Freeing Asia

by Abel, E. M.

  “Puffy! Is that you?”

  I closed my eyes. Shit. As Jay glanced over his shoulder toward the voice, I looked up to the sky, praying that God would help me.

  “Puffy! It is you! What’s up, girl?”

  Jay and I both turned around. It was Dank, one of my friends from high school who I used to surf and get high with. Fuck.

  “Hey, Dank.”

  Jay raised his eyebrows at me. He was obviously surprised by our nicknames.

  “Where you been, girl? I haven’t seen you in months. I got this new shit you gotta—”

  “Dank, this is Jay. Jay, this is Dank,” I interrupted him before he could say too much. I really wished I could remember Dank’s real name.

  Jay reached out to shake Dank’s hand, and Dank looked Jay over before giving Jay his usual cool-guy handshake, which included smacking hands and curling Jay’s fingers into his before letting go. Luckily, this didn’t seem to phase Jay. Jay returned the handshake like he had done it a million times before, like it came naturally to him.

  Dank was the stereotypical surfer dude. He even used the word dude in almost every sentence. As far as I knew, Dank did nothing but smoke incredibly good pot and surf. Since those were the only two things we had ever done together, he was the last person on the entire planet I wanted to see right now.

  Having a delayed reaction as usual, Dank started to inspect Jay and me standing next to each other. After examining our outfits, he asked, “Dude, you guys on a date or somethin’?”

  Jay looked down at his shoes and chuckled.

  “Uh, yeah, Dank. We’re on a date,” I said.

  “You’re wearin’ a dress. Fuck, Puffy.” Dank gawked at me and shook his head, like his brain was overwhelmed. “Does Shaun know you’re on a date?”

  What? Why the fuck would I need to check-in with my brother? “What?” I snapped.

  Dank must have recognized the agitation in my voice. “Nothin’. I’ll let you guys get back to it. See ya later, Puff.” Dank glanced at Jay. “Later.”

  Jay lifted his chin at Dank, and I just glared at him before he turned around and ran back to his friends down the beach.

  Jay took my hand back in his, and we continued heading back to his car. When we got there, Jay opened the passenger door and helped me in. After he got in, he started the ignition and then sat back, leaning his head on the headrest.

  “I think you’re right,” he admitted, turning his head to look at me. “We should wait.”

  I was surprised. I’d expected him to ask me about my nickname or about Dank, but he didn’t. I nodded as I put on my seat belt. I was happy I wouldn’t have to try and explain our little encounter, but I was also a little hurt that he didn’t seem curious.

  On the way home, I tried to find a subject that focused on Jay, so I decided to ask him about his work.

  “So, what made you decide to sell Red and go work for your Dad?”

  I’d been curious about this since he first told me. His club was obviously a success, and he seemed to enjoy what he did. I couldn’t imagine him sitting behind a desk all day in some big office. Now that I knew him a little better, he didn’t seem like the CEO type at all.

  “Well, my dad is about to retire soon, and he wanted someone he knew he could trust, someone who would continue running the business the way he envisioned it. Since I’m his only child, it seemed only natural for me to be that person.”

  “Are you sad about losing the club?”

  “A little, but we all have to grow up sometime, right? I guess this is my time.”

  His response confused me. It sounded like he was repeating something his father had said while convincing Jay to work for his company. I didn’t see how owning a club was immature. To me, it seemed like Jay was just doing what he loved, but instead of asking more about it, I decided to just drop the subject. He seemed pretty set in his decision, and it wasn’t my place to question it. I really wasn’t in any position to lecture someone about career choices.

  When we arrived at my apartment building, I felt sad that our date was coming to an end, but I was also a little relieved that I would have time to think about everything.

  As Jay walked me to my door, I smiled to myself. I was happy about how much things had changed in just a couple of days.

  “I had a great time. Thank you,” I said as I reached for my keys in my purse. “I would invite you in, but it’s probably not a good idea.”

  Looking amused, Jay took my right hand in his. He kissed my swollen knuckle. “Be more careful with this.”

