~~Chapter 18: Accident-prone~~
**SORRY COULDNT THINK OF A GOOD TITLE FOR THIS CHAPTER**
“Don’t tell me you are serious? How could you not have noticed?” Michelle asked; her eyebrows boring together in confusion.
I felt the strangest urge to shrivel up onto the sandy beach below me and into a tiny almost invisible ball. Surely no one would pay attention to a tiny little ball on the ground. I would give anything to stop the stares coming at me from all direction. I would even become a little useless ball on the fucking sandy beach!
I took a deep breath and halted my strange thoughts right then and there.
I tried to smile it off but no one around me seemed to be convinced. I tucked my hands behind my back awkwardly and said, “I didn’t mean it like that. I meant, um, I didn’t expect your lake to look this beautiful that’s all.”
Nice save, Jo. I mentally patted myself on the back.
“Oh, well that makes more sense.” Michelle laughed her squeaky high pitched laugh that made my head almost want to explode. Michelle might be skinny and pretty, but everyone has their flaws. In this case, Michelle was stuck with her annoying and ear-splitting laugh that could send a room of sleeping infants into an uproar.
I smiled shyly Michelle’s way and she smiled brightly back. I did have to admit though, I was shocked. I didn’t expect Kamen’s perverted boss to have a wife like Michelle.
Michelle was sweet, kind-hearted, and I found this out in the less than ten minutes that I have known her. She was young and had a natural beauty to her that any modeling agency would die for. Her blonde long hair fell gracefully down her back, unlike my stick thin brown hair that Nana somehow couldn’t manage to get all the knots out this morning before we came.
“So what do you say, Jo? Wanna go swimming?” Michelle asked with a giggle.
Oh yeah, that’s right. The lake. The horribly embarrassing thing I somehow missed when Kamen and I were driving up here and asked about only seconds ago. How could I not have noticed that not only was Michelle and Miginacoli stinking rich, but they lived on a fish poop free lake as well!
My toes dug into the sandy mixture beneath me as I looked off towards the crystal clear blue water only feet away from me. I tried to ignore the weird feelings that were stirring around inside of me just at the look of the lake. Even though I could admit that it was beautiful, especially for a lake, I still couldn’t ignore the weird feeling I got whenever I glanced towards it.
Lakes or any type of body of water didn’t scare me; it was the memories they brought back that made me feel uneasy.
I gulped and turned away from the lake in a flash and instead focused on the cheerful blonde girl in front of me, “I, um, like your dress Michelle.”
“You do?” Michelle squealed as if she was actually surprised I liked what she was wearing when it was obvious to anyone that it was stunningly gorgeous, “Thanks Jo, yours is super cute too—it just isn’t my color. No offense.”
“None taken,” I said completely agreeing with her. Red never did look quite right on me, but Nana and Cece had insisted on it and it was too early in the morning at the time to waste time arguing about it.
“Please darling, don’t go criticizing our guests on their fashion sense. Just because you refuse to wear anything that isn’t some shade of blue doesn’t mean that what Josephine is wearing isn’t flattering.” I flinched in surprise at the sudden voice of Mr. Miginacoli behind me. I spun around only to be face to face with his fresh tan face. He grinned down at me and I gulped down my scream as best as I could.
“I didn’t say I didn’t like it dearest,” Michelle said from behind me, “I just said it wasn’t my color. The only color for me is blue.”
Michelle finished off her sentence with a twirl of her elegant light blue dress that flowed flawlessly just over her knees. I did have to admit that the whole blue house inside and out thing was kind of bizarre, but blue was definitely Michelle’s color. It matched her deep blue eyes and pale blond hair almost perfectly. I couldn’t imagine her in anything else, but then again, what the hell did I know about fashion?
“So Josephine, what do you say? Should we take a dip in the water? The sun is perfectly aligned in the sky and the water looks simply divine.” Mr. Miginacoli said in a voice that sent shivers up and down my spine. I could tell he was trying to be a little more than nice to me, but honestly all he was doing was making me feel more awkward than anything. I couldn’t describe it; he was only a couple years older than Kamen. He wasn’t scary looking or anything, in fact he was quite handsome for is age. He had chiseled and tone features and a bright white smile that could be seen from miles away. It was just the way he looked at me all the time and talked or even brushed his hand accidently against mine that made me feel uneasy. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I completely walked in on him…..yeah, that’s probably it.
