Just Like Me

by Dani Hall

  “Are you ok?” He finally asked, no amount of genuine concern coloring his tone. My mouth dropped, and anger pounded through my veins. I stomped across the parking lot, looking for my purse. I watched as the thief was placed in with the body guards and not the cop. I wanted to kick myself for throwing my purse so soon. I heard footsteps fall behind me.

  “What are you doing?” Taylor Jett was right behind me.

  “Go away.” I hissed.

  “Someone just tried to rob you; you think it’s the best idea to be alone right now?”

  I shook my head, biting my lip at the numerous inappropriate comments flying through my head. I kept walking, looking under cars and trucks. Did I really throw it this far? I was looking under a green car when I felt something against my back.

  I screamed, slamming up against the car. Taylor freaking Jett was standing there with my purse in his hand. He had held it out and hit my back with it.

  “So, you scream at a purse, but not at a gun?” A ghost of a smile playing across his lips. Funny, oh just so freaking funny to you.

  He waved at the police officer, who had started running toward the scene.

  “Misunderstanding!” He yelled, the bored tone back in place. “Thanks for your…service.” He shook his head, unsure of his own words.

  Taylor waved at the cop. The police officer shrugged. Man, he sure does care about the community. He turned his police lights off and headed out, no criminal in his backseat. Several vans and cars were pulling out of the parking lot, which was weird because the seven o’clock set movies weren’t out yet. Hector and Gideon were getting in their car, pulling out of the theatre, robber in the back. Where would they be taking him?

  I snatched my purse away from Taylor and yanked it over my shoulder. I stamped across the parking lot, back to my car, hoping Taylor would get the hint and go back to where ever the hell he came from. Nope.

  “Why are you out of work this early? They told me you were closing.” When I wheeled around to look at him, he was glancing around, tugging a hoodie and sun glasses on. I pressed on through the parking lot.

  I reached my car, breathing heavy with anger. I opened my backseat door and threw my purse into it, slamming it hard behind me.

  “Why the hell are you here?”

  “Jerry informed me that you seemed the type that would easily crash this date tomorrow, make me look bad. He said I better fly out and suck up to you while I still could. This publicity tomorrow night is all the reward I get for having to tolerate you tomorrow. Maybe…” He reached into a jean pocket, pulling out a couple of bills. “I could make you an offer?” He flipped the bills toward me. I just looked at him.

  “You want to try to pay me…so I won’t make you look like the ass you are?”

  “I want to…pay you…for the work you’ll be missing tomorrow.” He waved the money in front of my face. “Sorry that you’re missing work tomorrow, this is what pay you would have made tomorrow night. And what you missed tonight.”

  It looked like three times more than what I would have made.

  “Keep your money, Jett.”

  I swung myself around and grabbed at my car door handle. I tried to yank it open, but a hand appeared on the door, slamming it back shut. I felt a tug and his other hand had yanked my car keys from me. He clicked the lock button and as much as I yanked at the door it wouldn’t open.

  Damn it!

  “What do you want from me?” I yelled, feeling my face color with embarrassment.

  “I want to know you’re not going to screw tomorrow up for me.”

  “Right, because apparently I’m this horrible person that you can’t trust. Just because I don’t grovel at your feet doesn’t make me a bad person, Taylor Jett!”

  “Don’t yell my name so loud,” He said, quickly glancing around the parking lot. He stepped closer and I shrank back against my car. “I don’t want paparazzi to be all over the joint.”

  “Then why didn’t you put your hoodie on before you got out of the car?”

  “I pulled in and some dude had a gun to your back! Pardon me if you thought it’d be proper etiquette for me to throw my hoodie on first. Maybe I should have brushed my teeth and flossed while I was at it, I wouldn’t want the robber to smell my bad breath.”

  “I didn’t ask for your help!”

  “Yea, and without me, you’d probably have a bullet in your stomach.”

