Assuming Kim
The plane touches down and we're finally home in Seaford! I know what you're thinking. Celebrity teenage girl living in Seaford and not L.A.? First off, I'm almost twenty. Second, hell yeah Seaford! I was raised her, born in Tennessee, but raised here. Most of my band is here. My dream house since I moved here from Tennessee is mine now. I bought it as soon as I decided I wanted to try my hand at a music career, which has been slow in coming.
My home in Seaford Heights is where we're heading as soon as we get out of this airport. No stops in between. Home.
I turn to Jack and he rights his chair. We stayed pressed together for most of the flight. I take out my phone and lean in to Jack, my chest pressed against his back. "Smile, Jack." He does as told and I take our first couple selfie. I'm such a girl, I know. "That's going up on Snapchat." I'll post after we get home so we can actually get there without a small mob.
"You sure that's a good idea?" Jack asks, scratching the back of his neck.
"Yeah. Why not?" I shrug. Am I missing something?
"Are you sure you want to tell everyone about me?" So that's it.
"Uh, yeah. I don't see what's wrong with it. Everyone knows anyway. Our karaoke video went viral. Our mall fight is blowing up as we speak. And Rudy said someone at the university got pictures of us kissing and those are online now. Sorry, but Jack Brewer is about to hit the newsstands as Kim Crawford's boyfriend. Are you okay with that?"
"If you are, why wouldn't I be? I'm just worried about your image." This guy, I tell you.
"They can paint whatever picture they want. Fuck em'." That takes care of that.
"Alright, let's get rolling out of here, folks." Rudy stands up and gets us all moving. "We never announced our return date, so we shouldn't be swarmed yet."
We hustle off the plane and we get through the airport. Our hands are full with luggage, but I know Jack is right next to me. I can't tell if he's already in work mode, or if this is protective, dangerous boyfriend territory. I've only ever dated other celebs. I've never had anyone who saw the world raw like Jack does.
We make it safely to the Rent-a-Car that's waiting for us. Rudy jumped in the driver's seat and Jerry went shotgun, no questions asked. Had Rudy already worked this out? I will miss that black Jeep I rented, though.
Rudy peels out of the parking lot of the Seaford Airport, and we're so close to home that I can't hide my smile. Jack is going to love it here. I really hope he does.
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Assuming Jack
Kim's giddy as we reach a gate with the letters S.H. on it. Kim's house, which is probably more of a mansion, must be something to see. A four bedroom house in Northborough is impressive enough.
We climb a steep hill and I see it. That is definitely a mansion or a crazy big townhouse. What do I know? I'm just a little guy from Northborough.
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Assuming Kim
"Welcome home, Jack." If he doesn't understand the words, my mile wide smile should do it.
"H... home?" Jack turns and looks me in the eyes.
"I told you to read the contract. You and Rudy live here, as contract states. He's my head of security and you're my personal bodyguard." I say this part in an overly dramatic serious and macho voice, "To protect me rain or shine, day and night." I break into giggles, something I rarely do.
"I live here now? With you?" Jack looks completely short circuited. I love it.
"Yup. You don't have to worry about finding a place or bills. I mean, you're a cook so you have to cook for me too..." I'm having too much fun with this. "You didn't expect to move in with your girlfriend so soon, did you?"
He just shakes his head as he gets out of the car and opens my door, too. What a gentleman.
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Assuming Jack
Kim opens the double doors to a foyer that takes my breath away. A gold chandelier hangs over us and a spiral staircase winds past where my eyes can follow. The foyer alone is half the size of the first floor of my old house.
"Do you want to catch some sleep, or do you want the full tour first?" Kim asks with a small smile.
"I need to learn the layout of the house if I'm going to keep you safe." I nod my head. She's excited to have me here, and I'm excited to be here, but I have a job to do and I want to keep her safe.
"Okay." Kim smiles, but I can tell she's worried about me. The last couple days have been crazy for both of us, and I haven't had a lot of time to sit back and relax. I'm high strung all the time, but the stress I've been under lately is killing me, I have to admit.
She takes my hand and brings me through the rest of the first floor. The kitchen is fully stocked and gorgeous. I'm going to enjoy myself in here at mealtimes, and Kim drew a long straw with the fact that I'm a cook.
