Foolish Games

by Leah Spiegel

  “Now this is what I’m talking about,” Lizzie gushed.

  My hand was shaking when I propped open the door on my side. Getting out, everything was in slow motion like a bad dream. Vaguely, I overheard Cyrus explain that he needed to stay with the SUV. Trying to control my breathing, I focused my attention on the back of Lizzie in front of me. I was trying to look at anything but the large white jet that loomed on the horizon. The fear was growing bigger within my chest the closer I came to it. My eyes darted over to a slow stream of fans that were colorfully painted and barely clothed heading towards the jet as well. What a night, I sighed to myself as we walked the rest of the distance. I followed Lizzie as she tripped and giggled up the steps to the jet. Grabbing onto the railing, I felt like a small, terrified child holding onto a parent’s leg for dear life. Literally, I was thinking take one step and then the next as I slowly made my way up the stairs.

  “I can’t believe we’re going to be having a party in the sky with the band,” the excited group of fans behind me commented.

  “Neither can I,” I muttered to myself like a crazy person trying to sooth themselves. One of the girls behind me huffed at my pace as I slowly forced myself up the rest of the steps. Reaching the opening of the jet, a sickening feeling entered the pit of my stomach. A hostess greeted me with a wide, brilliant smile. “Welcome aboard.”

  Glancing down the steps behind me at the ground, I wondered if it was too late to turn around. The party of impatient girls rushed past me into the plane. Suddenly, I was pushed back on the heels of my feet. For a second the world came to a stop and I saw myself falling back down the steps when a hand tightly grabbed onto my arm.

  “Steady there.” Hawkins looked alarmed when I quickly wrapped my other arm around him. For a second we were in a tight embrace and I didn’t give a shit.

  “Umm.” He cleared his throat and held out a free hand to stop Harrison from pulling me off of him.

  “She’s afraid of flying,” Lizzie confessed like it was a dirty secret.

  “Really?” Hawkins bit at her. “I thought she just wanted a hug.”

  My grasp loosened at the mention of this. God, this was beyond embarrassing. Hawkins kept his steady hands around my shoulders. He held me back to examine me more closely.

  “If you’re going to gloat, you might want to wait until I can focus properly.”

  “Actually, I was going say that I’ve been waiting to see you more uncomfortable around me sooner.” A sexy smile crossed his face. ”I just didn’t know that it would feel this disappointing.”

  “Ha, ha.”

  “You don’t look too good,” he said with genuine concern.

  “I know, I know, I look like shit,” I murmured, figuring my face was as white as a ghost. Beads of perspiration were already forming along my brow.

  “Okay.” Hawkins wrapped an arm around me. “Let’s get you to a seat.”

  All six foot three of his tall, muscular body pulled me along. My legs were wobbly, but I kept moving until he released me with a loud thud into a nearby seat. He winced. “Sorry, I didn’t expect for you to drop like a ton of bricks.”

  “Hey, easy on the ton part,” I whispered as he secured me in with a seat belt.

  “You can barely walk, but those lips are still going a mile a minute.” He hunched down to look up at me. “Why am I not surprised?” he sighed taking the window seat next to me.

  Suddenly I felt us start to move and grabbed hold of the chair arms with clenched hands.

  “I don’t know about this.” Hawkins turned to Harrison sitting across the aisle.

  “I’m fine,” I snapped.

  He narrowed his eyes while looking over at me and then sighed, “If you say so.”

  “We have Dramamine,” a stewardess offered.

  “Yes, that should work,” Hawkins agreed. “Thank you.”

  Before I knew it, two little pills in a small white cup were pushed under my face with a bottle of water. Downing the medicine with one swig, I breathed, “Thank you.”

  “You don’t have to babysit me,” I said while shutting my eyes as the plane accelerated down the runway.

  “I know I don’t have to,” he murmured.

  “I think I’m going to faint,” I confessed while hearing what sounded like static in my ears.

  “Bend over,” Hawkins instructed as the plane began to pull up. “It helps.”