  I shook my head at him, killing him a million different ways in my head. He looked at the sky, a blaming look on the stars. He took a breath and finally his eyes returned to me. He put a hand up next to my head and leaned in to the point where I could smell his breath. Maybe he had brushed his teeth after all.

  “You know,” He started. “Most girls would be thanking someone for saving their life, celebrity or not. Most girls would be in shock, throwing themselves all over their rescuer. If it was any other girl, and they realized it was me that rescued them? They’d be asking me to crawl into the backseat of their car with them. And here we have you.” He looked me up and down. “Little Ms. Arrogant who can’t even thank someone for saving their life.”

  “I’m arrogant?” I stood up straighter and he backed up. “You think I’m arrogant?!”

  “Yes, I do. But that’s ok, because after tomorrow night, I won’t have to deal with you anymore. This will be over.”

  “Thank God for that.” I retorted.

  He flung the bills onto the ground, throwing my keys at me and then he started walking across the parking lot. I grabbed my keys, ignored the money, and finally got into my car. I hurled it in reverse and backed out. I finally threw it in drive and gunned it out of the parking lot.

  I got the satisfaction of Taylor looking back where I had parked, seeing the money he thrown at me on the ground. I saw him cast me an incredulous look as I barreled through a stop sign and out of his sight.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I went back at the dorm; Lisa was up on her computer.

  “You’re home early. How was work?”

  I said nothing as I threw on my big t-shirt and crawled in bed, turning my lamp off as I went. Showers. Who needs them, anyway? Lisa takes enough for me.

  “That bad, huh?”

  “You have no freaking clue.”

  “Body guard troubles?”

  I paused, lying on my back in bed. I stared at the ceiling for a moment, just wishing I could go back to before this whole competition.

  “Something like that.”

  Lisa turned her light off so I could sleep; the only light in the room was her computer, which reflected on her face.

  “Well, this time tomorrow it will probably all be over. Just look forward to that. 24 hours.”

  I nodded, but I don’t think she saw me. I sighed, closing my eyes. But the first image that popped into my mind was of Taylor tackling that robber. I shuttered, turning over onto my stomach. I pressed the pillow hard into my face, not wanting my dreams to reflect the events of tonight.

  Chapter Sixteen

  It was nice not having an alarm clock blaring in my face Saturday morning.

  I glanced at the clock and it was ten o’clock. I looked over and Lisa was sitting up in bed. She was facing me, watching me actually. Creepy? She held a pillow in her lap and she seemed completely zoned out. Her hair was messed up where she had been sleeping on it; her light pink pajamas were crumpled. One leg was tucked up under her and the other one dangled freely over the bed. I thought about snapping at her.

  “Lis?” I asked. When she didn’t reply I grabbed for my phone. A number I didn’t recognize, probably Mr. Nolan, had sent me several text messages.

  The first was a picture of a nice looking jet black car. The second was a picture of a man I assumed to be the driver. He was wearing some official looking uniform and hat, brown eyes and pale skin. He looked friendly enough.

  I flipped over to the text messages.

  Mrs. Delaney, the driver (Trent) will pick you up in front of your dorm today at twelve o’clo
ck on the dot. He will drive you to the nearest airport where you will meet a couple of guards and be escorted on to a private jet. The jet will land in South Carolina, which is where Mr. Jett is currently filming. It will not be a long plane ride at all. You will get off the plane; enter another black car that will take you to a hotel. You will enter a hotel room where we will have your own personal makeup artists and an outfit to use for the night. At 3 o’clock a limo will pick you up, a new driver will be escorting you and Mr. Jett to various places throughout the evening. After the night is over, you will stay in the hotel room and we will fly you back first thing in the morning. In advance, your measurements would be gladly accepted so as to have a suitable outfit for tonight’s events. Thanks.

  Jerry Nolan

  Gray House Agency

  (612) 555-3489

  “Ugh!” I sat up, rereading the text message. Lisa finally seemed to snap out of her trance.

  “What is it?”

  I handed my phone over to her, and she read it with wide eyes. After she finished, she reread it as well.