“Um, no thanks Mr. Miginacoli, I—“
“Please,” Mr. Miginacoli gripped my hand tightly and brought it up to his perfectly plump lips. I looked down to see that Mr. Miginacoli was wearing a blue button up shirt open and I was getting a front row seat of his less than perfect abs. I shoulders stiffened as he whispered so quietly that I was positive his wife that was right behind us couldn’t hear, “call me Jett.”
“Sure thing,” I said quickly while ripping my hand away quietly and muttering, “Only if you don’t call me Josephine.”
“What was that?”
“Oh nothing, I just said I didn’t bring a suit. It completely slipped my mind. Oh well,” I said forcing a smile onto my lips.
“You can borrow one of mine!” Michelle cheered and gripped my arm almost knocking both of us other. She reminded me exactly of an excided three year old about to get candy, “You would look so great in blue, Jo!”
“Thanks Michelle, but it took me forever to, um, get my hair this way.” I said pointing to my flat and ratted hair, “I don’t want to ruin it.”
Michelle pouted and reluctantly and, to my relief, said we didn’t have to swim.
“Well then, if it isn’t swimming you fancy then let’s take a ride on my boat, shall we?” Jett said grinning my way.
I felt the urge to shrivel up into a ball once again.
“Yay, a boat ride! How splendid! What a great idea, Jetts!” Michelle cheered, her blonde hair flipping crazily over her shoulders.
“Orlando,” Jett looked up towards the house, “I think the girls would fancy a boat ride. It would be nice to get some fresh air in this heat, don’t you agree?”
My eyes traveled up and landed on Kamen who I had almost completely forgotten was here the moment Michelle led me to the beach right in her backyard. He was sitting in the shade on a florescent blue beach chair and had his formal jacket taken off and a white button down shirt on. I have no idea when or where Kamen had gotten the sleek black glasses he was now wearing over his eyes, but in a way it made him look more laid back, like a normal guy his age just hanging out at the beach. For once he didn’t look all worried and stressed out like some old business man. He looked hot.
The thought occurred to me out of the blue and as soon as I realized that Kamen looked incredibly attractive, my cheeks couldn’t help but heat up and turn a deep red. I always knew Kamen was good-looking, that was the thing that got me so interested in him when we first bumped into each other in Nick Alvis’s publishing company. I thought all thoughts like that would’ve washed away by now, especially when I found out what he was really like, a spoiled, inconsiderate, rich boy. But I guess I was wrong, personality didn’t have an effect on what my eyes saw in front of me, which was a hot young guy sweating in the sun with an almost see through white shirt on. Nevertheless, I prayed no one would notice my burning cheeks and quickly darted my gaze away from Kamen.
My thoughts came to a halt as my eyes slowly made their way back towards Kamen who stood up from the chair and tore the sunglasses off of his face and stared down at all of us down at the beach. My jaw flew open as the wind began to pick up the moment he stood up and flew flawlessly through his brown mass of hair. It was as if Kamen had just walked out of a chick flick movie and onto Jett’s beach in a matter of seconds. I even caught Michelle staring off at him a bit through the corner of my eye.
“Sounds great,” Kamen said in an almost bored tone and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“I really do apologize Orlando for not warning you sooner. I probably should’ve advised you to wear some sort of swim wear.” Jett said with little to no pity in his voice. I stared down at Kamen’s black formal pants and had to hold in my laugh. No wonder he was sitting in the shade, he must be sweating like mad.
“It’s no problem, sir,” Kamen said.
“Nonsense, I’ll have Marcel fetch you some swim wear,” Jett’s gaze turned to me and the same slimy smile formed on his face, “and for your lady as well.”
“Leave that up to me!” Michelle yelled and before I knew it, I was being dragged back into the house by the crazy blonde girl.
Even though the sun’s hot rays were beating down on us, I still felt as cold and bare as an icicle. The swim suit Michelle had ordered me to put on was too small around my waist and much too big to fit around my small chest. The proportions were off and Michelle could tell that as easily as I could. But Michelle, being Michelle, simply brushed it off with a smile and said, “Oh well, at least it is a pretty aqua blue color. No one will notice.”