Next she takes me to the living room. The TV on the wall is ridiculous in size. There's a great, plush wrap around couch and a mahogany coffee table in the center of the room. The fireplace doesn't escape my attention either.
Kim has a game room with another TV and surprisingly a console or two. I'm not surprised to see DDR and Rock Band. There's also a pool table and a foosball table. Something whips past my ear and a dart sticks so close to the bull's-eye. Kim smiles behind me before letting the other two go. The girl's good. "I love darts." That and a smile are her only explanation.
Kim leads me to the next room. It's a dining room, but the table is so huge it looks like it belongs in a mythological great hall. "I like to have guests sometimes." Kim shrugs.
"No, that's cool." I reply.
"Let's go upstairs!" Kim nearly rips my arm out of it's socket as she pulls me through the rooms and back to the foyer. We run up the stairs and she stops. "The first room is Jerry's room. He's going to be living here, too. I gave him the option. With the three of us here, he couldn't say no."
"Where did Rudy and Jerry go, anyway?" Do I want to know?
"Jerry's getting the Rudy View." Kim explains in air quotes. "Are you upset with Kim Vision?" She asks with a pout. She's definitely an actress, because she seems legitimately worried that I'm not spell bound by her and her... our house.
"Don't be ridiculous." I chuckle and take her hand.
Kim smiles and leads me along. "Jerry's room is blank with a closet, a bed and a dresser. He'll have to design it himself. Rudy doesn't even let me see his room. Ever. These next two are spares. This is mine." She points to a turquoise door that says "Kim" in purple wooden letters. "Across the hall is you." She smiles and pushes the door open.
I step inside and I can't believe this room. The bed is a queen with silver sheets and a black comforter. I've never had a bed bigger than a twin. The curtains are burgundy and the floor is cream colored shag carpet. Across from the bed, there are bay windows with a window seat and bookshelf built into it. One of the walls is doors for a closet.
"Wanna see your bathroom?" Kim's face is a pleased smirk because she knows I already feel home. It's more of a bed and breakfast feel. It'll take me a while to feel at home, to not step on anyone's toes, but I want her to think I feel at home.
"I have my own bathroom?" I ask in a bit of shock. I've never had a bathroom to myself. I grew up in a house of eight, and then shared one bathroom with two other roommates."
"The days of fighting for bathroom time is over." Kim smiles as she opens the door to an adjoined bathroom. "Double sink. Shower and whirlpool bath tub." Kim smiles, but falters. "Jack, what's wrong."
"Kim, I can't live here. This is too much. How much is this place? What would my bills look like? How are..." Kim cuts me off with a kiss.
"Jack, it's fine. This house is mine. It's paid for. Don't worry about bills. Don't worry about a thing. Just clean up after yourself. That's all I ask." Kim kisses me again. "You're done. No more bills, no more paycheck to paycheck. You even get days off. Can you handle this?"
Her eyes are stern, telling me she's serious. Her smile tells me she's joking a little, but her voice says she understands where I'm coming from. I pull her into my arms and she loops hers under mine so she can press her hands to my back. "I'll make it work. I won't be me all of the time for a while. I know you read Musings, so you know about my self worth issues."
Kim nods and presses her forehead against my chest. "I want you to feel safe here. I want you to love our house and feel like you're home. You are home. This is home." Kim wraps her hands in my shirt. "I want you to know what you're worth." Kim's voice holds no hidden secrets. It's pure innocence and raw care.
I kiss the top of her hair and pick her off the floor. She wraps her legs around me and I'm back to being trapped by my sexy blonde boa constrictor again.
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Assuming Kim
This boy is my hero. He saved me twice. He's been through so much and gets up punching and kicking every day. When he falters, he kicks up as soon as he can. He's tough but he makes me feel safer than I ever have. He's strong and gorgeous, but never once as he ever made me think he would hurt me or leave me. He's my dream, and the way we're holding each other, I think he knows it.
He tries to put me down, but I just hold on tighter instead. He stands up and bends over, my hair brushing the floor. "Kim, you're being ridiculous.
"Nu uh. You are."
"Kim!" Jack shouts.
