Pause

by CJ Adler

  “Maggot Montry's neck!” she yells, her tone shrill.

  “Rapidly…losing…oxygen…” I choke out, trying to get some air back into my lungs.

  “Oh, flip! Sorry, Aqueela,” she replies and quickly loosens her grip, releasing me from her terrifying embrace.

  I rub at my sore neck and wave off the matter as if it's nothing. “That's okay,” I whisper, still trying to regain my breathing.

  All the while, she waits impatiently for me to regain composure.

  I straighten up as my eyes land on the plasma TV screen. The Dark Knight Rises is playing…shocker. It's also no surprise when I hear “Power of Love” by Gabrielle Aplin playing in the background at the same time as the movie.

  I glance between the radio and the television—the radio implying that she's overly angry and television implying that she's overly sad.

  I had a good run.

  Beside her bed, on the bedside table, is a bowl of melted ice cream.

  I'm going to die here.

  “Bells, why don't you come downstairs?” I suggest, hoping that she'll go with it.

  I don't want to be stuck in a dark, dingy room alone with a maniac. I need her out and about in the open, socializing, where if she does decide to kill me, there will be other people in the room to use as a shield—take Jay, for instance.

  “No!” she raises her voice, stomping her foot and jutting out her bottom lip in plain refusal.

  “Max is downstairs,” I add knowingly.

  In all but a split second, her features light up, her blue-green eyes ablaze and her pink lips curving into a smile. “Max is here?” She grabs me by my arm before swiftly dragging me out the room and down the stairs after her.

  “Cut it out!” I whine, trying to break free, but to no avail.

  Bells is skipping along ahead of me while humming a giddy tune to herself as if yanking her friend down the stairs is completely normal to her.

  Nope. Nothing out of the ordinary about that!

  “What the heck is going on up there?” Max rounds the corner from downstairs to see what all the commotion is about.

  As soon as Bell's eyes meet his brown ones—well, let's just say she gets carried away and releases her supportive grip on my arm, and let's just say that I find myself tumbling down a flight of stairs for the second time—way more times than any human should.

  ***

  “Oh, come on. Lighten up. She said sorry like a billion times.” Max defends Bell against my glares. “Besides, you'd need a wooden bullet and a silver stake to kill you in any case.”

  I scowl at him, holding a pack of ice to my head.

  “You have a serious heart condition, Aqueela,” Max says when noticing my glare shifting to him, “you don't have one.” As if to make his case, he points to Bell. “Just look at that face!”

  I roll my eyes when seeing her puppy-dog eyes. “Just look at my face!” I roar back at Max, pointing at the fresh wound on my face.

  “An upgrade,” Max teases.

  “Says the one who landed on Earth in a jam-packed pod,” I insult him before glancing at Jay sitting beside me, seeking his help, but he's too invested in playing some racing game on his phone to take note of his surroundings.

  I take one more look at Bell before sighing. “Fine!” I snap. “You're forgiven.”

  Jeez, does Bells find me this tiring when I'm acting way in-over-my-head? Which, mind you, is most of the time. It sucks being put in her shoes. I much prefer my own shoes. They're comfier. She better give dem shoes back to me!

  “Yeah!” Bells claps her hands like a child, her eyes gleaming with joy—unusual for someone who's just been dumped.

  I can't help but smile. If she's happy, I'm happy, even if it means I have to trip down a few flights of stairs every now and then.

  “Is it still painful?” Jay suddenly asks.

  He didn't seem this concerned the last time I rolled down the stairs. At least, I don't remember him being so concerned. I blacked out. “Stupid question,” I tell him, lowering my voice slightly.

  “Right,” he answers in a calm and collected voice. “Sorry.”

  “Not your fault,” I reply, enjoying his company despite his silent nature.

  Him just being here is enough.

  My hand holding the ice pack begins to get lazy. Jay, being his perceptive self, notices. He exits his game and places his phone down, turning to face me. “Here,” he offers and takes the ice pack from my hand, his fingers brushing against mine. “I got it.”

  I fall speechless as his hand takes my own hand's place at my head, the ice numbing my injury.

