Stereo (16 page)

Shaun began to fidget, and when she realized she was fidgeting she attempted to control herself, which only made it worse.  Eventually, she bent down and swiped her bag up from the floor, holding it in front of her body.  Shielding herself from him just as he’d done with her.

“Shaun, listen—“

“Look the cameras already captured me coming in here so… I’m gonna see about getting my own room now.”

“What?”

“There’s no reason for us to share a room.  They already think that we’re in here doing unspeakable things to each other.  Mission accomplished.  Now we can go back to reality.”

Adam felt struck with each word she spoke. “You can’t afford your own room.”

“You don’t know that.  I have a little money put away.  Look, don’t worry about it, okay?  It’s not your problem.”

“Stop telling me not to worry about you--” He bit his tongue. She had to know that he was already well past controlling the suffocating need to protect her.  It was now something that he simply couldn’t help.  Did she really expect him to watch her backslide into a sea of sharks, and then not jump in to fish her out?  He couldn’t.  He wouldn’t. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Shaun looked him right in the eye and said it again. “Don’t worry about me.  I’m not your girl.  I’m you girl for pay and I officially release you.  You’re off the clock.”

“Come on, Shaun.  You can’t be serious.”  Adam’s eyes widened when she opened the door to the room and walked out.  Before he could stop himself he was stalking towards the door that had closed behind her, calling after her, unable to control the movement of his body, his legs or even his own mind.  When she slammed the door behind her he itched to open it and chase her down the hallway, but he was afraid of what he would do if he did.  What he would say.

This was just business.  She’d said it herself.

Adam’s hand covered the knob of the door and he gripped it for dear life, his forehead pressed against the cold wood.

--

The moment Shaun made it back downstairs to the lobby, she’d immediately called Celia. Not to strategize their next move, but because she needed her friend.

“What is wrong with you?” Celia demanded through the phone.  “The man is trying to tell you that he cares about you and likes you exactly the way you are. Do you have any idea how rare that is? Billy Joel wrote a whole song about it.  Why can’t you see how much power you have right now? Get back up there.”

“What is with you and
power
, Celia?  You could occupy all of Southern France with the power trip you’re on.”

“Stop trying to change the subject.  Go back to that room right now--but don’t sleep with him.  Just go back… you have to go back.”

Shaun covered her forehead with her hand. “I can’t go back. You didn’t see him.  He was in this weird place.  This place in between pissed off at me, and totally adoring me at the same time.”

“Why do you sound weird?  Where are you?”

“I’m not weird.  That’s mean.”

“Are you drunk?” Celia asked.

Shaun decided not to answer. “You’re wrong, anyway.  I even… I tried to kiss him and…”  Shaun had to take a moment.  Reliving what had just happened in that hotel room was hurtful. “And he wouldn’t kiss me,” she whispered. “I bet you Billy Joel never wrote a song about that.”

Celia was silent for a long time.  Finally, she spoke softly. “He’s in love with you.”

“Huh?”  Shaun’s head was beginning to pound. “What about anything I just told you indicates that he’s in love with me?  Are you even listening to what I’m saying?  I’m telling you that I tried to kiss him and he wouldn’t kiss me.”

“I heard you perfectly.  He wants to smash, that’s obvious.  But he didn’t. The only thing in the world that would drive a man to turn down sex with a woman is if he’s in love with her.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.  And stop saying he’s in love with me.  It’s not true.” Shaun was done letting Celia fill her mind with fantasies that didn’t exist.

“No, he totally is.  And you know what?  You care way too much, and so does
he
for that matter.  You need to call it. You need to shut this down before you get your feelings hurt.”

“I’m not going to get my feelings hurt.”

