"Hey, babe. Was it good for you?"
I groaned when I read the message that just ticked in, before I dug my face into the hotel pillow again. But no matter how tired I was, I couldn't help but to type a quick reply.
"No comment."
Then I woke up abruptly when I realized how bad that sounded.
"I really hope you're referring to the concert and not what I think you have in mind."
Another text popped up right after.
"Could be both. 😏"
I knew he laughed. I just knew it.
"And you just agreed to me calling you 'babe'," he wrote and I scoffed so loud that I woke up Gabby.
"What?" she groaned without even bothering to open her eyes. Then her hands went up to hold her head, and she whimpered.
"Hung over?" I giggled, thinking about the quite impressive amount of sparkling water she consumed yesterday.
"Silence! I kill you!"
The way she said that in Jeff Dunham style told me it wasn't that bad.
"But how you're not nauseous after all that chocolate yesterday..."
She circled her fingers in the air as if the rest of the sentence was in sign language, then stopped when she saw I was holding my phone, ready to type.
"Is it him?" she exclaimed with acute eagerness, but I just smiled. That caused her to sit up on her knees a little too fast, and she groaned in pain and grabbed her head again.
"Fuck... I'm getting too old for this."
"Old? You're only twenty-three Gabs."
"So? That's twenty-four in November. I'm practically a fossil. And would you please stop calling me 'Gabs'? It makes me think of crabs, and those bastards are creepy."
She suddenly snitched the phone out of my hand, which caused me to scream and wrestle her like an angry bear. And for once I won without too much struggle.
"I'll be damned," Gabby mumbled and propped herself up on her elbows. "Someone has been practicing their fight club skills lately."
"Stay away from my phone! And that's not even an order. It's a downright threat to you and everyone in your family, including Porkchops!"
"Hey! Why did you have to drag my dog into this? He's innocent."
"Not with an owner who steals people's phones, he's not. Every dog is a copy of its master."
"Be careful now, or I'll tell him to eat your shoes. All of them."
I gasped dramatically and clutched my phone tightly against my chest, like I was having a heart attack. Gabby just rolled her eyes.
"Come on. What's he sayin'?" she asked and raised an eyebrow toward my phone, and with a white-knuckled grip around it, I unlocked the screen and read Jake's messages.
"So if I can call you babe, then you can call me Al."
"You know the song? No? Okay. 😅"
"I'm getting nervous here. I really hope you liked the concert and that you're having fun at the hotel."
"I don't understand your resentment against the limo, though. What did it ever do to you? You've hurt its spark plug. 😭"
"Okay, that wasn't funny. But Hank wondered if he did something wrong."
"And now I'm wondering if I did something wrong, too. Mia? Are you there?"
"He's asking if we liked the concert."
Gabby and I looked at each other dead-panned.
"Duh. The only thing better would be to have a threesome with Michael himself."
"I can't say that to him!" I hushed, like if he could hear us.
"What? He'll get jealous?" she shrugged. "I mean, if he behaves, he can watch."
"Gabby!" I scolded, and cursed the fact that I was blushing already before the clock hit 9am. Then I started texting.
"My idiot friend here distracted me. Sorry."
I sent him a couple of embarrassed emojis and a crying face, before I continued.
"We LOVED the concert! And you did absolutely nothing wrong, Al. Although I'd still prefer to call you Jake."
Gabby pulled at my arm, but I shoved her away and mumbled something really brief about what I was typing.
"About the limo... We kinda expected to get kidnapped the luxurious way. Gabby's idea, not mine. So... God, this sounds stupid now, but we refused to die until after the concert was done. And now that it is, I don't care if I have a target on my head."
A new reply came right after I pushed send, and the letters flashed up my screen.
"Glad you liked it, babe. 😉"
"What? He's calling you 'babe' now?" Gabby squealed into my ear, causing me to let out a little scream in terror.
"He's totally your boyfriend!"
"Right," I dragged unamused. "Can we just...?"
I shut my lips with an invisible lock and threw away an imaginary key, which of course Gabby pretended to catch, to unlock hers.
"I'm not your babe, Jake. And this is kind of a giant anti-climax. So if you're going to kidnap us, go right ahead. We won't even fight you."
"Awe. Not even a pillow fight? That's every guy's wet dream, you know. Two girls with pillows only. No clothes. 😏😏😏"
He didn't have to include the emojis to let me know that he was smirking.
"And about a potential abduction... As tempting as that sounds, I don't think you'd be able to handle two concerts in a row."
Then he added a quick comment.
"Although I wouldn't mind if you came over to demonstrate said pillow fight. 🥵"
I snorted out loud and showed the message to Gabby.
"Perv," I muttered, but Gabby just laughed.
"Girl, he's talking about another concert! Keep your focus straight."
"You're joking, right?"
"Maybe?"