  Leaning over, the blood raced back to my brain as the plane quickly lifted off the ground. Hawkins ran a soothing hand along my back. A warmth washed over me that I knew had nothing to do with the queasiness I felt as we started our ascent up into the sky. Leaning back in my seat, I decided that the pressure of the plane pushing against me made me feel even more disoriented than when my head had been between my legs. Hawkins pulled the blind down over the window beside him. Once we had leveled in the sky I overheard the pilot instruct that it was okay to unfasten our seatbelts.

  Music suddenly filled the plane. Seriously? Stealing a glance behind me, I saw people dancing in the next section. The airplane itself looked like Air Force One. The last room in the back was some kind of open bar. The clinking of champagne glasses could be heard as everyone got their groove on to the music booming around us. It would have been impressive if it weren’t for the fact that I was in a tin can, located hundreds of miles above the ground. Suddenly, the plane shook from turbulence and I snapped my head back around while gripping the arms of the chair again.

  “I wish that I would have known…” Hawkins began to say.

  “That I don’t like backstage, hotels, buses, and jets? Because I’m pretty sure that I made at least three of those things very clear.”

  “Is this you more focused?” He arched an eyebrow while smiling over at me.

  “Ah, huh,” gulping my breath while trying to stay focused. “Shoot away.”

  “You just look so pathetic,” he murmured. “It wouldn’t even feel fun or fair to pick on you right now.”

  “Come on, we can do this. I’m not a wimp.”

  “Oh, yeah, you’re a real rebel, alright,” he retorted.

  “You should take advantage of this opportunity.” I swallowed hard. “Who knows when you’ll win another verbal fight with me again?”

  He laughed when suddenly a group of girls came around the side of my seat. “Hawkins! Why don’t you come dance with us?”

  “Thanks, but no, ladies.” Hawkins gave a polite smile.

  “Oh, come on, J.T.,” the girl pouted.

  “Oh yes, J.T., you should go dance with them,” I insisted, half annoyed but also letting him know he was off the hook. He didn’t have to stay beside me throughout the entire uncomfortable flight.

  “There is no way I’m going to leave you here,” he said harshly. Harrison stood up and started to escort the girls away.

  “Have it your way then.” I gave up and closed my eyes while suddenly feeling the effects of the medicine. My hands slowly eased from the tense grip I had on the chair arms. “The medicine is starting to work.”

  “Oh, good, I might get some peace and quiet,” he exhaled with a small smile across his face. Though he was being a smart ass, I noticed him slowly relax, too.

  “Where are we going anyway?”

  “We’re supposed to be chasing the sunset.” He narrowed his eyes while stealing a glance out the window in front of us.

  “Huh, that’s cool.” My stiff body relaxed back into the chair.

  “Oh, yeah.” He laughed. “You’re really impressed.”

  “Well, it’s not all about me.”

  Hawkins suddenly became preoccupied with looking out the window again.

  “Oh, no.” I suddenly felt drunk. “I think we might have a problem.”

  “Are you okay?” Hawkins perked up in his seat.

  “Yeah,” I said, waving it off, but my eyes were getting really heavy.

  “Joie?” He sounded alarmed, but also foggy at the same time.

  “J.T.?” I slurred.

&
nbsp; “Joie?”

  “I think I’m tired, J.T.” I liked the way his name sounded. Why did I never call him by his first name? “J.T., J.T., J.T., I like it. J.T.”

  Though I could barely keep my eyes open, I was leaning my head against Hawkins’ shoulder and a gorgeous butter yellow lit up the sky. Hawkins smiled down at me and wrapped his arm around me. The brilliant yellow lit up his face. His blue eyes twinkled as he studied the sky. It left me feeling warm and safe so I closed my eyes again. When I opened them again, the honey skyline disappeared into a dark blackness. When I came around again the airplane was quiet. My eyes whirled from side to side as they tried to focus. I felt Hawkins’ chest rise and fall underneath the side of my face. Lifting my head off his shoulder, I was thanking god that I didn’t drool on him.

  “Where are we?” My voice croaked.

  “On the ground, we landed a little over fifteen minutes ago.”

  “You shouldn’t have let me sleep,” I said sheepishly. My last few memories suddenly came flooding back to the forefront of my mind. “Did I, umm, did I, umm…before I went to sleep?”