  “I will.” I grinned as I thought of us laughing at the beach.

  “Promise?”

  His eyes focused in on mine, and I could feel my heart racing.

  “Promise,” I whispered.

  He lifted his hand to my cheek, lightly stroking it with his knuckles. Keeping his eyes on mine, he slowly leaned down to kiss me. It felt like an eternity had passed before our lips met. When they finally did, he squeezed his eyes shut as if he were in pain. Just as our kiss was getting intense, he stepped back, separating us.

  “This is going to be harder than I thought,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

  He was right.

  I didn’t see Jay much during the next week. Between selling his club and preparing for his pending job at Clarke Industries, his schedule had been pretty full. He had called me every night though, so we had spent a lot of time getting to know each other.

  I’d been careful to omit anything that might reveal too much about me. I’d made sure to always ask him questions about himself, so I wouldn’t bring up my rebellious past.

  Jay had grown up in a world completely different than mine. He had vacationed at his family’s beach house during the summers, and he had taken trips to Aspen for the winters. His father had taught him how to golf while his mother had stayed busy throwing charity balls.

  His life was full of champagne and caviar while mine was filled with beer and barbecues. These differences not only made me feel like we were worlds apart, but they also set off a burning fear in my stomach that I’d never felt before.

  I was afraid that when he realized just how different we were, he wouldn’t like me. In the past, I’d never cared what people thought about me. Actually, one of my favorite sayings was, “Who gives a fuck what people think?” I’d said it all the time, but now, I cared what Jay thought.

  The following Monday, my alarm clock buzzed in my ear, and I automatically hit the snooze button. I rolled over and rubbed my eyes. I had stayed up until two in the morning, thinking about Jay as I questioned whether or not we would work out.

  No matter how many doubts I had, every time I pictured him laughing with me on the beach on our first date, those worries hardly seemed to matter. Finally, I’d decided that I was all in. I refused to let my fear of getting hurt hold me back from what might be the best time of my life.

  As I lay in my bed, remembering my decision, I couldn’t help but smile. I hopped out of bed, went over to my stereo, and blasted my favorite P!nk CD. I hummed along as I brushed my teeth, sang while I made my breakfast, and then danced around in my underwear before I got dressed. I decided to wear some of my new clothes to work. I didn’t want to risk looking any less than my best just in case I saw Jay.

  I chose a teal silk tank top, and I tucked it into a black pencil skirt that actually made my butt look good. I put on a necklace that Nick had specifically picked out for this outfit, and then I slipped into my new black heels. I was grateful that my job required me to sit at a desk most of the day, so I wouldn’t have to walk in the painful shoes too much. After applying some makeup and pulling my hair up into a bun, I grabbed my purse and keys and went to work.

  When I got to my desk, I noticed Nick wasn’t at the office yet. He had been on vacation to see his parents for the past week, so I hadn’t had a chance to tell him all about my growing relationship with Jay.

  Since I hadn’t spoken to Hailey in a while, I decided to send a text, ask
ing her to call me during my lunch hour. When I looked at my phone, I saw a missed call and a new text message. I quickly touched the screen to see who had called, and I slumped in my chair when I saw it was just my dad.

  I wondered why he had called. He would very rarely call anyone. He didn’t even have a cell phone. I found the text message was from Jay, and it made me so excited that I felt like my face would split from the giant smile spreading across it.

  I hope you have a great day at work. Be careful not to punch anyone. ;) I miss you.

  I stared at his message for what felt like ten minutes. I read it over and over again before I responded.

  Thanks. I hope you have a great day, too. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to punch with my left hand.  Miss you, too. Can’t wait to see you again.

  Just as I was sending the message, Nick walked toward his cubical. When he peered over the cubical wall and saw me sitting at my desk, his face lit up with a smile.

  “Damn, I’m good. You look amazing, girl! So, how are things going with Mr. Wonderful?”

  I couldn’t hide my cheesy grin. I stood up and gave Nick a big hug, taking him by surprise.