  “At least you don’t have to worry about what outfit to pick, they’re pretty much giving you what to wear. And a makeup team? Dang. That’s got to be amazing. South Carolina…you could drive there, no need to fly. I wonder why they’re flying you there.”

  She handed me my phone back, leaning her head on her hand.

  “As big of a jerk you think Taylor Jett is, that’s pretty awesome.” She concluded.

  I just stared at my phone. I sighed, and finally decided to tell Lisa about what happened at work.

  I relayed the story back to her, starting with Mr. Bolt and Parker in the office and the look on Taylor’s face as I pulled out of the parking lot. Lisa always provided a good audience to stories. She always made the appropriate faces and laughed at all the right times. By the end of it, she was shaking her head.

  “What was it like to be that close to him?” She breathed.

  “Well that comment he made about brushing his teeth before he got out of the car? I’m pretty sure he did.”

  “Mmm.” She closed her eyes, probably trying to envision herself that close to Taylor Jett.

  “He was a jerk, right?” I asked, not expecting any other reply than yes.

  “Well…” I snapped up and out of bed, looking at her.

  “Lisa! He was an ass! He came there to pay me so I wouldn’t mess up his publicity. He got mad when I didn’t ask him to screw me!”

  “Yea, that was a jerk move. But…he did save your life. You throwing your purse like that? What if he got pissed and just shot you? People do that now. Just shoot you, no remorse or anything.”

  “But-“

  “No, no buts. He is a jerk, but…he did take that guy down. Probably looking pretty sexy while doing it.” She climbed out of bed and stretched. “I love you, Kale Delaney. But as much as I love you, you’re a stubborn person. And you have trouble saying thank-you sometimes.”

  “I say thank-you!”

  “Not when you don’t ask for help, you don’t. But he did help you. And he deserves a little recognition.”

  “He probably set the guy up to do it.” I muttered as I watched as she gathered up her bathroom supplies, heading out the dorm room and down the hall to the bathroom we shared with 30 other girls on our floor. I sat there thinking while she was gone.

  Yea, he was an absolute jerk. I mean, pay me for a date? Isn’t that like prostitution or something? What the hell?

  But then the thought of that cold metal up against my back sent a shiver through my spine. That guy could have shot me. He could have. And he might have. There’s no telling what would have happened if Taylor hadn’t shoved that guy’s face into the cement.

  My conscious kept battling between the right and wrong. Jerk and savior. It was hard to see Taylor Jett as anything other than a pompous ass, but…he did save me.

  I finally texted Mr. Nolan back, simply sending a “thanks” along with what I was pretty sure my measurements consisted of. Glancing at the clock, I realized I had an hour until the car arrived. Maybe I should send my bra size and make Mr. Nolan blush. Should I shower here? Or wait for the hotel? I contemplated texting Mr. Nolan and asking, but finally I decided to wait until Lisa got back and asked her.

  Chapter Seventeen

  After consulting with Lisa and finally deciding just to wear a t-shirt and jeans in the car and on the flight, it was hard grabbing my stuff and walking out of that dorm. Lisa made me swear I’d text her as much as I could and call her when I got to my hotel room after it all went down.

  Walking down the stairs, I kept glancing nervously around, waiting for someone to pounce on me. I had some big sunglasses on, but it was still kind of warm outside. I’m pretty sure I would have burnt up in a sweat shirt.

  I flew through the downstairs lobby, and carefully glanced out the front windows. It was 11:56 and the car wasn’t outside yet.

  I rocked on my heels, keeping an eye on people who passed by. A couple gave me odd looks; a few seemed to recognize who I was as they passed me and went outside. But for the most part, weekends were dead on campus. The secretary at the desk kept giving me unsure gazes, like she wanted to call security.

  Finally, at 12 on the dot, the black car pulled up.

  I raced out of the doors and reached the car just as the driver, Trent, was opening the door.

  “Hello, Ms. Delaney.”

