When You're Feeling Empty, Keep Me in Your Memory

I flipped through file after file looking at the photo’s the photographer took the other day of me to add to my portfolio to try and get more jobs. The economy not only affected the lower and middle class but the upper class too. I wasn’t photographed as much anymore and that meant my shoe stash was smaller!

“Aryn!” bellowed through the hallway of the Potter household breaking me from my concentration.

“TODD!” I yelled back not moving from my spot and clicking to the next photo.

I heard the grumble of his voice and his heavy feet making his way into the small bedroom I had. The smallest room of the house to be exact; that meant shoe boxes laid staked on top of one of another closet door closed and totes of clothes scattered around the room as well. Other than that a bed and a dresser took up the rest of the space in this room. It was neatly organized to where I could find it, but to someone else they’d through a fit if they were told to find something.

“I’m going up to Deegan’s for a few hours, would you like to join?” he asked hovering over my shoulder to see what I was doing.

“Yeah, let me grab a few things,” I said closing the laptop.

“Were those your new photos?” he asked me stepping back and leaning against the door frame.

“Yeah, they’re pretty good,” I said and smiled. “I just have to choose what I want for what, wallets or five by sevens you know the deal.”

He laughed shaking his head even though he really didn’t know. I grabbed my tote purse after shoving my laptop and what I needed in it then sliding a pair of shoes on my feet. I pointed to the door and he smiled letting me follow him out the door after pushing the teal sunglasses onto the brim of my petite nose. “Why do you have to be such a girl?” he asked me shaking his head.

“Because I don’t have balls,” I said smirking.

He shook his head at me, “you do have more balls than any other girl I know though.”

“Thank ya,” I said laughing. “I think.”

He shook his head at me and we continued our journey to the middle of nowhere and then pulled up in front of the big iron gate. After rolling his window down he pushed buttons on the box then the door opened and with a romp of the gas we were heading into what my brother calls “the compound.” I shook my head at all the cars parked around the drive. Shrugging at not knowing whose all they belonged too I got out and followed Todd to the back of his truck, leaving my tote purse in the cab of the truck. He slide down his dirt bike and looked at me, “you can go ahead and walk down to the guys if you want.”

“Why are there so many people here?” I asked looking at him.

“X Games is in two weeks,” he said smiling.

“Oh, oh alright,” I said nodding knowing it was crunch time. Making my way slowly down to the track and where everyone was gathered. The closer I got the louder the sounds of revs from the engines of the dirt bikes could be heard. I watched the guys in the foam pit. Todd told me someone was trying to land the front flip on one for the first time just for X Games. I remembered all the guys in years past crashing in the process of the flip.

A couple guys looked back to see who was walking this way the rest carried about their business not caring who I was. I saw Brian Deegan sitting on the brim of the foam pit talking to one of the riders who was listening intently to every word that Brian was feeding him. I stepped up the ladder of the foam pit than charged at Brian knocking him and myself into the foam pit. It had been awhile since I saw him. He was like my second papa. “What the hell!?” was all you could hear from his mouth as we fell into the foam.

I laughed and stood up trying to get out of the foam around me then yelled at Brian, “miss me?!”

“Hell no!” he said with a smirk as he pulled himself up with a lot more ease than me and onto the edge of the pit again.

“See when I come back then!” I said trying to get out of the foam but I kept falling.

Hunky arms wrapped around me and lifted me up with ease. He set me down on the edge and shook his head, “there you go. Don’t need a pretty lady like you getting heat stroke just because you can’t get out of the foam pit.”

I blushed and looked up at the guy. I have met this guy before, where have I met this guy before. Here probably. “Thanks,” I said snappy my gaze from those ocean like eyes.

“You’re very welcome. Jimmy, Jimmy Fitzpatrick,” he said extending his hand out to me.

“Aryn-“ I began before I was cut off by the roar of my brother’s dirt bike coming up to us doing a wheelie. “Show off,” I muttered under my breath.

“That’s Potter for you,” he said smiling.

“Yeah, he’s more brother,” I groaned.

“Oh, oh Aryn!” he said letting it dawn on him who I was.

“Yeah the last time you saw me I wasn’t as hot right?” I asked rolling my eyes.

“Yeah, well, you’ve grown up more,” he said covering up what he was trying to say.

“Yeah, that’s what a lot of men have said,” I said shaking my head and stepping down from the foam pit.

“Rawr!” I heard Collin Morrison say and do a cat scratch like manner.

I just flipped him off and sat down on a rock that wasn’t very dirty. The rest of the time I watched the boys doing tricks after tricks in the foam pit and on the track. I felt someone sit by me and looked over to see Brian. I smiled over at him, “how have you been?”

“I’ve been good. The kids miss ya,” he said. “How are you doing?”

“Good, been busy,” I said smiling.

“Yeah modeling does that to you,” he said nodding.

I nodded and looked out at the riders and saw someone go down and over the bars landing in the dirt. Pushing myself to the feet I ran over to who lied on the ground. Watching as the guys talk to the rider who was no sitting up someone asked, “what hurts?”

Through his helmet he muffled, “my wrist.”

Someone turned his wrist slowly to show the broken wrist guard and the small deformation in the wrist. “Looks like you’re going to the hospital,” I said softly to him, Jimmy to be exact.

He sighed and tried to pulls his helmet off but couldn’t. The nice person I am reached over and helmet him pull his helmet off and took his goggles from him. “Whose driving?” he asked looking at everyone.

“I’ll drive ya man,” Todd said speaking up.

Jimmy nodded and stood up holding his wrist to his chest. Walking up to the truck and sliding in Todd, Jimmy and I were all on the way to the doctor’s. Jimmy held his phone to his ear with who I assumed was his doctor. I sat silent in the back not knowing what to talk about. This made for a silent ride to the doctor’s office. Todd went in with Jimmy but I decided to sit in the truck waiting for them. That didn’t feel like it was really my place to be at right now. I sat on my laptop in the parking lot with the AC on keeping me from dying in the hot summer sun.

The boys returned and Jimmy had indeed broke his wrist. Poor guy was so bummed. I didn’t know what to say neither did Todd. Whatever we said he’d just nod his head at us. Pulling up at Jimmy’s place we let him out and when they said that the guys would bring his stuff to his place later. Watching as he disappeared into the house we headed back to Deegan’s to get Todd’s bike and go back home.

The sun was setting and Todd ordered us some pizza and we sat watching TV till it was late then we went to our rooms and called it a night…

Maybe I’ll see Jimmy tomorrow. He was kind of cute…