Starburst

by Jettie Woodruff

  “Alley, I just had too much to drink and I swear nothing happened.”

  “I hate you,” she screamed. “I can’t wait to turn eighteen and get away from all of this bullshit, and I fucking hate Brooke too, and you can relay the message.”

  “Alley, just calm down, it will pass. It always does.”

  “Yeah, you should know,” she threw in his face, talking about a couple of years back when the same photos were taken of him and a married actress in a pool. “Whatever, I don’t even care, you both can go to hell,” she exclaimed, and hung up with tears streaming down her face.

  Trevas went to her, and she pushed him away. “You can go to hell too.” She stormed inside and took the half a joint from her bag and went to the dock.

  Trevas didn’t leave her alone and followed her down the dark path.

  “Please just leave me alone Trevas,” she begged.

  He sat down beside of her, not listening and pulled her to him, and she cried in his chest. He kissed the top of her head and rubbed her back but didn’t speak. After a few minutes when she was able to gather her bearings she sat up. She picked up her very expensive cellphone and tossed it to the lake and watched as the phone disappeared, leaving a trail of bubbles. Trevas still didn’t speak, and she turned to look at him.

  “Why can’t you love me?” She asked.

  “Alley I love you more than any creature on this earth, and can’t is a good word because I can’t love you because it’s not possible. We can’t be together.”

  “We can in a few more months. We can move here and get away from LA.”

  Trevas pulled her to him again and didn’t comment because he didn’t know what to say. She pulled away after a few minutes and lit the joint. She handed it to him, and he shook his head no.

  “I will let it go,” she told him, with her bare feet dangling from the dock, staring down at the black water.

  Trevas had no clue how to respond and wished he could stop her pain, knowing that he was doing nothing, but breaking her heart.

  “Alley, let’s just not talk about it, okay. Let’s just spend what time we do have, together.”

  “Yeah, sure,” she replied, still looking down.

  She lay in his arms when they went to bed, and he held her tighter than usual, kissed her head and traced her arm with his fingers. She was quiet, and they didn’t talk. Trevas wasn’t sure who fell asleep first and knew that she lay awake with her mind on too many things for a long time.

  When he woke he went to the front porch with a cup of coffee. She had woken and stayed lying in bed. She knew he was on the porch because she could see him on the step from the bed. She got up and went to the bathroom and lay back down. Trevas came in when he heard the toilet flush, and she never came out.

  He lay beside her, and she snuggled to his chest.

  “Tell me you love me Trevas,” she softly said to his chest and he closed his eyes because she was doing this again.

  “I love you Alley,” he quietly said to her hair, and he meant it. He would take her away in a heartbeat if he thought he could get away with it, but it still didn’t change the situation.

  Alley looked up. She was shocked that he said it, and was waiting for another argument. She had just told him the night before on the dock that she would let it go. He met her half way and kissed her for a long time and after some time she rolled over to him and straddled him. She removed her shirt, and his hands promptly found her breast. She unbuttoned his jeans and took him in her hand, and he was ready before she ever touched him. She moved long enough to eliminate her panties, and he slid out of his jeans.

  She came back to him, and he helped guide himself into her. He closed his eyes and held her hips as she moved him in and out of her. She kept up a slow steady pace until she was getting close and moved her hands, one to each side of his head and picked up speed and force until she was screaming out in ecstasy. She sat back up and dropped her head back. The sight of her sitting on him, the look on her face, and her breast being pushed out from her back arching and her hair hanging long behind her almost made him explode with her, but he flipped her over, still inside of her, and within a couple of minutes he found his own bliss.

  Alley was still painting, and his breaths matched hers. He looked up and kissed her obsessively. “What the hell am I supposed to do with you Alley?” He asked her, but knew her answer, and it didn’t match up with his.

  “You can keep me in this bed for the next two weeks for starters,” she teased. “Get off of me, I have to pee,” she added out of the blue, and Trevas laughed as she squirmed out from under him.

  She came right back and cuddled up to his chest.

  “I know you have never had sex before me, but have you done other things?” Trevas asked her, and she rose up on one elbow to look at him.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know, just other stuff.”

  “Like with other guys?”

  “Well yeah, or girls,” he smiled.

  “Definitely no girls, and no, not really, I mean I have kissed a couple other guys.”

  “You never had an orgasm before?”

  “Yes I have had those.”

  “Now I’m confused,” he admitted.

  “About what?”

  “How did you manage that by yourself?”

  Alley tilted her head and gave him a crooked smile.

  “Oh,” he said surprised when he finally got it.

  “I’m glad you figured it out on your own.”

  “I’m not sure I have it figured out yet. You might have to show me.”

  “When is your birthday?” She teased.

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

  “Why?”

  “It is November 17th.”

  “Really? One day after mine?”

  “Yup,”

  “I’m glad it’s not before mine. That would make you even older.”

  “I’m still too old for you. We need to go into town so that I can call your dad and get you a new phone.”

  “I don’t need a new phone. We should live right here, where there’s no paparazzi and no phone service.”

  “You would get bored pretty fast.”