I stared in horror as everyone began piling onto the dock and towards the blue speed boat parked by it. Of course it was blue. I, on the other hand, seemed to be stuck in the sand somehow. I glanced down at my feet that felt like they were hundred pounds, but to my surprise they looked normal, untrimmed and wide, but normal.
“Honey,” My head sprung up and I found my eyes locked with Kamen’s. The look on his face was enough to make even more worry and stress wash over me, “Are you coming on, dear?”
I didn’t know what washed over me, but I found myself staring into Kamen’s chestnut eyes. His words echoed in my ear and even though in my head I knew he was putting on an act I still couldn’t stop my heart from beating loudly in my chest.
“Um, yes just a moment.” I said, biting my lip and turning away from Kamen’s gaze. I stared at the dock for quite some time trying to make the first step onto it, but not matter how hard I tried my feet would not move.
I heard Kamen sigh heavily in front of me, “Hold on, I’m coming. Just—“
“Josephine,” Jett brushed past Kamen swiftly and quickly nearly knocking him off and into the water in the process as he made his way towards me gracefully. My eyes were now locked on Jett’s outstretched hand in something much worse than horror, “you are afraid of perhaps tripping and falling in, are you not? Rest assured I will be more than happy to guide you there personally. It is no trouble.”
“Um, thanks sir.” I said shyly and slightly gripped his clammy hand knowing that I had no other choice but to take it. His grip was so tight that I was sure his nails were making indents in my skin.
I glanced at Michelle and Kamen who were already sitting in the speed boat and to my shock; Kamen looked more upset than Michelle did. Actually, Michelle didn’t look troubled by the fact that her husband was holding another woman’s hand at all. Maybe Michelle was smarter than I thought and knew that any man with even the slightest bit of common sense would pick her over me any day.
Jett led me onto the boat. I sat down right next to Michelle who frowned slightly at me.
“What’s wrong, Jo? You look so pale.” Michelle said with worry in her eyes. I was about to make up some lousy excuse but was interrupted by Michelle, “I know! Why don’t you go sit up by Orlando?”
I froze and my eyes slowly drifted up to the front of the boat where Kamen sat with both his arms resting on the edge of the boat. He was peering outside with a calm look on his face. He looked as though he was trying to find something out in the water, but all I saw out there was danger.
“I like to sit next to my Jetts on boat rides. It is so romantic.” Michelle said with a giggle, “Too bad Jetts insist on driving the boat instead of making Marcel do it when guests are over. He thinks it makes him look more like a gentleman. He is such a goof sometimes.”
“Um, why don’t you come with me?” I asked in a panicked tone, “I wouldn’t want to leave you back here all by yourself.”
The thought of Kamen and I sitting alone in the front of the boat all the sudden made my heart go into overdrive. The two of us being alone had been normal for the past couple days, all we really did was fight about nothing. So why was it so different now?
Michelle only giggled and shook both her hands in the air, “Don’t be silly, Jo. Could you imagine me sitting in the front of the boat? My hair would be a complete train wreck by the end of the ride! Nope, I’m fine right here. I won’t get lonely, I promise. But,” Michelle paused and whispered quietly in my ear, “someone looks pretty lonely right now if you ask me.”
I couldn’t help but stare up at Kamen who didn’t look lonely in my opinion, more like bored. I doubt the last thing he wanted was to deal with me at an important moment like this. He was trying to impress his boss or whatever Mr. Miginacoli was to him, not fuss with me.
“Oh, he’s alright.” I said forcing a smile onto my face, “I want to get to know you.”
The smile dropped off Michelle face as she slumped down in her seat. My eyebrows bore together in confusion.
“Well, that’s a real shame.” Michelle said with a sigh.
“W-what?”
“I’ve just noticed that I have never seen you smile. Sure you’ve tried to fake one here and there, but I can see through it pretty well.”
Fake. That is all I am. A big, ugly fake. This whole set-up was fake. I shouldn’t even be here…
I gulped and looked apologetically towards Michelle, “I’m sorry Michelle. I am going to be honest with you. I’m really just super nervous.”
Michelle smiled sweetly at me. “I understand. Most people are when they come to see my Jetts.”
I nodded, “I really do like you though. You’re not what I thought you would be.”
