The next two weeks just sped by. School was a blur and I didn’t even realize I was grounded. I avoided mom as much as possible, I wanted to be ungrounded by that special Friday night. When the first Friday of May arrived I was still grounded, but I was leaving no matter what that night.
I was getting ready to leave before mom came home. I was ready twenty minutes before mom was supposed to be home, but on my way out I ran smack into her.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
“To school.” It was basically true but if I told her the real reason there’s no chance I’d get out without a fight.
“No, you’re grounded.”
“But mom...”
“No buts, go back to your room.”
“No.” I was not giving in.
“What!?!”
“I said no. I’m eighteen and I can do what I want.” I tried to leave but she grabbed me by the shoulders. I still pulled forward, she pulled me back and threw me into the bookcase. I picked myself up and ran past her out to my car. I heard her calling after me with apologies. I jumped into my car and sped off towards school. I could already feel the bruises forming on my back.
I pulled into the parking lot that was already full of vans and buses. There was lighting and film equipment everywhere. I picked my way through the maze of people and equipment looking for John. I found him talking with Robby, Mike, and the director.
“What happened to her?” John sounded upset.
“She quit,” the director shrugged in confusion.
“Quit?” Robby was confused too.
“Did she give a reason?” John really was mad.
“No reason,” the director didn’t seem to know what to say.
“Well, what are we supposed to do?” Robby asked no one in particular. At this point John looked up and saw me.
“I have an idea. Wynter come here.” I walked over to John. “This is Wynter. She’s just supposed to be an extra, but I think she could work.”
“Work for what?” I had an idea but I wanted to be sure.
“The girl who was supposed to play my love interest in the video quit. So I was thinking maybe you would like to take her place.”
“Sure I’ll do it.”
“Is that okay with everyone else?”
“Fine.” They all said in unison.
I was sent off to get my hair and make-up done. They did my hair and make-up quickly and pushed me off to costume. They shoved me into a pair of hip-hugging, embroidered jeans and a tight, pastel blue, peasant girl shirt and pushed me off towards the director.
The first few scenes we filmed were of me walking through the school alone and John watching me and singing. The song was about a guy wanting to save a girl from her own personal hell. He watched me, trying to work up enough courage to go talk to me. When he finally did, I laughed and smiled. Then he pulled into his arms. We stared into one another’s eyes and then we kissed. I was so overwhelmed with emotion, I nearly fainted. That was the last scene they filmed with me that night, but they wanted me to hang around just in case. It was 2:00 a.m. and I was exhausted. John, Robby, and Mike were going to start filming scenes of them playing. John took me out to their bus and told me to lay down and sleep.
I was too tired to protest. I laid down on my stomach on his bed. The next thing I knew someone was massaging my shoulders.
“Hey, you awake,” he whispered sweetly.
“Mmmhmm.”
“We finished filming for the night.”
“What time is it?”
“4:30.”
“Wow.”
“Do you need to go home?” He was beginning to massage down my back.
“Uh...” I winced in pain as he got to my bruises. “Ow.”
“What’s wrong? Did I push to hard?”
"Uh, no, I, uh,” I felt him pull up the back of my shirt.
“Oh my god. Where did you get these from?”
“Well...” I bit my lip and looked at the bed.
“Did someone hit you?” I didn’t respond. He gently rolled me over. “Did someone hit you, Wynter?” The way he was looking into my eyes and the renewed memory made me break down. I laid my head down in his lap and began sobbing. He stroked my hair while I told him the story.
“I can’t go home, John. I just can’t.”
“I don’t want you to go home.”
“I don’t have anywhere to go.”
“You don’t have to go anywhere. You can sleep on my bed and I’ll stay out on the couch.”
“John, I can’t kick you out of your bed and I really don’t want to be alone. Stay in here with me, please.”
“Whatever you want.”
“Do you have a t-shirt I could borrow? I can’t sleep in these,” I said pulling out my shirt.
“Yeah,” he tossed me a t-shirt while grabbing himself some pajama bottoms. I turned around and pulled off my shirt and bra. I pulled his t-shirt over my head and took off the jeans. I turned around to find John wearing nothing but the pants. His chest and stomach were so perfectly sculpted I nearly forgot what was upsetting me.
“Well, uh.” I wasn’t sure what to say. John pulled back the covers, “Shall we?” I smiled and laid down. He crawled into bed next to me. We laid side by side staring at the ceiling for a while. Finally, I rolled over and laid my head on his chest. He put his arms around me and kissed the top of my head. I slept well that night. I woke up the next morning still in his arms in his arms.
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