{secret things...}

{Six: Machine}

Songs for the Chapter:

Panama- Van Halen

Dirty Diana- Michael Jackson

{M A U R A}

I watched as Jon seamlessly pulled a Jenga block from the bottom of the tower. It didn't wobble in the slightest.

"I don't understand what I'm doing wrong," I sighed with frustration as I selected a record from the closet to play. "I'm doing everything I usually do, and that always works."

Macy laid back on my bed, watching me. "You can't expect to waltz right into his heart, girl. This is definitely gonna require some heavy-duty finessing on your part."

I nodded agreeably. "1984 or Van Halen II?"

"1984," Jon said quickly, with a smile.

"No, I'm feeling pretty '70's," Macy said with a smug smile. "Put the other one on. If you don't like it, you can always leave." She looked up at Jon, but he went back to absentmindedly pulling Jenga blocks.

I shrugged and pulled 1984 off the shelf. "Well I'm feeling Hot for... Jax."

I went to the record player and put it on, sitting down on the edge of my bed with a huff. Macy crawled on her stomach over to me, trying her best to appear sympathetic.

"I guess following him around like a puppy might not work, you wanna try something else?"

"Yeah," I smiled at the sound of Alex Van Halen on the drums.

"Well..." Macy said slowly, staring at her fingernails for dramatic emphasis. "I happen to know that Jax works at that ratty old boxing gym on the border between here and Indiana. It's called 'Machine'. I also heard that he participates in the guerilla fights they have there. Maybe show up at one of those... cheer him on?"

I hopped to my feet. "When's the next fight?"

"Tomorrow night," she grinned. She loved to be the center of my attention. "Usually doesn't happen till after dark, of course. Don't want the cops sniffing around."

I immediately swiveled around and looked at myself in the mirror. I was going to need to be extra-irresistible if I wanted to catch his eye amongst a crowd of other women, especially outside of school. I looked down at my toes and frowned when I realized that the paint was beginning to chip.

"Well, you can prepare after we get back from gymnastics," Macy yawned as she pulled herself out of bed.

All I could think about was my chipped toes and being perfect.

"Not before we repaint my nails," I told her quickly.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll get the paint."

Just then, I took a look at Jon's Jenga tower. There was literally one block left on the bottom, balancing the rest of the tower. He smiled down at it with pride.

"Jon?" I said curiously, eyebrows furrowed with wonder.

"Yeah, Freckles?"

"You've got pretty steady hands there, don't you?"

His smile widened. "Yeah, of course. I'm a guitarist."

I went to the bed and kicked my feet up. Macy sat in front of me with the bottle of nail polish, poised to begin covering up the flaws in the red sheen of color.

"Actually," I inhaled quickly. "I want him to do it."

Jon turned. "What?"

"If you're not gonna get out, I might as well use you to my advantage. Come put those steady hands of yours to good use."