Michelle laughed cheerfully not offended at all, “Everyone always gets that nasty imagine of me because of how strict my husband is about his job. It is completely normal; I don’t blame you in the least.”
“Talking about jobs, what does your husband really do as—“
“Enough talk now,” Michelle pushes me up and out of my seat in one swift move, “I’m sure we will have plenty of time to talk in the future, but someone needs you right now.”
With one last shove I found myself reluctantly walking up towards the front of the boat where Kamen sat. I strolled past Jett who had just pushed the key into the ignition of the boat. He was standing up and gripping the wheel firmly and proudly, staring off ahead into the lake.
“I think it would be best to sit down now, dear.” Jett said grinning widely at me.
“Sorry,” I said quickly and sat down next to Kamen quickly trying hard not to think about what I was doing.
As much as I tried to keep my eyes focused on something else, I couldn’t ignore the look of surprise on Kamen’s face through the corner of my eye. His eye brows were raised in confusion and his shoulders stiffened.
Michelle and Jett were talking at the back of the boat and seemed completely oblivious to Kamen and me whatsoever, I guess in a way that was a good thing. I gulped and tucked my arms closely at my side making sure never to make contact with Kamen in any way shape or form. Not only was this boat ride going to freak me out, I didn’t need the awkwardness of Kamen and I to be bugging me as well.
“What are you looking at?” I whispered fiercely not being able to stand the look Kamen was giving me. I made sure to never fully meet his eyes.
Kamen looked surprised at first, but eventually his lips tugged into a grin and his shoulders relaxed, “So, you couldn’t stay away, could you? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“Shut up, you’ve been avoiding me this entire time too.”
“I have my reasons,” Kamen said with a shrug, “I’ve noticed that you are very accident-prone. I certainly don’t want to be around when you do something stupid.”
Kamen looked down at me with a childish smirk on his face, “Nice suit.”
“Don’t make me hit you,” I growled and Kamen chuckled beside me. I grinded my teeth angrily against each other and laughed quietly to myself. It is cute how he thinks I am kidding about smacking him right across the face. After all it wouldn’t be the first time I did so.
The boat jerked away from the jock almost sending me flying back into my seat. My stomach dropped as we pulled farther and farther away from the dock, farther away from land, and most of all safety.
“What’s the matter?” Kamen asked, “You look more skittish than usually.”
‘Skittish, are you calling me a cat?’
I would’ve said that if my words hadn’t of been stuck in my throat. It was just a stupid boat ride. At least I didn’t have to go into the water…
My legs were shaking now and I feared that Kamen was completely aware of it. His eyes brow bore together in confusion as his eyes squinted towards me, taking in my every detail making me somehow even more nervous each second. I watched slowly as Kamen’s confused expression turned into a devious one. I could already feel my cheeks turning red.
“Indie,” Kamen said slowly as my teeth began to chatter as I stared down at the unforgiving water below, “there isn’t a chance that you are afraid of the water, are you?”
I didn’t answer. I didn’t have to. I couldn’t possibly argue with Kamen when it was blatantly obvious to everyone that I was one the verge of fainting.
When I didn’t answer Kamen leaned in until our faces were only inches apart. My eyes nearly popped out of my skull and my fists clenched at my sides. It wasn’t until Kamen’s hand landed on my cheek that I let out a high-pitched squeal.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I whispered fiercely fighting the urge to scream and beat the shit out of him. I smacked his hand away in one swift move not taking Kamen by surprise at all. In fact, he smiled as if that is exactly what he expected me to do.
“Your cheeks are doing that thing again, it’s very distracting.” Kamen said casually.
“It is called blushing, you idiot!”
Instantly when the words flew out of my mouth I knew no matter what I did or said I would never be able to take them back or somehow fix them, Kamen knew that as well. Kamen’s normal devilish grin all the sudden transformed into a full on smile. Soon Kamen was in the middle of a laughing fit, but all I could do was stared up at him.
He is smiling—and laughing.
I had only known Kamen for a little less than two weeks, but in a way I felt that I knew him well enough that I should be able to know what his smile looks like and what his laugh sounds like. It wasn’t until I was witnessing it firsthand that I realized I had never seen Kamen genuinely smile. He had snickered and gave me devilish grins that I hated so much plenty of times—but never a smile.
