“Great, when is it?” I asked.
“Two minutes ago,” she replied.
“Are you kidding?” Luke cried.
“Nope,” she answered, “I’m sorry.”
“Bullshit,” Michael spat.
“Michael!” I hissed, before turning back to the woman, “I’m sorry, ignore him, um, do you know if someone named Jess or uh, Jessica Parker got on that plane?”
“I’m sorry sir, that’s classified information.” She replied.
“Can you at least tell us if you’ve seen her?” Luke cried, “She’s like, up to my shoulder or chin and she has reddish hair and….”
“I’m sorry sir, but that’s classified information.”
“This is important!” I cried.
“Is it life and death?”
“No bu….”
“Well then I can’t help. Next.”
“No, you don’t understand….”
“Next!”
Receiving annoyed looks a large family shuffled forward bumping us out of the way.
“Well his is freaking fabulous.” Michael sighed.
“It’s your fault!” Luke snapped.
“I know!” Michael spat, “I…. wait.”
Pushing past Luke and I he went running through the airport, pushing people out of his way as he made a dash for the escalator.
“Michael!” I shouted, “Wait!”
Ignoring me, he increased speed if anything. Grabbing Luke’s arm and pulling him behind me, I tore after him
“Mikey wait!” Luke cried.
Pushing people out of the way, Michael jumped over the side of the escalator at the bottom and ran up to a red headed girl on her phone.
“Jess!” he cried.
Jogging up behind him I watched as the girl, who was not Jess, whirled around.
“Shit!” Michael cursed, “Sorry I thought you were someon….”
“What’s he doing?” a girl asked behind me.
“We’re looking for someone.” I sighed, watching as Micahel forced a smile and posed for a picture with the girl he had mistaken for Jess.
“Who?” the girl behind me asked.
“Our manager,” Luke answered, “Her name is JESS?”
Confused I turned around and was surprised to find Jess standing behind us.
“Jess!” I cried, pulling her in for a hug, “What are you doing here, we thought you left already?”
“I missed my flight.” She muttered.
“How?” Luke asked.
“I sold that song you guys wrote,” she sighed, “Somebody to you, some band bought it.”
“Oh,” I said slowly, “So does that mean, you’re not leaving?”
“No I’m still leaving,” she replied, “But the next flight isn’t until tomorrow so I’m stuck here until then.”
Finishing with the fan Michael shoved his hands in his pockets and trudged over to us.
“Let’s get out of here,” he muttered, “She’s gone.”
“I’m right here you dumb ass.” Jess snapped, stepping out from behind Luke and I.
“Jess!” Michael cried, “I thought we were too late!”
“Why do you care?” she demanded.
“I… I was worried, I thought you left.” He mumbled.
“I am leaving.” She sighed, “Tomorrow.”
“No!” he cried, “Don’t go?”
“Why not?” she demanded, “I don’t have a job.”
“Yes you do!” he replied, “I was an ass, you’re not fired, I’m so sorry please don’t leave.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t.” she muttered.
“Why not?” I asked.
“I just told you.” She sighed, looking tired, “I have no job, I’m broke as fuck, I have nowhere to freaking go, but I’m sure as hell not staying in Mexico so I can get kidnapped by drug lords or some shit.”
“I just said you’re not fired,” Michael replied, “I take it back, I’ll never do that again, you’re like the best thing that’s happened to this band, and none of that shit is your fault.”
Jess, who had been looking down at the ground the whole time, looked up and I was surprised to see tears streaming down her face.
“Hey,” Michael said gently, “Oh man, I’m so sorry okay I…..”
“It’s not you,” she whispered.
“What?” he asked.
“It’s not you.” She repeated, “I….I was already fired when you fired me.”
“What do you mean?” I demanded, “Who fired you?”
“My boss!” she whimpered, “She wanted me to make you fake date girls, and unfollow fans and…. I couldn’t do it! I couldn’t make you guys miserable, I couldn’t make your fans miserable and now everyone is! I knew I should have dome something about the groupie thing but… who the hell am I to say who you can sleep with and…. Unfollwoing fans is sick! They dedicate their lives trying to get you to notice them, they love you and to take that away…. I couldn’t and so…. They sacked me.”
“They can’t do that!” I cried.
“They did,” she whimpered.
“Well can’t we tell them we want you to stay?” Luke asked.
“They don’t care.” She sniffed.
“That’s bullshit!” Michael spat, “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” she said shakily, “I guess I’ll have to move back in with my grandparents which sucks because I was finally doing something right and not being a complete screw up and now, this! Plus I’m crying in the airport like a freaking loser! I must look insane!”
“Aww Jess,” Luke sighed, reaching out for her, however before he could, Michael pulled her into a hug.
“I’m sorry,” he sighed, “I’m so sorry.”
“No I am,” she sniffed, “I messed up.”
“No you were just trying to help us,” Luke said gently, “So thank you.”
Nodding, she sniffed and pulled away from Michael, “I should probably go,” she muttered.
“What, why?” Michael asked.
“I have to try and get the money back for my flight,” she sniffed.
“We’ll take care of it,” Luke replied, “You’re coming back with us.”
“And you’re staying there.” Michael added.
“No I’m not,” she muttered, “Guys, I need to get a job an…..”
“You’re staying,” Michael interrupted, “We screwed this up, we’re going to fix it.”
Biting her lip Jess looked between each of us in turn, before hugging me then Luke and then Michael again, clinging tightly to his shirt, “Thank you guys,” she sniffed.
“No, thank you,” Michael sighed, before lightly bending down and lightly kissing the top of her head.
Smirking, Luke started back up the elevator, mumbling as we went, “I sail it.”
Part Eighty-Seven
Start from the beginning
