"How much did this cost?"
"Five dollars from that CD store in West Hollywood." Blake replied to Jac nonchalantly as he drove merrily through the glittering streets of Beverly Hills. They flew past Beyonce and her adorable daughter, Blue Ivy, being swarmed by paparazzi as if it was an everyday matter.
Jac nearly dropped the CD in her hand. 'Five dollars?' This was literally the most cheapest thing she'd ever held in her entire life. To think she'd had a heart attack wearing jewelry under five grand. However, she had expected the Losers' album - the most atrocious band she'd ever heard - to be worth as much as a nickel.
"Is that a problem?" Blake asked worriedly, looking at her for only a fraction of a moment before turning back to the road. "I mean, I thought it would be funny but if its too - I mean, I know you probably get way more expensive-"
"No, its fine," Jac smiled weakly. If she could overcome her phobia with Blake's rundown car, she could get over a five dollar CD, 'I hope.' "But swaying a rich girl with five dollar CDs?"
"Not the smoothest approach," And as they slowed into a parking space, he gave her a modest smile. "But I figured the best way to bond is over crappy music."
Jac stared into his brown eyes - and couldn't help but think of Damon's sea blue ones. She loved how they contrasted with his dark hair and fair skin. She liked how every Summer, that beautiful fair skin of his would tan thanks to endless hours in the scorching heat playing Lacrosse - 'Dammit, Jac, get in the moment. You're with Blake, not Damon.'
"How is Steve able to afford this place?" She asked, turning away from him to examine the dazzlingly condo apartments in front of them.
With its sleek, modern triangular-shaped buildings and a parking lot that boasted every expensive set of wheels, the condos were a bachelor's dream - and apparently a British gay butler's as well.
Jac tried to calm her nerves, 'Calm, cool, collected,' but it didn't work. She was going to see Steve again. Steve; her butler, her backstabbing butler. The guy responsible for her family's immense shortage on money. The guy who was about to make her go from Beverly Hills' gorgeous rich girl to that had-been who lost all her money.
"Ready?" Blake asked softly.
Jac didn't answer him. Instead she got out of the car confidently and marched through the dazzingly parking lot, painfully aware of how much of a teenage girl she looked in her skinny jeans and flimsy t-shirt. Her ensemble wasn't really helping her confidence. What she needed was a quick coffee and five-inch Louis Vuittons.
Once at the glossy winding black steps of the apartments that led up to see-through glass doors, condo numbers engraved above them, Jac took a deep breath. She was going to talk to him, get down to the nitty-gritty and demand he cooperate.
Blake came to stand next to her, his worried look deepening. "You look like you're going to faint, Jac."
"I already did,"Jac shrugged nervously. "So do we just go up there or-" She was quickly silenced by a door swinging up from the very top of the stairs. There was series of grunts and squeals that obviously belonged to a gay man before Jac's nightmare appeared at the top of the winding staircase.
Steve was carrying four boxes of Gucci shoe boxes, groaning as he unsteadily made his way down the steps. The larges boxes obscured his view of Jac and Blake so Jac mustered up her confidence again, preparing herself for 'Bitch Mode'.
'Think Erika,' What would Erika do if she was in this situation? The haughty brunette would probably throw out every remark in the book and manipulate to no end until Steve gave in.
"Hey Steve, you need help?" Blake called cheerfully, meeting Steve in the middle of the stairway and relieving him of two of the heavy boxes. "Let me guess, there are heels in this thing?"
"Six-inches," Steve replied merrily in that orientation-giving voice of his. "I must say you look very yummy today, Blake."
"Steve," Blake warned, chuckling as he and Steve came back down the stairs.
Jac moved behind the stone wall, out of their view. She was still freaking out and she hadn't gotten her bitchy Erika moves down yet.
"Oh my god, Jac!"
'Dammit, he saw me.' Awkwardly, Jac turned towards a bewildered Steve and a weary Blake. Steve did not look like the butler her mother used to boss around for margaritas anymore. In fact, his blonde hair was a bright neon pink - but actually more stylish than Addie's thanks to his tidy hair - and stubble-less face. He looked more like the pink unicorn he truly was at heart.
