JC sat up with a start as he felt the ice-cold liquid hit his skin. "What the..." he said while furiously wiping his face. He looked up and saw Joey standing with a glass in hand and looking unimpressed. "Joey what was that for?" he asked before returning his head to the pillow to try and stop the pounding in his head.
"JC get out of bed NOW."
JC's eyes widened. Joey rarely raised his voice. He was the calming influence in the group, the person who would always break the tension after an argument, the person who would always try to make light of the situation. Today Joey was angry though, he could see it in his eyes.
"I don't want to get up, I feel like crap."
"Yeah well whose fault is that?"
"Joey leave me alone, it's not like you've never had a few too many." He pulled the covers up over his head, shutting out the light of the room. Seconds later though they were pulled away. "JOEY."
"JC get the hell out of bed, I mean it."
"Who made you my father?"
"Oh do you want me to go get your dad so HE can see what an ass you're being or better yet how about I call your mom?"
JC sighed. Yeah go and threaten a grown man with his mom, a cruel threat but one that worked. He sat up, closing his eyes momentarily to stop the spinning. Slowly opening his eyes he looked at Joey, angry eyes locked on his own. "What do you want?"
"You have some serious apologising to do."
"Listen I'm sorry for last night okay? I know I wasn't a whole lot of fun and I shouldn't have acted like that. Can I go back to bed now?" he asked hopefully.
"I didn't mean apologise to ME. I meant Alanna."
"Alanna?"
"Yeah Alanna. I had to drag her out of bed to come and get you home."
"Alanna?" he repeated.
"Yeah JC, ALANNA," he said losing his patience. You DO remember don't you?"
"I remember seeing her yeah...but I don't remember much else," he said growing increasingly worried. What had he done NOW? Had he made things even worse than they already were? Was that even possible? Did Joey know? He looked up at Joey quickly. "What happened? What did I say?"
Joey shook his head. "I have no idea what is going on between you two if that's what you mean but I'm guessing you've stuffed up. You said some real weird things that must only mean something to the pair of you because I didn't know what the hell you were talking about. How long has this been going on and why did you drink so much last night?"
"Joey I can't talk about this."
Joey stood and looked at JC, hurt that his friend would not talk to him. "Whatever," he muttered.
"I mean it Joe, it's not because I don't want to.” He rubbed his temples to try and ease the throbbing in his head. “This affects more than just me this time and because of that I can't discuss this."”
"You mean Alanna?" he asked.
"YES Alanna. Now can you quit hassling me? PLEASE?"
"I'm out of here," he said. Just before he left the room he turned to look back at the figure on the bed. "I meant what I said about apologising. She went out of her way to help you last night."
"Joey?" JC called as his friend went to leave the room.
"Yeah?" he asked looking back.
"Thanks."
He shook his head sadly. "It's not me you should be thanking."
He watched Joey leave. "Damn."
~*~
"Alanna honey breakfast's ready if you want some," Anne Scott shouted to her daughter.
"No thanks mom, I'm not hungry."
"Okay," she called back.
Alanna lay on her side with the bed covers tightly pulled around her shoulders. She hadn't come straight home after leaving JC's house. She had ended up in a playground she had frequented as a child. It probably hadn't been the best idea to go in the middle of the night, groups of teenagers often hung around drinking and causing trouble. Luckily that night it had been deserted. She had sat on a swing, swaying backwards and forwards gently, while sorting through her thoughts. Time had run away with her as she sat alone, such a change from being watched by thousands of people night after night, something she had grown to love over the weeks.
She had finally arrived home at around 4 am. Sleep hadn't overcome her though. She had gone through every emotion from crying over what happened and what could have been to being angry that he could play with her emotions in this way. It seemed to her as if he had total control over her, something she hadn't wanted or allowed but had happened none the less.
She was in no doubt about one thing though; something would have to be done soon because things couldn't carry on in this way. It was destroying both her and JC, as she had witnessed that evening. But if it was so hard on him then why was he acting this way? Why was he switching from hot to cold faster than she could snap her fingers?
"Alanna," she heard her mom call again.
Alanna pushed her face into the pillow to muffle her frustrated scream as her thoughts were interrupted once again. Feeling somewhat satisfied she raised her head and looked in the direction of her door. "Mom I said I'm not hungry,” she cried impatiently. “ I'll get myself something later."
"Alanna come down here."
"Mom," she groaned.
She reluctantly pulled herself out of bed and dragged herself downstairs. Her mom stood with her back to her.
"Mom what is it?" she asked leaning over the banister at the foot of the stairs.
Her mom turned, arms containing a beautiful bouquet of lilies. "Look what you got," her mom said.
"Me?" she said pointing to herself.
"Well the delivery guy said Alanna Scott, unless there is some other Alanna Scott living here then yeah they're for you," she replied sarcastically.
She ignored her mother’s playful mocking and took the bouquet from her before returning to her bedroom.
"Aren't you going to tell me who they're from?"
"Later," she called back distractedly.
She ran into her room, making sure the door was closed behind her. Settling on her bed she pulled the card out to reveal the identity of the sender.
~~~~~~ *** ~~~~~~
JC
I'm sorry...
~~~~~~ *** ~~~~~~
She dropped the flowers onto the bed in front of her. "What is he playing at?"
After several moments she picked up her phone and dialled a number she hadn't used in a long time but was committed to memory.
"Hello?"
"Katie...it's Alanna."
Chapter 28
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