Want You Bad.

Her eyes widened and she started to shake her head in rejection to my offer, “Oh no, I couldn’t even think of imposing on you guys. I’m fine in my car, really. I mean, I just need a job for a bit so I can get enough money to drive home, so I really don’t need to be somewhere extravagant or anything.” She forced a smile.

I shook my head. I had said I wouldn’t take no for an answer and I meant it. I wasn’t going to let her just live in her car. “You can still find a job while having somewhere to call yours, somewhere safe. You wouldn’t be imposing. The room is just sitting empty, we would love to have someone fill it.” I tried to ignore the aching pain in my heart of my lost friend but it wasn’t as easy as I would’ve hoped. It would be weird having someone else in Daniel’s room but I had no doubt she would be a welcome change in the household.

She looked at me intently, reading my eyes. She nibbled on her lip for a brief moment as her hand reached up to the stud in her lip. “You really mean it, don’t you?” She smiled a bit, her tone telling me she already knew what most fans did about my charitable personality. “It would be nice to sleep in a bed without having to worry about cops, or worse.” I wondered what she considered to be ‘worse’ and how that hadn’t really crossed her mind before. After a minute of her own silent debate, she sighed. “Alright, I’ll take you up on the offer, Mark.” She smiled again and it barely touched her eyes.

I smiled in return and nodded once. “Awesome. Let’s finish shopping and we can go home.” I looked at the can of dry shampoo that she had nearly torn the label off of by this point and frowned. She didn’t have money to go home. How much money did she have? Where was home? I reached forward and gently grasped the can in my hand, taking it from her and putting it in my basket. I pretended to not see the distressed look on her face. “What else do you need?”

She reached for the can, meeting my eyes when I grabbed it as well. “No, I’m not going to take advantage of your kindness. You’re willing to let me, a complete stranger, into your home just so I’m safe. That is especially an example of help I never accept. I don’t have much but I can take care of myself.” There was a stern look in her eyes, like it was her turn to not take no for an answer.

Reluctantly, I released the can and watched her clutch it in her delicate hands; the left one was now missing the engagement ring. I half-smiled at her will to stay independent. It made me glad to see that she was taking things so well after what I imagined to be a pretty nasty breakup. “Alright. But don’t hesitate to tell me if you need any help.”

Despite the almost-convincing smile and nod she gave me, I knew she was didn’t mean it. She was too stubborn to ask for help. I didn’t have to know her well to be able to tell that was a trait she likely possessed. I half expected her to put the can back and grab a bottle of actual shampoo now that she knew she had somewhere to go but she anxiously held on to it. I cleared my throat and reached for a bottle of my preferred color-safe brand and tossed it into the basket. She silently flanked me as I walked out of the aisle. The silence was thick and awkward while I finished my shopping and she grabbed another couple items, holding them strategically in her arms instead of putting them in my cart. Clever girl.

We stood in line to check out, her having insisted on going first so I couldn’t pull another charitable stunt. She looked at the different gossip magazines and rolled her eyes, and it made me smile. I finally decided to break the silence as I had noticed the roots of her hair coming through. “Time to get your hair done again.”

She looked at me for a brief second with a half smile and she shrugged. “I don’t think I’ll be affording a touch up any time soon… What about you, sir? Your hair is starting to look like cotton candy.” She reached out to run her fingers through the tips of my hair.

I flinched back out of habit from fans doing that and chuckled nervously. “Really? I think it looks more like sherbet.” I rubbed the back of my neck and cleared my throat. I wish I hadn’t flinched. To be honest, I kinda wondered if the cliched electricity would course through my skin if she touched it or if I had been reading too much lately.

Her hand hovered in space for another second before it dropped to her side and she shrugged again. “Hm, yeah, I can see that too.” She looked at me for a moment, her gaze guarded, then she turned to the man behind the cash register when he greeted her. They chatted while he rung her up and I couldn’t help but catch him flirting with her, his eyes occasionally drifting downward to her cleavage. I could feel my face burning. She giggled at something he said and I frowned. I had to make a move. Quick as to not catch her attention, I removed the separator from between her things and mine then stepped probably a little to close to her, smiling and chuckling a little at whatever he had said to her. I was in the clear; he scanned two of my items without her catching on to my trick. But that didn’t last long.

“Hey, wait a second, that’s not mi- Mark!” She scowled at me, then she sighed and shook her head. A smile slowly appeared on her face. “You’re impossible.” With a sigh, she stepped out of the way and instead started collecting the bags.

I grinned victoriously and looked at the clerk, whom I barely caught scowling at me himself before he turned his attention to the screen. “That’ll be 75.23,” he muttered while I swiped my card. I finished the screen, took the receipt, then helped Jaime take the bags.

“So, I’ll just follow you to the house then?” she asked, kicking a rock down the aisle she was walking toward to get to her car. She went to argue when I took her single bag of belongings but her smirk was a sign I wasn’t overstepping any boundaries.

I grinned and started walking toward my own car. “Consider it my leverage to make sure you actually show up.” I looked pointedly at the other two bags in her hands, “You have mine so we can do a trade at home.” I unlocked my car and put the bags into the passenger seat, scanning the lot when I lowered myself into my seat. I spotted her and instantly cracked a small smile. What was it about this girl that made me feel so… content? That was putting it lightly. I sighed and shook my head to myself, starting the car. This was certainly going to be an interesting experience.