Disclaimer: Animorphs belong to KA Applegate but the story belongs to ME! BlackOpal. Bwhaha.
A/N: Yay, I'm back. After a long period of writer's block and the absence of any thrill I could get from writing fanfiction (I got a really good English teacher who inspired me to write essays and such. Appalling I know.), I have now written this. I just saw Walk the Line and driving home from seeing that, I thought of this. You'll probably see the similarities. But anyway, this is an AU in which Jake and Tobias and Marco didn't go off and fight The One. Flame it or flatter it. Reviews are much appreciated!
Click.
Light- that was all I saw, light and the constant click from the paparazzi that were blocking my path to the hotel. They were everywhere; dressed in white tee-shirts and holy blue jeans… clicking so fast- like their lives depended on it.
"Jake, how do you feel about the Andalites calling you an inspiration?"
"What do you think about Marco making a movie about your Animorph experience?"
They wouldn't go away. The just kept clicking- kept shoving their damn cameras in my face and asking their questions like it was the most important thing in the world.
And then the worst question in the world…
"What would you like to say to Cassie and her fiancé?"
Fiancé. That's right, Cassie was getting married. She hadn't told me, she'd left that up to the reporter who had stuck his Nikon in my face about two hours ago.
Granted she had just announced it publicly three hours ago. Still, a little warning would have been nice before I had to face the world with a smile plastered on my face and the lie I had to keep repeating- "I couldn't be happier for her."
Bullshit.
Truth was, I hated her and I hated her new fiancé and the perfect life they were going to lead together.
I didn't get that chance.
I couldn't fade into the background like she had. No one stalked her as she turned every corner, ate at restaurants or even hanging outside her windows. No one cared what she did now. The whole world was watching me. They wanted to know about the leader of the famous Animorphs, the one who had saved his entire race from an alien invasion… no matter the cost.
Just get into the hotel. Once there, the bellhops would bar the paparazzi from entering and I would be free to go upstairs and forget this whole day happened.
Click.
Smile Jake, just smile for the camera.
The same goddamn smile I had smiled every day since the invasion ended.
I hated that smile.
Then suddenly, I was in. Bright lights, plush couches and lavish statues greeted me as I stepped into the lobby of the Ritz Carlton. The paparazzi didn't follow- they were stuck outside in the cold, left to wait until tomorrow when I would come out and do the whole routine again.
I was on the thirty-second floor. I hadn't gotten the penthouse, just a simple double room with the same double bed as any normal hotel room.
When I was younger, before the war, I always wanted to be something special. Now I just wanted to be normal.
I sat down on the bed and pulled off my shoes and pulled of my socks. There was a mirror across from the bed. I don't even look the same. I was twenty years old but I had the face of a thirty year old. Even my feet looked older, bare and wrinkled.
I curled on the bed into a ball, lying on top of the flowered stereotypical hotel comforter. It was cold in my hotel room, but I liked it cold. It helped to numb the pain, because no matter how I looked at it- I was curled up on this double bed alone. There was no one beside me and there probably never would be.
For years there had always been five other people lying next to me. Figuratively of course but they had always been there.
"You've changed Jake… the war's over everywhere else but you're still living it over and over again in your head."
It's too cold now and it starts to bite at my bare feet. I pulled the comforter around me. I was wrapped inside it and staring at the roses and tulips and some purple flower that looked disgusting.
"Look at you Jake… can you ever get over what happened and move on?"
But I love you Cassie.
"You need help Jake."
It was freezing. I couldn't feel my feet anymore. I got off the bed to get the circulation moving but it did no good. I went to the balcony and stepped out of the hotel room.
Warm air was what I needed. The hotel room felt too cramped. Open air was always a good thing.
"Look Jake, I've moved on. I can't keep waiting for you to go back to the Jake I knew. I found someone else."
God damnit, it must be thirty-below out here. Was this or wasn't this California.
I went inside.
I needed my pills; they always helped with this kind of cold.
Under my suitcase, under my socks and in my travel case… prescription- "Take one as needed". I took six. They were very much needed and they went great with a midnight raid at the mini bar.
Three hours and sixty dollars later, I felt a little warmer. The alcohol had given me a nice buzz.
Bring.
Another annoying sound. It reminded me of the paparazzi outside.
Bring.
Shutupshutupshutup.
Bring.
What the hell was that noise?
Bring.
Oh… it's the phone. I laughed to myself, of course it was the phone. People like to call you Jake. They think you're awesome.
Bring.
For the love of God-
"Hello?"
"Dude." Marco practically screamed in my ear.
"Marco, quiet. You almost burst my ear drum."
"I heard about Cassie dude, I was worried about you. How are you taking it?"
"Great… just…. Why would I take it anyway… that's a dumb thing to take… You know the thing about Cassie, Marco- she only cares about herself. What's that word when you only care… when you only care… about yourself? SELFISH! Ha! That's what she is she's shellfish."
"Oh Jake." I heard his sigh across the telephone wire. "Are you drunk?"
"Me? Nawh." I waved my hand like it was nothing. Whoa. That was cool. I did it again. Too cool. "Cassie's selfish though."
"Ok, I'm coming over Jake. What room are you?"
"1399… I think." That hand waving thing was cool.
"Ritz right."
"Yea, and dude hurry- you should see this cool hand thing I can do."
"I'll be right over."
I dropped the phone on the bed and rolled over. My pills flew into my hand. What the hell? They've helped so far. I down three more with a beer and damn did it taste good.
Man, I was tired… my eyes could barely hold themselves open. But I couldn't sleep; Marco would be right over…
Ok, maybe just a quick nap, I thought to myself and I closed my eyes.
Knock knock.
That's the door, my brain told me.
Knock knock.
Marco, my brain said.
Too tired, my eyes said back.
Knock knock.
"Come back later," I muttered to myself.
And then everything went black.