Jack was torn between being content and worried sick. His and Kim's relationship was all that he could hope for, but the worry over the latest message from his personal hater was threatening to consume him. When he was with Kim he could almost forget everything, and for short periods of time he did, but then the worry would reinsert itself. Frustrated with his inability to do anything about the hateful messages, he turned to Milton. He tried to help, but his forte was more of the mechanical and engineering, rather than computer sciences. Or, as Milton would put it, he was not a code monkey. What Milton did discover though was that the entire Wasabi gang, except for Kim, started receiving somewhat negative messages consistently around the time Jack's movie was released. This wasn't much, but it did indicate that someone, who crossed path with the Wasabi boys in the past was harassing them online. It was Milton's suggestion that the hater sent the puppy images to Jack only because Jack cared about Kim and it was a public knowledge. Anymore details would require skill level beyond Milton's.
Jack was contemplated appealing to Bobby for him to hire some hacker to try and trace the messages to their sender, but he felt like he was blowing things out of proportion. Like, who did not get negative messages online? The coincidence was flimsy at best and he wasn't sure Bobby's paternal attitudes towards Kim would go this far.
He was at his house getting ready for the actual fundraiser. He was instructed by Kim to at least shower, use cologne and comb his hair. The latter one was unnecessary really. Didn't she know him? Jack was mentally girding himself up to dealing with media, gawking people, rich guys like Andrew, and Ricky, which is why he was surprised when Milton showed up at his house with a most unexpected girl as his companion.
"Hi Milton. Would you introduce me to your date?" Jack politely turned to the girl with multicolored hair, two facial piercings (nose and brow), and a very goth make-up.
"Dude! I am not his date. I am here to help." The girl offered her hand, "Call me Bryn."
"Hello Bryn. I am Jack," he wasn't sure what to make of it and turned to his friend. "Help with what exactly?'
"Bryn is 'helping,'" here Milton's voice made it clear that help wasn't exactly free, "with tracing the messages."
"Ahh.. the code monkey," Jack said and then looked at Bryn apologetically. "Sorry."
"Dude, don't worry. I getting my deal here, so I don't care what you call me. I need your phone." She opened her palm and made grabbing motion.
Jack recoiled at this and looked at Milton again.
"Jack, Bryn can trace the actual messages on your phone. She already did everything she could about the social media pages. She did it to my phone."
Reluctant Jack passed the phone and Bryn started furiously typing. At some point she sat down on the couch, connected his phone to her tablet and went on typing on it.
Milton grabbed Jack by the elbow and steered him to the kitchen. "I should tell you that we are buying her a new tablet. Its part of the deal."
"Milton, what is going on?"
"Remember how I found that all the messages to you, Jerry and me started around the same time? Well, I run the messages through a little algorithm I made and found similarities in the sentence structures and vocabulary. Do you know what that means?"
"Milton, you know I don't. Just tell me already."
"You have no appreciation for the proper delivery of the important messages." Milton said, but at Jack's glare he quickly added, "it means that the sender is likely the same person, or they are working from the same script. It is a coordinated effort. Even if it is only to harass us and make us uncomfortable, the root of the problem is the same guy. It could be more, but they all have one thing in common: we did something to them and they are now taking it out on us."
"So all three of us did something to this guy or guys, and they now retaliate by posting nasty stuff. And they got to Kim because they want to get at me?"
"Well, it is possible that Kim has her own harassers independent of her association to you. It could be that the locker image was used by your hater only as a convenient way of unsettling you."
"Well, it is something. And Bryn is doing what exactly?"
"Since you got messages directly on your phone and email, she can trace their IP address. That can give us some sense of where they are located."
"And more," Bryn added from the living room. "If it is a residence or even an office, I can find who they might be."
"Oh... Thanks..."
"The new tablet is the thanks I need."
"How did you find her?" Jack whispered to Milton.
"I have made a number of interesting acquaintances thanks to my research on these messages. Bryn is local and we connected."
It was another half an hour before Bryn groaned and lifted her head. "Well, I hoped for an easy answer, but this guy is good. They are not using the same device. At most two, three, messages are sent from the same IP address and then it changes. The one I traced so far is a public library. I suspect that that would be the case with other messages as well."
"So, you can't help us find the guy?" Jack was disappointed.
"I didn't say that. It would take more time and I can trace the addresses and we can figure out where they are clustered. It might be that our guy is only using public access computers in Seaford."
Bryn left with a promise to update them on any discoveries she might make and Jack and Milton went to pick up Kim. Unexpectedly, or rather as an oversight on their part, they were not prepared for all the media camped at Kim's house. Jack just cut through the crowd like a knife and Milton was left trailing behind him. When they got inside, Kim's parents were already dressed and waiting for Kim. When she came down, Jack momentarily forgotten where he was. She looked ethereal in a strapless dress with a fitted top and a cloud-like skirt. It was cream colored and her skin looked like it was made of rose gold and her hair was in swept to the side and over the shoulder. She looked so beautiful. Jack didn't want to go anywhere, fully expecting a circus tonight.
Sure enough, by the time they arrived at the fundraiser, it was already full and everyone wanted to talk to Kim and Jack, shake their hands and take pictures. Jack was wishing for Ricky's arrival like never before. It reminded him of the movie opening. People greeted him as he walked through the room. They patted him on the back and congratulated him by name like they've known him his entire life. He didn't even recognize half their faces.
He was talking to Bobby and kept his eyes on Kim. She was handling herself well. She was naturally warm and had that ingrained politeness with strangers. Of course, he knew that she had a temper and could swear a blue streak. She was approached by Andrew and an older couple he assumed to be his parents and he could already see that she was clenching her teeth behind the smile. He caught her gaze and gave her a small smile. She smiled back and for that second her smile was genuine. Then Andrew said something and her expression faltered.
