CHAPTER 2- THE MEMORY OF WHITENESS
Sorry for the grammatical errors in my first chapter. I was writing it when I just recovered from a faint and sleep deprivation. Read on!
The thick sweet scent of incense spilled from the half-open door into the foyer. Neville and Jamie could hear a low murmur of voices inside from outside the newly redecorated building.
"Nice to see he's doing a booming business," Neville said. "It's hard to get a steady photographer wingman these days,"
"Do you have to be sarcastic about everything?" Jamie snapped.
Neville blinked, clearly taken aback. "I thought you liked it when I was witty and ironic,"
Jamie was about to reply when the door to Dean Marylyn's swung open and a woman stepped out. She was tall, with maple-syrup-coloured skin, gold-blue eyes like a cat's, and wavy black hair. She grinned at her blindingly, showing razor sharp teeth.
A wave of dizziness came over her, the strong sensation that she was going to faint.
Neville glanced at her uneasily. "Are you alright? You look like you're going to pass out,"
Jamie blinked at him. "What? No, I'm fine,"
He didn't seem to want to let it drop. "You look like you've seen a ghost,"
She shook her head. The memory of having seen something teased her, but when she tried to concentrate, it slid away like running water. "Nothing. I thought I saw one of Dean's dogs, but I guess it was just a trick of the light." Neville stared at her. "I haven't eaten anything since yesterday," she added defensively. "I guess I'm a little out of it."
He slid a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Come on, I'll buy you some food."
"I just can't believe you're from England as well," Jamie said for the fourth time, chasing a stray bit of guacamole around her plate with the tip of a nacho. They were at a neighbourhood Mexican joint, a hole in the wall called Nacho Puerto. "Like your accent sounds pretty much like an Irish to me,"
"Well you know, I have an Irish friend back there, we're pretty close. I guess some of his accent jumped onto my throat," Neville said. "Like when he breathes in and out," He grinned at her around his meatball burrito.
"Oh sure, act like it's funny," Jamie said. "You're not the one who has to double check if she's living with a language translator,"
"Jamie," Neville interrupted her tirade. "Who are you?"
"What'd you mean? I'm the same old 21 year old brunette with an excellent figure; I know you check me out sometimes," Jamie joked, sipping on her Raspberry Slushy.
"Well, because you're a pretty nice chick," Neville said after a pause. "No seriously, I mean you and I have been close friends for what 3 years now. Who are you? What happened to you? Why'd you move to New York?"
Jamie picked a hot pepper off her plate and nibbled the edge meditatively. "My aunt and I had this crazy fight. She persisted that I needed to go to this special school somewhere in England but I would never go back to that godforsaken place where my parents have died. She said that I will learn new skills and I have to adapt to it before someone comes after me," she paused, looking at Neville's full-on concentration in what she had to say. "So, I said no for the millionth time and she chased me out, saying if I'm in danger, don't come back to Brooklyn. Then I decided to take my job offer and I moved to New York. What'd you ask?"
Neville blinked at her. "Your aunt meant something there, but that someone is dead now. Hopefully he won't be alive again,"
Jamie sucked in air to cool her burning mouth. "Please, just let's drop this topic. I'm feeling confused and uneasy. And girls hate it when they feel like that," She checked a new message on her small blue phone.
"Aw," Neville made a face at her. "That's sweet,"
"No it isn't. It just feels weird. Anyways, Jarred invited me to one of his friend's poem recitation at The Solid Humane. Want to tag along?"
Neville's face changed dramatically. He thought that at least for today, they would not have a Jarred related conversation, but no; she has to bring up her wealthy American boyfriend.
"What'd I say?' Jamie stared at him.