"Uh, you two know each other?" Steve looked to Blake in surprise.
Blake shrugged. "Thanks to you."
Jac shoved a hand in her skinny jeans, waving embarrassingly. The wave was so not Erika, or bitchy for that matter. "Hi." 'Oh my gosh, kill yourself, Jac.'
Then Steve caught her off guard, dropping his Gucci boxes on to the gravel ground and embracing her. He hugged her tightly, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe you're here! I thought you were never going to talk to me again!"
Jac squirmed in his grip and was relieved when he let go of her. They just weren't that cool anymore. In fact, she didn't think they were cool enough for him to call her 'Jac' either.
"Got tired of that bitchy mother of yours huh?" Steve yapped happily. "I swear that woman needs a bottle of Oxycodone and a huge bitch slap!"
Jac couldn't find any words to say. Steve's chill demeanor had caught her way off guard. 'What would Erika do?' She'd probably crush his dreams of friendship and demand that he do what she wanted of him.
"Am I right or am I right?" He went on and behind him, even Blake looked uncomfortable.
"So tell me all the gossip!" Steve exclaimed. "Whats up with you and that sexy boyfriend of yours? Damon, right? God, if I had a guy like that going to my school when I was sixteen, my virginity would have been gone years ago."
Jac found herself going completely pale because one, he was fangirling over her ex and two, Blake was listening to just how hot Damon is.
"Or did you guys break up?" Steve pouted. "Awww, honey, don't worry I'm sure you guys will be back together in no time. Remember that time in Spain, it took you guys literally three hours to be smacking lips again. I have some cookie dough ice cream to get you through the break though, hun."
"Damon?" Blake questioned.
"Uh, Steve I need to talk you," Jac said quickly because she was in no mood to discuss the woes of her tragic relationship. "Its really important."
Steve studied her face, obviously deciding it was serious and picked up the boxes he'd dropped on the ground. Puzzled, he added the boxes to Blake's load. "Can you take that to my car for me?"
Blake chuckled. "I didn't know I was a bell boy 24/7."
"Thanks, love you." Steve dismissed him and then headed back up the stairs, beckoning for Jac to follow him. Wearily, she did while grimacing at how awkward their little chat had just been. She and Blake weren't really an item but it was still horrifying to have Damon coming up around him.
Steve's condo looked to cost much more than what the Lexingtons had been paying him as a live-in butler. With its wide, city-watching windows, triangular white archways, pearl white decor and exotic flowers placed on every flat surface, it was a socialite's dream home. However, most of the couches had been moved out of the house and all the flowers were crammed on to the last glass coffee table left.
Steve sat down cross-legged on the soft silk grey floor, inhaling the Febreze he'd sprayed around the apartment. "I'm gonna miss this place."
Jac didn't join him on the carpet, trying to revert back to the bitchy plan she'd originally had. "Steve, I didn't come here because I want to be friends again."
"Oh," Steve's face fell. "I just thought-"
"I'm here because I need you to help me," Jac said, feeling like the most horrible person on the planet for how coldly she'd shut him down. Steve had been a good friend of her for nearly three years. He had been her rock in an uncanny household. He had been her shopping buddy - he'd even gone on shopping sprees with her friends.
Although Jac would never tell the boy to his face, she missed him. She missed him more than ever now that she was left with her wimpy father and uncaring mother. "My Dad lost his job and we're in some really deep financial trouble."
"How deep?"
":Like I can't even get the 63, 000 dollar Zagliani handbag deep."
Steve gasped, pink-painted hands flying up to cover his mouth. "Wow, thats deeper than deep. Thats underground, honey."
"Which is why I need you to come to the Spring Debutante Auction and tell everyone the affair was fake," Jac said hurriedly.
Steve froze, staring at her wide-eyed.
"If you say its fake, maybe people will actually want to work with my Dad again!"
