2,948A/N: Got nothing but great news, guys! The first teaser trailer is up now on the Youtube channel and we are in talks with a guy who wants to put us on TV. This is all so very surreal. On behalf of myself and all the gorgeous Jonnie boys, I have to say thank you again!
Now more Jonnie!
Chapter 20: Chiffon Shenanigans
I came home that day feeling low. Jonah was out for the night visiting his parents, so the house was in shambles. But I didn't even comment on the weird smell in the air or the rotting sandwich on the rug when I came in. My face must've matched my mood, because every male in my path got out of my way on my march to the back door.
"Must be PMS," Trent stated to Danny and Sean. They nodded in agreement. They trusted Trent knew about girls more than they.
How could Ryder be so insensitive? Asking if he could go out with another woman on the side and expect me not to care? I don't care if he thought he was protecting me… This was Monika, of all people. He didn't even like Monika, and rightly so- She was a genuine, world-class, state of the art bitch, that's why. And expecting me to be okay with it? Not even discussing it with me? No way. I knew I didn't deserve such treatment. So, why did it hurt so badly?
Because you like the guy, stupid.
Oh yeah, there was always that. Ryder had made such a large impression on me in so little time, both bad and completely amazing. I sure missed him, even though I kept calling him foul names in my head. That just the way I dealt with pain, I guessed. It's how I deal with Road Rage, at least.
The blond man in question, of course, wasn't home yet, so I called my best friend in the world to spend time with me and cheer me up.
"Vinny!" I shouted into the backyard, and my little mop dog came running. It was cold outside, and periodically raining, so it was only humane to bring him inside anyway. I gave him some dog food, made me some tea, and decided I would waste away the day in my bed catching up on homework, or talking on my cell phone. I chose the latter, of course. It was the best way to vent my mind of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.
"We're reducing Ryder to a Harry Potter villain now?"
"Yes," I steamed angrily to April on the phone. "He's just as evil, if not more. Why not?"
"Wow, listen to you, miss Bipolar," April laughed. "Just yesterday you were talking about how perfect he was. I mean, not that I wasn't agreeing with you, but still."
"I know. Let's not talk any more about him. What else is going on with you?"
"Well, I actually was just about to call you myself… you know I have that dance thing coming up, right?"
"Yeah, sure. The frou frou Benefit thing."
"Yeah, right, that one. I know you have quite the selection of prom dresses in your closet from all those events back in your high school days, sooo… Since I am lacking of finances, think I could maybe borrow one?"
"Sure, no problem! I'm a regular Bloomingdale's. Come on over. Want me to pick you up?"
"No need. Lea offered to get me, so would it be alright if she came over too?"
"Lea, as in, Sean's sister, Lea?"
"The same. We bonded at the party. She's turning into my fashion guru now."
"And what am I, chopped liver?" I laughed. "Sure, the more the merrier."
"Alright, we'll be there in twenty. She's going to come get me."
Poor April, having to wait to be chauffeured everywhere. Ah, the life of the license-less. When I got my driver's license, I wondered how I ever got along without it. The world expands into twice its size when you get your license. Such freedoms like you've never felt. One moment you're in a passenger's seat, the next, you're in the driver's with your heart in your throat, the window rolled down, the music blasting and you singing along with everything in you. It doesn't even matter if you like the music or not, it's your car. You can blast the music as loud as you want. The more annoying to on-looking drivers, the better.
"Sean, your sister's coming over!" I shouted down the hall. I heard a crash from the inside of his room, and then he opened his door.
"Since when?"
"Since I'm letting her," I replied. "They're not going to be here for another twenty minutes, so you have time to clean up."
See, Lea was popular, and she was a talker, loving gossip almost more than boys. Since Sean was hanging around with Trent, that made Sean kind of cool by association. (Only kind of.) If ever Lea found out about how geeky Sean still was, Sean's rep would be out the window. He didn't want that. His pride for his Ninja Turtles jammies only went so far.
I heard the front door open, and just knew it was Ryder coming in. I quickly recoiled back into my room. It might as well have been a robber in the house, for how I was acting, listening to his footsteps and my own breathing until the danger passed. I heard the door to his room close, and I deemed it safe to come out. Man, was I ever childish. My dog barked at me insistently.
