Behind the Shadows-Chapter 9
“Heather can you please go. I was supposed to be somewhere over an hour ago!” JC yelled at his younger sister, who paid no attention to him as she flipped through the channels.
“I told you I was staying over, now leave me alone.” She flipped back her blonde hair, which used to be dark brown before she bleached it. Luckily for her, it went well with her blue eyes. JC knew she was staying over when she showed up on his porch with a suitcase. He just hoped she was joking.
He huffed, turning his back to her, then whipping around to face her again. “But without notice. How’d you know if I had plans or not.” He wasn’t expecting Mya to wait for him, so he figured his prior plans were most likely canceled now.
She was ruining a good thing for him before it even started. Damn her! He glared, walking over to push her feet off his coffee table.
“Hey!” She rolled her eyes, punching him in the arm.
JC acted as if he didn’t feel it. “Why are you staying tonight? Last time I heard, you had a apartment not too far from home.”
“I did.” Heather replied quickly, and resumed her channel-surf.
“Well,” JC huffed again, seizing the remote from her grasp. “What happened?”
“The rent was too much.”
“So you moved out? Just like that?”
“Yeah.” She casually shrugged.
“Without getting a new one first?”
“I’m still looking.”
“Oh so you came over here to ask me to help you pay for it.” He assumed.
“No.” Heather sucked her teeth. “I just want you to let me stay for a while.”
“How long is a while?” JC glanced at his watch. It was now approaching an hour and a half since he’d been sitting here instead of on his date. However, there was a bright side to his occurring situation from hell; he had no idea where the date was going to be. Therefore, he figured, that was just as bad as having no date at all.
“A week.”
“Okay.”
“Or three.” She added slyly.
“Heather!”
“What!” Heather shouted back, and then calmed, remembering that he was doing her a favor, “That’s what I’ll need.”
“You have no money to stay in a hotel.”
“JC you’ll let your baby sister stay in a hotel and you live in this big house by yourself?”
“I only got a couple years on you. And yeah, just for tonight.” He’d gladly allow her to stay any other time, but tonight wasn’t a good night, well it was before she showed up.
He’d been anticipating this date for a week now, even if it was just a date between friends. He actually started the day on the positive note too, with high spirits, on cloud nine. And although he couldn’t decide between dinner and the adventure he mentioned to her last week, he still cleaned up well, managing a pair of dark jeans and a sweater. Yet, none of it mattered now. Not even the time he took to actually wash his hair.
“Really though, I have no money for a hotel, well a good one anyway.”
“God you’re so careless with your money. I’ll loan you some.”
Heather shook her head, dismissing his offer. “If you loan me some money, it’ll have to be enough to get me an apartment and first month’s rent.”
“Shit, whatever.” He refused.
“Okay then, it’s settled I’m staying here. Thanks JC.” She stood grinning, before she launched herself at him.
“You tricked me, didn’t you?” JC laughed, embracing her.
“I love you too.” Heather made a loud kissing noise against his cheek.
“So what’s this I here about you having plans? Are you finally letting some girl take your lonely ass out?”
He opened his mouth to respond but she interrupted, “Because every since you broke up with that Heather, who I’m sad to share my name with, you’ve been moping like a dog looking for it’s lost bone.”
Unfortunately, the doorbell sounded before he could reply. “I’ll get it.” Heather released him, running out of the living room.
She’s already taking over my house, JC shook his head, watching her before heading to the kitchen.
As he scanned the fridge for food, he heard the conversation between his sister and the unexpected visitor at his door. After retrieving a can of Coca Cola, he began listening intently to their conversation. It sounded too welcoming for the person to be a random stranger or fan. He was sure it was a female.
JC open his soda can and paused. He hoped Heather didn’t invite a friend to sleep over without his permission. Well, she showed up with no notice…“Heather!” He walked into the living room to inspect the unwanted company. He stopped short after a quick full glance of his guest. Maybe his day wouldn’t end so bad after all.
Heather turned away from the door and glared at him, “What? Do you have to be so rude?”
“Me rude? You’re the one who showed up without my consent.”
“Whatever JC. You have company.” She turned and smiled friendly at his guest, before going to the kitchen.
JC watched her disappear around the corner. “I’m so sorry Mya that you had to come here to check on me.” He pulled her in, closing the door behind her, “I wasn’t supposed to be late. I just had an unexpected problem but it’s nothing that I can’t handle.”
Hearing his regretful tone, she quickly recovered from the not so-friendly conversation between JC and Heather. “Oh. I left you a message though, but I guess we can cancel. I can go to the studio instead.”
I’m going to kill Heather! “You left me a message?”
“Yeah. It’s no big deal-” He held up a hand halting her explanation as he pulled out his cell phone.
There was actually a voicemail icon flashing. He dialed the number and listened to her message. “That’s was an hour ago. I’m sorry. I missed it. It’s just that my sister moved out of her apartment before getting another one and now she needs to stay here.”