  “Say my name?” He grinned. “Yes, a few times.”

  “Oh, my god.” Groaning, I felt my face burn. “They say that drugs make you do crazy things.”

  “Sure, whatever.” His eyes lit up with the power he momentarily felt he had over me. “J.T., J.T.,” he called out while mimicking me.

  “You suck!” I smiled while flushing a crimson red.

  “That’s not what you said in your sleep.” He continued to torment me as my eyes bulged out. Laughing, he said, “I was just kidding, though you were actually nice for once. Maybe someone should prescribe these pills for you to take regularly.”

  “Ha, ha.” Looking around, I rolled my eyes. “Where is Lizzie?”

  His hand came up behind me to massage the back of my neck. His thumb rolled in small circles with his fingers pressed up against the other side. It instantly made me relax. My shoulders eased under his touch. He pulled me closer into him until his hot breath was against the side of my hairline. It reminded me of the earlier, pleasing touch when my shoulder was up against his warm body.

  “Why don’t we let someone else worry about Lizzie,” he murmured in my ear.

  Trying not to think about the meaning of all of this, I eased back into his side. He wrapped an arm around me and I felt like we had been doing this for, well, hours. When it occurred to me that not only did I not know where Lizzie was right now, but I had completely forgotten about Riley.

  “Oh, my god” I panicked, wondering how long we had been gone? “Speaking of Lizzie,” I pulled away, “I hope Riley’s okay, I forgot all about him!”

  “Riley?” He stiffened beside me.

  “I left him back in the field.”

  “Okay.”

  “What?”

  “How do you keep all your guys straight?” He jabbed.

  I investigated his face to see if he was serious. “What are you talking about?” I demanded.

  “Kosic, Riley,” he listed. “Oh yeah, and what was it, some Kyle guy, too,” he continued as I stared at him in disbelief. “Kosic mentioned him the first night.” He pinched his face up in a judging way. “And then you brought him up again tonight.”

  “Wow, you must really think that I get around,” I said, unfastening my seat belt. His face softened with the realization of what he was accusing me of being. “Kyle’s my brother, you dumbass!”

  Standing up, I walked away as he cursed. “I’m sorry, Joie. Don’t go.”

  “I’ve got to find Riley.”

  “Riley’s a big boy, I’m sure he can handle himself.”

  “Really? I think you just proved how much you know.”

  Quickly, I exited the plane and down the steps. I knew that Hawkins was up and out of his seat behind me. Although I didn’t exactly know in what direction to go, I knew that I had to get out of there. Scanning the airport grounds, I felt Hawkins grip the back of my arm.

  “Do you even know where you’re going?” he muttered while guiding me in another direction.

  “Sorry, last time I parked my jet I forgot to look around,” I hissed.

  “Definitely need to get you on some kind of drug plan.” His jaw tensed as he tried to make light of the situation. “Lizzie is waiting for you.”

  Up ahead, I could see the black Escalade with its headlights just past the opened security gate.

  “Are you going back to the festival?” Hawkins glared down at me.

  “Riley,” I repeated.

  “Yeah, you mentioned that,” he quipped then exhaled. “I’ll follow behind you guys until you get there.”

  He released me and turned to swiftly walk away with a defeated look on his face. I almost ran back to him to explain the situation with Riley, but my pride wouldn’t let me. Walking towards the black Escalade, it was obvious that it needed a bath. It had mud caked around the wheel wells from being in the Bonnaroo fields. Looking down at all that mud made me glad that Riley told us we should just park the van and hike it in.

  “Hey.” I nodded to Lizzie and Cyrus once I entered the SUV. My body slouched down and I rested my head on the window. “You can take us back to the venue. All I want to do is get Riley and get the hell out of here.” I exhaled into the window.

  Cyrus leaned over the wheel while starting up the vehicle as Lizzie sniffed. OMG! She better not be pouting because I was alone with Hawkins on the airplane. She knew that I hated to fly. For once in her life, she didn’t get her way and she was making a scene. Well, I was not going to cater to it and just rolled my eyes when I heard her sniffle again.

