Like Fire & Gasoline

As James drove home from the beach that night, his mind was racing. What had happened? He couldn’t remember the last time a girl had turned him down, or said anything like that to his face. Lately, the girls were throwing themselves at him. He saved her life; didn’t the whole knight-in-shining-armor garbage make girls swoon?

He saw the passing speed limit sign illuminated in the orange glow of his headlights, and immediately checked the speedometer. He was going ten over. Oops. He gently stepped on the break, watching the neon arrow return within a five-mile range. He’d already been rejected, getting pulled over and ticketed did not sound like a fun after party.

By the time he pulled into the garage at the apartment he split with Logan, it was nearly ten. He saw Carlos and Kendall sitting on the couch, captivated by what looked like an intense round of 007 with Logan. He slammed the dark oak door behind him, kicking off his sandals. The only thing the temper-tantrum earned him was a quick glance from Logan before the others continued on their bloody, merciless, battle. Rolling his hazel eyes, he stormed to his room, slamming that door as well. By the time he emerged ten minutes later, the game was finished, and he was now wearing jeans and a plain black T-shirt.

“So, you wanna tell us what all the dramatics were about?” Logan asked, his insightful brown eyes following James as he took his seat next to him. The two were close; from day one they had bonded over surfing and snowboarding.

“Do you remember the girl I was telling you about?” James asked, and was met with three sets of blank stares.

“Dude, you’re gonna have to elaborate,” Carlos prodded after a moment, and James rolled his eyes.

“The one from the other night, with the drunk guy? The one I saved?” He waited until they all nodded before going on. “Well, I saw her at the beach today.”

“Here we go,” Kendall groaned. James acted as if he didn’t hear a word.

“She didn’t remember my name. She didn’t know who I was!” James exclaimed, and Logan patted him on the shoulder.

“Sorry, that’s rough,” he said, but James shook his head, his long, chestnut locks ruffling themselves.

“You don’t get it. That’s not the worst part. When I asked her on a date, she said no.” The room filled with silence. The other three exchanged glances, while James waited for some sort of response. It was Kendall’s voice, or rather laugh, that cut through the air.

“Congrats. There’s a girl on the planet that doesn’t think you’re gorgeous,” he chuckled, but his features turned somber after seeing the looks the others were giving him.

“Kendall, I get this might be a habitual occurrence for you, but this is unthinkable for me,” James snapped, and Kendall rolled his jade eyes.

“You’re upset about getting turned down, I get it. But you don’t have to take it out on me,” Kendall countered, running a hand through his sandy hair.

“My bad. But what can I do? I really like her,” James mumbled, and Carlos raised a raven eyebrow.

“That’s what you said about Jenny. And Callie. And Abby,” Carlos said quietly, then cringed, as if waiting to be hit. James blinked a few times, his long tawny lashes tickling the skin below his eyes.

“I remember Jenny, but who were the other two?” he asked sheepishly, which resulted in a simultaneous groan from the other three.

“Old James would’ve remembered their names,” Kendall muttered under his breath, and Logan shot him a warning glare. Lately, all they seemed to do is fight. James had really allowed the fame to get to him, and Kendall wasn’t going to stand for it.

“I get it, I’m a douche. But Bridgette, she’s different. How do I get her to give me the time of day?”

“Maybe Kendall’s on to something,” Logan said softly. James looked up at him, not knowing whether to be mad or curious.

“Wow, for once, we’re acknowledging that I really am right? The apocalypse must be coming,” Kendall said, sarcasm dripping from his every word.

“This can’t be a good sign,” James grumbled, but still watched Logan’s face, waiting.

“What did she say when she…turned you down?” Logan said, trying to put it nicely.

“She said something about my attitude,” James said, his face turning crimson as he recalled the chiding he’d received.

“Then maybe you need to find some of the old James, and bring him back,” Logan said carefully, and they all watched James.

“What do you mean, old James?” he asked, annoyed. It seemed to him that’s all they muttered about when they thought he wasn’t paying attention.

“We mean, as much as this whole Hollywood James is great, really,” Kendall started in his sarcastic tone. “The James that remembered girls names, the one who only dated one girl at a time—scratch that, the one that actually dated a girl instead of just using her, the one who didn’t think he was hotter than Brad Pitt, maybe you should find him again.”

“Way to be blunt,” Carlos chuckled, trying to hide it by biting on his thumbnail. James rolled his eye, but turned to Logan. It was his opinion that he trusted the most.

“Logan, is what Kendall’s saying true? Or is it just more of his ‘I-can’t-get-girls-so-I’m-funny’ comments?”

“I take offense to that,” the blond protested, but James shrugged the comment right off his toned shoulder.

“Well, James. Ever since we started really getting famous, you have been a bit…egotistical.”

“Egotistical? He’s been a total jack—“ Kendall started, but Carlos hit him in the face with a red throw pillow. After that, all that could be heard were his muffled complaints.

“James, you haven’t been all that great to be around lately,” Carlos admitted. James stared out the window for a few moments, processing. Carlos was always the last one to complain, if ever. Hearing him say that was like a bucket of ice water poured on his pretty little head.

“I had no idea,” he whispered, looking down at his hands. He wrung them together, trying to grasp what had happened. He always swore he’d stay grounded.

“Well, now you do,” Logan said, giving him an encouraging smile. James nodded, leaning against the black cotton material of the sofa.

“I’m in, I mean, I’ll help you get this girl. I already like her. She managed to deflate your ego and send you back to Earth,” Kendall said with a sweet smile. James made a face, but gave no smart-ass retort.

“I’ll help you too,” Carlos volunteered. James lips twitched at the corner, almost giving a partial smile.

“Bro, you know I’m in,” Logan added, and as James turned to the three smiling faces, he couldn’t help but allow the grin to spread. He was truly lucky, and so stupid for only realizing it now.