There's a tense moment where all four stood and smiled awkwardly at one another. Something went on unsaid between Kim and Andrew and Jack had a pretty good idea what that was.
"Sorry to interrupt, Andrew was it, but I was hoping to maybe steal Kim away for a little bit?"
Jack stood next to the group, his tall frame and forbidding expression making him even larger in presence. Kim smiled at him fondly while Andrew's parents gave him a look of indifference.
"Of course, Jack. We wouldn't want to separate the couple in love." Andrew's tone was dripping with some kind of knowing innuendo and Jack unconsciously tightened his jaw and fists. His expression must have been scary enough that Andrew's mother teetered, "Oh Andrew! Don't embarrass the kids. Go ahead darlings, we will be fine."
Jack glared at Andrew one more time before Kim went ahead and grabbed his hand to tug him along. They stopped by Bobby, who had helped himself to some food, and Kim hissed, "I wish I could flip this guy into the wall. Jerk with money... Did you need anything?" Kim finished addressing Jack.
"Oh, I don't need anything but it looked like you did. I thought I would save you from the awkward situation. What did he say to you?"
"Oh, not important."
"Kim..."
"Jack..."
"Children, please, don't waste your time on some unimportant things and people. I know Bowdens. They are self indulgent, spoiled people, disliked by all who know them. Their money opens doors for them, but that's all they are good for." Bobby offered and Kim stared at him with gratitude. She smiled and kissed his cheek and Bobby beamed at her in return.
Jack took her hand and together they went to the drinks table. As Kim leaned over to chat with the kid manning the table, Jack was distracted by her outfit, which has been an increasingly normal occurrence that he really needed to shake. Her blonde curls were cascading over her one bare shoulder, exposed by her strapless cream dress. From this angle he can see that she had a hair comb holding her hair to the side. It made her look older, sophisticated. She turned around holding two cups. She caught his expression, blushed, and said in an undertone, "Stop that. I don't want to give any more ammunition to the gossip mongers about my wiles."
"You're no fun."
The pout that Kim gave him was adorable and he wondered if he could kiss it away, to replace her pout with a very different expression.
"You know how much fun I can be."
He doubted that it was supposed to come out as low and throaty as it did. He started leaning towards her to whisper his agreement that she was indeed a lot of fun, when he heard a noticeable rise of chatter and eventually Oh, Ricky, He is here.
"Well, I guess we can be left alone for now. Everybody will be distracted by him." Jack raised his brow at Kim.
"Yes, but I need to greet him and you should too," Kim said apologetically and Jack sighed. She was right.
Jack was right about Ricky's presence taking away attention from him. Kim, on the other hand, became even more in demand, mostly because Ricky fairly attached himself to her and talked only about how much he loved animals. It killed any other conversations people tried to have with Ricky. Jack would admit that it was clever. Anyone who tried to veer into Ricky's music, songs, inspirations behind songs, his friendships and love life, appeared like the worst of the gossips.
When the time for musical performances came, Jack was relieved to have his girlfriend back. She and Ricky spent the previous hour making circles and talking to people. It must have been exhausting, because at some point Ricky made gagging face at Jack and got an elbow to the side from Kim for his effort.
First up was Izzy and Jack laughed at the puzzled expressions on Seaford's elite's faces when they heard the loud, rocking sound. Then came Ricky's turn and he opened with one of his older and slower songs. Jack turned to Kim, "Shall we dance?"
"Are you sure, Jack? Aren't you too much of a dude to slow dance?"
"For you, milady, anything." he offered with a charming smile and Kim beamed at him.
They were in their own world and did not realize what a picture they presented: young, attractive, in love. There was a palpable emotion between them that even the harshest of critics could not deny.
After their slow dance, Jack had to relinquish Kim first to her dad and then Bobby. Kim was happy and laughing and Kevin told her that they raised twice the amount they hoped for. Ricky and Bobby were on hand and Kim jokingly told them that she expected their matching contributions by the end of the night. She was radiant and at some point went back to refreshments. At first, Jack was disappointed that she did not go back to him, but he was too distracted when he saw her grab a pastry from the table. It was a macaroon. It was a macaroon. IT WAS A MACAROON.
His hind brain made him run before he realized the importance of that detail. Jack sprinted to Kim and practically ripped the plate out of her hands. The forward motion of his sprint carried him over a little and he almost slammed Kim into the refreshment table. As it were, it looked like he angrily confronted her.
"Jack, are you okay?" Kim's eyes were huge and she looked at him quizzically.
He took several calming breath and then managed a stuttered whisper, "these are macaroons... Kim... macaroons."
"What?... Oh... You think these are the same like the poisoned ones? How can you be sure?"
"I... I don't know how... But I am sure... Even if I am wrong, I'd rather not take chances." He lifted his hand and cupped the side of her face. He was still trembling from the adrenaline rush and his eyes were wild. She took a long look at him and then rose on her toes and, holding onto his chest for balance, she kissed him.
It lasted seconds. Or years. Or forever. He was not sure, but it was not important.
She let go of him, lowered herself back, and resolutely turned to the girl who was behind the table staring at them with shocked expression.
"Sam... Sammy... Samantha!" that got the girl's attention and she snapped her eyes to Kim.
"Yeah?"
"Do you know if anyone ate these macaroons?" Kim asked pointing at the plate of pastries.
"No, I don't think so. I don't remember putting them here in the first place." Sam told them with a bewildered expression.
Jack felt like the bottom of his stomach fell. He was almost sure, but now his suspicion was a probability. He took the whole plate and marched to Kim's dad, who stood next to Bobby and Ricky. Their expression was changing from that of general good mood to concern to fear as Jack approached them.
He stopped in front of Kim's dad and said, "I think you were right. Kim is being targeted."