“Your feelings are already hurt, boo.  But they’re going to be torn to
pieces
if you delude yourself into thinking that anything REAL can ever happen between you and Adam.  It never will.  This has all gone so far off track that there’s no correcting it at this point. Clearly you’ve lost sight of what your original goal was here.  Do you really think you could write and publish that article on him at this point?  You can’t even be in a room alone with him without crumbling into a complete mess.  Now you’re standing in the lobby of one of the most expensive hotels in Sydney because you have no money to go anywhere else.  This is all before you’ve even slept with the man.  God help us all if you actually let him hit… he would destroy you!”

“Why does everyone in my life think that I’m some basket case who’s incapable of making decisions about her own life?  I have a home, a job and I’m weeks away from being a college graduate.  I can take care of myself! And you better believe I can, and will, write that article.  I’ll write the shit out of that article.”

“Right,” Celia said, sarcastically.

“Don’t say ‘right’,” Shaun slurred.

“Seriously, are you drunk right now?  What the hell is going on over there?”

“I had a few drinks…”  Shaun admitted.

“I’m booking a flight to Sydney right now.”

“Oh god, don’t.”

“You've never had a drink in your life and now you’re telling me you’re drunk? Did Adam get you drunk? I’ll kill him.”

“You sound just like him, Jesus.  I can drink if I want to!”

“So if he didn’t give you the alcohol then who did?”

“Don’t worry about it.  In fact don’t worry about anything.  I can write this article without you.  I can handle this all without you.”

“Right.  That’s why you’ve had me holding your hand through this whole thing since the beginning.”

“Maybe I don’t need you to hold my hand anymore.  Maybe I should be doing this on my own.”

“On your own? You won’t last a
day.”

“Watch me,” Shaun mumbled before slamming the phone shut.  Her chest heaved as her eyes searched the empty lobby.  It was late at night, the guest attendant at the front desk was now watching her suspiciously and she had no money and no place to go.  But she didn’t care.  Never in her life had anyone made her feel like more of a pathetic charity case then Adam and Celia had that night.  She was a grown, capable woman who could absolutely take care of herself, and she would prove it.  If not to them, then at least to herself.

As if the clouds had parted to make way for her own personal God, Yoshi came breezing through the sliding doors of the hotel entrance. He stepped out of the foggy Sydney weather just in time to lock eyes with Shaun. 

“Whoa, Molten.”  He smiled easily, having adopted Noodle’s nickname for her somewhere between his fourth and fifth shot that night.  “You still up?” he asked, coming to stand in front of her.

Shaun held her hands out at her sides.  “Stranded.”

“Where’s Adam?”

Shaun’s eyes narrowed, and she just shrugged.

Yoshi put the pieces together. “He’s a fuckin’ idiot,” he said, pausing for a moment longer before throwing an arm around her shoulder and leading her to the elevators. “Lucky for you I’ve been known to swipe up the orphans I find lingering in hotel lobbies.  Especially the hot ones.”

“Wait a minute, where’s Noodle?” Shaun suddenly asked.

“God only knows.”

--

Early the next morning Yoshi was startled awake at pounding on his hotel room door.  His head shot up from where his cheek had been previously pressed against the desk. A long string of sleepy drool stuck to the desk as he sat up.  Wiping his face, he looked towards the door with sleepy eyes.  On the way, his gaze landed on Shaun, who was fully clothed and sprawled haphazardly on his bed, covers astray and limbs lying every which way.

Yoshi had to chuckle.  Getting that giggly little thing up to the twentieth floor and into bed had been no easy feat.  Shaun was undeniably beautiful, but she was also quite innocent.  Much too innocent for his taste.  He preferred his women more experienced.  He didn’t like to use to word slut, but his track record had proven that they seemed to be his cup of tea.

“Shaun,” he called, making his way over to the bed and lightly shaking her shoulder.

A piece of paper tumbled from next to Shaun’s lips and landed on the floor, but she stayed sound asleep.  The pen she’d been scribbling with the night before was still clutched tightly between her fingers.

