I Woke Up in a Car

The four days I was spending with the rest of the team in Colorado was crazy. Between actually learning how to snowboard, falling, and managing John, making arrangements, talking to sponsors. Before we knew it we were going back to Verdi, landing in Reno. My phone was abuzz with messages no sooner had I restored it from the "Airplane" mode it had been in.

More prominently was the voicemail from Eric. I listened to it quietly on the way back. "Hey babe. Miss you. I, um, I am sure you been busy, just miss the sound of your voice. When you get a break, call me. Miss you. Bye." The call ended.

I felt like shit all of a sudden, I had promised to keep in touch with Eric and between learning everything and having to get new Burton clothes, I had let my commitment fall by the wayside. It wasn't like me and, well, it needed to be fixed. Even though I was still in the car with John, I called Eric anyways. The phone rang and rang. Finally it clicked over to Eric's voice-mail, so I left a message, "Hey babe. I'm with John, we're heading to his place for a few days and then we're heading up to Alaska for a little while, he wants to do some filming. Not sure how long we'll be up there. John says there's no cell service up there so, hopefully I can catch you before we go. Miss you. Bye." I hung up the phone and sighed, rubbing my head.

John just kept quiet on the drive, "You sound like you miss him." John finally spoke as we pulled in to the drive and we started to unload his truck.

I nodded a little. I'd only really ever worked with Eric but I couldn't imagine that John would be much different. "Well, I do." I said as we started to take things into John's house.

John's house smelled of delicious food and I could hear a TV on. I was perplexed, I thought this house was all John's and no one else's. Maybe I was wrong. John brought the last bag in and chuckled, "Come on, I'll show you to your room." John said.

"Oh, Okay." I said, peering around to the kitchen. The house seemed different. It seemed lived in compared to the last time I had visited.

John grabbed my bags and started carrying them up the stairs. "Come on." He said with a laugh from mid-way.

Confused I looked up and laughed, following him. John continued and once we were both atop the stairs John headed for the master bedroom. I was slightly perplexed but I let him set my bags down anyways. "The master?" I asked, confused, "John we can't share a bed." I said quietly. Well, we could, but some people wouldn't find it very cute nor funny, no matter how platonic it was.

John shook his bed, "Nah, we can't." John set my bags at the foot of the bed, "So I'm taking the room down the way, it's not a big deal."

I shook my head, "John, this is a big deal. This is your house." I said, "I can't take your room. Not at all, not one bit." This was ridiculous. No way was John giving up his bedroom just for me. It was dumb, it was his house. "You're being silly. I'd rather share the bath with the other guys or at least take the other bed."

John shook his head, "No, you're stuck in here. I'm not letting you." John smirked, stepping to me. It was really intimidating because JOhn was pushing Six-feet tall so he towered over my small frame. "Besides, we're leaving for Alaska in a few days and you better treasure having to not share a bathroom with a pile of other dudes." John laughed, "Just enjoy it. It's just a few days."

I sighed and nodded, pushing at his chest. "Fine, Jerk." I said, though I pouted up at him as he just stood there laughing. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head, "Hey. Hey." I said, backing away from him a little, "None of that kissing me on the head stuff. I'm growing up now." I laughed.

John left and I began to settle in. I didn't really unpack my things. I spent most of the day organizing my things and, well, sleeping. John came up to get me for dinner and found me fast asleep but he woke me up. I joined him and his housemates, all nice guys, for dinner and then a fire.

We were outside by the fire pit, John's roommates telling embarrassing stories about the older Jackson, when my phone buzzed and Eric's picture popped up, "I gotta take this, excuse me." I said, excusing myself from the fire as I answered, "Why hello there sexy." I said, heading down off the wall and into the grass towards the river.

It was though Eric's voice was quiet, as though he was calling in secret, "Hey." He paused, "God I missed the sound of your voice." he sighed, "I miss you."

I couldn't help but smile to myself, he sounded so sincere on the phone, "I miss you too. What have you been up to?" I asked, curious as to how his days since we parted New York had been.

Eric sighed, "Rachel is hell. I.. I'm not even supposed to be calling you. If she finds out I called, she'll kick my ass." Eric sounded genuinely scared and, well, it made me laugh a little.

Rachel, while we both knew she wasn't exactly something to be messed with, it was hard to imagine her kicking his ass, "You mean to tell me she's banned you from calling your girlfriend, how.. how does that work?" I asked, confused.

Eric's voice was heavy, "She runs my life. She can make it hell. Trust me, you don't wanna know." Eric sighed, "I wish you were here so much, I miss you. You're gonna have os much fun in Alaska with John and those guys. I know it." He paused, "Watch the Northern lights, you'll love it."

I smiled, "I'll be sure I'm thinking of you when I do. I promise. I miss you and I wish you were here. Your brother has an appointment for his knee tomorrow so I'm sure it will go well. He seems to be excited." I kind of felt like a jerk after I said that. Here I am talking to Eric and all I can talk about is his brother.

