Jaymeson
I stared up at the ceiling and swore. No way did that girl see me as a man right now, especially considering I'd been too scared to go back to my own lonely house.
The movie hadn't freaked me out as much as the storm.
I freaking hated storms.
They reminded me of my childhood, of being alone while my dad was filming. They'd left me with a housekeeper, but she was so old and cranky that she offered no help whatsoever.
I'd missed Nanna so much that night â it felt like someone had stabbed me over and over again.
One night during a storm, a tree branch crashed into my bedroom window.
The housekeeper didn't even come.
Neither did my dad. I even called him. He told me to tell the housekeeper and go back to sleep.
That was the day I had realized nobody would come for me â that in the end it was me against the world and that was it.
Girls always joke about wanting to be rescued, needing saving, but what about guys? What about little boys who grow up parentless?
I hated what that money did to my parents, to their relationship. It made me sick inside whenever I thought about it.
Maybe that was why I pushed people away â eventually they would leave me just like my dad did, just like my housekeeper. I mean, she was freaking paid to love me and she still didn't care.
I punched the pillow with my hand and grabbed my cell. Pris hadn't messaged Jamie Hudson that night; I wondered if I should be worried.
Wow, tangled web.
Me
Hope you are having a goodnight.
She responded right away.
Priscilla S
Kinda freaked after watching a scary movie, but yeah, I'm good.
Me
Please tell me that tool who took you on a date wasn't watching the movie with you.
Priscilla S
Um, no⦠not him.
I smirked, wondering if she would âfess up.
Me
So you were alone?
Priscilla S
Not really.
Me
?
Priscilla S
Jaymeson was here.
That was it. No explanation, nothing, just Jaymeson was here. Like I didn't freaking matter.
Me
Jamie Jaymeson? Him? The one you refuse to discuss with me? How is the movie star?
Priscilla S
He's good⦠we had fun. Well, until the scary movie got too scary for both of us.
Me
Why's he in Seaside?
Priscilla S
Vacation.
Me
Are you okay hanging out with him? I mean, I don't know what went down, but last time we talked about him you, seemed pretty upsetâ¦
Priscilla S
He apologized. That's enough for me.
Me
Really? Seriously? He apologized and boom, he's forgiven?
Priscilla S
Nobody's perfect, and I always trust the first apology, it's the second that I'm leery of.
Me
The second?
Priscilla S
First apologies make sense. Someone says their sorry and they promise not to repeat the behavior.
If they do the same thing over again, then I know the first apology didn't mean anything. The second apology is worse, because it tells me that they're really great with words, but suck at action.
Shit. I suddenly felt like I was going to have a panic attack. Because that was exactly what I was doing. I was screwing around with her. I mean, I wasn't doing it on purpose.
I was just so desperate to make sure she was okay. The lights flickered as if the man upstairs was warning me not to mess with the innocent girl.
Me
I think that's a good philosophy. I'm glad you forgave him.
Priscilla S
Well, he's hard to stay mad at â it's the accent.
Me
Ahhh and the world makes sense. You're a sucker for accents.
Priscilla S
Maybe⦠⺠but we're just friends.
Me
I have an accent. I'm awesome. Can we be friends too?
Priscilla S
LOL I thought we already were.
Me
True, so the only logical step is to move past thatâ¦
Priscilla S: Ummâ¦
Priscilla S
I'm rolling my eyes.
Me
I'm dead serious.
Priscilla S
âº
Me
Go to bed, sweetheart.
Priscilla S
Night âº
I tucked my phone under my pillow like I did every night and fell asleep with a smile on my face. I liked her.
There, I admitted it.
Maybe not out loud, but it was there. I liked her. I wanted to spend time with her, and for once in my life, it wasn't about sex first.
It was about her.