In Love With a Stripper

(Jynx’s POV)

I sat across the table from Brian. We’d run into each other as I was heading toward Robbi’s building. He came storming out and caught my attention. I could tell he was mad and that it had something to do with Robbi. So I asked him if he wanted to come talk.

“So what’s going on that you just stormed out of Robbi’s?” I asked.

“She broke up with me again,” he said slamming his hand on the table and making me jump.

“What did you do?” I asked. He cocked his head to the side. “Well I know Robbi wouldn’t break it off with you if you didn’t do something else stupid. So what did you do?” he rolled his eyes.

“I screwed up okay. The night she and I broke up in LA I slept with Lucky a few says later. She called me. I guess one of the guys gave her my number…”

“Probably Zacky, I’m going to kick that boy's ass the next time I see him,” I told him.

“You better not and calm down Robbi’s not going to blame me for you being stressed out,” he said and I took a deep breath.

“So,” he looked like he was second guessing his decision to tell me the rest of the story. “Okay I promise to calm down. I know she wouldn’t be pissed if she just called you.”

“Well I was really drunk and…I don’t even remember doing it…” he tried to explain.

“Quit stalling. No better yet let me just tell you what happened. She said she’s pregnant and its yours. Right,” I asked.

“Yeah,” he ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I swear I was only with her that once and I was so drunk that I didn’t even realize it happened until I woke up next to her.”

“Well first off,” I reached across that table and smacked him across the face. “Stop screwing up all the time. Second this isn’t the end of you and Robbi just a short break. Third I’m going to help you get her back and keep her.”

“Why would you do that?” he asked rubbing his cheek. “I mean don’t you think she’s right?”

“I don’t know what she said so I can’t tell you if she’s right or wrong,” I explained. “So what did she say?”

“She said that she thinks we should just be friends for a while.”

“Well you’re lucky I would have told you that I never wanted to see you again. That girl was always too nice for her own good. Here’s what you should do. Go to Lucky and demand that she have a DNA test. Demand that she go to a doctor you trust to tell the truth. Be sure to tell Robbi so she knows you’re not just giving up on her. Plus you want to make sure that this other kid is actually yours and not somebody else’s."

“Won’t that just set her off again?”

“No, she’s just spooked. Every time you guys are happy something happens to screw it up and most times it’s your fault.”

“Hey I resent that,” he said in mock hurt. I just shrugged my shoulders.

“But it’s true.”

“Okay, but you still didn’t answer my question. Why are you helping me?”

“Because you ass, my best friend for some reason is in love with you. I’m doing this more for her than you. I know she won’t be happy until she’s living in that house with you and holding your baby.”

“You know I always did like you,” he looked around where we were sitting. “Hey where’s the security detail, better yet where the hell is Gerard?”

“Oh,” I smiled. “I ditched them and him.”

“Are you crazy?”

“No I’m sick of being followed by three huge men and a medium sized man who thinks he’s my mother,” I snapped. “Do you know he told me that I wasn’t allowed to leave that house? That he thought it would be best if I stayed home and Robbi came to me? That’s just fucking ridiculous.”

“He may be right. You know as well as I do that Jared is still out there and still dangerous,” I could tell I’d upset him.

“I know, but I don’t think he’d be stupid enough to show up any time soon. I mean I just got out of the hospital last night. No one knows but us.”

“News travels faster then you think,” I watched him look around again as though Jared was going to jump out like the boogey man.

“Not that fast my friend. Look you go and talk to Lucky. I’m going to go talk to Robbi and try and get you back into her good graces. Oh just so you know there will be a lot of name calling most of which will be at your expense.”

“I’m not going to just leave you here,” he sounded outraged that I would even think such a thing.

“What do you care,” I asked.

“Robbi cares so I care,” he said with a smile.

“I’ll be fine Robbi’s is right down the block,” he gave an exasperated sigh.

“Look, just let me walk you there. Okay?” he pleaded.