  Cyrus reversed the SUV and turned it around. Glancing over my shoulder, I noticed that we looked like a presidential motorcade. If Hawkins hadn’t pissed me off, I could have just gotten a ride with him and then been spared Lizzie’s tantrum.

  As we merged onto the highway, Lizzie continued to whimper. After a few minutes, guilt started tearing at my conscious and as weakness set in, I looked up at her. She was staring at Cyrus like he was the boogie man. Looking over at Cyrus, I could see through the rearview mirror that his narrowed clutched eyes were racing back in forth between Lizzie and the side mirror. He was sweating, too. Not just a little perspiration, but beads of sweat were running down his face as if he had physically exerted himself. A sickening feeling was building in my stomach again, but I didn’t want to overreact so I lied. “Hawkins plans on meeting up with us back at the venue.”

  Cyrus’s eyes jumped to the rearview mirror in shock and then scrutiny. “I thought you were getting Riley and getting the hell out of here.” His voice was sick and menacing.

  “I said that because Lizzie was crying over Hawkins, but obviously, she’s really upset so I thought I’d let her know.” I was proud of myself for how quickly that lie came out and it probably would have worked if I hadn’t said it like I knew it was a lie.

  “Why don’t you keep an eye on their SUV to make sure that they stay with us,” he suggested.

  Glancing over my shoulder, I watched the SUVs follow us. There was a bump in the road and a roll of duct tape bounced off the back door. Who the hell keeps a roll of duct tape in the back of their car?

  Whack!

  Heat stung my face, causing me to fall back against the seat. Cyrus had backhanded me with the side of a gun. Due to the awkward positioning of Cyrus behind the driver’s wheel, I missed the full brunt of the hit. Laying there, I pretended to be knocked out. Lizzie whimpered from up front again.

  “Shut the hell up!” he roared at her. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. This wasn’t how,” he muttered to himself. Blood was trickling down my face. Slowly, I reached my hand out for the door as we drove past the parked cars in the field. As soon as he tapped on the brakes I was going to make a run for it. Then I could get Hawkins to help me with Lizzie. The Escalade shook when we hit another bump, and I felt something smack into my foot from under the seat. Glancing down, I realized it was a flashlight
. Needing any weapon I could find, I lifted my foot to step on it and keep it in place. Cyrus turned as he braced the back of Lizzie’s seat with a .42 caliber in his hand. “Pull off,” he pleaded over his shoulder to Hawkins and the rest of the SUVs following him. “Pull off.”

  “That’s it,” he sang.

  Oh no, don’t leave us! I thought as we drove closer to the venue’s entrance. There was no one to help us if I jumped out now.

  “Good,” he purred.

  Feeling a flash of horror inside me, I almost panicked. Cyrus slowed the Escalade down to a crawling pace. As he turned back around it was then that I saw the neck tattoo peek over the white collar of his shirt and black leather jacket. Stifling a scream, I was paralyzed with fear. There along Cyrus’s neck was a sharp, darkened scythe; the Grimm Reaper’s weapon of choice.

  “No one is going to save you two now,” he said and I thought it was now or never. He started to move his arm back to the front as I quickly grabbed onto his hand and wrestled for the gun. He slammed on the brakes while popping up in his seat to fight me. With my one hand wrestling for the gun, I picked up the flashlight with my other and whacked it over his head. He dropped the gun, recoiling from the blow. Jumping up, I smacked him hard again causing him to slouch over and pass out. His foot slid off the brake, but thanks to the level surface the SUV was now moving slowly. Frantically, I searched for the gun along the floor but it had slid under Lizzie’s seat.

  “Joie, get me out!” Lizzie screamed.

  Cyrus moaned as he started to come around so I stopped looking for the gun and jumped out of the SUV. Thankfully the Escalade had come to a stop allowing me to get out and race up to the passenger’s side door. Cyrus was fully conscious now so I grabbed onto Lizzie’s waist. Cyrus fought me for her, but Lizzie was leaning with all her weight and pushed her long legs against him. Cyrus was afraid of losing Lizzie and hit the gas causing her to be jerked from my grasp.