When Kamen’s laughing finally came to a halt I felt almost sad. I felt sad enough that I actually thought of doing something stupid just to get him to smile again.
“I am proud of you, Indie. I never thought I could actually annoy you so much that someone as hard headed as you could actually admit that you blush like mad for no apparent reason.”
No apparent reason for blushing. I had never blushed so much before, or maybe no one had a cold heart like Kamen’s to tell me that I did.
“I hate you,” I muttered.
“No you don’t,” Kamen said taking me by surprise.
“Excuse me,” I said.
Kamen’s eyes drifted down to me with a grin, not a smile, on his face, “You don’t.”
I was silent for a couple seconds, just staring up at him left me breathless and in a trance. I broke away from it quickly though and slumped down into my seat, “Yes, I do.”
“Are you guys ready up there?” I heard Jett shout from the back. I peered back and saw that Michelle had stood up and looped her arms across Jett’s shoulders and was giggling like mad.
“R-ready for what?” I asked no one in particular. I had completely forgotten we were on a lake, an unforgiving terrorizing lake.
Nobody had time to answer me before I felt the front of the boat, where Kamen and I were sitting, lurch up into the air as we began going three times as fast as we were going only a couple of seconds ago.
I gripped the leather seat and bit my tongue as hard as I could to hold in a scream. Fresh water was lapping up from below and coming and splashing me right in the face. With each wave and sharp turn we took, I felt my grip slowly loosening. My heart was in my throat and fresh tears were rimming my eyes from all the air plowing against them.
The boat hit a huge wave in the water causing the boat to jump in the air making me completely lose my grip and fall back. My back hit Kamen’s chest with a loud thud, nearly knocking the wind out of both of us.
My mind was on overdrive and there was absolutely no way I could think straight. I gripped the first thing in front of me that just so happened to be Kamen’s arm and held on for dear life. I didn’t hold it the cutesy girlfriend way where I giggled every few seconds and ran the back of my hand down his arm while giving him seductive looks. No, I was doing this to survive.
I heard Kamen groan in pain, probably because my untrimmed nails were digging deep into his flesh.
“Indie,” Kamen’s voice startled me as he leaned down right next to me ear. I could hardly hear him because of the wind flying past us, “would you mind—“
His voice came to halt surprising me a little that he wasn’t going to whine about my grip around him. Instead he did something that I would never imagine even in my wildest dreams. I froze as his arm snaked around my waist holding me firmly in place. It was only when his arm touched my bare stomach that I remembered how exposed I was. My body heated up in embarrassment.
I didn’t do anything about it though, I was awestruck with fear. I didn’t utter another word until Jett finally stomped the boat and we were calmly strolling down the lake.
“Indie, you can let go of me now.” Kamen said a hint of awkwardness in his voice. I titled my head down and realized my nails were still deep in his skin. It was only then that I noticed that Kamen’s arm was no longer ensnared around me. Had it just been my imagination? Maybe when I’m afraid I conjure up strange things in my mind. I instantly released my grip and examined the large nail marks that I had left in his skin.
“Oh my gosh, sorry Kamen. I didn’t—“
“Wait a second,” I said and actually found myself leaning back into Kamen casually, “it is all your fault that I am here. So, there should be no reason why I would have to apologize. You deserved it, asshole.”
Kamen chuckled again my ear sending shockwaves up and down my spine. I had underestimated how close he was to me. The one rule that I was made was being broken once again for the millionth time, stay away from Kamen at whatever the cost. Now here I was actually leaning into his chest like it was nothing.
“Hey Indie,” Kamen said after a couple seconds of silence.
“I don’t respond to that,” I growled and crossed my arms over my chest.
“You wanna try something really fun?”
The tone of his voice instantly made me feel anxious. I turned around and looked up into his eyes that were flaring with excitement and deviousness. Oh shit.
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Hello my friends!!!! I have uploaded! TA-DA!!
I hope you like its extra super longness and sorry about the cliff hanger :( I'm sort of the queen of that I'll admit.
STORY TIME!
This past Friday was my b-day!!! :D YAYSYSYAYA......but I didn't get what I wanted.....shocker. Oh well, wish me luck next year!
Bye noodlers!!!