Neville gulped down his Coke. "Yeah, I guess so,"
"Something's not right. You're not happy that Jarred is spending his day with us. Is that it?" Jamie said decidedly. "I think you should let go of the past,"
He stared at her, and seemed about to say something when her cell phone, buried in her handbag, began an insistent blaring of Fall For You by Secondhand Serenade. Jamie fished it out, gazed at the numbers blinking on the screen, and scowled. "It's Jarred,"
"I could tell from the look on your face. You going to talk to him?"
"Not right now," Jamie said, feeling the familiar bite of guilt in her stomach as the phone stopped ringing and voice mail picked up. "I don't want to talk to him, we had some problems,"
"You can always not go to that recitation," Neville said.
"We'll see if he apologizes first," Jamie punched the voice mail button on her phone. Her boyfriend's voice sounded tense, but he was clearly trying for lightness. "Baby, look I'm really sorry for last Friday night. Come here and we'll talk. I miss you Jay," Jamie hung up the phone before the message ended, feeling even guiltier and still angry at the same time. "He wants to talk about it,"
"Do you want to talk to him?" Neville persisted.
"I don't know." Jamie rubbed her back of her hand across her eyes. "Would you accompany me?"
"I'm always there when you need me the most," Neville grinned.
Jamie stood up, pushing her chair back. "Then I'll go to the recitation, with you." The strap of her brown handbag slid down her arm. Neville pushed it back up absently, his fingers lingering at her bare skin of her shoulder.
The air outside was spongy with moisture, the humidity frizzing Jamie's hair and sticking Neville's polo top to his back. "So what's up with the recitation?" he asked. "Anything new? I heard a lot of yelling in the background when you answered your voice mail."
Jamie's face lit up. "Things are great," she said. "Jarred says that his boy band gets a gig every few weeks at some club or school function. They're talking about having a band name too,"
"Oh yeah?" Neville hid a smile. Jarred's band never actually produced any music. Mostly they just sat in Jarred's living room, fighting about potential songs to be remixed. He wondered if any of them could actually play an instrument. "What's on the table?"
"He's choosing between Paramore and Avril Lavinge or Shortstack with Lady Gaga,"
Neville shook his head. "Those are both terrible."
"Stephen suggested remixing their own songs,"
"Maybe Stephen should stick to being a DJ,"
"But then Jarred'll have to find a new drummer,"
"Oh is that what Stephen does? I thought he just mooched money off Jarred and went around telling girls that he was in a band in order to impress them,"
"Not at all, he's actually good," Jamie said breezily. "Stephen had turned over a new leaf. He has a girlfriend. They've been going out for what four months now,"
"Practically married if you asked me," Neville said, stepping around a couple pushing a toddler in a stroller: a little boy with a red tie that was clutching a superhero with streaked ruby wings. Out of the corner of Jamie's eyes, she saw the wings flutter. She turned her head hastily. "Which means," Neville continued, "That Cory is the last member without a girlfriend. The point of being in a band is about getting girls. Right?"
"I thought it was all about the music." A man with a cane cut across her path, heading for Bazzo Street. She glanced away, afraid that if she looked at anyone for too long they would sprout wings, extra arms, or long forked tongues like snakes. "Who cares if Cory doesn't have a girlfriend, anyway?"
"My colleague care," Neville said gloomily. "Pretty soon, Lauren would chase after me with her Valentine Card,"
"At least she knows you're available,"
Neville glared. "Not funny, Clarke."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo
By the time they got to The Solid Humane, Jarred and band was already onstage, swaying back and forth in front of the microphone with his eyes squinched shut. He'd dyed the tips of his hair Red for the occasion. Behind Jarred, Stephen, looking stoned, was beating the irregularly on a Yamaha drum.
"This is going to suck so hard," Neville predicted. He felt Jamie tugging his sleeves toward the doorway.
"If we make a run for it, we can still get away." Jamie nagged.
Neville just shook his head determinedly. "I'm nothing if not a man of my word," he squared his shoulders. "I'll get coffee if you find us a seat. What do you want?"