  “Better?” he asks, his eyes flashing to mine in worry.

  I don't trust myself to speak in the moment, so instead, I nod, my breath hitching when he leans in forward to check the bruises.

  A breathtaking smile graces his lips as he lets out a breath of relief, clearly still feeling guilty about my last head injury. “Good,” he replies in a smooth voice.

  I return the smile, keeping my eyes trained on him.

  Out of nowhere, an uncomfortable cough leaves someone’s mouth, alerting me of Max, who, unfortunately, is still in the room.

  “What?” I snap at Max, annoyed.

  “If you're going to be making eyes at him,” he motions to Jay, “at least have the audacity to do it away from me,” he retorts back rather cheekily, a deviant grin on his lips, his cute dimples showing.

  Bells giggles, in turn, amused.

  “Yap yap yap. That's all I hear from you!” I shout at Max, infuriated with the barbaric animal.

  “Yeah.” He smirks. “I'm sure that's all you heard, considering that you were so absorbed in—”

  I don't allow him to finish his sentence. I take off my sandal and throw it at his face. It hits him square on the forehead.

  I place a hand in front of my mouth when he falls off of his chair and onto the floor with a loud thud. I burst out laughing, temporarily forgetting what I've just done. Jay joins me, a chuckle resonating from deep within his chest.

  Bells is quick to stop giggling and, instead, shoots me her famous death stare, but it isn't enough to stop me. She shakes her head before dropping to her knees, helping Max up into a sitting position.

  Max notices Bells beside him, helping him. His cocky façade dies, his cheeks turning pink in embarrassment.

  Serves him right! He had it coming.

  I turn to glance at Jay through my laughter, only to find him already looking at me. He realizes that he's staring and is quick to break the stare as his eyes meet Bell's instead. “Aren't you supposed to be angry or something?”

  I slap my forehead in aggravation.

  Here it comes!

  “Of course, I'm angry!” Bell shouts, suddenly remembering the breakup, no thanks to Jay.

  She begins to retell all the details to him, but I can tell that Jay has zoned out, just adding a nod here and there as if to make out as if he's listening.

  I nudge Jay, aware of the danger that he's currently in. I've played this game before, and I've lost.

  He takes it as his cue to speak. “That's great, Bella. I'm glad you guys have worked things out. He's a keeper. Don't ever let him go.”

  Bell's eyes widen when she realizes that he hasn't been listening at all.

  “She and Mason are still broken up,” I awkwardly clear my throat, speaking in a voice just audible enough for someone in close proximity, that being Jay, to hear.

  He's quick to fix his mistake. “Well, you're a lovely girl. I'm sure you'll have no trouble in finding someone else,” he exhales, his gaze straying to Max knowingly.

  Max twirls his thumbs, fidgeting about in discomfort.

  “Are you flirting with me? Are you actually flirting with me right now?” Bells asks Jay fiercely, disbelief clouding her features. He begins to shake his head, but she ignores it. “I can't believe it, you are, aren't you? And after I've just told you everything. Men—” she rolls her eyes, “—you're all the same.”


  “I definitely wasn't flirting.” Jay pulls a face as if the very idea repulses him.

  “Did you just pull a face?” she asks with a huff, placing her hands on her hips as she glowers accusingly at him. “What? You think I'm not good enough for

  you?”

  “I didn't say that.” He defends himself, unfazed by her temper. “I'm sure you're great,” he adds sweetly.

  Her mouth falls agape in disbelief. “There you go, flirting again!” Jay sighs. “I didn't—”

  Bell places her hand up, shushing him. “I don't want to hear it! Just stop!”

  “Yeah, Jay,” Max chips in, getting his revenge, “just stop, you big flirt! So typical of you! Can't help yourself, can you?” He then looks to Bell, pointing at Jay, feigning disapproval. “Disgusting.”

  He's one to talk.

  Jay sends Max a deadpanned stare but says nothing, choosing to let this one go. He knows that there's no winning this one.