Steve stood up just as Blake came in, grin fading when he took in Jac's desperate expression - 'Fuck the bitchy act,' - and Steve's astonished one. Then he clasped his hands together. "So, um, is there anything else you need in the car?"
Steve ignored Blake. "I'm sorry, Jac....I can't do that."
"What?" Jac exclaimed, her heart nearly falling into her stomach. "But you have to!"
"Look I am truly, truly, truly sorry for what happened between me and your Dad," Steve said. "I mean, I let my emotions get the best of me. I was jealous of what Eve had and I was really petty. I never meant to hurt you. I love you! You're my ride or die bitch, Jac! " He giggled but Jac didn't return it.
"Being around all that money really changed me, I guess."
"Then make it up to me." Jac urged. "You owe me."
"I can't risk it," Steve shook his head. "I've got a reputation too you know. Did you know I've been asked to be in the next Broadway show? I'm gonna be playing Regina George in the play adaptation of Mean Girls!"
Jac observed Steve as if he were a small jewel obscured by even bigger diamonds on a ring. She couldn't believe her ears. In fact, she was demanding for her hearing to get itself together because there could be no way that Steve was denying her happiness. "Are you-are you serious?"
"Yeah, things are looking up for me, Jac," Steve said pleasantly. "And I can't let it slip through my fingers. I'm sure theres another way you can fix-"
"You're the one who got me into this mess!" Jac cried, feeling on the verge of screaming her lungs out again. "You're a homewrecker! A stupid, poor, worthless homewrecker!" She shouted angrily, not caring that she was crying.
Blake reached out for her and she shoved him away. "Don't touch me! Tell him, Blake, tell him that he has to help me!" Normally she wouldn't be begging and pleading but desperate times called for desperate - and pathetic - measures.
"I-I-I can't really do anything," Blake stammered, stunned by her outburst.
Steve looked at her somberly."I'm sorry, Jac, I would if I could."
" You're just an irrelevant social climber anyway," Jac spat. "There you go! Your fifteen minutes of relevancy is over! Have a nice life!" Then she stormed for the door, tears spilling over the brims of her emerald green eyes.
To make herself feel slightly better, she turned to Steve again. "And by the way, your pink hair sucks."
If insulting people worked for Erika, maybe it could work for her too. However, she still felt like shit and sighed. "You know what? Forget that last comment, your hair is amazing." With that, she stormed down the winding staircase of the posh condo apartments.
"Jac, wait!" She heard Blake call as she angrily fast-walked back to his beat up car, resting her head on the roof as she sobbed.
"Jac, are you okay?" She heard Blake ask and she raised her head to glare at him.
"You should have made him help me," She hissed, not caring that she sounded like a spoiled brat. That was what she was after all. She was a spoiled brat who was allergic to things under five or ten grand. "You should have done something!"
'Damon wouldn't have let Steve off easy. Damon would have found a way,' She thought angrily. 'Damon would have helped me.'
"You can't make people do what they don't want to," Blake said sheepishly.
"You don't understand, "Jac lifted her heard up from the raggedy car roof, too upset to care that her precious black locks had grazed the cheap vehicle. "That guy back there was my only hope. Without him, theres no chance-"
"Theres nothing wrong with being like me," Blake cut her off and Jac was surprised he actually looked offended. "Sure, I don't have some fancy private jet and a big house but I can still be happy."
She stared at him, not sure what to make of his words.
"I know you've probably grown up your whole life thinking you're better than everyone because you have what others don't but thats a lie," He said. "Happiness doesn't come with expensive things, Jac. It comes from relationships, from doing things that you love. Not diamonds and ridiculously priced clothes."
Jac shook her head furiously. The things she loved to do? Well that was spending money. The relationships that gave her joy? Those were gone a long time ago. "That was very, very, very cliche'." However, she knew she couldn't blame Blake for not understanding. He was normal and she was privileged.
"I'm a cliche' guy," Blake shrugged."And you're right, I don't understand......but I want to."
"But you won't be able to, you don't know anything about me," Jac stated, hating that it was true. Blake just wasn't the person to talk to in regards to her life. She needed someone like her, like Erika - well maybe not Erika, the girl was hardly a listener. There was Paisely but her way of comforting involved scarfing down fatty snacks. Then there was Benny but the girl was far too blunt and inappropriate.