"Fine, Captain Buzz Kill." I relent and let go when he stands to his full height again. "We have to go check out the basement anyway." I take his hand and drag him downstairs, and then another flight of stairs. I open the door and Rudy and Jerry are here as well.
"Hey guys." Rudy waves.
"This basement is dope, yo!" Jerry shouts, unable to control his childish giddiness. Jerry's reaction alone makes me smile.
"This is the laundry room. Washer and dryer. Soap and dryer sheets. This is also storage for any toiletries, cleaning supplies, and house maintenance stuff. This is a three sectioned basement. The second section is a dojo where Rudy can lead us, or we can do individual workouts."
"Are you serious?" Jack asks as I open the door and his jaw drops. That's what I wanted. "This is ridiculous!" Jack's eyes roamed over the mat, the lockers and the dummies. "This looks like a Bobby Wasabi dojo!"
"I designed it like the dojo back home." Rudy smiles.
"This next section is my baby and my workspace." I say with pure love in my voice. I open the next door to show my own recording studio. I had a mic setup and a pair of stools. There were a few guitars and amps along the walls from my last guitarist. I had a keyboard for Milton Krupnick, my band member and security communications specialist. I had a drum set for Rudy. A second mic for Grace who sings rhythm/back-up. My bass player left after having his first kid, so I have that position open.
"Man, look at all these guitars!" Jack was already in love. "Do you mind if I..." he asks nervously, his eye on an acoustic Austin Taylor.
"If you can handle it." I say with a smirk.
"Pssh!" Jack moves past me and goes into the recording booth. He picks his weapon of choice and takes a stool. I come in after him and sit on the one behind him so we're back to back. He tunes it to where he wants it and picks up a familiar song.
"Wait Jack, I think I'm familiar with that. Start that again." Rudy says from behind the glass.
"This is Selena Gomez's Hands to Myself." Jack announces and begins. I cover the lyrics, the two of us back to back and having unadulterated fun. By the time the song is over, my hands are in his chair and we're half way twisted around on the stools, managing the slightest contact on a kiss.
"Alright, guys that was great!" Rudy says from behind the glass. "I just sent that to Selena to see if she'll let us put out a cover of that exact cut!"
"WHAT?!" Jack and I shout simultaneously. "You recorded that?!" Jack looks honestly pissed! "And sent it to Selena Gomez? Rudy, are you trying to make me go live under a rock?"
"Relax, Jack. That was nothing but swag!" Jerry comes in clapping. "I forgot you could play like that, man!" Jerry smiles and shakes his head. "Remember when me, you and our math teacher blew the roof of the high school in the talent show with Seven Nation Army? WHOO!"
Rudy had snuck in and we both look at each other with conniving smiles.
"Did I say something?" Jerry looks around with a worried face.
"Probably. Ya usually do!" Jack throws his shoe at him. This is a playful side I'm not used to. It's pretty fun to watch.
"So you're telling us you play guitar and you, Jerry, what do you play?" Rudy asks with serious slanted eyes.
"I play a bass that'll lick your face like a rooster." Jerry crosses his arms and looks smugly at us.
"What the hell does that even mean?" I ask with a scrunched face.
"That's Jerry for he plays a kick ass bass. He really does though." Jack backs his friend.
"Alright, let's see about this. Rudy, call up Milton and I'll call up Grace." I smile and raise my eyebrows a few times at the boys.
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Assuming Jack
"Whaaaat are you doing?" I ask, my foot drumming nervously on the floor. I have an idea what she's doing, but I don't like it. Not a bit. Nu uh!
"Getting the rest of my band for a bit of a jam session." Kim smiles and bites her lip.
"Me and Jerry aren't good enough to jam with Kim Crawford." I shake my head and chuckle.
"Jack's right, yo. Our days of playing with others besides ourselves ended after high school. That came out wrong, but you know what I mean!" I'm glad me and Jerry are together on this one.
"Whatever. I'm calling." Damn it, Kim! "Hey girl!" Kim squeals into her phone after one short minute. "Just chilling in the studio with Rudy and two friends of mine. Wanna come jam with us?"
"NO! NO SHE DOESN'T!" Jerry yells so this Grace girl can hear him on the other end.
"Great! I'll see you in five! Love ya!" Kim made a kiss sound into the phone and hung up.