  “Not if you were with me,” she smiled and he kissed her.

  “Come, get up. Let’s go to my moms. Wear jeans,” he added.

  “Why?”

  “Because I said so,” he answered, not giving any other details.

  Alley went into the bathroom and grabbed a shower. She put on a tight pair of dark skinny jeans, a tight gray, tank-top that was too short, a button up shirt over top and the black combat boots that she had gotten from her thrift store find. She pulled her long hair into a pony tail and added some makeup.

  “Is there anything that looks bad on you?” Trevas asked as she sat on the sofa buckling the silver buckle on the boots. She smiled a sexy smile up at him and accepted his compliment, which she was getting better at.

  Trevas took Alley out for breakfast and then to his moms. He stayed on the porch, and she went inside with his mom. He also had a voicemail from Fletcher, telling him to call him as soon as he got the message, which was late in the afternoon, the day before.

  “Hey Fletcher, its Evans.”

  “Evans, is everything okay there?” he asked, concerned about his daughter.

  “She’s pretty pissed, and she threw her phone in the lake after she talked to you.”

  “When are you taking her home?”

  “I’m not sure. She hasn’t mentioned it. I think she has enjoyed herself, up until last night anyway. She has taken up with my mom and has been spending a lot of time with her,” he lied.

  “Well, I’ve gotten word that the paparazzi has the house surrounded and is waiting for a chance to talk to her about what happened. I prefer she stay there for as long as you can keep her there. At least until this dies down or I get home.”

  “Just let me know what to do.”

  “Evans, I swear nothi
ng happened with Brook and me.”

  “It’s really none of my business Mr. Fletcher. I’m just an employee. I’m not judging you,” he lied again. He was judging him, and was pissed at him too, for allowing that to happen, knowing that his superstar was his daughter’s only friend.

  “Is there someplace around there to get her a new phone? Her mother wants her to call her right away.”

  “Yes, I was going to take care of that today, and I will make her call her mother.”

  “Thanks for everything Evans. You’re a good man.”

  If you only knew. “Just doing my job sir,” he added and they said goodbye.

  Alley poured her heart out to his mom Kay and showed her the pictures of her dad and eighteen year old friend on her desktop. His mom had her wrapped in her arms when Trevas came in, and he was surprised. Alley pulled away and quickly wiped the tears embarrassed.

  Trevas handed her his phone. “Call your mother. She is worried about you.”

  “I’m not calling her Trevas.”

  He kept the phone at arm’s length. “Call your mother Alley,” he demanded and she seized the phone from his hand.

  “You scratched me,” he said after she jerked it from his hand, and it made her smile, and she shook her head at him.

  “Hello,” her mother answered cautiously, not recognizing the number.

  “Mom, it’s me.”

  “Alley, are you okay?” she asked, happy to hear her voice.

  “Yes mom, I’m fine. I’m still at the lake in Utah.”

  “Well that is probably a good thing from what I hear. Are you doing okay?”

  “What do you mean, from what you hear?”

  “Your dad told me that there are paparazzi and reporters crawling all over his house, wanting to talk to you.”

  “Oh, how nice,” she replied sarcastically.

  “Alley, are you okay?” she asked again.

  “Mom, I’m fine. Yes, I’m pissed at dad and Brooke, but I’m fine.”

  “Where is your phone? I have been trying to call you for hours.”

  “It’s fishing.”

  “What?”

  “I threw it in the lake.”

  “You and your tantrums Alley,” she exclaimed, and it made Alley smile. “I want you to have a phone. Do you need me to have you one mailed?”

  “No, we are going to get one today.”

  “Who are you with? I don’t know if I like the idea of you hanging out with a bunch of strangers.”

  “I’m not with a bunch of strangers. I like everyone that I have met here,” she told her, and smiled over to the only two people that she knew there. “I actually like it here. It’s quiet and peaceful and there are no cameras chasing us around.”

  “Well that’s good to know that makes me feel a lot better. How is the new body guard? Is he treating you okay?”

  “Yes mom, he is fine.”

  “Good, good,” she repeated. “I think we are going to wrap up in another week or so, I should be home in about two weeks, I hope. You can come home. I miss you.”

  “I miss you too mom,” she replied, rolling her eyes at Trevas.

  “Alley, are you okay in here with my mom for a little while? I want to go out to the garage and see if I can get my bike running,” Trevas asked.

  “Your bike?”

  “Yes…. Motorcycle. I want to take you for a ride.”

  “On a motorcycle?” she asked with an unsure look.

  “You’ve never been on a bike?”

  “Uh-uh.”

  “Well you are going too today. If I can get it started, it’s been awhile.”

  Alley hung out inside with his mom. She made them a cup of hot tea, and they sat at the kitchen table.

  His mother Kay hadn’t gotten dressed yet and wore a pair of sweats that she had pulled up to just below the knee and a baggy Yankees, t-shirt.

  Alley studied her. She thought that Trevas’s sister Anna looked alike like her but didn’t see much resemblance in Trevas. Kay had dirty blond hair and the creamiest complexion she had ever seen. She did have the same dark eyes as Trevas and the long eyelashes. She was very slender and not real tall, maybe five foot five or so.

