8. Stole

CHAPTER 8

 

 

 

 

Stole

 

 

 

 

 

     “What’s taking you so long?” Troy barged in my room.

     “I’m just looking for something. I’ll be down in a sec,” I said agitated. I dug through my drawers, worn clothes, everywhere. It has to be here! Where did I place it? Where did I place the necklace he gave me before? I know we’re not like before, but that necklace is really valuable to me. It’s still important to me; I can’t perform without it.

     “What are you looking for? Can’t you look for it when we get back?”

     “No!” I clamoured. Okay, Taylor, relax. You need to think clearly. “I’ll be down in a minute,”

     “We’ll be late!”

     “Wait,” okay, I took an evening bath last night. I put the necklace on my bedside table, then...

     It should be on the bedside table. I hurried only to find it nowhere.

     “What are you looking for?” he repeated.

     “Something,” I can’t tell him that I still have the necklace. It’s kinda embarrassing when you two always fight then all of the sudden, he’ll find that you still treasured something that he gave.

     “Just tell me what you’re looking for...” he said, his voice more calm.

     “Just wait downstairs,”

     “Is this what you’re looking for?” I looked at him to see him holding the necklace; my necklace. He smiled crookedly, as if he’s sure that that’s what I’m looking for. But sadly, he’s right.

     I sighed in relief, and then realized what just happened. “Let’s go,” I took it from his hands and ran down the stairs.

     I sat beside Zoey in the car as Dave, Troy’s personal bodyguard, started the car. I’m not sure if my cheeks are looking hot from the outside, but I can feel them burning right now. I put my necklace on, and then hold it tightly. I knew it. Anything from the guy who’s putting me on trouble will put me on trouble.

     “It’s fine to have a lot of embarrassing moments because that would give us a reason to smile when we’re older,” I remembered Troy saying it to me before.

     “Hey mom, maybe you should call a maid to clean someone’s room upstairs. It seems like a hurricane, wait no, a tsunami drop by to her room,” Troy said sarcastically.

     “Why?” Zoey asked.

     I dug my iPod to my bag and buried the earphone to my ears and listened to its maximum volume. I focused my gaze outside the window to see the great view. People won’t see me anyway, since the glass is extra dark-tinted.

     Mandy texted me, curious on why I’m absent and I just said that I’m not feeling good, headache much. She quickly understands and wished me to get well soon. I just hope Troy wouldn’t text, or better yet, call me. Well, I could respond if he texts me, of course, but once he calls, I would probably turn my phone off.

     I heard Zoey said to Troy, “Take good care of Taylor. I promised her mom I’ll watch out for her, and since I’m not going, you’ll watch out for her,”

     “She’s old enough to take care of herself,” Troy muttered.

     “Troy,”

     “Fine,”

 

***

 

     I thought about what happened this morning again as I sat on the foot of my bed in the cruise ship. What did Troy think about when he found out that I still have the necklace that he gave? I lay down the bed and covered my face with a pillow. Well, he didn’t say anything, and maybe like two years ago, he probably forgot all about it. A voice inside my head said. Okay, no big deal. So he saw my necklace, who cares? It doesn’t mean anything anymore between us, so that means I shouldn’t worry about it. In the first place, I don’t really have anything to worry about.

     I stood up as I heard someone knock. I stood up and fixed my hair as I headed for the door.

     “Hello,” Paulo said grinning.

     “Oh hey,” I smiled. What’s the best way to lighten up my mood than a hottie knocking on my door?

     “Rehearsals,”

     “Right,”

     We reached the lounge of the cruise ship only to find Rob, the stage manager, freaking out. I never really saw him freaking out like this; I know he has a bad temper at times... okay several times, but not like this.

     “Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked.

     “There are some technical difficulties with the sound system, and the lights are all misplaced. And your concert is eight pm tonight. I think I’ll pass out in five minutes,” he shrieked.

