Chapter Twenty
I'd gone upstairs and dressed in the closest thing to a nice outfit that I had packed, returned to the lobby, and was now pacing by a large plant, waiting for AJ, Rochelle, and my Mystery Friend of Monkee's to arrive. I was trying to decide if I should mention the whole fiasco that was about to unfold when I called Kim the next morning. Would she find it funny, or would she get jealous and pissed off? I ran my hands through my hair and sighed.
The elevator doors dinged and I turned around in time to see the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes upon in my entire life step off the elevator. AJ and Rochelle followed her, and my mouth went dry. This was Rochelle's friend? Oh God have mercy. I could literally feel the scar on my face. It ached, like it was reminding me - taunting me - sing-songing how ridiculous she and I were going to look together out on the town. Like Beauty and the Beast. I pawed at the neckline of my shirt - a button up that I'd tucked into jeans. She was in a cocktail dress. Jesus, like I could be a worse pair with her.
"Yo," AJ greeted me, coming up beside me, "Ben, this is Kris; Kris, this is Ben."
Kris gave me her hand, "Hello Ben." She gave me a funny look, then glanced at AJ.
AJ grinned, "Ben is one of our stage hands."
Kris looked at me again. "Hi," she said again.
"Hi," I answered. My voice came out like a frog's.
"Okay, that said. Let's go!" AJ wrapped his arm around Rochelle, and led her to the doors of the hotel.
Well," I said, "Um.. shall we?" I offered Kris my hand. I felt like I should've bowed and been kissing her knuckles, like she was royalty.
Kris stared at me. "I..." she clutched at the pashmina wrap that covered her shoulders, "Yeah, let's go." She trotted down the steps, following after AJ, her heels clicking on the tile as she went, completely ignoring the hand I'd offered her.
I sighed.
Kris kept her eyes off me the rest of the night. She stared at her plate through dinner, answering vaguely when I asked her questions - like what she did for a living and the like - and excused herself to the bathroom when AJ and Rochelle went to dance. I sat awkwardly at the table alone until a waiter walked by and asked if I wanted more wine in my glass. "Fill it up," I replied, "And keep it coming." As the waiter walked away, I thought to myself if nothing else, I'll drink enough wine to make AJ rue the day he asked me to do this for him.
When the song ended that AJ and Ro were dancing to, they returned to the table. Rochelle looked at Kris' empty chair. "Where'd she go?" she asked.
"I dunno, bathroom," I answered. "Anywhere to get away from me, I suppose." I shrugged. The wine may or may not have been having its way with me.
AJ raised an eyebrow. Rochelle smiled, "I'll um... go... check on her." She took off in the direction Kris had gone in.
AJ sat down. "So."
"So?"
The waiter came by and started to pour wine into my glass again, "That'll do," he said, waving the guy off before he could fill it. He raised an eyebrow at me as the waiter left. "How many of those have you had?"
"A few."
"Ben."
"AJ."
He leaned forward, "I don't understand," he muttered, "She's usually a total riot."
"I told you she wouldn't wanna go out with me," I said.
AJ shook his head, "She's not like that."
"Apparently she is more than you think," I said with a shrug.
He leaned back and rubbed his chin, deep in thought.
Rochelle returned a couple minutes later. She glanced at me, hesitated, then said, "Kris isn't feeling good."
"Told you," I muttered to AJ.
AJ looked up at Rochelle, "What do you mean she's not feeling good?"
"I mean she's not feeling good," Rochelle replied.
"I can go home," I said. "Or - er, hotel. Whatever."
"What's the matter with her?" AJ asked.
Rochelle took a deep breath, "AJ..."
"What?"
"She just doesn't feel good."
"Is she like ragging or something?"
"AJ!" Rochelle and I both snapped at him at the same time. She looked at me, surprised that we'd both responded, then said, "I can't believe you just said that, Alex. God." She rolled her eyes.
AJ rolled his back, "Well dude she was fine before we left and now all of a sudden she's sick? Why can't Ben bring her home?"
Rochelle sighed, "Men are so pointless." She got up and walked back to the rest rooms.
"AJ, it's okay. She can't stand me, it's not a big deal," I said.
"Women are fucking insane..." he muttered. He looked at me, his eyes apologetic. "I'm sorry man."
"Its not a big deal," I answered. AJ sighed. He pulled out his wallet. "J... put your wallet away. You don't seriously have to pay me."
He looked surprised. "I wasn't really gonna pay you anyways," he said. "This is for the cab back to the hotel," he handed me a twenty. "I'll see you later. I'll get you a flight, I promise."
"Thanks." I pocketed the twenty and headed back out to the street. Instead of taking a cab, though, I chose to walk. The night air felt good and honestly ten blocks wasn't that bad of a walk. I was used to trekking all over the place at home, so this wasn't that much different. Other than all the French signs and conversations that I passed by, that is.
I dialed Kim's number when I got back to the hotel and laid down on the bed, staring up at the stucco. It's amazing, I could be a thousand miles from home and still be doing exactly the same thing as I'd have been doing at home. "Hello?" Kim's voice never sounded so sweet coming through the wires to my ear.
"Hey," I said.
A smile entered her voice, "Hey there Stock Boy. How's life on the road?"
"Eh, going okay," I answered, "So I went on a date tonight."
"Oh?"
And I proceeded to tell her all about AJ's whiney-begging and the date with Kris from beginning to end, being careful to emphasize the part where I reminded AJ that I had a girlfriend, and left out the part about Kris being the most gorgeous woman ever to walk the earth. By the time I was done, Kim was seething. "What a bitch," she said.
I sighed, "It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal? Not acknowledging your presence because of your scar? Your scar is beautiful."
"I wouldn't go that far."
"It's a sign of everything you've been through, it's your battle wound," Kim said. Drama was most definitely her forte. "It's beautiful, and that bitch has to make you question your self confidence? Please. She's not worth it, you hear me? Not worth it."
"It was just really awkward," I said with a shrug, "It's not like she outright said something like hey ugly scar face or anything. It just was very uncomfortable. I mean, she took one look at me and just completely shut down."
"I stand by my first judgment," Kim replied.
I smiled. "You're viciously defensive."
"Only about people I care about a great deal," she replied.
"Well I'm glad you care about me a great deal," I said teasingly.
"Me, too," she replied. "Now about the fact that you agreed to a date..."
"Oh boy."
"Next time you go on a date without me, mister, I'll have to be very, very angry."
"Oh?"
"Yes, and then I'll use strong words and brow beat you for many years to come."
"Years?" I asked, "You plan to be with me for years?"
"Mmm.. we'll see. Depends how many more dates you schedule without my being invited."
"Got it." I sighed, "Ah Kim, I wish you were here."
"Me, too. When do you come back to Atlanta?"
"We have Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Houston, New Orleans, and then Atlanta," I replied.
"So tomorrow, yes?"
"Tomorrow, plus ten days," I answered.
"Longest tomorrow ever," she replied.
I smiled, "But I get to see Los Angeles soon."
"You excited?"
"Very."
"I want a postcard," she said, "And a t-shirt. And one of those funny shot glasses."
"Let me make a list."
"Okay. I'll wait while you get your pen."
After Self by Pengi
