Beautiful Monster (A Jason Mccann Love Story)

Chapter 15

What’s going on?” Jason asked groggily, after I threw a pillow at him.

            “We need to go shopping,” I said, smiling at him.

            “Shopping?” he asked, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

            “Yes, shopping. Ever heard of it? You go to stores, buy stuff, and then you—”

            “I know what shopping is,” he mumbled angrily.

            “Aw, did someone wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” I asked, having fun screwing with him.

            “Well,” he started, getting out of the covers. He was just in a pair of plaid blue boxers, and I bit my lip trying to not stare at his chest. It wasn’t perfect, but the kid gad some nice lean abs going for him.

            “You did make me sleep on the floor,” he stated, looking at me with suspicious eyes.

            “I don’t trust you,” I said simply, grabbing clothes out of my backpack and heading to the bathroom.

            “So yesterday, you can make out with me in a bra, but now you have to go to the bathroom to change?” he yelled as I closed the door. I giggled to myself, and turned to look in the mirror as I changed. It was hot in West Virginia, so I got into short shorts and a camisole. I let my straight, long, golden brown hair flow over my chest and moved some to the back. Something was missing from this outfit, though. It looked good, but I couldn’t figure out what it needed. My blue eyes stared at me in deep thought while I tried to figure it out.

            Oh!

            I got a turquoise and black plaid cardigan out of my backpack, which I designed myself, and put it over.

            Perfect.           

            I slipped on a pair of black converse and was ready to go.

            “Jason?” I yelled, looking around our hotel room, but he wasn’t there. I heard talking from outside of the room.

            Pressing my ear to the door, I could hardly hear Jason’s conversation with the manager.

            “What do you mean it was stolen?”

            “I mean,” Jason grumbled. “Our money’s not there.”

            “There must be some sort of mistake, sir,” the man said.

            I tried to look through the peephole in our door, but they were standing too far away for me to see anything.      

            “There is no mistake! One of your employees stole it when we were sleeping.”

            “But my employees can’t break into safes, Mr.—”

            “My name’s not important! Whatever the case, it’s not there,” he said again.

            “I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave if you can’t pay for the room,” the manager asked. They moved closer to the peephole, now in my sight.

            I watched as Jason’s hand balled into a fist. He clenched his teeth in anger and began to draw his arm back.

            “Don’t do it, Jason,” I whispered under my breath. “Don’t punch him.”

            As if he heard me, he slowly drew his arm back, unclenching on the way.

            “We’ll be out of here within an hour,” Jason seethed angrily, and came to open the door. I jumped away from it and onto the bed, pretending like I was reading the catalogue of things to do and see in West Virginia. Most of them Civil War memorials.

            “Hi,” Jason said, slamming the door behind him.

            “Grab your backpack, let’s get something to eat downstairs, and let’s go,” he said, and went to go look for something, until he then realized he had no possessions.

            I took my backpack, and followed his him on his heels.

            “What happened?” I asked.

            “Our money’s gone,” he said angrily. “Someone broke into the safe.”         

            “How are we going to find a place to stay now?”

            “We need cash,” was all he said. In the little breakfast place our hotel had, we both got bagels with cream cheese, and left with them to our car.

            “How are we going to get it? We can’t exactly get jobs, can we?”

            “We’re going to have to steal it, Natasha,” he said, as if I was a kid who didn’t know anything. Then, he turned to me and smirked.

            “Unless you’re not badass enough to…” he said slowly.

            I didn’t answer. I didn’t know what to tell him. I was right about to change the subject, when he pulled off the freeway onto a deserted street. There were buildings, but none of them looked like they were being used.

            “Get out,” he said, climbing out of the car himself.

            “I’ll get out when I want to,” I said, rolling down my window and staying in the car. Somehow, I didn’t feel safe here. I felt like I was walking into an ambush.

            He laughed and started walking to the side of one of the buildings. I lost sight of him for a minute, and then desperately tried to get out of the car. This place scared me.

            “Jason! Wait up!” I yelled, running after him.

            When I caught up to him, he was unlocking the back door of what looked to be an old restaurant. Jason looked like he was on the verge tears as he opened up the door, but of course, he didn’t end up crying. He put up a front as he walked through the doors.

            “Hi Jas!” A girl’s voice squealed as soon as he opened it. “Did you miss me?