     “Oh. You want a smoothie? Or something to cool your head for a little while,”

     “Banana smoothie please,”

     “Okay,”

     We headed to the smoothie bar to get three; of course we need to have one too. We grabbed Rob’s banana smoothie, and I decided to have a strawberry coconut smoothie; I was choosing between peach and mango, but ended with coconut strawberry. Paulo had a blueberry coconut smoothie, since he said it’s his favorite.

     We stayed in the smoothie bar after giving Rob his drink, since we can’t really help in there... okay, so maybe I kinda wanted to talk to Paulo for a little while. But seriously, we can’t really help in the technical stuffs.

     “So, how long have you been dancing? I mean, in the tour, concerts or something...” I took a sip. This is actually good. I never tried it before, since I don’t really like coconut, but since Paulo took the blueberry coconut, why not?

     “Since I was seventeen,” he answered swiftly.

     “How old are you now?”

     “I just turned twenty-one last September,”

     “Four years. That’s pretty long,”

     “Yes. I love dancing; I was dancing since I was three. But my real passion is in photography. Which reminds me, do you want to come? I’ll just take my camera... it’s in my bag,” he flashed his angelic smile.

     “Okay,” I said as I jump off the diner counter stool. We started to walk our way to his suite, him leading the way. The way to his suite was kinda confusing, after taking a turn in the left, then another, and finally a turn in the right. It’s probably one of the farthest suites from mine, I guess.

     “So, who are you sharing with?” I queried, observing the two beds.

     “Matt Daniels,” he said promptly.

     “Right,” I said, though I have no idea whoever that is.

     “This is my camera,” he showed me the same camera Sophie lost when we went to France a few Christmas back; it’s a D90 Nikon. “I’m planning to buy the Canon EOS Rebel T1i, you know, with 18-55 mm IS Lens... and that’s why I’m dancing.”

     “You’re dancing so that you can buy the camera?” I asked as a rhetorical question.

     “Right,” he placed the camera in front of his face, and then took a picture of me.

     “Hey!”

     “Don’t worry, I won’t put it in the internet. I just love taking pictures of alluring views,” he smiled again.

     “That’s a compliment, right?”

     He just chuckled. “C’mon,” he led me back to the smoothie bar. It’s getting a lot spacious than what we left before.

     “It’s been a long time since I’ve been in cruise, so I’m gonna take the opportunity to capture the astounding appearance of the ocean.” He took one shot.

     “Um, can I...”

     “Sure,” he gave me the camera, as if reading my mind. I took the same shot of the coruscating ocean; it seems so undisturbed, hypnotizing. I took another shot, this time of Paulo’s; he’s leaning on the bar, observing the view, and being absent-mindedly gorgeous as the wind blew his messy hair.

     “Do I really look like a museum?” he murmured.

     “What?” I said bewildered.

     “Well, you took a photo of me, and can’t stop staring,” he turned his gaze to me, smirking.

     “Oh,” I felt my cheeks flushing as I looked down to the camera.

     “Just kidding,” he laughed then tucked the strands of my hair that fell just right to cover my face, under my ear.

     I just smiled then buried my gaze in the ocean.

     “Did you know that this cruise ship is the same as the last one I’d been?”

     “Yeah?” I said not looking at him.

     “And here it is,” I turned to him to find him taking a free sample of what looks like a dyed sushi.

     “This is my favorite,” he smiled again, as he walked back to me, now holding a large spoon with the pink-dyed sushi. Okay, up-close, it does not look like a sushi; but I don’t know what to call it, so until he tells me what it is, I’m gonna call it a dyed sushi.

     “Really, why?”

     “Taste it,” he held it a few inches from my face.

     “All of it?”

     “Just take a bite,” his smile never left his face.

     “Fine,” I took a bite and found out that it’s not really sushi. It’s more like a cookie ice cream sandwich covered by a frozen strawberry dip. “You’re right. It’s delicious,”

     “Told you,”

     “So, is there some more free stuff that I need to know or taste?” I grinned.

