Chapter 4

“Jayme?” whispered Lindsay as she opened the door slowly. “How are you feeling?”

“What time is it?” asked Jayme rubbing her eyes. She turned off the TV.

“It’s 5:15. After lunch, Juli suggested that we hit the mall, so we did,” Lindsay explained. “I thought about coming back here to ask if you wanted to come with us, but I called first instead. Nobody answered so I figured you were still taking a nap.”

“Well, my headache is not as bad.”

“What do you want for dinner? I can make you some soup,” Linday offered.

“Thanks Lin. I feel bad coz you cook all the time.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’re the one who insisted that you do the laundry plus the dishes. I think I’m the one getting the better end of the bargain.”

“Well, we both know I can’t cook even if my life depended on it!”

“Exactly. I mean, you cooked burnt pancakes our 2nd day here.”

Jayme laughed as she remembered the day she attempted to make breakfast.

“So, did you get anything at the mall?” she asked as she stood up from bed.

“Of course I did,” replied Lindsay. “Here, I’ll show you,” Lindsay then lead the way to her room across the hall with Jayme right behind her heels.

************************************************************************ “A.J., don’t you think you’ve had enough of that?” asked Nick as he wathced A.J. drink his 7th glass.

“Amanda, I can’t believe you’re just sitting there laughing your ass off at your boyfriend!” Jenny scolded her cousin.

“What? We’re just having fun, it’s not a crime, is it?” answered Amanda. She was obviously a little drunk too. Not as drunk as A.J., but drunk enough.

“I’m gonna check if they have any Tylenol in stock. We have this meeting tomorrow morning and Denise will have a fit if A.J. shows up with a hang-over. If he even remembers that there is a meeting tomorrow,” said a responsible Nick.

“Well, so much for tonight,” muttered Jenny under her breath.

Nick felt bad and started apologizing. “I’m really sorry Jenny...”

“Nick, it’s not your fault.” Jenny stood up and put on her coat. “I’m going to leave now. Good night you guys.”

“Buh-bye Jen!” called out Amanda.

“Bye Jenny!!! I will see you!” A.J. said in a sing-song voice.

“Amanda, do you have some Tylenol? I don’t see it in your medicine cabinet,” Nick called from the bathroom.

“Oh...I guess not. Can you get some then? Pooky A.J. here will be in BIG trouble with mommy if he shows up tomorrow at your little meeting with a hang-over. And I think I’m gonna need some of that Tylenol too.”

Nick sighed. “All right.” He knew it all along. This is the last time he join A.J. and Amanda on any little get-togethers they plan. It’s not the first time the two did body shots and both got drunk. As he was about to step out the door, A.J. runs after him.

“Wait!!!” he yelled. “I wanna come too!”

“Umm...A.J., no just stay here. I’ll be back soon.” Nick continued to walk towards his Corvette. He unlocked the doors and A.J. eagerly jumped into the front seat.

“A.J....pooky, come back!” Amanda called out.

“I’ll be back soon honey bun!” was A.J.’s reply.

************************************************************************ “Hmm...what else do we need?” asked Lindsay as she started to make a grocery list. “We need some bottled water, orange juice, bagels, shampoo...”

“I need some Tylenol,” said Jayme. “I want to feel much better especially for the meeting tomorrow.

“Okay. Got it. I think that’s about it. Let’s go.”

“I’ll be out in a minute. I’m gonna grab a sweatshirt,” Jayme said and headed for her room.

“Okay. I’ll start the car.”

Jayme looked at her closet and decided to wear a big comfy sweatshirt that was given to her by her brother Phil. She looked in the mirror and noticed that she looked really pale. She started to put on make-up, but dismissed the idea. Oh well. Her HARVARD sweatshirt and jeans will do. It’s not like I’m out to meet guys tonight.

************************************************************************ When both girls entered the grocery store, Lindsay suggested, “Hey, why don’t you grab whatever you need for your headache and I’ll pick up the other stuff we need. It’ll be faster that way.”

“Okay. Good idea. I’ll just meet you by the check-out counter,” Jayme agreed and headed for aisle 17. She scanned the shelf and looked for the medicine she needed. “Let’s see...geez, all they have is aspirin. I need Tylenol. Ahh...there it is!” As soon as she was ready to grab it off the shelf another hand went and grabbed for the same box.

“Hey! Let go!” both said at the same time.

Jayme looked up to see who the person was. She peered into the face that somehow looked familiar to her. There was no doubt about it. She has seen this face in the front covers of numerous teen magazines before.

A tall person with blond hair and blue eyes replied, “No, you let go!”

“No, I don’t think so. I was here first. Now, gimme!”

Two aisles over, in the feminine products section, AJ started chanting the Stay Free commercial. “Stay dry, stay free, with wings!”

Nick was definitely not in the mood for this. His evening was ruined since his double-date with A.J. and Amanda began. When A.J. took out the bottle of wine he knew there’d be trouble along the way. He was tired and he just wanted to get out of there.

“Hey, I probably need this more than you do. Just let me have it so I can leave.”

“What the hell!?! Who do you think you are?” at this moment Jayme’s headache was returning. “Why don’t you give it to me, so I can leave!”

“Don’t you know who I am? Give it to me!” Nick ordered the girl with shoulder-length black hair. He didn’t have time to play any pathetic games.

“Why the heck should I care or know who you are?” Jayme retorted her green eyes flashing furiously. She couldn’t believe how rude he was acting. I mean, over a box of Tylenol. She thought silently.

Both were extremely stubborn and fought over the little box of Tylenol. Neither was oblivious to the fact that they were creating a scene nor did they notice that AJ started singing the theme song to the Always commercial while holding a box of tampons that served as his microphone.

“What do you think you two are doing?” asked a very stern-looking manager as he walked towards them.

It was only then that the 2 turned around and realized how they were making idiots of themselves quarelling over the box of Tylenol.

“Both of you! OUT!!! Right now! I don’t need this havoc at this time of the night!” yelled the manager furiously.

“UGH!!! Great!” both complained at the same time.

“A.J., let’s go!” said Nick putting a stop to A.J.’s little performance.

A.J. looked confused and replied, “But...I’m not yet done singing!”

“You can sing later,” Nick replied pulling AJ by his arm.

“OUT!” yelled the manager once more as he pointed towards the doors that displayed a huge EXIT sign on the top.

Jayme headed for the car and tried opening the door. “Great. It’s locked.”

Nick stomped towards his Corvette with A.J following right behind him. As he angrily started his car, he muttered, “Glad I don’t have to see that psycho girl again!” and drove away.

After about 5 minutes, Jayme spotted Lindsay coming out of the grocery carrying a big brown bag full of groceries.

“Jayme, I was looking for you! Did you get some medicine for your headache?” she asked as she started to unlock the trunk of the black car.

Jayme was way too embarrassed to admit to her what just happened in there. And the fact that she got kicked out of the store for such childish behavior. “Umm...some jerk took the last box and they didn’t have anything else,” was her reply.

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