"Hey now, I least I didn't have to face him, right?" I said to him. Vinny looked up at me with confusion, a blank stare, then barked again.
"Well, you don't have to be so pushy about it."
Yeah, my dog and I have conversations. It's what happens when you live out in Nowheresland, and then move back to civilization. At least I wasn't talking to myself anymore, right? Oh, never-mind...
Vinny followed me to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat, and I put another pot of tea on to boil for when April and Lea got here. I wondered for a moment if I should invite Rachel, but decided against it quickly. She hates girly stuff, and hates being around Trent. I turned around to gaze at Trent, who was watching some reality show in the living room with Danny. As much as I thought Rachel should get over her vast hatred for Trent, and that Trent should learn to get beyond his flirtatious nature, I really didn't think Rachel and Trent would make the greatest of couples, to tell you the truth.
Rachel was stubborn, and would never cease to hate Trent, no matter how gorgeous he was. He went against everything she stood for. If she dated him, she wouldn't be Rachel anymore. She would kill him.
What Trent needed was a girl who would give him a taste of his own medicine, then come back and make him start anew. Then Rachel would be perfect for him. It gave me an idea. I would have to plot it out more, but I kept it in the forefront of my mind.
Trent noticed me staring, and looked up at me with a blank expression. Then he smiled that certain smile.
Oh, crap, I'd done gone and encouraged him. He thought I was standing here staring in admiration.
"Heeey there…!" Trent said slowly.
It was his favorite thing to say when he saw an attractive woman. I think Trent just finally noticed that I was of the female species.
"Trent, I wasn't staring at you."
"Sure looked like it from here."
"You need to get your eyes checked."
Trent got up and began to walk over to me, scanning me down in that obvious way he did. I began to fear for my virginity.
"Why, my eyes are fine, and you are too…"
I didn't feel like dealing with this today.
"Cut it out, Trent," I said. "You know I'm not into you."
Trent shrugged and finally backed off.
"Alright," he retorted. "But you will succumb to my charms someday. No girl is safe."
Danny raised his hand like in a classroom and piped up:
"Sounds like she is."
"Shut up, Danny."
"Thank you, Danny," I replied, and went back to my room to stay until my friends arrived. When the doorbell rang, I went back through the living room to get it.
"Behave yourself," I warned Trent. "I mean it. These are my friends."
"Sure thing," Trent said with another one of his smiles.
I rolled my eyes, and opened the door to let April and Lea inside. Danny seemed surprised to see April, but happy all the same.
"Hey, Cat!" Danny greeted her happily, and April and him embraced while I hugged Lea. Sean emerged from his cleaning frenzy and did the same.
Lea was an extremely cute girl. One of the most beautiful Asian women I'd ever seen. She was very short; about Sean's height of five three, but had light golden eyes and porcelain skin. Her ebony hair was like a silk curtain on her back, her fringy bangs framing her round cheeks just right. Her little pink lips seemed to be stuck in an eternal smile, like a doll. It was easy to see why she had so many admirers.
"Hi, Trent," she said with a shy smile, her cheeks flushing. Trent scanned her down and smiled right back.
Ah… so she had a thing for Trent… The plot thickens. My evil plan now had a pawn. I'd have to make a note to talk to Lea later.
"Com'on, let me show you the dresses," I said, waving them along down the hall like a tour guide. "I already have a few lined up."
Trent, Danny, Sean, and Vinny followed us into my room to observe what was going on, all acting like curious little puppies.
"Dresses? What are the dresses for?" Danny asked nosily. I herded all but Vinny out of the room.
"This isn't for you, boys, get outta here- shoo!" I said, the closed the door on them all and went to my closet. "Now, I have a couple I thought would look awesome on you, Cat."
I pulled out a short red cocktail, a long black strapless, and a blue and white empire waist.
"Personally, I'd go with the blue, since it's a winter formal. The empire waist will make you look like you have cleavage."
April pulled off her shirt to try them both on while Lea fished in the closet more.
"But I like the red better- It's festive," April argued.
"Me too," Trent declared, making April scream and grab her shirt to cover herself.