     “Yes. It’s kinda odd, but they also give fortune cookies, and that’s what I’m waiting for right now,”

     “What time do they give it?”

     “Oh look, there’s Kristine,” he pulled me toward a brunette girl holding a tray of fortune cookies. “Take one,” he said to me.

     I did what he said again, and smiled to Kristine. “When was the last time you were here?”

     “Almost two years ago,”

     “And they still have the same things,”

     “They have some new things, but I still don’t know what it is. I’m gonna find out about it later,” he smirked.

     “Right,” I grinned.

     He opened his fortune cookie and read it aloud. “Great change lies ahead of you,” he sighed. “What’s yours?”

     “You will build a new relationship...”

     “I guess your fortune is already on the go,”

     “I guess so,”

 

 

     We checked back to the others to see if everything’s back to normal. I can tell by Rob’s look that the lights are in their proper places, and that the stage isn’t collapsing. A guy with amber hair called out Paulo while we made sound checks, and rehearsed a few duets. It was surprisingly easy to work with Troy. I should’ve known that music can stop his annoyingness, even for a while.

     Okay, I’m sixteen, so it’s normal if I feel my cheeks burning every time he looks at me while he sings his part of the song. I know that he’s not serenading me, but like a normal teenager would feel, it feels good... okay, more than good.

     Or maybe I just really miss him doing that to me. My most favorite memory of him singing to me was when we were lying on the double rope swing, my head on his shoulder. Like I said, he was my big brother, and we always do that, especially when I was scared or having a cold feet or I just requested it. He didn’t exactly realize that he has an amazing voice until Dylan agreed with me. He always thought that I was just making fun of his voice, though he always grants my wish. And Dylan didn’t precisely know that he’s doing it, though he probably had a clue.

     “Great job everyone,” I said as I drank on my bottled water. I haven’t done a concert with a lot of backup dancers for more than a year now, and I forgot how fun it was with a lot of new friends. Troy wasn’t foreign with all of them, since most of them were part of his world tour last fall.

     They were all easy to talk to, like Paulo. I also met Paulo’s roommate, Matt who I can say the most quirky and humorous of all. Lucas, Tristan and Lewis are the new ones along with Katy, Suzanne and Kelsey. Radley and Gabriella are the shy ones, who just keep nodding, or answer with just one word. Paulo and I keep bothering them, and as much as they say that they aren’t annoyed, action speaks louder than words.

 

 

     The show was great; it was much better than the rehearsals, and everybody made an impressive job. And for the first time, I kinda felt like Troy was my best friend again. I wish it stayed longer, even just for tonight. I can tell that Rob was impressed on the work that he’d done, after being frustrated for hours. The owner of the ship, which also watched our performance, threw a party for her daughter who turned sixteen. It’s her request to have the party with us, but mostly with Troy. The party was held in the rooftop, and there’s one word to describe it; orange. Trust me, citrus maybe color, but it’s pretty blinding. Monique is really an orange addict; even her cake was orange.

     Everyone, from the staff up to us, came; then went straight to the pool. Paulo and I sat on the two vacant white folding chairs in the corner and enjoyed the cold, maybe freezing, air.

     “I wonder how they can stand the freezing water,” I muttered, looking to the others swimming in the pool, as I hugged myself.

     “You look like you’re going to freeze,”

     “Aren’t you?” I cut him off.

     “Not that much,” he flickered to his black leather jacket.

     “Well, not all of us are wearing warm jackets,”

     “You want my jacket?” he offered.

     “No need. I’m kinda succeeding on making myself warm,” I grinned.

     “Right. But I think I should really give it to you, unless I want to talk to an ice sculpture,” he took his jacket and placed it on me. It suddenly felt warm. But of course, after being worn for hours by a muscular man, of course it would be hot. “But your lips are still trembling,”

     “What?”

     “I can also make that warm for you, if you want,” he chuckled.

     “Whatever,” I smirked.

     He leaned to kiss me and stop a few inches when Monique shrieked, “Troy!”

