Behind the Shadows of Deception-Chapter 11

As soon as the alarm clock buzzed JC reached over to turn it off. He was tempted to hit the snooze button for ten more minutes of sleep until he saw Mya’s journal laying face down next to him. He remembered reading it. However, he didn’t remember leaving it like that. And he was sure that he had closed and hid it before going to bed. So that could only mean one thing…

JC jumped out of the bed, nearly tripping over his own two feet. He dragged the comforter with him to the end of the hall where Heather was staying.

Not bothering to knock, he burst into her room. “Heather were you in my…” JC stopped when he noticed that she had company, “Oh, uh…I’m sorry.”

Heather jumped up, “You should be. What is your problem anyway, coming in here with just your briefs on?”

JC had nothing to say. He was too embarrassed. Heather’s friend noticed and she attempted to help him save face by introducing herself.

“Hey JC, I’m Vanessa. I’ve heard all about you.” She smiled.

“From Heather?” He asked curiously but was glaring at Heather for telling his business.

“No. From Mya actually. I, she and Evette are all friends. You’ve met Eve right?”

JC nodded but he wasn’t really paying attention because he was surprised that Mya was talking about him to her friends. He wondered what she was saying about him.

“How do you know Heather?” JC leant against the doorpost.

Heather interjected. “Um JC maybe you should put some clothes on before you decide to make conversation. I sure as hell don’t want to see you in your underwear. What about you Nessa?”

Vanessa just laughed. She didn’t want to be a part of their argument. “We’re neighbors.”

“Really? Did you know that she moved out?”

“JC please, clothes!” Heather screamed, but was ignored.

Vanessa turned to Heather. “You moved out? But, you’re things are still in your apartment.” Heather hung her head and cursed in response.

“What? Heather outside now.”

“Thanks Nessa.” Heather smirked, following JC out of the room.

“Talk.” He said firmly.

She didn’t think she could whine her way out of this one. “I lied okay. I didn’t move out. I just came to visit.”

“Really? Then why’d you have to bring all that stuff.”

 “Because I had to make it look like I had move out if I was going to lie about it, duh.”

JC rolled his eyes, “There is something you’re still not telling me. I can tell because you always have a purpose when you come here. I thought it was to move in for a while, but it’s not, so what is it?”

She hesitated. “...Mom wanted me to check on you.”

“What do you mean check on me? I’m grown. I can take care of myself.”

“I know, but she wanted to know if you were doing okay since you broke up with Heather. And if you were seeing someone new.”

“Don’t you dare tell her about Mya.” Why did he say that? It wasn’t like there was anything going on between them.

“Why would I? I thought y’all were just hanging out? Is there something you’re not telling me?” She raised her eyebrow. Now it was his turn to be interrogated.

“No. We’re just friends.” For Now.

“Then I have nothing to tell mom, for now.” Heather smiled knowingly, heading into her room.

“Hey, wait, did you go into my room earlier?”

“No, why? Never mind don’t answer that just put on some clothes.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Mya knocked on the door one more time after waiting for what seemed like forever. How could a person invite someone over and not open the door? Were they even home? She asked herself before noting JC’s car in the driveway.

Seconds later the door opened and JC was standing in front of her, “Thank God. I thought I would be out here forever.” Mya pushed past him.

“Mya? What a surprise, I didn’t know you were coming by to see me.” JC grinned shutting the door.

“I’m not. Heather asked me to come. She said you had her locked in the house too long and she needed someone to talk to.”

She smiled back but JC was not as pleased. Still, he had felt the effects of that smile.

“That liar. She has company right now. Um Vanessa’s her name. She said she’s your friend too.”

“She is.” Mya replied surprised. “How do they know each other?”

“Apparently, they are neighbors. And get this, she didn’t really move out of her apartment. My mom sent her to check on me.”

“Really?” Mya laughed. “Did you need to be checked on? Were you doing something you weren’t supposed to be doing?” She eyed him inquisitively.

Yes. “Um, no.”

“Right.”

“You don’t believe me?”

“Should I?” Mya teased, crossing her arms.

JC didn’t directly answer the question. “Let’s just hope you’ll believe me when the time comes.”

