Get Sleazy

“Ugh. Will, if you thought I wanted this, you were so obviously wrong. All of my life I’ve grown up around rich socialites, and I would prefer not to for the rest of it,” I bluntly stated to Will Conners, one of the richest young teens in Hollywood right now. My friends suggested that I go out with him... and I knew it was a bad idea from the start. And now, I was being proven correct by the way this date was going. So far, Will has made a show of his Mercedes Benz when he picked me up for this date we were currently on, made sure to brag about how he had friends at all of these classy stores and restaurants we drove by before we got to the restaurant we are currently in, and now was trying to give me a diamond necklace... that I have been offered with by other guys I have gone out with before him. My father wanting me to date someone who was just as high in society as us... clearly wasn’t working out for me.

“But Lauren-” he started, but before he could get anywhere, I immediately cut him off.

“Save it,” I said. “Look, I know this was probably expected of you, so I’m not mad at you personally, I, just... you’re not what I’m looking for in a guy. I’m sorry.”

>>------------------------------------------------------>>

“You turned down Will Conners?” My friend Stacy asked me later the next day. I shrugged. “Dude, you must be crazy! The braces he had two years ago... cost more than what my parent’s paid for our house! And probably even more with the two cars they have added with that. Are you insane?”

“Maybe you should date him?” I suggested. She raised an eyebrow at me.

“Right, like he would ever go out with her,” my other friend, Trent, pointed out. “Will Conners dates rich girls... like you. Not Stacy Taylor, middle class with sass.”

“Hey! Like any rich girl would date you!” Stacy shot back at him. My friends aren’t rich, like you would probably expect. I once tried to make friends that were rich like I was, at the private school my father made me go to, but it didn’t end up working out after I realized they always competed with everything they owned. That meaning, they always tried to buy the most expensive purses, the most sparkly clothes... that kind of thing. And since I’m not a big spender myself... other than receiving expensive gifts that my father gives me that I have to take, I couldn’t really see myself hanging out with them. Not only that, but I also hated private school in general, so after a lot of convincing... my father finally let me go to public school. Where I managed to meet Stacy and Trent.

“Okay, before this turns into an all-out war...” I interrupted, “you guys, being rich may seem like the life, but in all-honesty... it’s not.” One major fact with this was that people at the public school I chose to go to, won’t ever leave me alone. Except for Stacy and Trent, of course, but that’s why I ever even became friends with them in the first place... because they liked me for who I was, not because of how much I was worth.

“Oh please, name one negative,” Trent asked me. I shrugged.

“Well, at least you guys get to see your parents. My father is hardly, like, ever home,” I pointed out. They both glumly nodded in agreement. My father had a lot of business to deal with, being a record producer and all, so he was hardly ever home. He was usually either out helping an artist finishing a new album, or looking for some new raw talent. Either way, though, that resulted in him never being home as often as Stacy and Trent’s parents were. Not even close to as often.

And my mother, well, she ended up dying of cancer about two years after I was born. And my father seemed to launch right into the music career after that. My thought on it being that he did so to distract himself from the pain of losing his wife. So I guess you couldn’t really blame him.

“Hey, let’s go to Mario’s!” Trent suggested. “I have been hungry for pizza!”

“You just had it for lunch today,” I pointed out. We had just gotten out of school about an hour ago, and we currently at Stacy’s house. “But I could go for a slice.”

“Let’s go then,” Stacy said, grabbing her mother’s car keys, since she didn’t have a car of her own. Her mother and father rode to work together every morning in her father’s car, and wouldn’t be home for another hour now. But they still didn’t work as much as my dad, who usually left before I even got up for school in the morning... and came home some time after I went to bed each night. “But one advantage, Lauren, you must admit is that at least you have your own car.”

>>------------------------------------------------------->>

“Oh! I’m going to the gum-ball machine!” Trent and I immediately called out, as soon as we entered Mario’s. Stacy just shook her head before making her way to the ordering counter to order our usual pizza, probably all the wide thinking about how childish we were being. But I didn’t really care, and neither did Trent, because we both have always loved the gum-ball machine. I mean, and it was one of those random one’s too... where you never knew what you were going to get out of it.

“Sweet! I got a spider ring!” Trent exclaimed, showing off his prize. I laughed as I put two quarters into the machine, turned the knob, and heard Trent ask me what I got before I even looked at the thing. As soon as I did, though, I immediately opened it and showed off my prize. It was one of those fake jeweled rings, and I proudly placed it on my last available finger on my right hand. The funny thing was, while the rings on my other three fingers were all real and the one I just got being fake, you couldn’t really tell them apart. If someone looked at them all, they’d think they’re all real. The only person that would know would be mean because I could tell the difference, with the fake one being plastic well the others were metal.