  Bells shakes her head, getting up from her seat to march over to my cookie jar. I groan in hopelessness when she begins to eat in anger. This always happens when she hits rock bottom. She's in transition into becoming a Blubber. It's gruesome.

  I narrow my eyes at Jay, pinning the blame on him. “Nice going. You have no idea what you've just unleashed on the world.”

  “Mason did this! I'll rip him to pieces. I'll snap his neck. I'll crush him!”

  Bells starts, as predicted, taking the cookie and crushing it with her fist.

  It puts the real her into perceptive. She's a force not to be reckoned with.

  “Then I'll eat him!” she yells, stuffing the crushed cookie crumbs into her mouth, chewing ferociously.

  Max cringes and Jay raises both eyebrows at having to witness this.

  “Remind me to get on good terms with her again,” Jay whispers to me, obviously scarred by the sight.

  I merely nod, unable to speak—it will only draw attention to me.

  “Then I'll spit him out like the scumbag that he is!” Bells adds, spitting the crumbs out onto the floor into a mushy pile of goo.

  How…attractive?

  Bell scrunches up her face in fury before subconsciously taking a handful more. She stuffs them all into her mouth at once, her cheeks inflating to the size of that of a hamster. “And then I'll eat him again!” She munches, her mouth full.

  “What is happening right now?” Jay asks me, highly disturbed.

  I say nothing, watching Bell swallow and grab another mouth-watering cookie, plunging it into her mouth with eagerness. “I'll re-eat him yet again…” She trails off in thought. “Oh gosh, this is delicious!” she states, getting sidetracked.

  “You're eating all the cookies.” Max openly laughs, finding angry Bells to be very entertaining.

  I grin, an idea forming in my head. “Jay baked them for me.”

  Bells stops her rant as she and Max both snap their heads in Jay's direction, unbelieving that he can bake, or that he baked willingly for me.

  Jay shifts under their scrutinizing, judgmental gazes. He shrinks into his seat in undying humiliation, shooting me a glare for outing his secret in front of them.

  Bell is first to break the tense silence. “Ah, screw it! I'm not gonna even ask,” she says as she pops another cookie into her mouth. She's still eating when she reaches for yet another. “Oooh, lookie! It's even hat-shaped!” She squeals in delight before tossing it into her mouth too.

  I roll my eyes. “You just noticed that now?”

  “Jay did this all for you? That's so adorable,” Bells points out much to Jay's irritation as he purposely avoids my gaze.

  Max flinches when Bell suddenly slams her fist on the table. “So adorable,” she repeats in a low, eerie voice. “Why did Mason never make me hat cookies?!” She all but shouts, startling all of us.

  Because hats are my thing. Try that excuse on for size.

  I run a hand down my face, frustrated, in search of a way to change the topic.

  I'm so going to regret doing this…

  “So, I'm going out with what's-his-face tonight,” I declare, out of the blue.

  “Whats-his-face?” Max questions, puzzled. “Never heard of him.”

  “Dylan,” Jay clarifies on my behalf.

  Bell immediately starts choking on her cookies. As a result, she ends up spitting them all out onto the table, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She coughs to clear her throat before screaming at the top of her voice, “What?! You should have told me sooner!”

  You seemed preoccupied, my dear friend.

  “That's the best news I've heard all day! How did that even happen?” she asks. “I was sure you'd reject him.”

  She called that one.

  I cross my arms, fixing my eyes on Jay. “Ask him.” Jay grins sheepishly. “I organized it.”

  Bell smiles and gives Jay a fist bump, warming up to him as if his 'flirting' has already been forgotten. Knowing her, it most likely has. “Way to go, buddy!” she chirps happily in his favor.

  Their common ground is me and their common interest is ruining my life. Jay furrows his eyebrows at the action, but goes with the flow nevertheless, not wanting to anger her a second time. He got what he wanted—he's now in her good books.

  “Don't look so scared. She will exploit your fear,” I whisper to him. “Just smile.”

  “You're so dramatic,” he whispers back. “I'm not going to—”

  “Are you two gossiping about me?” Bells asks, whipping her attention to Jay.

  “No,” he lies, quickly doing what I said, feigning a smile and holding it.