"Milton will be here in five to ten." Rudy smiles at us.
"Do they just wait for your call or something? Don't they have jobs?" Jerry asks, blown away by the Minuteman timing.
"We're trying to put our first album together. This literally is Grace's job and Milton is on my security team, so it is literally their jobs to be here when I call." Kim says matter-of-factly.
"Well damn." is really all I can say about that. "Is your band always your security detail?"
"No." Kim shrugs. "It can't hurt, though. I can't be safer than having my own security up on stage with me the whole show. This is the first time I've had my band be my security too."
"Your guitarist and bassist are also security guards?" Jerry asks in honest confusion. "Where are they at?"
"If Grace and Milton like what they hear from you two, they'll be right here." Kim points to the two of us.
"Kim, you're making a terrible mistake." I try to get her to see.
"Jack, shut it. You can play, you're my personal bodyguard and you're going to look great in my videos." Kim's voice isn't light, but serious and commanding.
"In case you haven't noticed, I'm a small town nobody turned bodyguard. I don't belong in a music video!"
"Jack, listen to me." Rudy grabs my attention. "Did you not hear you and Kim a minute ago? Do you want me to play that recording? That was the most genuine recording I've ever heard. You two dedicated that to each other, and anyone who hears that is going to know that. You need to be in this band." That was actually really convincing.
"Maybe we should do this, man. Remember how pissed off you got when the band we were in in high school kicked us out because we worked too much to make practice? The joke's on them now! Whoo!"
"Come on Jack, three against one. I know you want to. You were so into playing with me. You're good and people are gonna love you." Oh my god...
"Fine! I'll try it, just for a while. If I don't like this scene, I'm going back to just bodyguard, capuche?" I'm telling them, I'm not meant for fame. It's just not in me.
This girl, Grace, comes bombing in and slides across the floor to the second mic. Somebody's happy to be here.
"Who are the guys?" Grace asks, pointing to me and Jerry.
"Grace, this is Jerry. He's my new guard and I hear he plays some sick bass. This is my boyfriend Jack. Also security, but also guitar player." Kim introduces us like we're not here.
"Hi Grace." I say with a wave, my hand resting on the guitar across my lap.
This little nerdy red head comes in next, but not as pumped as Grace. "Good afternoon everybody." His manners are better than Grace's. "You must be Jerry." He offers his hand and Jerry takes it with a friendly smile.
"Dude, your hands are soft, yo!" Jerry laughs at the poor guy.
"Alrighty then..." Milton blows him off, causing me to chuckle. "You must be Kim's new boy toy, Jack." I quickly turn my head and glare at Kim who is an undiscovered shade of red. New boy toy?!
"Milton, why would you say it like that?!" Kim buries her face in her hands. "Can we just play some music and pretend I'm not going to kill you and eat your soul?" Kim's embarrassment turns to anger.
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Assuming Kim
I get Milton was trying to be funny, but I don't appreciate that. I can take a joke about me, but what is Jack going to think? My new boy toy?! I'm not a slut and I'm not using Jack! I get the whole thing is a joke, but the look Jack shot me told me he wasn't so sure.
The guys did as asked though, and soon we're ready to go. First on the list is a song written by my best friend Grace. "Alright, so Grace wrote this one herself, but we only have the lyrics, drumming and keyboard. Our bass player and guitarist ducked out before they could write their pieces."
"Woah woah woah, hold up, yo!" Jerry shouts. "We have to write our own stuff for this little project?" Jerry's eyes are huge.
"Hell yeah, Jerry. We're a band. We write our own lyrics, we write our own pieces, and we collaborate for a finished product. We're going under 'Kim Crawford', but she's not gonna hold our hands." Rudy explains.
I chew my lip for a second and I actually kinda like this idea. I came up with a lot of my own stuff to keep my mind busy. Instead of cutting, I took up music and focused even more on martial arts. I have some good pieces that I've worked out with Jerry.
"What are you thinking, Jack?" The Milton dude asked me.
"Do you guys have a tune in mind, or can Jerry do some dancing on this one?" I ask Kim.
"We have our parts all set and ready, but we don't have a bass and guitar bit. We'll run through it once and you guys can work yourselves in." Kim looks at me and I just nod.
