Stranded

“Whatcha doooooing?” Jack drawled out like a five year old and, seriously, how could I ever have expected anything else?

“Writing.” I replied vaguely, closing my laptop. It would be hard to keep this from him for very long.

“Writing what?”

“The story about the lanky guitarist who wouldn't stop pestering, so he was thrown out a bus.”

Jack caught my drift but didn't move from beside me. “We need to get to a bookstore...and quick.” He sighed.

“Finished already?” I asked, surprised.

“Yeah.” He said proudly. “Sara needs to introduce me to her before I go crazy!”

“Fat chance, she'll be working a lot, especially if she starts working with Glamour Kills.” I informed Jack, to which he pouted. “You'll get to meet her eventually.”

It was getting to be noon, and I hadn't seen Sara since last night and everyone else was surprisingly quiet, even Jack. They just didn't want to disturb her, I guess. I wouldn't either after her mini-freak out.

“I can't!” Sara exclaimed, storming from the back room, Alex behind her.

“Why not?”

“I have a ton of work to do, Alex. Singing isn't even my job. I have a real job to do in there, and if I don't, it'll be my head.” She explained, rubbing her eye that were surrounded by dark circles.

“But I like singing with you.” He tried.

“And I like my job.” She countered. “I can't, Alex.” She rubber temples now, “For the next three days I just can't. I have to make sure this gets in.”

“It's a four minute song.” Alex pleaded, Sara slammed the refrigerator door after getting a vitamin water. She looked at his face, and I could tell she was going to give in.

“I don't know, Alex...maybe.” She said, going back into the lounge where Zack was working out.

“She'll say yes, you know.” I told Alex as he sat across from me with a victorious smile.

“I know, she always does.” He nodded. He sure knew a lot about her... I looked at him for a little, trying to decide what exactly was going on with him last night. I didn't hear much from him, except for the occasional stumble when he went to get more beer. It surely wasn't how Jack had described it, and I'm pretty sure the others noticed that too.

I hadn't known him that long, but I could already see that he has changed...even if it was ever so subtly. I couldn't help but think that maybe...maybe it was a little bit because of us. Sara, especially. The thought made me smile secretly, but I was still a little concerned...something was bound to happen between those two, and soon, but there was the fact that Alex was still going out with Lisa. I was just worried about either one of them getting hurt. I pushed Jack off of me gently and took my laptop to go work on the couch in the lounge with Sara so I could stretch my legs out.

Jack followed me, obviously bored because he didn't have anything to read. Sara was currently playing 'Nothing Matters' by The Rocket Summer on her iPod and I bobbed my head to the music as she softly sang along while working. It was such a beautiful song. His lyrics are just so...inspiring.

We both worked like this for a while, with Jack coloring in a random coloring book. I could tell Sara was getting frustrated because she had stopped singing along to the music. She had it on The Rocket Summer, which seemed to be her latest craze. He was amazing, I'll give him that.

She pulled at her hair, and walked out of the lounge. Either to get more caffeine or to stretch her legs. I felt bad for her, I truly did. She worked so hard already, and now she was put behind with only three days to send it in.

“I don't know!” Sara shouted from the other side of the door. Uh-oh, she exploded. I rushed out, setting my laptop down beside me on the couch. “I'm running on 20 minutes of sleep right now, Alex! I need to get this done! So just cool it for a few hours, okay?”

“What happened?” I came out in the middle of Sara chewing out Alex. I looked at Alex with a stern face.

“I just asked her if she wanted me to go get her some more Dr. Pepper, I noticed she was out.” Alex raised his hands in the air to signal that he surrendered. “She's the one who went insane.”

“I'm not insane!” She shouted, glaring at Alex still. She sighed then, sinking against the wall, “I'm just stressed, I guess.” Her voice was softer. I stuck out my bottom lip at her.

“Why don't you take a nap, Sara?” I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“I have to at least finish the stuff that I lost before I rest.” She informed me, then a squeal came from the lounge. Where Jack was. With my still opened up laptop.

CRAP! I smacked myself in the forehead before Jack came storming into the room—er--kitchen area.

“YOU'RE HOLLY MARIA S. RAE!!!!” Jack screamed, pointing at me. “YOU'RE THE GREATEST AUTHOR KNOWN TO MAN!!!!”

Alex looked at me, eyebrows together. “Holly...Maria...Rae?” He asked, a smirk on his face. “Let me guess, the 'S' stands for Stella?”

“Sunday, actually.” I corrected, “We did that on purpose.” I explained, ignoring Jack's jumping and fan-boying. He had his arms wrapped around me in a stranglehold, “Jack, you're going to kill me.”

“Why didn't you tell me!?” He asked, still shouting. Sara mumbled something before going back into the lounge and Alex followed her. Just to get away from Jack's loudness.

“Because I wanted it to be a surprise?” I tried, giving him my best innocent smile.

“God! You just got even hotter! And I didn't think that was possible.” He rubbed his cheek against my own, after releasing my neck from his death grip.

“I'm glad that you like my books...” I laughed.

“When you're done with the fourth one, can I get a free copy?” He asked, looking into my eyes seriously.

“No.” I answered simply, keeping my face straight.

“Wha?” He whined. “But I'm your boyfriend!”

“And I need the money you'll spend on the book.” I told him. While he pouted I smiled, “Yeah, Jack...I'll even give it to you early.” I ruffled his hair, not holding up the joke anymore. “Since I lied to you, it'll be an 'I'm sorry' present. It'll just be a while.” I gave him a Cheshire cat grin.

“How long?” He asked.

“About another year, I've just started six month ago.” I answered.

“A year?” He said it like it caused physical pain to hear that. I chuckled at his over dramatics. “Can I have some spoilers?”

“Why would you want those?” I asked him, my eyebrow raised.

“So I know what to expect. I almost had a heart attack when he betrayed everyone.”

I smiled secretly, knowing that the fourth book would for sure give him a heart attack. “I'm sorry, Jack...I can't do that.”

“Why not?” He pouted.

“I'm sorry, Jack...this is one thing you're not going win with that pout.” I stood, adamant on my decision.

“I'll get you to tell me....just wait.”

“Nope.” I clamped my mouth shut, zipping it, and locking it. Then I put the key in my mouth and pretended to swallow.

Even Jack caught on, “How can you swallow the key, if you locked your mouth?”

“Magic.” I smiled.

“Wait! The person I get to cheat on you with is you!” Jack realized. “Can I pick another?”

I thought about it for a second, giving him a weird look. “I guess...”

“Sweet!” He thought for a few seconds. “Hayden Panettiere.”

“You're so weird.” I shook my head at him, going back into the lounge. Sara was in the corner, Zack was in another corner, lifting weights. The Rocket Summer had been turned off to allow Alex to strum random songs on his guitar. Rian was probably in his bunk talking to Kara.