“Okay.” Mya answered, though she didn’t understand exactly where he was coming from.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Sure, water would be fine because I don’t think I could handle one of your homemade drinks again.” She joked following JC to the kitchen.

JC laughed opening the fridge. “Okay water coming up.”

“JC why didn’t you tell me Mya was here?” Heather walked into the Kitchen.

“I was just about to send her up.”

“Uh huh. You’re trying to steal my guest. Isn’t it bad enough that you almost scared off Nessa with your briefs incident…I’ll explain it to you upstairs.” Heather said to Mya’s confused expression.

Watching her walk away was both pleasing and disappointing. He didn’t mind the view at all, but the fact that her hips were swaying away from him to go to Heather’s room was the dissatisfying part. JC left the kitchen when he heard a knock at his door. He hoped it wasn’t another one of Heather’s guest.

“Hey, you’re back. And I thought Heather was lying.” Chris invited himself in.

“What do you want Chris?”

“Where were you for the past two days?”

“Here.” That was the truth. He had left Mya’s house two days ago.

“Why didn’t you let me know?”

“Damn, what are you my guardian now? I didn’t know I had to tell you about my whereabouts.”

“Hey, I was just being a concerned friend. So what you up to now?” Chris slammed down on the couch and rested his feet on the coffee table before JC pushed them off.

“Just chilling while Heather hosts a slumber party in my house.” He joked.

At that moment, Heather came running downstairs, “Hey JC, the girls are staying tonight okay?” She said mindful of Chris’ curiousness before going back upstairs.

“Damn I was only joking about that.” JC sucked his teeth, though he didn’t mind that Mya was staying, he just didn’t want her to stay as Heather’s houseguest.

“You mean to tell me that there are women upstairs and you’re sitting down here, man that’s disrespect.”

“They are Heather’s guest tonight.”

“Man whatever, are they ugly or something?”

“Oh no, not at all.”

“Oh cool. I think I want to stay too.”

“Oh hell, I already have a full house Chris.”

Chris proceeded to whining as a method to convince him. “Aww, Come on, I’ll even sleep on the couch knowing you have like four guestrooms.”

“Actually, I only have 3.” JC corrected with a smirk.

“Whatever. So is it a deal?”

JC decided that there was no using arguing with Chris or anyone else in the house for that matter. They were all ignoring him anyway. Heather had Mya on lock down in her room. And Chris was going to stay even if he said no. He sighed. “I don’t care anymore.”

~*~*~*~*~

JC opened the door, entering a completely dark room besides the moon light escaping through the blinds. He saw two beds, both looked to be occupied. Yet, a third person was missing. Heather, Mya, and Vanessa were staying in this room. Perhaps Heather graciously gave her up room and moved to one of the other rooms down the hall?

He looked at the bed to his right again. It was empty with the covers thrown back and impressions still in the mattress. Who had left the room?

“Mya?” JC whispered. He walked forward, continuing to call her name until he felt something solid beneath his feet. “Ow.” Hearing the voice, he looked down. “So that’s where Heather’s sleeping.”

“JC?” He lifted his head at the sound of quiet whispering. It was Mya.

“What are you doing in here?”

“I uh…” Was he really going to tell her that he came in here at two in the morning to wake her up so that she would hang out with him? He lost his train of thought when she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the bathroom.

Mya closed the door behind him. “I didn’t want you to wake Nessa and Heather.” She said to his puzzled gaze.

“Oh. What are you doing up?” JC looked around the bathroom.

“I had to potty. What are you doing?”

“I don’t know. You brought me in here.”

Mya rolled her eyes. “Don’t play dumb. You know what I mean?” He began fiddling with his fingers, something she knew he did when he was trying to come up with a good reason.

“I…”

“Hmm?”

“Um I-” JC stumbled over his words a second time.

“What?” Mya began laughing.

JC groaned. He didn’t want her laughing at him. “I came in here to see if you were up. I couldn’t sleep, so…” He wasn’t going to mention that he couldn’t sleep because of her. His mind had been too consumed with her staying down the hall to allow him to sleep. He had fought with his pillow for a long while before he decided to come find her. The three hour wait seemed to be worth it now that he didn’t have to go through with waking her up.

“What am I supposed to do? Sing you to sleep?” By now she was sitting on the edge of the tub with her legs crossed one over the other.

