Alter Ego

Part 11

     Walking out of his room, he noticed Blue sitting on one of the couches. She sank into the couch as her legs laid out on the mirrored coffee table, ankles crossed. She didn't seem to notice him.
     "Where is everyone?" He called out, walking over to join her on the couch.
     "GG and Harper went down to the casino."
He looked surprised, "Why didn't you go with them?"
     "You were still sleeping." She paused. "I didn't want to leave you behind."
TJ ran his tongue back and forth in his mouth against the back of his angel bites. This was a nervous habit of his. "We could go somewhere if you'd like."
     "Where?" She asked, finally looking at him.
     "The casino?"
     "No." She said abruptly.
     "Okay, okay. Uh..." he thought for a moment. "How about we walk down the strip?"
Blue stood up and stretched, taking her grey beanie out of her jacket pocket and placing it securely over her side braided hair. "Let's do it."
     Walking out the hotel room and down the carpeted hallway, they pushed the lobby button and waited for the elevator. TJ glanced at her. She seemed okay. It didn't look like Harper did anything to her.
     The elevator doors opened and they walked inside. TJ smirked to himself.
     "What is it?" She asked.
     "Oh nothing. I was just remembering when our school had that Halloween lock in. Those guys were picking on me so you kicked them down a flight of stairs."
     "They deserved it."
     "You always had my back when no one else did." He turned to her, smiling. "I'm eternally grateful."
Blue sighed. He always did this. He acted like she was his savior or something.
     Back in high school, TJ wasn't the cool, popular guy everyone knows and loves today. He had no friends and spent most of his lunches in the computer lab, editing music he would record at home. He would get bullied by the football team constantly and it only got worse throughout the years.
     By the time senior year came around everyone at the school was ignoring him. He felt angry and bitter. One day during the middle of the semester, the football players followed him into the bathroom and started beating on him. It was that moment when he realized he just wanted to die.
     Suddenly, the guys stopped and turned around. A girl with long, blue hair stood inside, staring at the scene. She wore a backwards baseball cap on her head and an oversized zig zag patterned sweater that almost reached to her knees. Her glasses were set low to the bridge of her nose. She had accidentally wondered into the wrong bathroom again.
     She walked over and helped TJ to his feet. The football players started to threaten her but were surprised when she socked one of the guys in the face, breaking his nose. The two hurried out of the bathroom and to the front of the school, only stopping when they were out the gate.
TJ leaned over to catch his breath. When finally looking at her, he smiled and said, "Thank you."
She stared back at his bruised covered face, "No problem."
     From that day on TJ hung out with Blue. Not because she continued to break noses, (and other various body parts) but because she was the only one who acknowledged him. Who acted like he existed.
     They stepped out of the elevator and headed towards the lobby. TJ glanced at the casino entrance to the left of them as he spotted Harper leaning against a slot machine. GG sat with her back facing him, continuing to pull down the lever. Harpers eyes suddenly fixed on him as he froze. Her eyes narrowed at his presence. TJ quickly hurried after Blue.
    He followed her out of the hotel and onto the street. The strip was full of people (probably tourists) trying to hurry to their next destination. Blue and TJ slowly pushed their way through the crowd, trying to get passed all the hotspot attractions. Finally breaking free, Blue took on a deep breath. She quite hated the city lifestyle. How could anyone live with this many people around? Even in her small town she felt smothered by the population. It didn't help that almost everyone knew each other as well. But, I guess in a city, since it's so big, no one would know you. You'd just blend into the crowd.
She sighed, there was no winning in this situation.
     They continued to walk down the strip, only stopping to look at the street performers. TJ watched Blue as she stopped in front of a strip club. "Do you want to go in?"
She shook her head, "No. I was just remembering my childhood."
     "Your childhood?" He chuckled. "What do you mean?"
     "This guy Benny and I would sneak into strip clubs. See how long we could hide before getting kicked out."
     "Have you been to one recently?"
     " No. Not since high school. I did go to an adult store the other day. With that guy. The one I was horrible to."
TJ fixed his hair through the reflection of the club window, "So is this friend of yours into that sort of stuff too?"
     "No. Not at all. He's nothing like me. He's a total push over and is easily influenced. He follows me around like a lost puppy dog."
     "Really? Then why do you hang out with him? Doesn't seem like your kind of crowd." He stated.
Blue stood silently. Why did she hang out with him? All the words that recruiter guy had said came flooding back to her, "I guess I hung out with him because I'm a shitty person."
     "Isn't everyone? Besides, from what I can see he seems to be good for you. Better then that other guy you told me-" TJ stopped mid sentence, realizing the mistake he made. "Sorry! I shouldn't have brought him up. I'm an idiot."
She sighed, "I'm over it. There's no need to talk about the past."
     Walking on, Blue's heart pounded in her chest. Why would he bring that up? He knows how hard it was for her to tell him back in high school. Tell him about the guy who abandoned her. How could he be so insensitive?
     She glanced at TJ from the corner of her eye. It wasn't his fault. She didn't tell him the complete truth so of course he wouldn't understand.
     "Hey, I know this is random, but did Harper say anything to you?" He asked, interrupting her thoughts.
     "Like what?"
     "About me."
     "She asked if I had feelings for you and I said no."
He tried not to let his fear show, "Was she okay? Did she believe you?"
     "She took it well. She really likes you."
TJ looked away, pretending to be distracted by a magician.
     "How do you know Harper?" She asked.
     "She goes to my gigs a lot. She'd wait till everyone left and be the last one there. She said she was a big fan and wanted to see me. She seemed normal enough." Until she broke into my house, he thought.
     "What do you mean normal?"
     "Well, I gotta be careful. I've had some real weirdos show up to my gigs." He paused. "Do you think Harper's a bit...off?"
Blue shrugged, "She's as she's always been."
     Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed his hand. He looked at her with kind eyes, glad to be in this moment, "What's wrong? You falling for me?"
     "No way." She shook her head. "Look."
Coming towards them were two clowns. One was riding a small bicycle as the other honked a horn.
     "I hate clowns."
TJ smiled, "Don't worry. They won't do anything."
Blue stood behind him and closed her eyes tight as the clowns came closer. For some reason, even to her surprise, she thought about Ridge. Deep down she wished it was his hand she was holding.