Then he added another one:
"Or maybe not?"
I chose to ignore it, and decided to show some gratitude instead.
"Thanks, Jake. You're literally the best for making my dream come true. I'm forever grateful. 💖"
"Awe. That heart got me. I love you too. 😘"
"You're kind but also completely hopeless. 🙄"
"She gave me a compliment! She said I was kind! So now I'm waiting for the next one. Funny? Loving? Sexy? Amazing?"
Even though I didn't know what he looked like, I could clearly envision his obnoxiously wide smirk. He was enjoying this way too much for his own good. But the most surprising thing was that I actually liked our constant banter. And right now Gabby teased the heck out of me for grinning and blushing like a goof.
"I'll admit that you're funny. And you definitely have a big heart. But I draw the line at sexy. There's only one man suitable for that category, and that's the guy we met last night."
"I can live with that. 😏😉"
"How old is he?" Gabby suddenly asked, and I realized that I didn't actually know much about him. "Does he like cheerios? What's his shoe size? Does he go commando every Saturday? Is his thumb large? Because you know what they say about siz... Ow..."
I silenced her with a sharp elbow straight into her hip.
"I don't wanna know about his dick size?! And who in their right mind doesn't like cheerios? But most of all: What the fuck, Gabby? Why would he go commando on Saturdays? Like... That's the most random question ever."
"Because you don't know for sure until you ask him. Hey! Maybe it's the other way around? Maybe Saturdays are the only days he does wear boxers?"
She wiggled her eyebrows and got out of bed.
"You know... Easy access to the goods."
"Go shower or I'll have you gurgle toilet water instead of brushing your teeth, bitch," I growled, but couldn't help but to laugh. Then the bathroom door slammed shut behind her the second my pillow was flung after her. But now my curiosity was triggered, and I wanted answers.
"Our pillow fight just ended, and no I won't elaborate any further. 🙄 But I would like to know how old you are and where you're from?"
"Won't tell you unless you tell me about your pillow fight. 🤐"
"Oh, God... I kinda asked for that, didn't I?" I groaned to myself, and rubbed my forehead.
"We were NOT naked, and I threw a pillow at her because she annoyed me, but I didn't even hit her."
"Oooh... So you're the rough, kinky type of girl? I like that. 😈"
"No! Jake! Stop!"
"Too! Late! You've! Got! My! Imagination! Running!" he replied, which had me cursing out loud. Now I was annoyed at both him and Gabby.
"Have a nice day, Jake. 😒"
Then I turned my phone off and put it on the charger. It was time to shower and get some breakfast, anyway.
"GABBY? ARE YOU DONE YET?"
<><><>
Just like on the way to Houston, we were seated in first class. But unlike the way to Houston, there wasn't just a tiny piece of chocolate placed on our seats. There was an entire bowl. Plus raspberry candy!
"If that's not a nauseating declaration of love, then I don't know what is," Gabby muttered. "You're so fucking lucky and you don't even realize it."
I smiled to myself. She was right. Jake was really something.
"Why didn't I get any chocolates?" she whined, before she picked up the stack of magazines waiting for her on her seat.
"Damn! Has he been spying on me?" she mumbled, while she scanned through them and found that they were all her favorite magazines. And in the middle of the stack, she picked up...
"Ha! I got chocolate too! And don't you dare steal it from me."
She quickly hid it in her purse, and I rolled my eyes and picked up the tiny card stuffed in between the chocolate pieces inside the bowl. It was handwritten and a little difficult to read.
*
"I'm sorry, babe
Here are your favorites
Now please turn on your phone and talk to your other favorite
That's me, yes
❤️
Your handsome boyfriend
Jake"
*
"What does it say?" Gabby asked, only half interested. Her nose was already planted deep into the newest copy of 'Vouxe Elan'.
"He told me to turn on my phone."
"Then do."
"And make the plane crash down before we take off?"
"Can't crash before we get airborne, can we?" she said dryly, while she slowly chewed on a piece of her chocolate. For a moment I stared at her and wondered how it tasted. It didn't look like the kind I had.
"He can wait a while longer."
The question was, though; could I?
But I didn't get any choice, because moments later we were told to fasten our seat belts and turn all electronic devices off.
"You should meet him, Mia," Gabby said as the plane turned to face the correct direction. A direction leading away from Michael Jackson. Such a sad thought. Then again, he was probably not even in Huston anymore. He was most likely on his way to wherever his next concert would take place.
"Yeah, I know," I sighed. If that's what he wanted, it was the least I could do. Besides, he'd kind of proven that I could trust him, since he'd made sure nothing bad happened to us while we were away.
"I know," I repeated to myself. And then the roar of the engine drowned out all sounds other than my heart thumping hard in my ears.