  “Kale.” I said, quickly jumping into the car. “You can call me Kale.”

  “Alright, Kale.” He slammed my door and got into the car at his own pace. “It will be about 20 minutes until we reach the nearest airport. It won’t be a long flight, I can assure you. You’re lucky Mr. Jett was filming close by.”

  “Yea, lucky.” I scoffed.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Next thing I knew, Trent was opening the door for me at a secluded airport. A few body guards were there as Trent opened the door, and I got out hurriedly and grabbed my purse and phone. I went to close the door behind me, but Trent was there, and closed it.

  “See you later, Trent.” One of the body guards waved.

  “Thanks, Trent.” I called. Trent nodded his goodbye and got in the car. I was steered by the body guards towards the entrance. It wasn’t a large airport at all. They quickly moved me through lobbies and other airport passengers. We received a fair share of looks.

  Finally we reached an entrance to private jets. Ushering me out, I noticed a jet black jet that said “Jett”. How ironic. I spotted Hector waiting at the steps going up into the plane. It was good to see a familiar face.

  A few guards stayed behind, while a few entered on to the plane. Hector smiled when I reached him. I didn’t see Gideon anywhere.

  “Ever been on a plane?” He yelled over the roar of the engine.

  “Yea.” I yelled back, glancing at the huge jet. “But not like this.”

  He helped me inside, and when I ducked in, I was astounded.

  It looked like a little living room. Couch looking things, T.V.’s, recliners, tables…the works.

  “This is his private jet?” I whispered, I sat down, envying one of the couches. Hector nodded. He made a move to go toward the back room with the rest, but caught a look of disappointment on my face.

  “You want me to stay up here with you?”

  “Um…I could use the company?” I asked hopefully.

  He must have thought I was mad at him about last night. But I wasn’t. I would’ve done the same thing, we were out of the theatre and it wasn’t that far of a walk to my car.

  “I’m sorry about last night.” Hector said, not looking at me. He settled down into one of the recliners.

  “Nothing to be sorry about.” I said. “No one died.” He gave me a small grin.

  A lady came out with a little notepad. She was blond and blue-eyed, a blue uniform on. She came around to me and Hector.

  “Is there anything I can get you, Ms. Delaney?”

  “Kale.” I said. I glanced at
Hector, unsure of what to say. He shrugged. “Could I get something to drink?”

  “Of course. What would you like?”

  “Do you have coffee?”

  “Yes, ma’am. What kind?”

  “Could I get an iced mocha?”

  “Of course. Anything else, ma’am?”

  I looked at Hector.

  “Did you want anything?”

  “A water, please Miriam.” He said, and nodded towards the woman. She smiled and hurried off into the back where the other guards had disappeared off to. I raised my eyebrows.

  “He has a personal waitress on a plane?”

  “A stewardess, yes.”

  “Of course she had to be a blond bombshell.” I noted.

  I looked around at the various items in the plane. I noticed a remote and casually turned the T.V. on. And of course Star Gaze popped up.

  “-laney is set for her date with Taylor Jett tonight! Our sources tell us that they will be going several places this evening-“

  “Ugh, is this on like a 24 hour network or something?”

  “Pretty much.” Hector said, glancing at the T.V. “It’s the Star Gaze network. The Star Gaze T.V. show is for the world to get top news about celebrities anytime, anywhere. A lot of what the show says is repetition; they say pretty much the same things throughout the entire day, just so nobody misses anything. If anything new progresses, they start repeating that.”

  The stewardess-Miriam-was coming back with a bottle of water and a huge coffee. She smiled, handing the drinks to us.

  “Thanks.” I said, eyeing the coffee. It looked better than any coffee they had on campus. I’d be peeing a gallon after this.

  “Thank-you, Miriam.”

  Hector looked at the T.V. and back to me again. The host was still going on the T.V., showing a clip of some guy getting tackled. I took the opportunity to take a picture of the coffee and send it to Lisa. Hector laughed.