"Just coffee. Black-like my soul,"
Neville headed off toward the coffee bar, muttering under his breath that Jamie sounded exactly like Seamus back then. Jamie went to find them a seat.
The coffee shop was crowded for a Tuesday; most of the threadbare- looking couches and armchairs were taken up with teenagers enjoying a free weeknight. The smell of coffee and clove cigarettes was overwhelming. Finally Jamie found an unoccupied leather love seat in a darkened corner toward the back. The only other person nearby was a blond girl in a I Love NY tank top, absorbed in playing with her IPhone. Good, Jamie thought, Jarred won't be able to find us back here after the show to ask how his music was.
The blond girl leaned over the side of her chair and tapped on Jamie's shoulder. "Excuse me," Jamie looked up in surprise. "Is that your boyfriend?" the girl asked.
Jamie followed the line of the girl's gaze, already prepared, Yeah, don't ever mess with him, when she realized the girl meant Neville. He was headed toward them, face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to not drop either if the Styrofoam cups. "Uh no," Jamie said. "He's a friend of mine,"
The girl beamed. "He's cute. Does he have a girlfriend?"
Jamie hesitated for a second too long before replying. "No,"
The girl looked suspicious. "Is he gay?"
Jamie was spared responding to this by Neville's return. The blond girl sat back hastily as he set the cups on the table and threw himself down next to Jamie. "I hate it when they run out of mugs. Those things are hot," He blew on his fingers and scowled. Jamie tried to hide a smile as she watched him. Normally she never thought about whether Neville was good looking or not. He had pretty dark eyes, with the right haircut and his lips were to die for-
"You're staring at me," Neville said. "Why are you staring at me? Have I got something on my face?"
I should tell him, she thought, though some part of her was strangely reluctant. I'd be a bad friend if I didn't. "Don't look now, but that blond girl over there thinks you're cute," Jamie whispered.
Neville's eyes flicked sideways to stare at the girl, who was industriously studying an issue of Cover Girl. "The girl in the tank top?" Jamie nodded. Neville looked dubious. "what makes you think so?"
Tell him. Go on, tell him. Jamie opened her mouth to reply, and she was interrupted by a burst of Jarred's feedback. She winced and covered her ears as Jarred, onstage, wrestled with his microphone.
"sorry about that guys!" he yelled. "All right. I'm Jarred and this is my homeboy Stephen on his drums. I think I'll change course for my baby Jamie over at the back," A blinding spotlight appeared over head where Jamie and Neville was. As she stood up, a round of cheers and applause was given out. She blushed intently.
"I hope after this song, I'll get an answer. All right, zest it up guys!"
The rhythm of Bruno Mar's Marry You, burst out as Jarred made his way down, singing sweetly to Jamie. Jamie was pushed forward by Neville. She could hear Neville's giggles. At the last note of the song, Jarred in his black sleek tuxedo, kneeled down on one knee and held out a small red box, inside it held a silver diamond ring, intertwined with gems.
"Jamie Ingrid Clarke, would you be my loyal wedded wife?" Jarred hummed, beaming at the attention he received.
"Look, Jarred, I don't know if this'll work but I'm already with Neville. He cares for what I have to say, not you. I don't care if he's rich or not, but he has a great heart. I'm sorry," Jamie rejected Jarred. He was flushing amber with anger. He ran towards Neville and gave him a huge punch.
Neville's nose was gushing red, he spun around, wand in tight around his hand, and he ran outside. He could hear Jamie's rousing to stop Jarred. Jarred and Neville was now In the dark alleyway. As soon as Jarred came out the door, wand at hand, Neville screamed "Crucio!" He wanted to stop, but his anger to control, only did Jamie burst out of the door, did he realize what he was doing.
"Nev-"Jamie was lost for words as she saw Jarred withering on the floor.
"I never wanted it to be this way," Neville stopped his curse and went over to his housemate.
"I knew it, you were always something else," Jamie broke out
Ooh… what'll happen next? Stay tuned!