My Paid Boyfriend
Chapter 12- Unfinished Sentences
“Can I ask you a question?” I never understood why people started off asking you if it was Ok to ask a question. To me it never made sense, just go on with the damn question and don’t beat around the bush. But I also under stood, it’s like a buying yourself time until the bigger question proposed.
“Sure.” I shrugged pursing my lips as my cousin Scarlett took a deep breath before she began.
“So, it’s about Jeremy.” She started, “He’s different, he’s a charmer, silver tongue, paid to impress. He’s not like your other boyfriends.” She chuckled sipping from the champagne glass I secretly passed on to her.
Paid to impress, well hell yes that’s what I paid for. Silver tongue, most girls on campus worshiped him but me that silver tongue didn’t affect me, but the part about him being a charmer that I did fall for just a bit. Everything Scarlett was describing Jeremy to be is all correct, yet it was exactly what I was paying him to be.
“Well Jeremy is different.” I stated smiling when I caught him chuckling with some of the groomsmen he made friends with. Guys can get along so easily and very quickly.
“Well I like him better.” She smiled against her red lipstick stained glass looking at Jeremy as well. Better than Jimmy, I believe where she was trying to get at. My more recent boyfriend she probably remembers.
“Yeah me too,” I agreed. I liked Jeremy way better than any other real boyfriend I’ve had. Sure I haven’t been in a relationship for the past two maybe three years, but even being friends with a guy like Jeremy, being so close with him, has made me liked him better than my other boyfriends. All because Jeremy treated me differently than anyone else, he made me feel like me, I got to be myself and not someone I tried to be.
“Ooo, I see people with cake. As much as I love this talk I love cake more.” Scarlett chuckled patting her hand on my shoulder, “Want me to get you a slice?” She offered.
“No I’m good, thank you.” I grinned though watching her walk away. She looked lovely in her one should, light pink dress with her chestnut hair braided French like.
I went and stood around with Jeremy and the guys. When I stood by his side he simply grinned at me and continued to listen in to the boring conversation. I couldn’t stand much of it so I left, talking to some people around until I found myself at the bar. No one was around so I waited by taking out my phone and distracted myself.
What felt like a while later, someone bumped my arm to get my attention. With a sigh I closed off my game, I guess I could play Candy Crush later. I quickly checked the time and noticed I waited for ten minutes for this bar tender to arrive, but I was mistaken, it wasn’t even the bartender, it was Jeremy.
"Are you waiting for something?" Jeremy asked coming from behind as he leaned against the bar’s cold marble counter tops like me.
"Yeah, the bar tender." I sighed, resting my cheek on the palm of my hand. My elbow propped on the counter as I looked over to Jeremy, "You know where he is?”
"I just came from the bathroom and he was there texting." Jeremy replied with a shrug, "What do you want to drink?"
"I don't know som- What are you doing?" I remarked watching him look both ways then hop the counter to stand on the other side, "You shouldn't be back there." I warned looking around the room to see if anyone else saw.
He shrugged his shoulders, taking off his jacket he tossed it to me and then began to roll up his sleeves, "So what are you going to drink?" He asked again grabbed a clean glass from behind him, "Hit me with your best shot." He wink and chuckled to me
"You know a thing or two about bar tending?" I questioned doubtfully, crossing my arm over my chest with his jacket hanging off my forearm.
"I might. So what will it be, something fruity or something strong?" He asked, aquatinting himself with the bottles around him.
"Fruity sounds interesting." I considered. Jeremy smiled, squatting down to the mini fridge and pulling out some cartons.
"Watch and learn.” He instructed prepping up his set up. He doused the rim of the glass with a lime then pressed the glass against something crunchy, “Sugar around the rim of the cup." He explained, getting the chunky grains of sugar to outline the glass cup, "Strawberry juice, lemonade, and crushed ice." He listed off as he poured some immeasurable amounts of liquid.
"Sounds like a good virgin summer drink." I snickered.
He held his index finger up to me as he turned to the mix and match bottles behind him, "This should do the trick." He muttered uncapping the bottle and pouring about a shot of clear liquid to fill the cup, "Try it." He said placing it in front of me.