Eric cleared his throat, "Yeah, text me, let me know how it goes and I'll try to get back to you." I could hear a noise in the background, "Look, I gotta run. I miss you, have fun in Alaska, I'll talk to you when I can." and just like that Eric was gone and the call was over.

I looked at my phone and sighed, with a frown. At least I got to talk to him. I retreated to the fire and curled up in a chair, smiling and pretendng that the whole phone call with Eric wasn't bothering me. Who was this bitch to be controlling who Eric could and could not call. Although, I figure, at the very least, she held his phone on the mountain and at any of his events so if he was missing my calls, I figure it was all her.

We all retired to bed. The next morning I was up early. I guess it had to do with the fact that we'd been an hour ahead and so the normal eight am wake up there was seven am here. I could smell coffee downstairs, clearly I wasn't the only one up. None theless I started the water for the bath in John's room and lit the candles, hope he didn't mind. I was in need a of a nice warm soak. I figured it would be the last one before the Alaska trip.

I found a bit of bubble bath soap and poured it while the bath was filling with warm water. I grabbed a towel and set it nearby and then stripped down to nothing before settling in, my hair pulled up so as not to get wet. It was nice. The water was warm, and nice. and, well, I couldn't remember the last time I had a proper soak. I smiled and closed my eyes just a little.

I was so relaxed, between the scent of the bubbles and the scent of the burning candles. I nearly forgot that I was not in my own private bath. I sighed and sank furthur in to the tub, I was close to sinking happily under the water when I heard the turn of the bedroom door and John's head poked inside. He must not have seen me so I watched as he crept in slow and quiet, he headed to his dresser to grab a change of clothes.

He was almost to the door when I laughed from my position in the tub. He looked my way and then turned away immediately, "Well.." He paused, laughing some, "This is awkward." He said, back to me though he walked backwards close to me.

I giggled, "John, you didn't even notice I was here. Besides, I'm covered with bubbles. Not going to see anything." I said softly. Was I.. No, I wasn't flirting, well, not intentionally.

John chuckled, "You're kind of my brother's girlfriend, I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate me seeing you in such an intimate setting." John said, his hands resting on his hips a little as he continued not to face me.

I rolled my eyes, "Well, he'll have to get over it. We're going to Alaska and I'm sure it's going to be a tight squeeze so at some point I'm sure you'll see something." I said, "Really, it wouldn't be this big of a deal if I was a dude." I pointed out.

John laughed and turned to face me, clothes still in his hands, "If you were a dude, this would be ten times more awkward." he said, reaching over to a knob on a far wall and turning on some jets.

I blushed as the jets started to swirl and create more bubbles. John seemed more comfortable, which, you know, if we were going to be sharing close quarters we would have to be comfortable with each other. "If I was a dude, it would be scary." I said, blowing some bubbles at John, watching them land on his lap as he sat on the edge of the tub.

John laughed, "You've got a sweet set-up with the bubbles and the candles here." John said, scooping up some bubbles and blowing them at me.

I laughed and closed my eyes as some landed on my nose, "I figured I should get in a warm bath before there's no hot water left." I said smirking, remembering the advice I had been given in Colorado, "It's nice to soak for a while."

John nodded, "Maybe I'll have a soak later after the doctor's appointment." He said with a smile, letting his hand swirl along the top of the water a bit.

I chuckled, "Well, I promise I won't walk in on you since I've got a bevvy of arrangements and calls to make that will be keeping me plenty busy. I promise." I said, watching his hand on the surface of the water.

You could feel the tension in the room, you could have probably cut it with a knife. So many things weren't being said that probably should have. Instead we just seemed to leave them be so unresolved. I was sure that we both thought if we ignored what was happening it would go away. It honestly felt like we were doing some sort of delicate dance and we were tiptoeing. All because I wasn't available, which, was completely true.

We both knew that I had been and would be just a convenience for John. That it was only because I was here, not because of me. Though, really, it could have been a whole lot of both. John left me to my bath which I finished shortly after. The ride to his doctor was quiet. I sat in the waiting area while he went back. I hated doctor's offices, I assume that it was a given with everyone. They just.. usually always smelled.. funny. Well, that and the fact that I always seemed to be the one who got sicker after a doctor's visit.

After the visit we returned back to John's house, mostly to pack and prepare for the early flight out of Reno. I made all kinds of phone calls, e-mails, and text messages. I printed our tickets, arranged for transport, and confirmed all of our travel itenerary. We were going one-way Reno to Seattle to Alaska where we would then take a small charter plane to our final destination where we would be staying for.. well, however long John wanted to stay for. It could have been days, weeks, or months. There was no telling how long we'd be there, be stuck together there for.

I knew that as awkward and as tense as the whole bath incident had been, it was going to only get more tense until someone, something had to give. It was only going to be a matter of time.