“Hey I hear you talking about me!” Heather defended from the kitchen.
Mya laughed. “She’s you’re sister? But-”
“Yeah I know. She bleached it.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, but we don’t have to cancel. We can leave now.” He pleaded, “Oh by the way you look great.”
Mya blushed, “Thanks. You too.”
He hadn’t notice her appearance earlier. Since, he’d been so caught up in what was going on with Heather and then he saw her at his door, it took him by complete surprise.
Nevertheless, she looked exceptional. He never knew a girl that wore a pair of jeans like she did. It seemed as if she had them custom-made to fit her shapely body frame.
He was usually more attracted to a girl’s personality rather than appearance. But in Mya’s case, he was attracted to both. Unfortunately, for him, he made the senseless mistake of keeping and reading her journal, which probably ruined all his chances of a relationship with her.
Surely, knowing a great deal about her past relationships would help, but it seemed so one-sided. He knew he was being hypocritical because she wouldn’t know as much about his relationships unless he voiced it to her. He didn’t plan to though, which was unfair to her. But, it was still difficult for him to talk about anyway, even to his family and closest friends. Yet, he figured, it would not be long before he got over it.
“JC you can’t leave me in this big house alone.” Heather whined, returning to hall.
He stared at Mya who only laughed. “Am I hearing things?” He couldn’t believe she was acting like a child or that she wanted him in her presence.
“I’m kidding JC, don’t have a baby. I just want to talk to you. Can you meet me in the kitchen?”
JC rolled his eyes, “Mya just make yourself comfortable in the living room. I’ll be back.”
He watched her sway, with the walk of a graceful model, into the living room, before following Heather, who was smirking knowingly at him.
“Okay what is it?” He hurried anxiously.
“Wow. Someone’s in a rush.”
“Heather.” He warned.
“I’m sorry I ruined you’re plans. You must’ve been excited. You were going to have a good time.”
“Well I’m glad you could predict that.” JC smirked.
She ignored him. “So Mya was your date, huh?” He nodded. “You two looked cute together,” She gushed, “Is this your first date?”
“We hang out. We just started hanging out a while ago.” Why am I telling her this?
“Oh. You like her?” She said as a statement rather than a question.
Damn, am I that transparent? “What makes you think that?”
“I was watching you. You like her.” She confirmed. JC felt the heat of embarrassment on his cheeks. “I didn’t know you were into dating people in the industry. I thought you said it was too complicated.”
“It can be. But we’re just hanging out.” Why did he feel the need to repeat that? He could tell Heather didn’t believe him anyway.
“Mmm hmm, well you go get back to Mya, I don’t want her to get any lonelier than you already are.” Heather joked, jumping out of the kitchen as he reached to hit her.
“Punk.” JC sneered.
Heather snickered, saying goodnight to Mya before running upstairs.
“You ready?” Mya was laughing, when he entered, “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. Y’all seem so much like me and my brothers, except I’m older than them.”
“Oh really?” JC took a seat beside her, guessing they could spend a few minutes here, conversing. “How many brothers do you have?”
“Two. Chaz is three years younger than me, and Nigel is ten years younger.”
“Cool. I have a younger brother too, Tyler.”
“Okay, so where you taking me? I didn’t leave the studio for nothing.” She smiled brightly.
God that smile’s going to be the death of me! “I don’t know yet.”
“But, you planned this a week ago, right?”
“I know that. But I couldn’t decide between dinner or-”
“The adventure you mentioned to me?” Mya finished.
“Yes.”
“I told Eve, my best friend, about that and she laughed.”
“At me?” He wasn’t sure if his feelings should be hurt.
“No, no. At the idea of me going camping or whatever, even though I’m quite athletic from cheerleading in high school and dancing.”
“Oh, so do you want to go camping?”
“No, not now,” She paused, “Maybe. Never mind. It doesn’t matter.” She continued, then began laughing at herself, “You know what? You should let me take you to the shooting range with me.”
Shooting range! “Tonight?”
“Nooo.” She rolled her eyes with a grin. “In the morning.”
“Err...I don’t-”
“Oh come on. It’s not like I’m gonna shoot you.”
“Duh Mya,” He teased back, “I just never been to one.”
“Okay then it’s settled. You’re going. You can stay with me.” Mya folded her hands in her lap awaiting his response.
“But why me?” Did that just come out my mouth? Stupid! She was rescheduling their date and he was about to ruin it.
“You’re good company, not to mention good for my ego. And it’s the least I can do since you let me sleepover your house during the thunderstorm. Well, unless you want to stay here with your sister?”
“No, no.” JC jumped up from his seat as if he was sitting on a spring, “I’ll go let her know right now. Do you mind if I tell her where you live?”
“No not all.” He heard Mya laughing at anxious movements as he dashed upstairs, three steps at a time.
He was going to his room to find her journal that he stupidly read again this morning. He knew he shouldn’t continue reading it but hopefully while he was in there he could find an ounce of courage to return it.