The fresh air was welcoming. It was cool and still raining. He slipped a black beanie on his head and slipped his thin hands into his coat pocket. He needed somewhere quiet to sit because she had made him feel sorry and that wasn’t something he was accustomed to. Alexander McLean didn’t want to feel sorry, at least sorry for not wanting to give whatever she would consider a “relationship” a try. It had hurt enough that she had questioned his sexual orientation in front of the guys. They had laughed it off but it was beginning to become discussed a lot because of his refusal to bed her and it was pissing him off. The party incident was her fault. But was she going to apologize? Probably not, because the great Jonna LaSal never apologized. Not for leaving her poor parents in France to come and pursue a musical career here in the states. She never apologized at chasing half his girlfriends away. And for some reason, he put up with her.
He had found his hell’s angel on the earth. She was beautiful but not for him.
Her hair changed too little, and she didn’t have a tattoo. She was always at church and she always tried to annoyingly convince him to go. Was it okay to believe there was a God but not to really care? He didn’t know, but it wasn’t a first priority. She wasn’t either and it was getting harder and harder for him to make her to understand. Why couldn’t they still be friends? It really wasn’t about the tattoo, or church, it was about her self respect. She was still a virgin, maybe? He didn’t know. He didn’t necessarily agree with her celibacy to whenever (he assumed never) but she drank a lot and she was clingy. She was extremely shy if she didn’t know you. So he turned out being the only person who knows her. He hasn’t seen her parents in years ever since she ran away for New York nearly topping ten years ago when she was thirteen. She had paid a couple of friends to make her a fake and it had apparently worked. She never told him how she got through airport security only that she had a fake id. It was a delicate issue to her so he didn’t press.
He had called her an approximate forty-seven times after the party. Mostly to vent off anger toward her. Near the thirtieth phone call, he began to enquire about the safety of driving drunk and then the sentencing period she could face. Mel Gibson was a celebrity and his case would be treated as one. He’d never serve jail time. It was Mel Gibson and she was a simple citizen with a bad temper and a soon to be hang over either in jail or in her bed.
She never returned the messages and it worried him somewhat but then again, not at all. She was Jonna LaSal and she was a big girl…at least for the most part. She could also manage herself…at least for the most part. It made him furious at her when she did stupid stuff and then brushed them off. Like getting her tongue pierced and not checking out the piercer which gave her tetanus and then she was hospitalized for longer than he wanted.
He slipped a cigarette from his pocket and slid it in his mouth. He flicked his lightered and inhaled. It calmed him remarkably and he began to focus again. His intellectual thinking with quick thoughts and a slow reaction time, as he found himself slamming roughly with a woman holding shopping bags was beginning to get the best of him.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He mumbled and he began to retrieve her things from all over the ground. She looked up and he could swear she had the bluest eyes he had ever seen. She smiled underneath her sun hat even though there was a beautiful sunset down near the beach area. The rain was now a small drizzle as the clouds had begun to fade and the sky was a brilliant pink.
“I’m Evelyn.” She said flashing her teeth that were pearly white. She was rich, he could clearly tell.
“I’m A.J.” he said offering her a hand after he placed all the things that had once been on the ground into the shopping bags. She accepted it and he pulled her up gently. She took the bags all the while starring into his eyes. Her thumb signaled to a café across the street.
“There’s Starbucks across the street…if you’re not going anywhere.” She suggested. He watched as her blonde curls bounced with a slight turn and tilt of her head. He love her button nose and full lips with her big blue eyes that were more intense than capped ocean waves. There was something innocent and naïve about her that he caught onto. It was like she was new to the real world. Like there in their meeting for only a minute, she was just being let go by her parents. Something weird at least close to it.
“Yea, yea, I have nothing to do.” He said staring at her almost awestruck. She was so beautiful, like a model. She grinned noticing the attention. She began across the street and he followed. They entered Starbucks and she ordered a Mocha Frappaciño. He just got the same and a cookie. They sat at a table and she began to eat the Mocha instead of drink it with a spoon. He raised an eyebrow and she laughed.
“I know it’s weird but I eat it with a spoon. I have sensitive teeth.” She smiled brightly. He chuckled lightly. “So tell me about yourself.” She began.
“Well, my name is Alexander I bestow upon you the honor of calling me A.J.” he said and she laughed. “I’m twenty-four and I’m an aspiring musician and photographer. I don’t work for anybody but I sell my art commercially and that’s how I live.”
“Does it feel like you’re on the edge?” she asked grinning dangerously at him. He laughed rubbing his lip.
“Kind of. You’re living off your work so I guess it would be.”
“That’s hot.” She giggled. He smiled still hypnotized by her eyes.
“Tell me about yourself.”
“I’m a rich, spoiled brat who just turned nineteen. I hope you don’t think I’m too young because baby,” she said flashing three fifty dollar bills, I can take care of myself.” He laughed.
“Alrightly then.” He responded. The smile faded from her face and her brow creased. “What?”
“She keeps starring at me.”
He turned and saw Jon. He looked her directly in the eyes and she disappeared around the frame of the building. She reappeared walking into the café. She sat down in a chair slamming her guitar on the table knocking the mocha onto the nineteen year old’s lap.
“Why did you leave forty messages on my answering service.”
“Forty seven to be approximate.” He shot knowing her game of chase the potential girlfriend away.
“Thanks for the math but I don’t care.”
“You know, that stunt you pulled up on the stage, it wasn’t very cute Jonna.”
“Shut up Alexander. It was a stunt, I was singing for real. It was from my heart.”
“You know, damn it. Why would you want to go out with a gay guy?” he asked sharply. His patience was wearing thin and the girl had stormed to the bathroom.
“I was drunk Alex.” She said emphasizing the words drunk heavily leaning across the table, “I was thinking straight but me confessing my love was real. It was from here.” She said signaling to the left side of her chest.
“Just give it a try damn it. You judge too fast.”
“You’re too clingy Jon. You’re not my type. There, I said it okay. I didn’t want to hurt you but you asked for it. I’m tired of being the damn gentlemen. ”
“You never even acted like a gentleman.”
“And yet you put up with me.” He leaned his back against the seat.
“What now, you’re gonna go fuck with this Barbie doll.”
“That’s it bitch. We’re going outside. You mad because he doesn’t want you anymore.” Jonna popped up from the chair and she turned quickly. Alex slid himself and took her punch to the jaw. He looked at her brown eyes. They had softened and her mouth hung open. He slowly raised his hand to his jaw and rubbed it gently while glaring deeply at her.
“I’m sorry.” She whispered. “It wasn’t meant for you Alex.” She said loudly.
“It shouldn’ of ‘en meant fer anyone Jonna.” He growled back. She looked at the floor and turned away from him. She picked up her guitar and swung it over her shoulder.
“Okay, I’ll leave.” She said softly and she walked out quickly.