"Get out of here, you perv!" April screeched, picking up the nearest pillow and hurling it at him. "GET OUT!"
"TREENT!" I shouted, pushing him outside. How did HE sneak in here? Stupid trick lock!
I heard Danny's angry voice outside the door, telling Trent off for spying on his girlfriend.
"Have you no modesty?" Danny scolded. "Wait, don't bother, I already know the answer to that."
I could almost see Trent shrugging his lazy reply:
"Didn't matter- there wasn't much to see anyway."
"Why YOU!"
Then I heard several harsh poundings and exertive grunts from both wrestling parties. It served me right for bringing attractive girls into a boy-dominated house.
"I see what you mean," April said, admiring herself in the mirror with the blue dress on. "It does make me look like I have cleavage."
"Uncle! Uncle!" I heard Danny plea in the background. Trent released him, and Danny came back to poke his head into the room.
"I have avenged your honor, your highness," Danny said with a theatrical bow. April giggled.
"Yeah, right, I whooped your ass," Trent retorted as he went back to the living room to resume his reality TV.
I heard the pot begin to whistle and left to retrieve it. God, I hate it when Jonah's pot whistled. Some people thought teapot's whistling was charming.
I thought it was irritating. Though, it could have just been my foul mood.
"So, what kind of event is this?" I heard Danny ask.
"A Formal Benefit for my school," April replied.
"And college guys can't go?"
"No, they can… I mean, everyone- yes, they can."
"So why am I not going?"
"Well, I didn't think you'd, like, want to go. This guy from my class asked me so I thought I'd spare you and go with him instead."
I smirked. Wrong thing to say to Drama Dan.
"What?! What GUY?! NO way! I am so going. I'll be hanged if I see my girl go off to some prom-"
"Formal."
"Whatever- thing- with some zit-covered, brace-faced, hormonal loser! No, no, no. What dress are you going in? I'm dressing to match."
"To match?" I heard Lea say with distaste. "Ew."
"To match!" Danny said firmly. "Now which one of these chiffon shenanigans is your dress?"
While April and Danny organized their event back in my room, Lea decided to come and see if I needed help with the tea. Trent followed Lea. She noticed and blushed. He was doing that advancing thing on her, not breaking eye contact, like a predator backing a cat into a corner. All Lea could do was gulp and go wide-eyed.
"Oh, yeah," Trent said decidedly, with his most charming smile, scanning her from head to toe. "You'll do."
"You are really cute girl, Lea," Trent said decidedly, scooting aside a lock of hair from her face. "You got nice hair, beautiful eyes, great body… It's just your clothes…"
Lea was slightly offended.
"What's wrong with my clothes?"
Oh, she was walking right into this one…
"They're still on. Hey, you know what winks and screws like a stallion?" Lea seemed confused.
"No…?"
Trent winked.
Lea caught on quickly, her cheeks flushing red.
Thinking quickly, I grabbed the toy squirt gun that Sean kept in the spice rack for emergencies, and aimed it at Trent.
"Bad Trent, bad!" I reprimanded like I would my dog, as I squirted Trent in the face. He wiped the water away and smirked at me as if I were so ignorant it was cute.
"Remember what I told you, rebel leader Jonnie," Trent said, pointing at me as he left the room. "No girl is safe… Not even you… Later, ladies."
"Perv," I muttered. "He's so irritating, don't you think?"
Lea sighed and swooned over the place Trent had left.
"I think he's lovely…"
I frowned at her.
"Of course, you do."
I leaned close to her to make sure I had her attention.
"But you know that guy will drop you as soon as he gets you, right? He's all about the sport of it."
"Yeah…" Lea said, off in her own little world.
"Lea, snap out of it!" I said, snapping my fingers in front of her face. She straightened immediately. "That boy's a menace, and I'm not going to let him hurt any more girls. Not if I can help it."
"Sheesh, Rambo, Trent's right—you are the rebel forces…"
"Darn straight," I agreed. "And I need you to help me beat him at his own game— for lack of a better cliché."
"Oh boy, how?!" Lea said excitedly. "I'd do, like, anything to get through to him."
"Alright, here's what you're going to do. And you have to do exactly as I say…"
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-RedRogue