"What no paper umbrella?" I chuckled taking the cup into my hand. He smirked as I cautiously took a sip of the sweet cold drink. I'm not much of a fruity drinker but I very much liked this. I could take whatever alcoholic shot he poured into it but I could also taste the sweetness of the fruits.
"It's rum." Jeremy stated wiping his hands on a cloth, "Vodka is just a bit too strong and over powering for that." He shrugged acting all pro about his liquor.
"I didn't know you were such the alcoholic." I gasped playfully taking another small sip of my drink. Jeremy just laughed after rolling his eyes. He looked around the ice box coming up with a beer bottle. Finding the bottle opener he uncapped the sucker and joined me on the other side, "I fi-"
My eyes narrowed as I heard an annoying vibration from close by. Jeremy stuck his hand in his pocket pulling out his phone, "Um, I'm going to take this, it'll just be a minute." He wondered walking off slowly a couple of steps before taking the call.
I watched him for a minute or two just standing around in the distance talking on the phone. He looked over his shoulder and saw me watching, with a tight grin he walked away towards the double doors hiding behind the wall. Well that's odd.
"Hey where did you get that drink?" The bar tender asked, now standing behind the counter he pointed to the glass cup in my hands questionably. He picked up the cartons Jeremy left behind and questionably put them away as if trying to remember if he had left them there.
I let out a nervous chuckle playing with the ends of my hair, "So, uh, well, you see..." I walked away. It's not illegal to make your own drinks with somebody else's liquor, right? Nah, I don't think so either.
Since nobody really was around for me to chit chat with - because I had already talked to all the people I actually liked- I went searching for Jeremy. I faintly heard his voice out in the hallway, guessing he was still on the phone. Now even though I'm a fake girlfriend, I was still a concerned, and most of all a curious person, so of course, I eavesdropped. I know I'm a bad person.
"-I can't. I'm usually busier on the weekends." Jeremy said to the phone. Yeah I defiantly knew why he was busier on the weekends. Look where he is now, "That's during Spring Break.... I don't know if I can.... No it's not the money.” Jeremy paused and sighed, “I know-” He was interrupted and then after a few seconds he spoke, “Friday it is then.... Four o'clock got it. Bye Amanda."
With a heavy sigh he ended the call leaning his head back against the wall. I peeked over, looking in between the hinges of the doors to spot him. He looked sad and I didn’t get why. I mean, that phone call sounded like a job offering- one which he accepted. It kind of annoyed me that he went to pick up a call for a "client." I mean really, you're supposed to be with me not accepting other jobs. It sounded selfish of me but it was true. It annoyed me.
I looked away, leaning on the inside walk of the ballroom waiting for him to come around. It didn't take long, when he recognized it was me leaning against the wall he looked a bit nervous, eyeing his phone and then me. You think he made the connection?
"Was it an important call?" I questioned in a bitter voice, but I still wanted to play it cool. Once again my nose was in business where it shouldn't be and I hope he didn’t point that out.
"Uh, something like that." He mentions scratching the back of his neck, "So what were you going to say before we got interrupted?" He recalled causally. He tugged at my hand to move away from the wall. I followed wanting to go out to the balcony.
When I took the first step a cool breeze passed through blowing my hair in different directions. Jeremy leaned against the building casually still drinking his beer. I did the same, leaning back against the building wall seeing that nobody was around any longer. Jeremy looked at me, and then looked straight ahead, then back to me, then straight ahead.
With a growl his stare shot back to me, “It’s not what you think alright.” He stated nonchalantly like it was for my benefit.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.” I replied, balancing my drink on the back of my hand for entertainment.
“I’m not a manwhore. I’m just doing a favor for her.” He cleared the air like I needed the explanation.
“You don’t need to explain yourself. I’m not your girlfriend or your keeper. You do whatever you want.” I told him as I backed up from the wall and took some steps away. I ran the tips of my fingers through my hair, “I mean like it’s not like I expected you to stop your hobbies after going on a date with me.” I scoffed nervously shaking my head like I was ridiculous. I exited the balcony and went straight for the bathroom.
I took a deep breath and looked in the mirror then released it. I would never want to be in a relationship with Jeremy. What sane girl would want to be in a relationship with a guy that dated girls all the time even if it’s all meaningless and fake? Not me. No wonder why you never saw Jeremy with a stable girl, because no girl wanted to be that stupid girl that let her boyfriend do whatever. No girl wants to be with a guy that can't let other girls know he's taken.