     We both turn our heads to the people crowded in the corner of the pool. We rushed toward them to see Troy lying unconsciously.

     “What happened?” I asked.

     “He dived and did two flips. We were waiting for him to swim up, but he didn’t, so Tristan swam under and pulled him up.”

     “Where’s the lifeguard? And, how deep is this pool anyway?” how can a six footer drown?

     “I don’t know!” Monique cried.

     “Give him a CPR!”

     They were silent for a moment then all looked at me.

     “Oh, come on!” great, my ex-best friend is dying and no one wants to save him.

     Okay, I learned how to do this. tilt his head, then lift his chin and check if breathing, I reminded myself what the first thing you should do. Next, give two deep breaths. Next, position hands in the center of the chest and firmly push down two inches on the chest at about thirty times. I was about to continue with two breaths when I saw him open his eyes, as little as possible. I hate you. I thought.

     “Where’s Miles?” I asked, looking for our gay friend who likes Troy very much.

     “Yes?” he said.

     “Could you give him two breaths? Please?” I pleaded.

     “Sure,” he was about to give him two breaths when Troy opened his eyes and said, “Okay, I’m okay.”

     “I hate you!” I yelled.

     “What?” he asked, trying to hide his smile.

     I pushed him to fall in the pool again. I don’t care if he drowns himself this time. I hate him. I stood up and headed to my suite.

     “Taylor!” I heard him called my name after the large splash of water.

     “Hey, you’re okay?” Paulo asked, suddenly beside me.

     “Yes,” I sighed, “I’m just a bit tired. I’ll be in my suite,” I smiled convincingly as possible.

     I reached my suite and washed my face again and again. I hate him. I should’ve had the kiss with Paulo, but instead, it has to be with him. Kiss? That’s CPR... the voice in my head muttered. It’s right. It’s CPR, and not a kiss. But I still hate him. He just stole my perfect opportunity to kiss Paulo.

     I changed into my PJs and was about to go to bed when I heard a knock on the door. I opened it only to find Troy standing in front of me. I was about to close the door when he stopped me with a foot. I can tell that he just took a shower and change clothes but haven’t combed his hair. If I’m not mad at him right now, he’s cute. But since I am, he looks like a zombie.

     “What?” I asked impatiently.

     “I just want to apologize,” he murmured.

     “Wow,” I laughed humourlessly. “I’m dreaming, right?”

     “What?”

     “Troy Anderson apologizing to me? To me!” I laughed again. “Is this another sick joke?”

     “No,” he sighed. “Look, I’m sorry, okay?”

     “What?” I breathed. “If that’s how you apologize, then you should at least try to do a better job. And if you want, just let me go to bed, and your useless apology is accepted,”

     “Fine,” he breathed, now smiling mischievously. “You like me, do you?”

     “What?” now I burst out of laughing. “Are you drunk?”

     “C’mon, you kissed me...”

     “That’s not a kiss! That’s CPR! Cardiopulmonary resuscitation!”

     “Whatever. You kissed me to save my life, even when I’m not dying.”

     “That’s because no one wanted to save your stupid life! And I’m one of them, if they didn’t look at me!”

     “Really,” he smiled crookedly. “Prove it,”

     I turn around and headed to my bed when he muttered, “I knew it. No wonder you intentionally made me grounded,”

     Okay, Taylor, ignore him. Ignore him... I reminded myself. Okay, this will mean nothing, and it will just prove that I don’t like him, and not even close. I turn to him and pulled his shirt and pressed my lips to his. I counted five seconds with my fingers before I let him go. “There. It’s like nothing. Just kissing a frog that didn’t turn into a prince,”

     “Wow, I’m a cockroach turned into a frog,” he said as I slammed the door and leaned on it. I breathed twice and bit my lip. What the hell are you thinking? There’s no spark. There shouldn’t be a spark.

 

Reviews

[rielovella]

This is my favorite chapter in this story, yet. Good job!

[blackrose24]

i like this chapter too.. and i kinda like troy more than paulo.. =)