They start up and I sit back and listen. Milton and even Rudy really know what they're doing. Kim and Grace together are unbelievable in person. It doesn't take Jerry long to find his place and jump in. Jerry's great on the spot, probably from his inability to read music. I'm the same way.
The song titled History comes to an end. "Good job guys, that was our best one yet. Jerry, you were definitely the missing piece on this." Kim smiles and Jerry takes a bow, the bass still in his hands. "Jack, where were you on that one?" Kim pouts.
"You didn't need me on that one. I'm not going to make some b.s. or just jump in where I don't fit. Not every song needs guitar." I explain with a shrug.
I couldn't really focus on where to jump in or what to do to be honest. The words are haunting me. Grace wrote History, but the soul and conviction Kim sang it with! I'm probably being stupid and insecure, but who's the guy that's going to come back and edge me out?
"Jack, are you okay?" Kim looks at me with worry in her eye. Am I visually bummed?
"Nothing. I'm good. So me and Jerry are in the band now? That's cool. I gotta pee." I rush my words one after another before I can even think about what I'm saying. I take off the guitar and hand it to Jerry before I leave the studio.
I'm not even upstairs before I hear Kim calling after me.
"Jack!" I turn to look at her but then keep going. I need to clear my head. I can't do this right now, just like that stupid song said. "Jack, you don't have to pee and I know it!" She catches up and grabs my arm, effectively stopping me. "What is it?" Her voice comes out soft and caring, not the front lady she just was in the studio.
"Nothing, Kim. Honest."
"Fucking liar." Kim crosses her arms and glares at me.
"Okay, guilty. History. Who are you singing that for?" Wow that came out douchie.
"What are you talking about? I told you Grace wrote that."
"Did you say that so I wouldn't think about the guy you have history with?" The douche keeps flowing, I don't know what's happening.
"Why would you think it pertains to me, Jack? I've never had a guy last more than five dates without him finding a reason to drop me. That song goes out to nobody because nobody in my past has earned it yet." Kim is pissed at my apparently misplaced assumptions, that much I can see.
"The way you sing though, Kim. There's no way you can sing it like that and feel like it doesn't pertain to you."
"When I sing that, I feel the music. I feel the beat and the atmosphere around me. I know Grace's history and why she wrote it. That's why I can nail History like that. You have nothing to worry about, Jack." Kim shifts from a defensive rant to a softened look and tone. "Hands to Myself. I heard the way you dug in and owned that. I felt the heat radiating off your body while you played and I gave it all I had. That song applies to us. Now us playing that song like that is all I'll think of when I hear it or sing it myself. We used that song to make love to each other, Jack. That's what people want to hear."
Kim's face was flushed from pushing all that out and her mention of making love, even if through music. Every word that Kim had just said was true, and the conviction she said it with was in no way even possibly an act. This girl is beautiful inside and out.
"I'm sorry, Kim. My insecurities got the best of me. I've been alone for a long time. And I have you now, and the smallest thought of someone taking you and leaving me alone again, it just..." I screw my eyes shut and I clench my fists at my side. I need to calm down before I have an attack. "I'm not jealous or possessive. I'm just weary." I end, completely out of energy.
My chin is digging into my chest until I feel a little finger lift my chin up. "Jack, no one is going to push you out or take me from you. You can stop worrying about that. I understand you have insecurities, but you need to forget all of them when it comes to me." Kim rests her forehead on mine and plays with the hair on the back of my neck. "You're better than all of that, and I know it."
I kiss Kim's forehead and then her lips when she looks up at me. "You're perfect, and I'm going to look out for you. I'm going to keep you safe, because in a way, you're saving me." I kiss her again and rest my forehead on her's. We seem to be doing this a lot lately.
Kim smiles and bites her lip. "Come on. I want us to work out a song I did write for you. It's called Phoenix."
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Hands to Myself has been covered, and History and Phoenix are songs by Olivia Holt. Thought I'd toss that out there if you didn't know or wanted to give them a listen for added story effect.
Thank you for reading and all the reviews! Jack is being brought into Kim's professional life, so we'll be going into relationship developments and career details along the way. The acting and music will be returning elements, but Kick and the new adventures they get into on the road and around Seaford will be the main focuses of the story.