The idea was definitely tempting. “Actually, I want you to stay up with me.”

She gave him this, ‘you are crazy’ look. “JC, it is two in the morning.”

“I know, I know. I think I suffer from insomnia. So will you?”

Mya sighed, contemplating. “JC I wanted to go back to bed.”

“And you will…after I fall asleep.”

Mya pretended to be offended. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re using me?”

“If using you is what it takes to get you in my room then yeah.” He didn’t realize what his comment was suggesting until Mya raised her eyebrow at him.

“Come again?”

“That’s not what I meant. Get your mind out of the gutter.” He pulled her up so that she stood in front of him. He gave her body, clad in one of his long tee shirts, a quick once over before dragging her out of the bathroom behind him.

“Hey, watch out for Heather she’s sleeping on the floor.”

JC laughed. “Yeah I know. I already stepped on her.”

“You didn’t?”

“I did, but it wasn’t hard enough to wake her.”

Mya began laughing quietly. “Shh…we need to hurry up.” She started pushing him out of the room. “You’re such a bad influence on me.”

JC closed the door behind them. “Wait, not too long ago you said that I was good for your ego.”

“Oh that’s because you fish out compliments like a Hallmark card.”

“Only for you.” He caressed her fingers.

“See what I mean. So now that you’ve kidnapped me what are you going to do with me?” She flirted.

“Mya must you torture me with your suggestive comments?”

“They’re only for you.” Instead of stroking his fingers, she whispered the same line that he had used on her earlier in his ear. The heat from her lips tickled the sensitive skin.

 “Mya.” He warned. “A man can only take so much temptation.”

She giggled. “Okay. I’ll quit-” She didn’t get to say more because JC hauled her into the room and led her to the bed after shutting the door.

Mya couldn’t see him walking around because he had yet to turn on the lights. “JC what are you doing?” She heard him say, “Just a minute.” Followed by a lot of noise and some cursing because he hit his foot.

She couldn’t handle it, being in a dark room with him, not knowing what he was up to. What if he was standing nearby just staring at her as usual? She wouldn’t be prepared for whatever move he was about to make. And knowing JC he could probably win her over with his charm alone. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for that though, seeing as their friendship just began. Mya stood to turn on the light.

“Did you expect to hook that up with no light?”

JC stopped what he was doing. “It was already hooked up.” He said referring to his Playstation 2. “And I have two wireless controllers.”

“You brought me in here to play video games at two in the morning?”

“Did you have something else in mind?” He winked at her.

“I thought I was actually going to sing to you.”

“You can if you want. What you going to sing? Some Sadé? Ooh some Luther. Gotta love Luther. His songs always set the mood.” He strolled over to where she stood by the wall. He cornered her between his body and the wall.

“JC stop fooling around and go play your video game. Or I’m gone.”

He didn’t want her to leave so he backed off. “Whatever you say Ms. Harrison.” JC smiled on his way to the bed with his controller.

“I thought I told you not to call me that.”

“Why it sounds sexy to me. Ms. Harrison. Miss Harri-son.” He drawled.

“I’m leaving.” Her hand had already been on the doorknob for five minutes now.

“Come here.” He paused the game to pat the spot on the bed next to him. She told him no. “Miss Mya.” JC laughed as her eyes widened. “You thought I was going to call you Ms. Harrison again, didn’t you?”

“No.” She pouted until she made it to the bed. JC pulled her down. “My arm is going to come out of its socket if you keep pulling me like that.”

JC grinned while leaning towards her. He placed a kiss against her shoulder then her cheek. “You thought I was going to kiss you didn’t you?” She denied him again.

He chuckled. “Here’s your controller.”

Mya indulged his teasing while throwing in some of her own for an hour before she decided that she was too tired to continue playing video games. JC didn’t want her to leave so he convinced her that she would sleep more comfortably in his king size bed. She indulged him once again without questions of where he would be sleeping. He figured she was too worn out to care.

JC turned off the television and all of the lights. He slipped onto the bed next to Mya, yet he left her under the blankets while he slept on top. He had no idea how she would’ve felt about him being that close so he settled for that and keeping his hands to himself of course. He just hoped he wouldn’t have to take a cold shower later.