But the bottom line is: why would I think he’d want me to be that girl? Why would he choose me to be that girl? Out of all the girls he could choose why on hell or earth he’d choose me? Like look at the relationship we have! Jeremy will always be considered a friend now, and that’s all it would ever be.
Once I put another coat of lip gloss on my lips I walked out of the bathroom and took the moment to look in the familiar mirror again. The mirror was all too familiar but I just couldn’t put my finger on it.
“Well isn’t this a moment of déjà vu.” Danny called from behind me with a chuckle.
“Hey, I’m thinking the same thing. Why does it look so familiar?” I asked his opinion as I looked back into the mirror with both of us in it now.
Danny’s arm slung over my shoulder, his silver icy wedding ring touched my bare shoulder giving me goose bumps. It took him a minute or two to figure it out but when he did he chuckled, “It reminds me of the picture in dad’s building office that’s on his bookshelf between the books. You know, the one with mom on her wedding day looking into the mirror. Remember that one?” He explained correctly.
I gasped when it hit me. It’s true; it looks almost like the mirror in the picture with mom, “You’re right.” I sighed smiling about it.
“The scary part is, looking at you in the mirror, it’s like I’m looking at the picture of mom.” He confessed.
“Not totally. Mom was leaning over, putting on lipstick, and wearing a wedding dress.” I corrected chuckling slightly.
“Close enough.” He chuckled, “We should get a picture taken and do that whole next generation side to side thing.” Danny decided calling over the photographer to take pictures of us. I told him he would have to print them out for me to pin up in my dorm room.
Behind us we heard Charlie’s voice hollering for my brother. She waved for him to go back in the ballroom to take more pictures. I sat at a random empty table, wincing from the pain these heels were giving me now. I love to wear heels but when I stuck with them I didn’t take them off until the very end.
Danny and Charlie were standing in the corner taking pictures now. A smile played on my lips as Danny wore the veil and Charlie wore his black bow around her neck. Jeremy found me and came to stand by me near the chair. Not many people were left; just people from the wedding party and some immediate family members. Macy sat at a table near the double doors of the balcony with Charlie's mom drinking. Dad was near the bar with some guys, and the bridesmaids and groomsmen were gathered around waiting for pictures.
"Today turned out spectacular." Jeremy mentioned leaning against my chair. His suit jacket was off and his white sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.
I smiled nodding my head agreeing, "It turned out to be a perfect night." I watched as everyone laughed, everyone mingled and socialized, everyone was being friendly. I turned to Jeremy, waiting for his gaze to land on me, "Can you do me a favor?" I asked softly.
"What is it?" He asked putting an empty beer bottle down on the trashed table, "But I'm warning you if it involves me and any more liquor I'm going to have to decline. And I'm not hanging from that chandelier." He chuckled as he pointed to the enormous and grand chandelier on the ceiling.
I shook my head grinning, "No it’s nothing like that at all." I sighed, twiddling my fingers as I began to speak, "Can you promise me that when this is over, when we go back to college and get back into our normal routine lives that we'll still be friends?" There was a long pause and I was afraid of his answer now. Surely I thought Jeremy would want the same thing. I thought he too was having a good time here. I didn't think he'd not want to still be friends after this. But I guess this is really just a job for him. I sighed shaking my head in embarrassment, "I mean if you want. I just thought-"
"Of course I still want to be friends." He interrupted, "I didn't think we had to ask." He stated looking at me longingly.
"Good." I said with a shaking sigh of relief, "To be honest, I'm upset this is our last night. I'm going to miss it."
"We can still have fun nights back on campus." He vowed strongly and confidently.
"But it won't be the same." I whispered shaking my head slightly. It won’t feel the same. We won't act the same. We won't be the same. Everything will be different. It won't be the same.
"Hey you're looking upset again. What's wrong?” He asked genially, “Is that what you've been upset about? About us being friends or not?" He asks kneeling in front of me and at eye level with me. His hands were on either side of my arms and he looked into my eyes.