'I wish I could talk to Damon,' With that in mind, Jac realized she was relationship-sick. How could she play a good game when she thought of him with every other person she was with? The truth was despite everything he had done, she still couldn't help but love him.
"I'm going home," She finally said. "Don't worry about driving me, I'll take a bus." She had about ninety-eight dollars left.
"Are you sure?" Blake asked sympathetically because even when she was blowing him off, he couldn't seem to help his caring attitude.
Jac thought of how unsanitary public transportation was - not to mention how cheap it cost. She'd take Blake's rotting car over the bus any day. "Uh, on second thought, can you drive me home?"
ⓇⒾⒸⒽⓀⒾⒹⓈ
Damon found himself wondering off as Headmaster Vanderbit stood on the stage of the school's extravagant auditorium. With its dark red cushioned rows of chairs, a Broadway-worthy stage and dim gold chandeliers, the auditorium looked more like a elegant entertainment hall. Thanks to generous donations, Alabaster Prep was one of the most over-the-top schools in Beverly Hills.
"So, after numerous incidents of dress code violations involving diamond accessories blinding other students, wardrobe malfunctions, and inappropriate outfits, we have decided to revert back to uniform for the remainder of the school year," There were exasperated gasps and whispers around the broad auditorium. "Uniforms will be taking effect again after Spring Break."
Relieved sighs came from nearly ever scholarship student in the hall. Uniforms were thought to blur the fine line between the wealthy and the lucky. However, little did the school board know, a rich kid could smell the poor from a mile away.
"You think he's gonna mention the Huffington Post thing?" Brett whispered beside him, all the while shooting glances at Mia Matthews who had been avoiding him all weekend.
"Of course he is, "Damon whispered back. "Its too big of a scandal." After four hours of every embarrassing photo of Paisely Mont Vernon gracing the respected site, Alabaster Preparatory School had found itself under the scrutinizing eyes of every news report. Even CNN had taken a good hour to discuss why rich kids were so "reckless" compared to the middle class children.
All Damon cared about was the fact that Erika was going to be in a shit load of trouble if she didn't know how to cover her ass. Expulsion was definitely a known fact floating around the Rumor Mill.
"Is someone sitting here?" Damon looked to his right to see one of the school's most gorgeous seniors grinning back at him shyly - thanks to her Kim Kardashian nose surgery. She was referring to the chair Seth had begged him repeatedly to save for him but Damon shrugged.
"Its free."
"Actually, its not," Jac appeared beside the girl, moving past her to sit down in the wanted chair. "Thanks for saving me a seat, Damon."
The girl scoffed, rolling her eyes before moving further down the aisle.
Damon examined Jac, wondering what the hell had gotten into her. One minute he had been completely certain she would never forgive him and had moved on with a pauper yet here she was, sitting gracefully next to him as if they'd never had the most roughest break up of their lives.
Her eyes had been trained on Headmaster Vanderbit however she turned to him. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Why are you talking to me?"
She tilted her head back as she laughed silently and Damon again had to realize just how beautiful the girl was. She wasn't sexy, she was out of this world - and he just had to screw things up. However, now that he was sure he was here to stay, he decided he would stop to no avail to get her back.
"You're talking to me," She whispered, hilarity in her voice."I just sat next to you."
"Because....."
"Because I didn't want to sit at the very back with all those Lacrosse assholes," She gestured to the back row that was, like every assembly, the Lacrosse team's "VIP" section, Chris Edwards at the center of it all. Damon and Brett had realized the team was just a bunch of horny jerks who played sports and opted out of the united front.
Damon snickered. "Yet you're sitting next to a Lacrosse asshole right now."
"Point taken." Jac rolled her eyes, looking straight towards Headmaster Vanderbit on the stage. Damon shook his head, tearing his eyes away from her and doing the same. He knew exactly what kind of game Jac was playing. If she didn't have Blake Evans on her arm, she wouldn't be sitting next to him.
