Just The Way I'm Not

Being Late Always Has Its Perks

Chapter 1

Jack was in a hurry; as per usual he was late. He was really late. He thought back to Matts words last night. ‘Don’t get too drunk tonight, only have a few drinks, this meeting is really important and you need to be there on time’. In Jack’s mind there was no such thing as ‘a few drinks’. If they didn’t want him to drink so much then they shouldn’t have taken him to a night club!

He couldn’t even remember anything that happened after the fifth shot and then he woke up in an unknown apartment, naked, next to a blonde unknown girl – who also happened to be naked. He left before she woke up, dick move, but he didn’t fancy the morning after talk.

He turned the corner onto a fairly quiet street. It was surprising how quiet things were in the middle of a town centre.  It was beautiful and Jack couldn’t help but slow down. The path was slim and gradually curved out into a large circular area, there was a marble fountain in the centre and then soon enough the path slimmed again. Jack couldn’t remember ever being down here before. He looked to the left and saw BALTIMORE PUBLIC LIBRARY. No, he defiantly had not been here before. So he was lost.

Fuck sake. Well this is a first.

He went and sat by the fountain, there was no one around at all to ask. His head snapped up out of his hands when he heard a small cough. He looked around but couldn’t see anyone – confused he got up and walked round the other side of the fountain. Sure enough, there was a girl sitting there, her head in a book and her glasses perched right up on her nose.

“Calista!” Jack called out happily.

He knew this girl, she went to his high school, and he couldn’t remember much about her other than she was really smart.

Her head shot up and her eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights.

“I prefer Callie” she said shyly looking down.

“You remember me right?” Jack asked excitable.

“Jack Barakat, of course I remember you” she closed her book and pushed her glasses up, her hair fell into her face almost like a shield to hide herself.

“Good!” Jack grinned.

“You haven’t changed much have you?” Jack observed. “Still got your head in a book like usual!”

“Yeah…you haven’t either” she spoke so quietly Jack’s ears strained to hear her.

“My band got signed” Jack bragged. “You should come and see us guys!” Jack said all of a sudden having the idea.

“Right now?” Callie’s eyes widened once again.

“No silly, who does a show at like ten in the morning. Shit, that reminds me I’m late” Jack said sheepishly.

“Okay, well bye” Callie sounded relieved, opening her book back up, Jack didn’t move from his spot.

“Can I help you with something?” Callie asked sighing after he stood there for about five minutes, making her more uncomfortable with each passing second.

“Well now that you’ve asked I’m kind of lost” Jack blushed.

“How do you get lost?” Callie giggled for the first time in front of him.

Jack grinned widely, she had a pretty giggle, it wasn’t an attention seeking giggle like most girls, it was cute and innocent.

“Can you help me?” Jack stuck his bottom lip out.

“I’d be rude not to” Callie said more to herself then Jack.

“That’s great! I need to get to the studio!”