The Motivation Proclamation

You wake up with arms wrapped around you, and when you open your eyes you’re looking into Joel’s eyes.
“You’re already awake?” you ask slightly disappointed.
He nods, “I like watching you sleep- you’re beautiful.”
“Don’t- you’ll make me barf!”
He chuckles a little at the comment- “I’m serious Brittany. I don’t know how you got it in your head that you’re ugly- but you’re so far from it, even Benji thinks you’re pretty, and Cashdogg. He said so, I asked him ‘what do you think of Brittany?’ and he said ‘bark-beautiful-bark’.”
You laugh at Joel then kiss him, he kisses you back and you have a mini make out session.
“Joel,” you pull away from his beautiful mouth, “I have to get ready for work.” You see a frown creep on Joel’s face and you kiss him, trying to make it go away. “I don’t… want to… go to… work… but I… have… too.” You say in between kisses.
“Cant… you… call in… sick.” he asks.
“I really… wish… I could… but I’m… on”
“thin… ice?”
“Yeah… thin… ice”
“okay………… now you can go to work.” He smiles and you smile back.
“Thank you very much, now I have a cheesy grin on my face and Pete is going to pester me all freaking day.”
Joel frowns, “who’s Pete?”
"Pete is not only my co-worker but he's pretty much my best friend. I met him the first day I moved out here and we instantly hit it off. We've been friends ever since. You don’t have to worry about us having a relationship- or having had a relationship, he's gay.” Suddenly you give Joel a serious look,“Joel, what’s this?” you motion between him and you.
“What do you want it to be?”
“I don’t know… I like you a lot. But I don’t want people to think that I’m only with you because you have money- everyone knows I’m running out of cash.”
“Who cares what everyone else says. I really like you too.”
“So, then, what is this?”
He thinks, “a relationship?”
“So… are we like- dating? Like just you and me? No one on the side?”
“Yes. That’s what this is. Just you and me. You’re my girl now.”
You look at him with a cocked eyebrow. “Well not in the possessive sense- but you know what I mean.” you laugh and kiss him before climbing out of the bed. “I know what you mean, but I seriously have to take a shower- I’ll be out in like half an hour. If you want to shower then go find Izzy- she can show you the other one.”
“Okay. I’ll do that.”

Finally you get in the shower and half an hour later you’re dressed and heading downstairs for some food. You smell toast and walk a little faster. “Mmmm toast” you say when you see Izzy standing over the toaster.
“Get your own- biatch!” she says, laughing, while raising her butter knife.
“Fine, fine, fine, geez don’t have to get all rude.” you reply, laughing. Then you feel arms wrap around you and you turn around to a kiss from Joel. “You’re… all… wet,” you say trying to get away from him. “Don’t you know how to use a towel?”
“If I used a towel it would take longer to see you -AND- this way I can have a little fun” he shows his big goofy smile and you free yourself from his arms and run around the kitchen before running into the living room.
Izzy just groans. “You guys are so weird.”
After a while of Joel chasing you, you let him catch you.
“Gotcha!”
“True, but it’s time for me to go to work. You want me to drop you off at your place before I go?”
“Yeah I guess so.” The two of you head out and say good-bye to Izzy. When you walk to your vehicle you hear a clicking noise. Looking around you see a guy hanging over the wall taking pictures, you climb into the vehicle like the guy wasn't there then look at Joel. “Is that…”
“Paparazzi…”
“But, why here?”
“I don't know, I guess a few magazines are still interested in me. I only broke up with Nicole a few weeks ago.”
“I forgot about that. How could I forget?” You put the car into reverse and back out of your driveway. Then you turn to head towards Joel’s home.
“Can you come in, just for a little bit? I just want to show you around- I promise it will be quick.”
You look at your watch, “yeah I can do that. I actually left a little earlier than I had to.”
“I wonder why…” Joel says, his smile growing larger by the second.
“Quit!” you laugh and push him with one hand, he counters your attack by lacing his fingers with yours. You pull into his driveway and climb out of the vehicle.

xxxxXXXxxxx

You walk into his home, your hand still in his. He shows you the downstairs then leads you to the upstairs. You stop in front of his room, which is cluttered, and a dog is sleeping on his bed. “You’re such a man.” you giggle, “how is it that the rest of the house is clean- but you’re room is cluttered like this.”
“Well. Whenever I get anything out I take care of it, but nobody sees this room, so I’m more laid back.”
“I see it.”
“Yeah, but I don’t have to impress you…”
“You already did.”
“How?”
“By being you… I like the cluttered look, it’s real.”
“Then why isn’t your place cluttered?”
“Because I’m fake?”
“Nice try.”
“My room mate, Izzy, is a neat freak.”
“But your room is clean.”
“Believe me- I don’t clean it.”
“She cleans your room?”
“Yup.”
“That’s weird.”
“Yeah, but I love her. We’ve been friends ever since kindergarten.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, it’s a long time… but we’ve shared our fights.” You walk over to his bed and pet the dog, “who’s this?”
“That’s Eazy.”
“Oh, yeah, I remember this little cutie.” Then you walk back over to Joel but before you get to him you pick up a shirt that is laying on the floor in front of your foot. It caught your attention because of the yellow word ‘Nirvana’ that was spread out across the black material, “I love Nirvana… makes me seem weird since I don’t own a Nirvana shirt.”
“You can have that one, if you want it, but it needs washed. Bad.” You laugh and go back to Joel. “I don’t want to take your clothes.”
“It’s cool. I’ve got a couple more Nirvana shirts.” He pulls you close to his body and kisses you.
“I can’t get enough of that,” You say laughing.
“Me neither,” and he kisses you again.
That's when you remember work, so you look at your watch- “If I don’t leave now, I’ll definitely lose my job.”
Joel nods and walks you to the front door, when you’re on the front step you turn to face him. “Well, I guess I’ll see ya later.”
“Yeah- most definitely.” You turn to leave but he catches your hand and forces you to face him, smiling you lean in to kiss him, then he pulls you closer to him and he kisses you harder.
“I have to go…”

xxxxXXXxxxx

With a smile on your face you walk to the back room of Starbucks. Five minutes later and Pete walks through the doors, seeing your smile he smiles, “hey- what are you so happy about?” he asks while pulling you into a hug.
“I have a boyfriend”
“Oooooh who is it? Is it the hottie that came in yesterday?” You laugh and pull yourself away from Pete- “Yes, now stop calling my boyfriend a ‘hottie’… you dweeb.”
“Uh! How Rude!”
You laugh and walk out of the room. As you walk past Claire and Morgan you wave and throw a genuine smile towards them.(they’re on the shift before you).
No sooner than you get to the counter does Benji walk in, “Welcome to Starbucks, how can I help you today?”
Benji laughs, “I’m glad I don’t work here- I would hate saying that.”
“Yeah… Well it brings in money.”
He nods, “well I don’t really want anything- I was just wondering if you seen Joel.”
“Yeah I dropped him off at his house a little while ago.”
“Ah, I must have just missed you guys!”
“Yeah… must have… so you don’t want to order anything?”
“Nah- I have to go to a photo shoot today (with Joel) I’m sure they’ll have something there. If not I’ll come back.” He smiles and you smile back. “Can I give you a hug?” he asks you. “Um, sure.” You walk around the counter and hug him then he says bye and leaves.
“That was weird.” You say to Pete who chuckles at the incident.