"Regarding the Huffington Post issue," Headmaster Vanderbit's hawk eyes narrowed and he scanned over the large student body with disdain. "Know that we are taking this very seriously. We already have someone in custody for the crime but we know this person was not working alone."
"So are the rumors true?" She suddenly asked and Damon turned to see that she was no longer wearing the I-don't-care act she was always using.
"What rumors?"
"The ones about you moving to St. Larks." She spoke softly and then tittered, ducking her head as she ran a hand through her hair. "Never mind, its none of my business."
From what it seemed,. Damon wasn't going anywhere. Matthew was the most gloating father in the world when Damon had told him the news. It was as if someone had flipped a switch and suddenly his father was not the man who wanted to punch his face in everytime he seen him. It felt good to be back in his father's good graces.
"I'm not moving," Damon said quickly then he figured this was a good time to ask about her pauper boyfriend. "Are you dating that hotel guy?"
She looked up with a scoff. "How do you know about that?"
"So it is true." He was surprised Jac would even associate herself with guys like....that. He liked to think it was a huge step down from their relationship but then of course there were the doubts. Maybe the guy was more caring than he was, maybe he was more of a gentleman than he was, maybe- 'Maybe, maybe, maybe.'
"Not really," She admitted sheepishly. "I don't even know what we are." Then before they could say anything else, Miss Mession - the doting Algebra teacher - came trudging down the aisle, shushing them as she hurried to the front row with the other teachers.
Damon wanted to say that having a guy sling his arm around you was definitely not questionable - but then he figured that would be asshole-ish and stopped himself. This was the first civilized - no angry yelling or crying - communication they'd had since that night after the game and Damon didn't want to spoil it.
After Headmaster Vanderbit ended the assembly, making sure everyone knew that he was intent on finding the Huffington hacker's accomplice, there was a big hassle that followed as everyone hurried out of the large auditorium, stepping on designer shoes and shoving into thousand dollar handbags.
Brett quickly mumbled something about finding Mia and disappearing within the crowds pouring out into the marble stoned outdoor halls, all talking excitedly about who the hacker's partner in crime could be. The first name Damon heard; Erika Felix.
"Damon, wait." He heard Jac call as the halls quickly began to think, everyone rushing to class. He turned around to face her, doing his best to ignore the curious looks they were receiving from those who still lingered. "Can you tell me something?"
"Depends on what you want to know."
"Did you do something with her?"
"Who?" Damon asked although he knew exactly who she was talking about.
"You know who, Damon."
Damon thought about lying but then figured they had enough secrets anyway. Besides, he knew from experience dirty little secrets got out eventually. So, avoiding her emerald green eyes, Damon nodded. "Yeah, I did.'
He watched her reaction closely as she took a deep breath and exhaled, nodding too. To the naked eye, it looked as if Jac didn't give a shit. However, despite her cool demeanor he could see the hurt. He was the only one who could see past her facades.
"Okay, well, see you in class," She said finally. Then she quickly turned on her heel, moving in the direction of the Disciplinary Committee hall.
Damon knew he couldn't let her walk away, not when there were bell boys prowling around, not when he still wanted her. So he reached for her and she spun around, tears building up in her emerald green eyes. "You don't get to do that," She hissed.
"Do what?"
"You don't get to care," She exclaimed angrily. "You have no idea what I've even gone through these few days, okay? You were too busy screwing girls like Veronica."
"You don't have to talk to me you know." Damon fired back. "Or are you just trying to flaunt around your new boyfriend?" However, he instantly regretted every single word when Jac crumpled up like a sail on a yacht, tears spilling over.
He had never seen her cry. Well, more like he had never seen her cry in front of him. Jac was always wearing a steel heart whenever he was around. Damon thought it was because he was steady screwing up and she was just protecting herself from the hurt.
The final bell, signaling every student not in class was late, rang out through the halls, scattering those that had stopped to watch the spectacle. There was no doubt that once lunch hit, their confrontation in the hall would be the main event of the Rumor Mill.