Trent started to head to our signature table, and I began to follow... but not before I managed to bump into someone.

“Oh, sorry,” I said immediately. When I looked up, I couldn’t have been more surprised at who I saw. “Nick Jonas?”

“Well, you know who I am,” he said, not feeling the need to introduce yourself. “Are you a fan?”

I was immediately taken off guard, because usually all the guys my age, famous or not, knew who I was. But I must say, it was a nice change.

“I’m Lauren,” I said as an answer, but then for the heck of it, I added, “Samuels.” He might as well know my last name ahead of time, instead of figuring it out later.

“Of the record producing Samuels?” He asked me. I reluctantly nodded, now expecting him to treat me like all the other guys have, and start with the schmoozing. “That’s cool. I think he helped me and my brothers with an album once.” And that’s all he said. That’s cool? Not really the reaction I was expecting; I was expecting him to compliment my father, or perhaps ask for his number to meet him... but this Nick, he was a different one alright.

At last, I couldn’t hold the curiosity in any more, “What... no business card? No... bragging about how you just got a new house on one of most elite plots here in California? No new car you want to try to impress me with... or new diamond watch?” He gave me a quizzical look.

“Hm... no, not that I know of,” he answered. “I do have a car... but it’s a good two years old, so... well, I guess the type is something to brag about. As for a new house... no, I do have three, but... they’re probably what you would typically expect. No business card; it’s a little too formal... and... ah! I actually do have a new watch, but I didn’t wear it today.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to figure him out. Was he being smart with me? By the way he answered some of the questions, it seemed like he was.

“But you want to know something? I did walk up to you for a reason, not because I came to brag, or not because I knew your name, but... I was wondering if I could have your number?” He asked, as simple as that. I gave him an unbelieving look.

“So... you’re telling me that The Nick Jonas just so happened to walk into Mario’s Pizzeria, a place that is so far off from being the most famous place in Hollywood, just to ask me out? And possibly, originally, go for a slice of pizza?” I asked him, eyebrow raised. He shrugged.

“What can I say? My brothers and I... like it here,” he said. “And spotting you was just an added bonus.” I had to admit... this guy was a little smooth. But just a little bit.

“But what if I was some cracked-up fan?” I asked. “Would you have still asked for my number... and later have asked me out?”

He was silent a moment, pondering his answer. “Um... I’m going to have to go with... yes. I would have risked that.”

“Smooth,” I finally admitted out loud, “and fine.” I held out my hand for his phone, so I could put my number in it. “But just so this is clear... when you actually do ask me out, do not go bringing your Mercedes Benz, start bragging about your bourgie friends, or try to give me a diamond necklace... got it?”

“Fair enough,” he said. “I didn’t plan on doing any of that anyhow. But, okay, I may have gotten you a gift. How about I give you a gift, now, instead?”

I was about to ask him what, but before I could answer, he went around me to the gum-ball machine and stuck in two quarters. He then turned the knob, took the prize out, opened it, then gave it to me.

“There,” he said. “To go with your other rings.” This one wasn’t as elaborate as the fake ring I had just gotten out of the machine. Instead of being plastic, it was metal, which was what also made it different. But that’s all it was, a circular metal ring, kind of like a wedding band, but not as prominent. I took this as a good sign, and since all of my fingers were basically taken with the other rings, I put it on my thumb. And yes, I’m saying that I don’t count my thumb as an actual finger.

“Thanks,” I said. “I should go now... my friends are waiting on me... if you couldn’t tell, they’re the girl and guy over there, staring us down.” We both looked at the same time in their direction, and as soon as we did, Stacy and Trent both ducked their heads, embarrassed. I smiled a little.

“Right,” Nick said. He turned back to me. “So I’ll call you.” He started backing toward the only entrance and exit of the pizzeria, while still looking at me.

“When?” I asked out of curiosity.

“Well that... is for me to know and for you to wait for,” he answered, trying to sound mysterious about it, but it wasn’t working too well for him. I laughed and he smiled before leaving.

I could tell that there was going to be more than one date already.

I don't need you or your brand new Benz,
Or your bourgie friends,
I don't need love looking like diamonds,
Looking like diamonds,
I don't need you or your brand new Benz,
Or your bourgie friends,
I don't need love looking like diamonds,
Looking like diamonds.