Foreign Touch

CHAPTER 14

Jack inhaled deeply, the smell of the ocean and pastries filled his nose. He smiled as Mia came out of the ocean dripping wet, the feeling of the sand on her wet body grossed her out.
"Here. Old trick we use to do back in the day," he groaned as he struggled to sit up, his back stiff from laying all day.
He grabbed some baby powder from the beach bag and put some in his hands, both him and Mia laughing when a puff of powder hit him in the face. He rubbed the powder over the sandy areas and Mia felt the sand flake off.
"Ahhh, so that's why you brought that? Thanks, old man," she teased. He smirked and smacked her ass when she bent over to fix the towel.
"You're welcome." He laid back down and opened his book. He took a grape from her, his eyes not leaving his page.
"Why don't you go swim?" She popped a grape into her mouth and put her sunglasses on her head as she applied for sunscreen to herself and him.
"Because, I wanna finish this," he sighed flipping a page.
"Okay? You can read back at home, you don't have a clear ocean in front of you at home," she scoffed. He turned his head and smirked at her.
"Touché," he sighed, closing his book and setting it aside. He laughed when she cheered and got up, Jack shaking his head in embarrassment while removing his watch.
The two continued to relax at the beach and swim in the ocean for a few more hours before heading back to the hotel to pack.
Mia sanitized the back of the toilet with some Lysol as Jack got their nose candy prepared. He placed some of the powder on the back of the toilet as Mia dissembled a tampon, sticking the empty applicator up her nose.
Jack smirked as he watched her do a line, Mia sniffing as she came up.
"Atta girl," he smiled slapping her ass. She rubbed her nose and brushed away any evidence from her face as she move out of the way for Jack.
As Jack did his line, Mia continued to pack up their belongings. While packing up her clothes, brows raised as she heard Jack let out a loud groan. She turned and watched him leave the bathroom with a smirk on his face.
"Feeling better?" he asked slicking his hair back.
"A lot better," she scoffed zipping up her bags.
She bent over to pick up her hair tie and she felt sick, Jack's brows knitted as he watched her.
"You alright?" He was concerned as she nodded, lying back on the bed. "You sure, hun? You want some water?"
"No," she sighed shaking her head. "I think I'm just too high."
"No way," he laughed. "It's the same amount I always give you. If anything, you'd probably need more at this point."
He watched her lay there and he moved out of her way as she got up, throwing up in the trash can next to him. Mia's stomach turned as she pulled away from the trash can, Jack's hand holding her hair. There was no way they were going to be able to travel back LA like this. He sighed as she laid down on the bed.

• • • • • • • • • •

Mia chomped on some pretzels and sipped on her ginger ale as the plane took off, a barf bag in front of her just in case. She didn't have a fever nor ate anything rancid, so she blamed it on stress.
They eventually got back to LA, the two of the exhausted by the time they walked through the doors. Mia went straight to bed as Jack brought their luggage inside. He listened to her throwing up and cringed a bit as he threw the dirty laundry in the wash. He peered over his shoulder when he heard shuffling.
"You okay?" he asked measuring out some detergent. She groaned about something and he sighed, raising his brows as he shut the lid to the washer. "You need to rest." He closed the laundry room door and locked up for the night.
"What do you think I'm doing?" She looked at him annoyed while trying to find a snack.
"You're walking around is what you're doing," he chuckled. "Come on, upstairs. I'll get you whatever you need once you're outta the kitchen," he sighed.
Mia huffed and stuck her tongue out as she walked past him, Jack slapping her ass as he escorted her upstairs. He stood at the door as he watched her lay down.
"Good girl," he smirked as he closed the door leaving her alone to go grab her a snack and drink.
She twiddled her thumbs staring at the ceiling as she tried to ignore the wave of nausea. The phone rang and she peered over at it, ignoring it and patiently waiting for it to stop. It began to ring again.
"You gonna answer that?" Jack shouted from downstairs. She rolled her eyes and weakly took the phone off the receiver.
"Hello?" It was evident in her voice she was annoyed.
"Sorry to bother, wanted to check on you," Jodie said softly on the other line.
Mia's heart stopped for a second. She hadn't heard from her friend in months.
"Sorry," Mia scoffed nervously. "I'm fine. How are you?"
"I'm fine." There was a small moment of silence. "I miss you. Haven't seen you in a while," Jodie chuckled.
"Yeah," Mia sighed, rubbing her forehead trying to not get annoyed. "I've been busy, y'know?"
"Yeah, I saw. How was Italy?"
"Usual," Mia chuckled. She heard Jodie chuckling with her.
"Oh, Bianca... I can't believe she still acts that way," Jodie replied with a sigh.
"You're telling me."
"Tony's been asking about you," Jodie blurted out. Mia's brows furrowed and she felt her nausea increase.
"Oh?" she laughed softly trying to shake off the anxiety.
"Yeah. He saw the paparazzi photos too and saw you looked happy." There was another moment of silence. "I mean, are you?"
Her friend knew her too well. She knew she was attracted to toxic men due to her trauma. She was unhappy, whether she was with Tony or Jack. The silence was loud and Mia cleared her throat. Meanwhile, Jack stood in the kitchen holding the other phone to his ear eavesdropping. The conversation was already getting under his skin and he angrily hung up.
"I mean, yeah," she chuckled. She paused when she heard the other landline call cut off, knowing Jack was listening. She took a second to reply to her friend. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because I'm not stupid and you know that." The tone in Jodie's voice was serious and Mia's mouth went a little dry.
She hated being confronted. She hated when people put her in her place- she didn't like being wrong.
"Jodie, I'll have to call you later. I'm not feeling the greatest," Mia whispered softly. Jodie could tell by the tone in her friend's voice she struck a nerve.
"Okay. I'll hear from you in five more months, right?" Jodie's tone was snarky and Mia was able to contain her emotions any more.
"Right," she replied matching her friend's energy.