He watched solemnly as Jac wiped tears away. "I'm sorry, you're right. I've been an ass."
"Sorry doesn't cut it," She said fiercely through her tears and as if someone had snapped their fingers, she stopped crying. "I can't move on because of you. Your stupid face is always in my head."
"I tend to have that effect on people," Damon smirked, trying to lighten up the mood but Jac only scowled.
"I don't want to think of you," She retorted. "I hate you."
"Then why are you standing here, arguing with me?"
"Because I love you!" Jac blurted out and then recoiled. "And I hate it...."
Damon felt relief flooding through him. Back at the hotel, he had thought he had lost her for good. He was foolish to have thought what he and Jac had could be erased so easily. Hell, they had been crushing on each other since first grade. He looked at other girls - what guy doesn't - but Jac was the only one he loved, the only person in the world who didn't give up on him even when everyone else wrote him off as a screw up.
Even when he had been taken over by the devil and said some pretty damning things to her.
"Jac, I've always been here for you. Well, when you're not slapping the shit out of me."
"I know." She said, looking down at the ground.
"If that doesn't show that I love you, I don't know what can."
"But what about those times when it seems like you don't?" She snapped. "What do you have to say for yourself then?"
"I have an evil twin brother?"
"I'm pretty sure Erika is your sister." Jac wasn't successful in forcing back her smile and Damon smiled too. There was nothing that could ruin this moment. Not a Veronica Conrad in sight.
Damon took a step closer, so close to her now that he could smell the slight scent of Dior radiating off of her. "Those times don't matter because they're never happening again."
"Promise?" She asked and he could see the almost desperate look in her eye. When she wanted him, Damon could only see the longing in her eyes. She never let the rest of her face betray her. She was reserved, only opening up when she thought it was safe.
He admired her soft tan skin, her lush full lips, and the fact that she would always be his. Always because he was vowing not to screw up this time. This time, they would work.
"On everything I own," Then he kissed her, Jac instantly responding to him. He had forgotten how good it felt to be with Jac. It was like the best high you could ever have and that said a lot counting all the drugs he had taken so far. It was as if they meshed together and he kissed her hungrily, Jac's hands curling around the nape of his neck.
Jac broke away first, frowning. "So when am I getting a new ring?"
Damon grinned, pulling her closer, feeling so damn lucky to be able to do that again. "As soon as we continue that night in the hot tub."
Jac narrowed her eyes. "You mean when you were about to hit me?"
"Uh, before that."
"In your dreams," Jac shoved away from him playfully. "Thanks to you, I'm staying a virgin until marriage!"
"Then I guess I'll have to marry you then," Damon smirked, realizing that idea wasn't so bad. Jac froze for a moment and then rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. You can't even commit to one car, Damon."
"Ahem, shouldn't you two be in class?"
They were startled by Headmaster Vanderbit in a blue and grey cashmere sweater - 'How many sweaters does this guy own?' - tapping the heel of his Gucci penny loafers impatiently.
Jac quickly took a step away from Damon, adjusting the collar of her Saint Laurent blazer, and subconsciously tousling her hair. Damon smirked at her from the corner of her eye and she rolled her eyes knowingly.
"Sorry, Headmaster, we were just-"
"It turns out I was actually looking for both of you," The man said sternly, sizing up Damon as if he were a roach that had somehow gotten on to the extravagant premises. "Follow me."
"Where are we going?" Jac asked nervously, shooting Damon a slightly worried look. Although Damon couldn't imagine why she was so concerned. The girl was soon-to-be Valedictorian. Headmaster Vanderbit practically worshiped her.
"To pick up Erika Felix and Benny Costa," The man said pointedly to them. "We have a hacking to discuss."
-------------------
A/N:
So I got really carried away with these two! But #Jacmon is officially back on - but you haven't seen the last of Blake Evans AT ALL.
Since there literally is very few chapters left!
The name of the second book is *drum roll*
L U X U R Y! (cheesy, I know, even Erika is calling me basic)
Again, thank you to everyone who reads!, comments, votes, and fans <333