“Fine, you can walk me if you like,” I stood from the table and quickly headed toward the door. I could hear his foot falls close behind me, but I didn’t turn to see if he was following. I didn’t want to admit it, but I was starting to see why Robbi loved him so much. Sure he was a little immature and irresponsible, but he cares. He cares a lot. We walked the whole block in silence and when we arrived at her building he insisted on following me to the door. I didn’t fight him or anything just trudged up the stairs slowly listening to his foot falls. Finally as I stood outside her door and took out the spare key she gave me.

“Oh so you get a key?”

“She has a key to my place,” I said simply.

“Okay, I’ll leave you here. I’m pretty sure that she won’t want to see me. I’ll give her a call tonight before after I get back home from talking to Lucky.”

“I hope that kid's not yours. I mean it just wouldn’t fit the plan.” neither of us had to say anymore. He just turned and left and I went inside of Robbi’s apartment. “Robbi?” I called out walking through each room.

“I’m in here,” I could hear that she was still crying.

“Oh Robbi,” I said running to the bedroom. I saw her laying across the bed with her face streaked with tears. “What happened? What did that bastard do this time?” I decided to let her tell me her side of the story. She cried through the whole thing all the while telling me that it wasn’t his fault and that she wasn’t mad at him. “Come on and I’ll cook something for you okay,” Itold her.

“I’ll just eat some fruit. Jynx I just think we need to take a break and get to know each other before we go any further. I mean I feel like we are doomed.” she said confirming my suspicions.

“You two are not doomed you just need to stick together alone. Stop having all his friends around all the time. I think the only reason Gerard and I aren’t in the same boat is cause his friends have boundaries and Brian just hasn’t figured out how to set them yet. Just give him some time and don’t give up on him. He makes you too happy for that,” she smiled at me.

“Thanks jynxie. I needed to hear that.”

“No problem that’s what friends are for.”

“Hey where’s Gerard?”

“He’s…uh…at home?” I said.

“Where are your body guards?” I couldn’t think of a good exscuse so I just kept quiet. “You ditched them? Are you crazy?”

“They were following me everywhere and Gerard demanded that I stay in the house. They have all lost their minds and I really had to talk to you because my mother is dating in my father…”

“What?”

“I know that’s crazy right?”

“Seriously what were you thinking coming here alone?”

“Are you listening?” I said thinking she missed the point.

“Yes and I think you should really call Gerard right now he’s probably worried sick.”

“He’s left 20 messages on my cell phone and that was about an hour ago when I turned it off.”

“Jynx!”

“My mother is dating my father,” I yelled back. She looked at me like it was the first time she was hearing what I’d said.

“What!”

“That’s more like it,” I said. “She was talking on the phone and saying that the guy couldn’t meet me. Well that guy was my father only I thought she was saying it cause she was ashamed of me being pregnant and all. So I got upset and then she said that wasn’t it, but that she knew it was a bad idea for me to meet him.”

“So what if they work out and they get married. You just won’t ever meet your own father?”

“I’m over needing to be daddy's little girl and he’s just going to break her heart again. I already told her that I’m not going to meet him. I’m not going to call him daddy. I’m not doing any of that shit…” I said standing up and stomping my foot.

“Jynx calm the fuck down before I call Gerard and make him come take you to the doctor,” I took a deep breath.

“It’s just weird is all,” I said simply. I couldn’t help but notice that she didn’t seem as upset as me.

“Maybe you should give him a chance. I mean you weren’t old enough when he left to even know what was going on. So maybe he did have a good reason for leaving.”

“So how long are you going to stay broken up from Brian?” I asked hating that she wasn’t upset like I was.

“Look I know that you’re upset, but you really need to stop living in the past. You let it hold you back for a long time with Gerard and now you’re going to do it again with your mother.”

“I…I’ll think about it.”

“Now I’m going to call Gerard,” she said looking at her cell phone. “I’ve had this thing off for most of the day and now that I’ve turned it on I have about twenty voicemails…” just then the phone rang. She rolled her eyes. “She’s here and she’s fine,” then she turned to me and handed me the phone. “Its for you,” I shied away from the palm sized cell phone knowing that I was in for a tongue lashing. “Take your medicine,” she said thrusting the phone into my hands.

“Traitor,” I said to her back as she walked away.