.
"You alright?" Jack asked him, noticing there where already two beer bottles sitting in a plastic bag ready to be taken out to be recycled.
Bobby laughed but he didn't say a word. Jack grabbed a beer for himself and went upstairs to Bobby's room. He found the deck of cards and by the time he went back to his room the door bell rang.
"Hey Jack!" Lana giggled pulling him into a semi-hug, semi-air kiss.
"Is Krystal here?" Sara asked Jack as he led them upstairs.
"Hey girl!" Lana and Sara said to Krystal, each one of them took turns kissing each other on the cheek.
"I got the cards," Jack said feeling a little bit uncomfortable now that the three girls crowded his room.
"So how much are we playing for?" Sara asked taking out her wallet.
"How about clothes?" Lana asked seductively looking at Jack.
"We should play for both, but then again we don't wanna leave Jack naked and broke. Ya should just hand us your clothes now," Krystal said holding out her hand to Jack.
He turned bright red from embarrassment, "Actually you might wanna hand me your clothes. I got a lot of practice in since you left," he said folding his hand in a 'give me' motion.
Lana and Sara looked at Jack and Krystal, surprised by both of their actions. They didn't know Jack and Krystal had become friends over the weekend or that they had spent the night at Krystal house.
"What eva. Let's play some poker," she said grabbing Jack's beer and guzzling it down.
"Maybe I should get some more drinks," Jack said.
They all played for about an hour and a half before the girls decided to go home.
"Aren't you glad we didn't play for clothes?" Krystal snickered as she flashed the two hundred dollars she had won from the game.
"I think it would have been easier. Now I won't be able to eat for a week," Jack laughed letting the girls out.
"Thanks, that was fun," Lana said hugging him.
"Next time, no clothes," Sara giggled, hugging him too.
"Bye," Krystal said feeling a little bit tipsy, she had two bottles of beer to drink.
She leaned in to give him a hug and unexpectedly gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Bye," he said in shock.
When he closed the door he leaned up against it and said, "Wow."
Lana drove Krystal down the street because there was a lot of snow covering the side walk. Krystal had on her high heel boots and she couldn't even walk a straight line so walk home was out of the question.
"Thanks," Krystal said feeling blank stares on her, "What?"
Lana and Sara looked at each other knowing they both wanted to know the same thing.
"What was that back there?" Sara asked.
"What was what?"
"Don't play dumb Krystal. You're boning Jack aren't you?" Lana asked abruptly.
"Ok, first of all, what the hell are you two smoking? I'm not doin anythin wit Jack," she protested.
"Save it Red. We saw how you to acted tonight, all flirty and what not," Lana said jealously.
"You guys are crazy, I'ma go in my house, forget ya ever said dat, and I'll call yous tomorrow," she said slamming the car door shut.
She stomped up her walkway. When it came to temper, Krystal's was as short, very short. Nothing made her more furious than hearing other people talk about her.
Back at the Mercer house Bobby was finishing up his fourth light beer. He wasn't too buzzed, only a little bit hazy. Going over to Krystal's to apologize sounded like a good idea to him so he put on his coat and headed over. He knocked on her front door twice.
"Bobby?' she asked, the screen door was the only thing separating them.
"Hey Red," he said trying to open the screen door.
"Bobby, go home," she said holding on to the knob so he couldn't enter.
"I gotta talk to you Krystal."
"You got two mintues," she said letting him inside the cold house.
She hugged her long purple robe to her chest. After she came home from playing poker with Jack, she went into her room and changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top. She was going to put on sweatpants and a sweater but they were still downstairs in the laundry basket, and she was to dizzy to go and get them When she answered the door for Bobby she forgot that she was half naked under her robe.
"What do you wanna say to me?" she asked folding her arms across her chest.
"I wanted to say that I was sorry," he said placing one arm on her shoulder.
She backed away and said, "Ok, your not forgiven, get out."
She turned him around, heading for the front door.
"Wait Red," he said turning around to face her.
"What Bobby? What?" she sighed after mumbling Spanish profanities.
He grabbed her and kissed her hard. Harder and harder he pinned her against the wall forcefully.
"Bobby!" she yelled.
He continued kissing her, despite her cries.
"Bobby let go of me!" she screamed, pushing him off of her.
He stumbled into a wall and tried to process what was going on. She fixed her hair and wiped her mouth, he tasted like the bottom of a beer can. After he got his bearings, he started to laugh.
"What da hell is wrong wit you?" she asked him.
He didn't know why but he kept on laughing, and this resulted in a smack in the face.
"Ow, why you do that?" he asked her still laughing.
She stood really close to his face and smacked him again.
"Come on Red, your losing your touch. Hit me again," he said provokingly.
She only did what he asked, so she hit him again.
"Are you really mad? Come on you can do better den that!" Bobby yelled.
This time she put all of her weight into it. Bobby's left cheek was so red, it looked like it could bleed any minute now.
Bobby stopped laughing and Krystal just stood there. Ten seconds later Krystal kissed Bobby with all her strength. It wasn't a romantic kiss, and it wasn't a sweet kiss. Their kiss was violent and full of hatred, not to mention drunk.
Bobby picked her up and banging her against the wall by the front door where there was a small table with mail and keys on it. They both could feel cold air rush through the cracks of the door, sending chills up their spines.
"I hate you," Krystal spat as Bobby removed the bulky robe that hid her curvy figure.
"You're no picnic eitha sweetheart."
He picked her up again, kissing her less fiercely, and placing her down on the living room couch. She bit his bottom lip hard as she tried to remove his leather jacket.
"You crazy bitch," he shouted breathlessly helping her strip off his two layers of t-shirts.
"Shut up and take off ya pants," she giggled.
"Oh," he said excitedly.
Like I said, most of you probably hate me. Well bring it on, I ended it like this for a reaosn. I guess you'll just have to keep on reading to find out if Jack gets the girl or not...hehe (tries to hide devil horns) R&R THANKS!