The corner of my lip tugged up, "I'm upset that I have to go back to college. I miss home. I'm tired of early mornings and late nights and studying and exams and classes and reports and dorm rooms. I just need a long break." I sighed, dropping my head in my hand. I was going to miss the weekend we spent together, but I didn't want to tell him that.
"It’s going to be alright. Spring break is coming up and soon after is summer. Everything will be here when you come back." He said as a promise.
I grinned looking up into his warm honey eyes. He grinned back continuing to rub his hands on my arms. I didn't hesitate or even think about what I did next. I leaned in and I kissed him because I wanted to. No other reason why but want. My hands went to his cheeks and then around his neck as I twined my fingers through his hair and moved my lips against his. His hands went from my arms to my hips, and then his arms around my back. It was a sweet lasting kiss, our noses brushed against each other, and it was nothing like our first kiss, it was the complete opposite actually.
We both pulled away, our lips parted as we breathed faintly on each other and my forehead rested against Jeremy's. My eyes were half shut, looking at the floor as I gently brushed my fingers in his hair; enjoying the silky feeling between my fingers. My eyes watered slightly thinking again how I'd be back in college tomorrow. I didn't want to; I wanted this weekend to last forever, even though I know that wouldn't happen. Even though I knew this was all an act, even though I knew once we got back on campus this would all be forgotten; I was just going to enjoy whatever was left of the moment of fakeness.
It’s official; I’m diagnosing myself as bipolar.
I hate myself for feeling this way about Jeremy because this has all just been part of the plan. He's supposed to be nice and charming and silly stupid me fell for it. Just like every other desperate girl on campus. And the sad part is I didn't want to know how he felt back, because somewhere deep down I think my brain reminded me that this is Jeremy Coleman, there is no future with a guy like him. Not for me anyways.
Purposely holding your feelings back because you know it's for the best because the person deserves better.
I didn't care about going back to college and stupid late nights and early mornings or exams and dorm rooms. I actually like my dorm and my friends there because I felt more welcomed there then my own home. What I really cared about was him being around. And I knew thatwhen we arrived back at college this would all be like a dream; like it never happened. Jeremy will go back to paid fake dates, to being one of the popular guys on campus, back to Kate Johns; back to his normal life where I would just be the paid girl he kissed and held hands with on her brother's wedding day. We'd be friends like he said we'd be, but I think we both knew we won't be the same person.
Sometimes is sucks to have feelings, but that's what makes you humane.
"Sky I-"
I looked up quickly as he spoke but he was interrupted when Danny laughed behind him slapping his back, "You guys are still around? After yesterday I thought you'd guys be gone after cake?" I smiled with a faint laugh as Jeremy turned around facing my brother, standing up and holding the top of my chair.
“I thought I’d wait and wave you off.” I grinned to my brother.
“Well that’s nice of you.” Charlie piped in coming from behind Danny with a giggle.
“It’s almost time to go actually babe. Plane leaves at eleven.” Danny informed Charlie as he looked at the big clock in front of him.
“Then I’ll go switch dresses.” She agreed kissing his cheek before leaving, “Love you.” She whispered before she left. She went off with her bridesmaids to change out of her dress probably in some back room.
“Well, have fun on your honeymoon.” I wished smiling up at my brother kindly.
“Thanks.” He smiled back, “Can you do me a favor?” He asked.
“Sure what is it?” I wondered.
“Come back soon.” He ordered with a sly grin, “So I can make up the home movie marathon with you. And a big giant bag of Sour Patch kids.” He sure knew how to win me over.
I nodded my head giggling, “I promise.” I got up giving him a hug when the plastic square pressed against my boob reminding me, “Oh, almost forgot.” I whispered taking the pack out and slipping it in Danny’s front dress shirt pocket, “You’re going to need this for the honeymoon. As much as I want an adorable niece or nephew I think people will say that Charlie was pregnant when she said ‘I do’.” I giggled.
Danny’s eyes narrowed and his eyebrows scrunched up when he peeked in his pocket. He gasped lightly rolling his eyes; pressing his lips together he tried not to laugh, “I don’t want to know why you have that.” He chuckled shaking his head, “Never going to take you seriously again.”
We both laughed as I punched his shoulder lightly. Just trying to make his wedding day even more memorable then it’ll ever be.
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