  “You are very pretty,” Alley told her, and she smiled.

  “Wow, thanks,” Kay replied, not expecting the compliment.

  “This is good. What is it?” Alley asked, sipping the hot tea.

  “Chamomile, it’s a relaxing tea,” she smiled at her. “You look like you could use it.”

  “I won’t argue that,” she admitted. “Did Trevas grow up here?” she wanted to know.

  “Yeah pretty much, we lived in LA until he was seven and then when my work opened up a new plant here, I moved here to run it.”

  “I like it here.”

  “I bet your house is five times this size.”

  “Which one,” she answered, not sounding impressed.

  “You live with both your mom and dad?”

  “Yeah, I stay with whoever is not off working some place, but I was mostly raised by Maria. She was my nanny from the time I was born until I was thirteen.”

  “Oh, where is she now?”

  “She got breast cancer and died three years ago,” Alley answered, turning the cup around and around in her hand.

  Kay put her hand over her wrist. “I’m sorry honey.”

  Alley smiled a week smile. “It’s okay, but I miss her sometimes. She has never been replaced. I think I have had at least twenty people staying with me since her, and I somehow manage to run them all off.” She smiled a vindictive, proud smile.

  “Except Trevas,” Kay said with more of a statement than a question.

  “Yes, except Trevas,” she agreed.

  “You really like him don’t you?”

  “I don’t think like is even close to how I feel about him. I have been a spoiled little rich kid my whole life. Everyone has always given me what I want, and if they don’t I just throw a tantrum and do what I want anyway. That doesn’t work so well with Trevas. He is not afraid to tell me I need my ass beat and lets me know when I’m being ridiculous. I have never had that before. I have never talked to anyone about things that bother me or what is on my mind, and he has a way that for some reason, I just throw it all out and tell him everything. I don’t get it,” she added, thinking more about it and wondering why it was so easy for her to talk to him and nobody else, ever. “He makes me feel normal and last night when all of this happened with my dad and something else with him.” She added not giving the details about their fight. “I cried like a little baby, and I have never in my life cried in front of anyone. I didn’t even know I was capable of crying.”

  “Honey, you know that it’s not possible for Trevas to be with you right now, don’t you?”

  “I heard the whole conversation that he had with you the other morning on the porch. I know how he feels, and he won’t talk about it, at all. I feel like he just wants to drop me off at the door, when this is all over and forget that he knew me.”

  “If you heard the whole conversation then you also heard him tell me that he is in love with you and I don’t think he wants to drop you off at all, but he really doesn’t have a choice right now.”

  “I know,” Alley replied with a soft hurt tone.

  Alley was glad when they heard the motorcycle’s engine come to life, and they smiled at each other.

  “I guess I’m not getting out of it uh?”

  “You will love it, don’t worry.”

  Trevas handed Alley a helmet and told her to put it on. She wrapped her arms around his waist and waved to Kay as they rode down the neighborhood street. She did love it and loved being on the back of a bike with her arms around his tight abs. They went into town first and bought the new cellphone and had it activated with the same number first, and then he took her on a back road through the rocky terrain.

  “Trevas stop!” she yelled to him, and he stopped in the middle of the abandoned dirt road.

  He shut t
he engine off. “What?” he asked as she slid off the back.

  “I want to take a picture of those rocks. The’re absolutely beautiful,” she exclaimed, and he smiled. It took her a minute to figure out the camera on her new phone, and she was pleasantly surprised at how vivid the images were.

  She turned to Trevas and took one of him, sitting on the bike.

  “You probably shouldn’t do that,” he told her but didn’t stop her.

  “Do you really think my parents look at my phone?” she asked, knowing what he was thinking.

  “Let me have it, I will take one of you,” he told her sliding off of the bike.

  He snapped her picture with the massive brown rocks behind her and then she held it out and took one of the both of them. She was standing in front of him with her back to his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her.

  Alley put the phone back in her pocket and turned to him. He held onto her and kissed her, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  “Thank you for this Trevas,” she whispered.

  “You are welcome, I love seeing you happy.”

  “I’m happy because I am with you and I love you.”

  “And I love you too and you stop getting so serious on me.” He demanded.

  “Come on,” he said, taking her hand. He sat on the bike and scooted back.

  “What?” she asked, looking dazed.

  “You’re driving.”

  “I can’t drive this thing.”

  “I’m going to teach you.”

  Alley took a deep breath and moved in between his legs.

  “This is your clutch,” he explained, pulling her left hand in. “Your back brake,” he added, moving her foot to the pedal.

  “What’s this one?” she wanted to know what the other lever was.

  “That’s your front break, don’t touch that one. You will throw us off.”

  She turned to look at him with a serious look, and he kissed her cheek. “Don’t worry, I’m right here, just don’t mess with that one.”

  “This is your gears,” he continued to explain. “One down is first,” he told her and started the bike. He held his hand over hers and pulled in the clutch.