<><><>
The stewardesses were done with their mandatory walk up and down the red carpet that was the aisle, like awkward, smiling models, giving people whatever they desired. Gabby had her usual black coffee, no wine this time, and I had a Cola Zero. And now both of us had returned to our momentarily favorite doings. Her, deeply consumed in DIY recycling of clothes, and me, stuffing my cheeks with candy while studying people around us.
Eventually, I fished out the phone from my pocket. I stared at it for a second before I turned it on, and then message after message popped in like beats to a song.
"Turn it on silent," Gabby grumbled, and I quickly did.
"I was just kidding, babe! I'm definitely not envisioning your sexy pillow fight."
"Or maybe I am? 😈"
"No, I'm just messing with you. Don't be mad at me."
"Babe? Are you mad?"
"Mia? Are you there?"
"You left, didn't you?"
"That's the thanks I get for setting you up with a date with the man of your dreams?"
"And if you were here now, you'd have seen my grimace and the way I rolled my eyes, and known I was being sarcastic. Adding my dramatic hand gestures... Damn. Texting is hard."
"And yes, I know that per your definitions a date isn't the same as just meeting someone. So technically, you meeting Michael, wasn't a date. And theoretically I can take you out and show you what a real date is. 😌💖"
"Mia? Please talk to me. I'm sorry. 🥺😔"
"Okay! I'll tell you! Just don't leave me hanging like this. It hurts. 🥺🥺🥺"
"I'm from Indiana, work in the entertainment industry and I'm turning 30 later this year. My favorite color is red, and I love animals and wear socks that don't match. I love all kinds of music, and to climb trees. And yes, I have a favorite tree. And also: Yes, I have a favorite girl. 😊"
"...which is you, if it was unclear in any way."
"Except for my mother. I love her."
"MIA!"
"TALK TO ME!"
"😭😭😭😭"
I sighed. I actually felt really bad right now. Especially after reading the card. He was my favorite male friend. And I was being rude to shut him out.
"Bribing with chocolate, are we?" I started, and giggled.
"I'm sorry, Jake. You didn't deserve that. You're my favorite, too. Next after my dad, of course. And if I had a brother, I'd probably love him less than you. Because thanks to you... I MET MICHAEL JACKSON!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭"
Not until my dying day would I get tired of saying that, and poor Jake would probably strangle me in a few weeks time, for constantly reminding him. Or days. But it would still be worth it.
"Ahhh! You love me and I'm your favorite. Can't ask for anything more. 🥰," he replied soon after, and I rolled my eyes and giggled. Why was he so darn cute?
"Thanks for telling me about yourself. I just want to get to know you, since we're a weird version of best friends. Btw: Do you realize how much you have in common with Michael Jackson?"
Without waiting for him to answer, I gave him a few fun facts about myself as well.
"I don't know how much you already know about me, since you're basically my stalker. But I live in Idaho, I'm 24 and I loooooove chocolate. (thank you for the bowl of candy in my lap) I jump from square to square on the sidewalk because I can't step on the lines, and I sing in the shower. I also like to barbecue with my friends and family, so if you're nearby sometimes, you have a standing invitation. 😊"
And just to erase any doubt:
"But it's NOT defined as a date! Just... A hanging out kind of thing."
"Why are you so scared of dating?"
Seriously? That was the only thing he commented on? And it was such a simple question too, yet I had no idea what to answer.
"Honestly? I don't know. I've never really been on one."
"For real? How can such a beautiful, young woman go 24 years without a date? That's impossible."
I blushed and turned away from Gabby, so she wouldn't see my red cheeks. She was still consumed by fashion advices printed on glossy paper.
"Thank you, but it very much is when you let your anxiety and your dad run your life."
"Run? Or ruin?"
"Run. It's not like I couldn't if I really wanted to. I just busied myself with books and my hobbies."
"Elaborate. 👀"
"Cooking and writing. 😊"
"Perfect wifey material. 😌💖"
I choked on my raspberry candy and started coughing like crazy, and Gabby finally looked up from her magazine.
"Shut up," was all she said and continued to read with a completely unamused expression on her face. But it didn't last longer than half a minute before she started cackling like a turkey.
"Did he just offer to hold your hand while you pee on the stick, or something? I'm sure he'll be an excellent father," she snorted, causing me to choke again, so hard that I almost swallowed my candy whole. What's the matter with these two? They're equally insane, and they don't even know each other.
"You guys can never meet," I croaked out while pointing at my phone, then at her. Tears were running down my face from coughing like a hardcore smoker with severe COPD, and I was pretty sure my face glowed brighter than the 'no smoking' sign above the annoyingly gleeful stewardess.
"I'm just gonna ignore that for a while, and thank you awkwardly later. Don't get any ideas, my good sir. Meeting up is stretching the line. Got it?"
"Got it."
Then neither of us texted for a while, until my screen lit up again. Of course it was him.
"I'm jealous of that bowl now..."