Chuckling, Yoshi swept up the paper and unfolded it.  He began reading the sloppily scribbled words on his way to the door and stopped in his tracks.

Rule #3: Be a Social Butterfly

A man who is always the life of the party will be naturally fascinated by a woman who is always the life of the party, so make sure you branch out.  Talk to people, get to know them, ask questions.  If everyone loves you then he is sure to

The words came to a scribbled stop, leaving Yoshi confused.  Shaun had written this in her drunken haze last night, almost immediately prior to passing out, but what the hell was it about?  Rule #3? Rules for what?  Watching her sleeping figure, he pulled open the door just as he tucked the note in his pocket.

Adam was leaning against the door frame in a rumpled t-shirt and skinny jeans looking sleep deprived and agitated. Yoshi opened the door wider for Adam before turning his back on him and making his way towards the bathroom. 

“I assume you’re here to fetch sleeping beauty,” he said.  When Adam didn’t respond, Yoshi pushed open the door to the bathroom. “Good luck.  I’m taking a shower.”

Closing the bathroom door behind him, Yoshi retrieved the paper from his pocket once more and re-read it with dismay.

--

An hour later, Shaun and Adam were running top-speed down a tree lined walkway in one of Sydney’s most famous spots, Hyde Park.  Beneath the massive, leafy trees and green surroundings the enormous white hangar they were running towards seemed to glow under the sunlight.  The fabric hangar was where the Dolce and Gabbana Fashion Show was set to be held, and also where Shaun was scheduled to audition. She was running late.  After Adam had shaken her awake in Yoshi’s hotel room that morning she hadn’t even had time to shower and change clothes.  They’d immediately hopped into a cab and jetted down to the park. 

Yoshi, curious about what all the fuss was, had decided to pass on his shower, as well. He was now jogging closely behind them.

“I can’t believe I’m late!”  Shaun followed Adam into the large hangar and gasping at the beautiful set up.  “Wow, this is freaking gorgeous,” she said.  The white cloth that was draped across the massive hangar blew gently against the breeze and offset the hundreds of white chairs that lined a long, jet black runway.  Lilac lilies and accent pieces dotted the area all around and the faint smell of lavender filled the air.  It was full of people milling around all over the place, all looking as frantic and disoriented as Shaun felt. In their race to get there on time Shaun had completely forgotten how terrified she was of the embarrassing events that were sure to await her on that runway.  “Holy shit, I don’t think I can do this.”

“Shaun, there’s no time for this.”  Adam pulled her towards the backstage area.  “You’re doing this.  You’re going to fucking rock it, okay?”

Shaun took in the look on his face and shook her head.  “I’m sorry I was such an asshole to you yesterday—“

Adam shook his own head, “No time.”

“Okay, but I need you to forgive me.”

“Shaun.”  Adam cupped her shoulders.  “You have nothing to be sorry for.  Now get backstage… find Tony Milano, he’s the man who got us this audition and he’s going to tell you everything you need to know.”

Us.   Shaun liked the way that sounded.  It made her think of Celia, who she also owed a huge apology.  Her friend was right.  She was getting in too deep.  As if to verify her thoughts, Shaun asked, “You’re not staying?”  She looked back and forth from Adam to Yoshi, who had just made his way up to the two of them.

Yoshi seemed concerned, and Adam was shaking his head no. “We can’t stay, babe.”

“Why?” she demanded.  She was on the verge of panic.  She needed Adam.  Never in her life did she feel like she’d ever need anyone more.  “Is this because of what I said last night?  I was drunk.  I didn’t mean it—please don’t leave me here.” 

“You were right last night, Shaun.  Stop worrying about that.  You’re strong.  You’re a fucking badass.”  Adam shook her shoulders, leaning down so they were eye to eye.  Behind him, Yoshi was nodding his encouragement.  “I just have some business to take care of and I’m coming right back.  Yoshi too.”

Shaun’s wide eyes flew to Yoshi and grew even wider in question.