| We went to dinner and then Lacey decided to come with me to work. I didn't have much to do anyway. We chatted while I did that, and when Tay called me to say goodnight, she and Ike talked too. By the time we got to my place, we dropped, we were so exhausted. We slept until Taylor, my personal alarm clock, called to wake me up. "Hi babe! Vacation starts tomorrow right?" I asked. "You bet baby! Actually we'll fly home first thing in the morning, the interview we're doing will be finished by the time you're done at the gym tonight. We'll meet you at your place, then ok?" "Ok Tay...see you tonight." "Love you, Jess. Bye." "Love you too." |
| Lacey and I ran a few errands that morning and then packed most of our things ahead of time, so we wouldn't have to do it in the morning. Then I we went to the gym and Lacey sat on the bench near the gym floor and watched. And watched. And watched. It was getting near time for the guys to be done, and meet us at my apartment, and here I was, all sweaty and unable to time that last flip just right. I kept landing flat on my ass. "Shit!" I exclaimed, after the last painful effort. I stood slowly and wiped the sweat from my face. My leg was sore, and I was frustrated. I walked over to Lacey and handed her my car keys. "I'm gonna be a little bit, Lace, go meet the boys and bring 'em back here ok? I will have had a shower by then and we can go get some food. I'm starving." "Jessie, can't you stop now? You're so tired.." she asked. " No I have to get this last flip, I know I can do it Lace..don't worry. Just go get 'em. I'll be done by the time you get back." She took the keys and went to get the guys. I walked slowly back to the middle of the gym floor and started again. I hated this stupid techno-dumbass music that Eric had picked out. The timing was wrong for the moves, I tried to tell him before,but all I got was, "It's what the judges want to see, Jess. We gotta give 'em what they want or no money.." "They want ORIGINAL, Eric." I sighed and started again. I still wound up on my hind end after the next three tries. I turned and saw Lacey was back. I gave her a signal to tell her I'd be 10 more minutes. She shook her head and left the room. "Oh, so that's it...can't fucking concentrate 'cause the MUSICIAN is here.." Eric slurred. "You have no motivation because of him." he growled. I stared at him, my blood boiling. "only thing you're motivated to do is jump into bed with a guy you barely know.." he grumbled on. I snapped. |
| "I KNOW YOU DID NOT JUST FUCKING GO THERE ERIC!!" I screamed. "THIS TECHNO-BARF COULDN'T MOTIVATE A FLEA TO BITE A DOG ON IT'S ASS!!" I picked up his boom box and strode to the door leading to the tennis courts, I hurled it as hard as I could and watched as it smashed on the pavement. I picked up my towel and threw it at his chest. "JAKE LEE!! GET THE CD OUT OF MY BAG AND PUT IT ON THE PA..ASK LACEY WHICH SONG!" I yelled, then turned to the people in the gym that were straing at me in disbelief. I saw Tay out of the corner of my eye, mouth hanging open in shock. It didn't faze me right then. "ANYBODY GOT A PROBLEM WITH ME USING THE PA?" I yelled. Nobody moved. "HIT IT JAKE! NOW!" I hollered and strode to middle of the floor. |
| As I got to the center of the floor I turned to face the crowd that had stopped what they were doing to see what the hell was going on. I saw Lacey whisper to Jake behind the desk, and Jake ducked underneath. I turned my head toward Tay, who had leaned casually up against the shelf unit that held the towels and other things in the weight area, and noticed that Ike and Zac had joined him. Taylor was standing with his arms folded across his chest and his brothers stood at either side of him, all wearing expectant grins on their faces. I walked in a circle and turned my back to them. I was still blinded by anger, as I muttered under my breath, "stuipd asshole...telling me I can't fucking do it.." I took a deep breath. "JAKEY!! I SAID NOW!!!" I roared. Just then I heard the opening note of an electric guitar echo throughout the gym and I grinned. "God bless you, Jakey." I thought to myself, knowing he had cranked the volume. I heard Taylor's voice coming through the loudspeaker, "Whoaa..in the city.." I breathed in and as the first drum beats crashed through the sound system, I was flying. I hit every turn and step that we had worked out at the beginning of the week without missing a beat. Toward the middle of the song, I could hear Taylor, still singing, his sexy growl coming at me from all directions. "I'm gonna ask you once again, you gotta tell me once again..do you love me....uhuh whoooaaa..Yeah..." I did a series of tumbles and a back flip that landed me right in front of Tay. I spun around him and ran my finger underneath the choker he wore with my index finger and pulled him closer to me. I lifted my chin as if to kiss him, then spun in the other direction and flipped my way back to the center of the floor. I felt drugged as I kept flying, never missing a step. I finished up with a back handspring that ended with a split and my head on my knee. Jake stopped the CD and I heard the cheers from the crowd that had gathered to watch, but as I went to stand up and take a bow I felt pain like a twisting knife in the back of my leg. I bit my lip and stood slowly. Eric was still satnding by the back door, looking like he was going to explode. I slowly walked over to the bag by his feet, trying not to let on how bad my leg hurt, and shoved him out of the way. I kicked the bag over with my good leg, looking for the ice pack that was in there, and stood in shock as the contents of the bag spilled onto the floor. There at my feet was my silver locket! I felt my vision begin to tunnel and I let out an angry scream. |