  “Whoa…that good, huh?”

  “I owe you big time, Nick. Your makeover has changed my life!”

  “Okay, girl. I need details. How is he in bed? He looks like he would be good. Is he good?”

  “I don’t know,” I replied, my voice getting lower.

  “What? You haven’t slept with him yet? Girl, you’re crazy!”

  “Nick! Be quiet! You want everyone to hear?” I screeched, raising my eyebrows. I turned to sit back in my chair. “We’re taking things slow. I don’t want to do anything until I’m sure.”

  “Sure of what? He seems like a good guy. And, Asia, you need to get some—for real. You’re probably growing cobwebs in there!” he said loudly as he glanced down at my lap.

  “Shut up! I am not!” I laughed and smacked his arm before leaning in and whispering, “Seriously though, I learned something about him that freaked me out.”

  Nick suddenly appeared very intrigued. He sat in his chair and rolled over to my side of the cubical wall.

  “Spill it,” he demanded, crossing his arms.

  “His dad is Jason Clarke.”

  Nick’s eyes widened as his mouth dropped open. “The Jason Clarke? Like Jason Clarke who owns Clarke Industries?”

  I nodded, waiting to see what Nick would say next.

  “Damn, girl! You owe me big time now! You better not forget me when he starts showering you with gifts.”

  I laughed, shaking my head, as I relaxed in my chair. Maybe I had overreacted to the whole millionaire situation. Besides, Jay’s dad was the millionaire, not him…at least for now.

  I was about to continue my conversation with Nick until my cell phone beeped. Looking down, I saw I had a new message from Jay. I could feel myself beaming, and Nick was watching me, shaking his head.

  “You got it bad,” he muttered as he rolled back to his desk.

  I giggled and opened my new message.

  When do you eat lunch? I want to see you.

  Feeling butterflies in my stomach, I was relieved that I had worn my new clothes, but I didn’t want him to come to my work and see my pathetic little cubical.

  I usually eat around noon. You want to meet me somewhere?

  I turned on my computer and started organizing my desk as I waited for his response.

  I can pick you up. I’ll be there at 11:45. See you soon.

  Damn it! As I glanced over my desk, I decided I could at least meet him in the lobby.

  I wondered how my coworkers would react when they saw him. I was sure the two receptionists in the lobby had already started gossiping about my new wardrobe. They had barely even looked at me until about a week ago when I walked in, dressing more like them.

  When I finally decided to stop worrying about lunch, I checked my email for more assignments from my boss, but then I saw I had a message from Hailey. I was surprised because she hardly ever emailed me.

  Hey, Asia. We need to talk. John told me some stuff about Jay that I think you should know. I would call, but I’m at work. Call me when you get off tonight! It’s important!

  I sighed as I sat back in my chair. I was guessing she had found out who Jay’s dad was. I’d expected her to be more excited about it, but maybe she knew how insecure it would make me feel. I suddenly felt a little uneasy. What if she knows something else?

  You’re freaking me out a little. Is it about his dad? I’ll call you as soon as I get off.

  I stared at my computer screen for a few minutes. I was hoping she would respond, but she didn’t. Finally, I decided to get to work on a few brochures before I actually got behind.

  When I started to send an email to my boss, Nick peeked over our wall.

  “Hey, what are you doing for lunch?”

  “Shit!” I looked at the clock on my computer screen and jumped up. I grabbed my purse out of my desk. “I’m supposed to have lunch with Jay!”

  As I ran out into the hallway that led to the front lobby, I saw Jay walking toward me. He looked sexy, wearing a black suit with a crisp white shirt and a light blue tie. When he noticed me, he stopped in his tracks. His face lit up with his gorgeous smile as he looked me up and down.

  “Hey. Got a hot date?”

  I laughed as I approached him. I put my arm through his, turning him back toward the lobby.

  “Yep. I was worried I was going to be late.”

