Make This Last Forever

“Are you going to freaking call her or not?” Jesse asked with an exasperated expression. We had both been sitting in the kitchen of the small hotel room we had rented for two days as I fought with myself over whether or not I should actually call Taylor. “It was your idea in the first place. Just do it.”

“Well, I guess I didn’t really think of it then…” I started slowly. “Now, I’m kind of thinking of all the things that could go wrong. Like…what you said about Danny. She is very protective. And stubborn. She wasn’t ever like that to me…because we were best friends…but she hates me now.”

“Didn’t I say that before?” Jesse asked with a raised eyebrow that was hidden by his hair. “You never listen.”

“Sorry.” I frowned. “I was just so excited. I just wasn’t thinking.”

“Whatever. Don't worry about it.” He put his arm over my shoulder lightly and smiled. “We’ll figure something else out. We can just rent an apartment for now, so we can get out of this stupid hotel. Then we can buy ourselves a house…get married…have three kids-“

“No. We’re going to live with Taylor.” I pulled away from him suddenly, almost causing him to slide off his chair and onto the floor. “We just need to figure out how.”

“Aw. C’mon Bella.” He whined, following me to the area of the room designated for sleeping. “That’s stupid. It’s not going to happen.”

I took a seat on the floor where the bed would have bed if it wasn’t folded up into the wall. I leaned back on the small cot we had requested for Jesse to sleep on and sighed. “It’s going to happen.”

He groaned and took a seat next to me, stretching his legs out and folding his arms across his chest. “Why don’t you just call her then?”

I just sat there, staring blankly at Jesse’s legs, which were significantly longer than mine, but not much wider. He was a skinny boy in the most attractive way possible. Every inch of his skin had at least a healthy undertone of muscle...except his stomach. His stomach seemed to be completely made out of rock with a thin layer of skin taped on over it. It was amazing he was able to obtain such a perfect physique with the little amount of effort he put into excersizing.

“Or you can just stare at my sexy body…” He shrugged against my shoulder and tilted his feet from side to side, admiring his black converse.

“I’m going to call her.” I decided suddenly, starting to stand up to get my phone from the counter in the bathroom.

Jesse grabbed my arm quickly, pulling me back down beside him. “I was joking about the whole calling her thing you know…”

“Yeah, I know. But it’s better than what I was going to say.” I shrugged him off and went to get my phone. I was still looking through my contacts when I kneeled back down on the floor beside Jesse. “Would you look at that? I don’t have her number.”

“Figures.” He shrugged and leaned his head back on the mattress, his hair falling back, leaving his face almost completely visible. One of the very rare occasions that his features weren’t completely shrouded in darkness…

“Oh c’mon Jesse. Please? Get her number for me? I know you can.” I pouted, leaning into him slightly so he could see my face. He kept his eyes trained on the ceiling above us, even as I sat with my chin leaning on the base of his throat. “Please?”

“I kind of hate you sometimes.” He mumbled, shoving me off and snatching the phone from my hand.

I grinned as I watched him quickly punch in a number and hand me back the phone. “I’ll shave my head if it works.”

“No you won’t.” I laughed as I stood up with the phone, listening carefully as it rang.

“Hello?” She answered on the fifth ring.

“Hey! Taylor. What’s up?” I asked excitedly, completely forgetting the fact that we weren’t friends.

“Nothing…Um, who is this?” She asked slowly.

Nice one. Jesse mouthed from his spot on the floor. He was obviously listening in.

“Um, Isabella? Uh, Gaskarth?”

“Oh…Hey…” Her tone changed considerably. It went from a, whoisthisstalkerfreak to fuckthisgirlimgoingtohangup. “How did you get my number?”

“Oh…you know…just asked around.”

Jesse rolled his eyes.

“Okay, well, what do you want?” She asked coldly.

“Um.” I hadn’t exactly planned what I was about to say. “I need to ask you a favor…” I started, but before I even finished speaking Jesse was on his feet and at my side, his hand out, waiting for the phone.

I shook my head and stepped away from him but he simply snatched the phone from my hand and placed it against his waiting ear.

“Hello? Taylor? Hey. It’s Jesse. Yeah. Uh huh. I was wondering if you would like to come hang out with Bella and I this weekend. You can bring Danny if you want.” Pause. “Yeah. I know. But it’ll be fun.” Another pause. “Movies? Dinner? Not sure.” Longer pause. “Well, we’ll see. Yeah. Saturday night okay? Sure thing. Later.”

I watched in astonishment as he ended the call, handed me back the phone, and sat back down on the floor.

“So, we’re going to hang out with her tomorrow?” I asked slowly.

“Yeah.”

“How?”

“How what Isabella?”

“How did you do that? How did you make her agree so easily?” I asked, walking over and sitting on the bed beside his spot on the floor.

“I’m a guide. I can do whatever I want. As long as I don’t break laws. You know that.” He shrugged. “I just had to get into her head a little bit…and…bam. We’re hanging out.”

“What the hell Jesse!?” I smacked his arm. “You could have just done that from the start. You can make us friends! You’re such a douche. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I can’t just 'make you be friends'.” He rolled his eyes as though it was completely obvious. “That’s against the rules. To make people do things against their free will. But I can make them think they want to do something. But only briefly. Right about now…she’s probably wondering what the hell she was thinking.” He grinned to himself. “Now, I need to take a nap or something. I’m really tired for some reason. Wake me up for dinner.”

“Wake yourself up.” I mumbled, escaping to the kitchen to get something to eat. I had the rest of the night to sit here and plan exactly what I was going to say to make Taylor like me again. This could prove to be difficult.

I had been sitting there for probably about twenty minutes when I remembered my earlier idea of finding Skyler.

“Hey Jesse? Can you do me a favor?” I called to him.

No answer.

“Jesse. Seriously. I know you hear me.” I leaned my chin on my fist and waited.

Still no answer.

“Jesse!”

“What?! God. You suck.” He came into the room a couple of seconds later, his hair matted to the side of his head. “I fell asleep for like two seconds and you already need something. What the hell do you want?”

“Can you please, please find Skyler?” I asked in an obnoxiously whiny voice. “I promise I’ll never ask you for anything ever ever ever ever again. Please. I want to bring him to meet Taylor. And then-“

“Then they'll magically fall in love and she’ll be your best friend again because you’re an amazing person and you’ll have Danny again. And blah blah mooshy mooshy crap crap. It’s not going to happen Isabella. Do it yourself. I’m not even your guide. Let me sleep.”

“Aw c’mon Jesse.” I pleaded, following him back to where he had been sleeping. “I’ll do anything you want.”

Famous last words.

“Anything?” He turned to face me with a smirk.

“No...I lied. I think I’ll take my chances without Skyler.” I turned around quickly and started back to the kitchen but Jesse caught my arm.

“I don’t think so. You said it. You said anything.” He grinned stupidly, pulling me into an awkward hug. “You are my slave.”

“EW JESSE!” I pulled away sharply. “I am not. You’re gross.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He laughed briefly, following me with his arms wide open. “You’re making it sound dirty. I just meant you can do my chores. Naked. Just kidding. You get to wash clothes and dishes for the next two months. That’s it. I promise.”

“Seriously?” I paused for a moment on the other side of the room from, seeing as he had stopped moving. “Fine. Deal. Now get Skyler.”

Jesse smiled mysteriously. “But madam. He is already here.”