  She stares at him skeptically for a second before choosing to believe him.

  “Good. Now back to business.” She enthuses in excitement, “This is going to be so much fun! You want to know why?”

  None of us bother answering, simply because we don't want to know why.

  She takes the liberty to answer when she realizes that none of us are going to. “Because we are going to help you get ready!” She informs me, her giddiness driving me dizzy with anxiety.

  “We?” Jay asks wearily, shooting her a poised stare. “Me, you, and Max,” she explains.

  My jaw drops and my eyes widen in horror.

  Oh hell, naaww!

  Max gets up to leave at hearing his name, but Bells, from the corner of her eye, sees him trying to sneak away. She simply reaches out and grabs him by the collar of his shirt before forcing him to sit back down as she continues on speaking.

  “Why aren't you cheering, Taylor?” she asks in a cold voice, noting his silence.

  Jay stiffens and looks to me for help. I shrug, letting him know that he's on his own—no way am I getting involved. I refuse to sign my own death warrant. He shakes his head at me and mouths useless.

  “I'm waiting,” Bells reminds him, her hands on her hips and her foot tapping away at the tiles impatiently as she demands an answer from him.

  Jay puts on an ill-at-ease grin and raises his fist limply. “Whoo,” he says in the most unenthusiastic voice ever.

  Chapter 19

  Slow on the Uptake

  “I cannot believe you're tying me up! You, of all people! Could I have not been taken down by a unicorn instead? That would be less embarrassing. But you!?” I shout as Max straps me down to the chair to make certain that I don't run again, given the opportunity.

  Nobody puts Aqueela in a corner!

  Max shrugs helplessly. “Bella is scary when she's mad or sad or whatever it is that she's feeling as of now in this time, present, past, future—”

  I raise an eyebrow at him, cutting him off. “Huh? What are you speaking? Krang?”

  Max throws his hands up to the ceiling and closes his eyes dramatically. “I don't know!” he shouts out in a high-pitched, warrior cry.

  “Your infatuation with her is ridiculously stupid,” I tell him, rolling my eyes at his stupid antics, nevertheless, there is somewhat of a smile on my face—Max does that to a person, he's able to cha
nge someone's mood from grumpy to joyful in a split second.

  Max's eyes widen at being caught out. “I'm not infatuated with Bells,” he states with a carefree grin, his cheeks flushing.

  He can't even say her name without grinning like some creep.

  I bite back a smile at his reaction to my accusation. “Sure you aren't,” I tease, drawing out the evident sarcasm in my tone.

  “Get off my case, Lawson. We've spoken about this before, let me feel my feelings! You like Jay. You're in the same scenario. I could mess with you too, you know,” he threatens and I almost laugh at the emptiness in his words.

  I grin carelessly, watching him finish the last knot around my hands. “Well done for the observation, genius. Everybody already knows. You're incredibly slow on the uptake.”

  “Yes, but does Jay know?” Max asks with a wiggle of his eyebrows, taunting me.

  “Of course, he knows. Told him myself. So go ahead and tell him,” I reply with a straight face. “In fact, I dare you. I still haven't got a response back from him anyway. You'd be doing me a favor.”

  Max pauses, his brown eyes brimming with confusion. “But I thought Jay's the one who arranged your date with whats-his-face.”

  “He did indeed,” I clarify.

  Max raises both eyebrows hesitantly before asking the inevitable, “But he knows you like him?”

  I nod, playing it cool. “He does indeed.”

  “I've hit a wall here. I'm so confused,” he exclaims in total bewilderment, trying to wrap his mind around my lack of an explanation because of Jay's lack of an explanation.

  “Get aboard the Aqueela train, me and you both, buddy.” I snicker, finding his reactions to be amusing.

  “Why would he do that to you?” Max asks, wanting to get to the bottom of the mystery that is Jay Taylor.

  “Beats me.” I make an attempt in shrugging my shoulders. “Jay's mind is like an impenetrable fortress. I've decided that trying to concoct a reason for his strange behavior is like trying to find a needle in a haystack filled with poisonous spiders.”