  As we headed into the lobby, I could see the two blonde receptionists at their desks. They were whispering to each other as they watched us. Jay noticed them, and then checked to see if I had. I returned his gaze and rolled my eyes, letting him know that I was annoyed with their obvious gossip.

  Jay smiled at me as he paused. He wrapped one arm around my waist as he pulled me in close to his hard body. He gave me a juicy kiss, lifting his other hand to hold my chin. I could feel the glares coming from the other side of the room but I didn’t care.

  After Jay pulled away from my lips, he bent down to whisper in my ear. “Just giving them something to talk about.”

  I smiled and put my arm around his waist as he moved his arm around my shoulders. We walked side by side the rest of the way through the lobby to the front entrance. When Jay pushed opened the glass door, I reached down and squeezed his ass. I laughed as I heard gasps coming from behind us.

  Jay glanced down at me, smiling. “I love your laugh,” he said as he reached and squeezed my left butt cheek.

  I jumped and slapped his chest, getting a nice surprise as I realized how firm it was. He didn’t seem to have an ounce of fat on his body.

  “So, where are we going?” I asked after I recovered from feeling Jay’s hand on my ass.

  “I was thinking we could go somewhere close, so we have more time together. You like pizza?”

  “Pizza sounds great,” I replied, squeezing his hand in mine.

  As we sat across from each other in a booth at the pizzeria, I started to feel a little uneasy, remembering my email from Hailey. I wonder what she needed to tell me.

  Jay was watching me intently, his blue eyes flickering over my face. “You’re thinking again. What is it?”

  I sighed and leaned back in my seat. I might as well just put it all out there. “I don’t want to sound like an insecure girl who needs reassurance, but something has been bothering me ever since our date.” I glanced down at my hands resting on the table.

  “Don’t worry about what you sound like. What is it?”

  “Why me?” I spit out the question quickly, so I couldn’t change my mind. I peeked up at him through my lashes. “I’ve actually been asking myself that question since the first night we met, but after finding out who your father is, it seemed to take on a whole new meaning. I mean, you could have any girl you want. Look at you.”

  Jay reached across the table, taking my hands in his. “Look at you.”

  “Seriously, Jay. Se
eing you the other night, standing next to Jessica, it made me feel…out of place…like I didn’t belong with you. You should be with someone more like her.”

  “I’ve been with girls like her. I’ve been with a lot of girls like her, and to be honest, my parents wanted me to marry her,” he said, staring at me dead in the eye.

  When I felt my body tense, I slowly took in a deep breath through my nose. I knew there was something between them! “So, why didn’t you?” I asked in a low voice, almost a whisper.

  “Because I didn’t love her. There’s more to me than my dad’s money, Asia. And you’re the first girl who seemed to understand that.”

  Just as I was about to respond, our waitress came to our table.

  “What can I getcha?” she asked, smacking the gum in her mouth.

  I watched as she blatantly ogled Jay. She was clearly enjoying the view.

  “A pepperoni pizza and two Cokes,” Jay said, not taking his eyes off me.

  The waitress turned on her heel and sauntered back to the kitchen, still smacking her gum. We sat there silently for a moment while I tried to decide what to say next, but Jay beat me to it.

  “You’re beautiful, Asia. You’re smart, you’re funny, and you don’t take shit from anyone. You’re a mystery to me. All the other girls I’ve dated just got with me because I have tattoos and own a nightclub. They knew it would piss off their rich fathers. They were all just using me for my bad boy image, but I’m not like that anymore. I’ve grown up, and I just want to be with someone who loves me for me.”

  As he spoke, I noticed when his eyes began to soften, and for the first time he seemed vulnerable. It felt like the wall he had been keeping around him was slowly starting to crumble, and I was finally getting to see the real him.

  I smiled at him and squeezed his hands. “Okay.”

  “Okay? That’s it?”

  “Yep.”

  “Am I ever going to figure you out?”

  “Probably not,” I admitted, giggling.

  Jay chuckled and then lifted one of my hands to kiss it.

  When the waitress brought our food, Jay took a piece of pizza and put it on my plate, making me grin.