KISS (4 page)

“
Sounds nice,” she said
completely disinterested.

Guess I’m the pooper to my
own party. How nice. Did that classify her as shit? Ew.

She usually didn’t drink but she
needed one desperately. I’m free, she giggled to herself. Perfect a
guy held Abigail’s attention so she could slip away. She saddled up
to the bar.

“
Can’t you find it in your
heart to spare one for the birthday girl?” she asked the bartender.
She gave him a gracious thank you when a shot sat in front of her.
She down it quickly and looked at him expectantly.

Ha! Being a young
Hollywood starlet has it perks. Riches, alcohol for underage teens.
What more could one ask for? A surreptitious
relationship?

“
Aww, you hold the keys to
my heart.”

“
Out of all you Hollywood
elites, you seemed the most normal.” He said fixing a
drink.

“
Thank you I try.” She
snorted. It wasn’t very lady like. Chaos would descended and
vultures would feast on her soul if her mother ever heard the
sound.

“
You know you didn’t have
to ask, you could just order one.”

“
You do have a point.” It
was sad, but the rich had fewer restrictions than other people in
society. Money made the world go round.

“
So what’d you get for your
birthday?”

“
A necklace from my
parents. Its way too expensive but they seemed hell bent on giving
me more.”

“
Is that such a bad
thing?”

“
No.”

“
I’m sure they brought you
a car.”

“
Yeah, me too.” she said
sighing. The bartender was confused. Didn’t she want a car? Who
wouldn’t want one? Hell, he was twenty-four years old and would
sell his left nut for a new car…maybe not his left nut, a finger
perhaps?

“
Isn’t that what every
teenager wants?”

“
Apparently I come from a
planet that hasn’t been discovered yet. I landed here on earth and
I’ve been deemed an unknown species.”

“
Why?” he asked
perplexed.

“
Because I want a horse!”
she whined. The bartender guffaws filled the air. Iris was
confused. What was so funny?

5

Hollywood Elite

“
I like you! You are
something. How about I take you horseback riding sometime?” he
asked her. She had the boldest pair of light brown eyes he’d ever
seen. They were like honey. Iris was confused. He was a stranger.
She couldn’t just ride off into the night with him.

What the hell did he think
this was? Arabian nights? No barbaric tendencies for
her.

“
I’m sorry, little lass
here is taken.” A familiar silky voice resounded from behind her.
She fought the chill that shot down her spine. He was
narcissist.

Never! It the alcohol. Why
the hell did this man give me alcohol! I’m a child for crying out
aloud. And Jean-Pierre is not attractive. He’s ugly. A
fugly!

When did Jean-Pierre get here? Was he
stalking her? Or did her mother tell him to keep an eye on
her?

“
Aren’t you from Latin
descent? I’m not a lass,” she huffed out clearly irritated with
him.

“
Of course not,” he said
with smoldering eyes. Iris felt her body hummed with warmth. He was
dangerous.

“
Umm, I think I’ve had
enough to drink,” she said leaving the bar. She was running away
with her tail between her legs. She didn’t understand why
Jean-Pierre was so interested in her. Clearly there were other
women who were throwing their panties at him.

I hope they stink! Stinky
panties! Le gasp!

She could go hide out in the study. It
was massive; it should be called a library. It was easily one of
her favorite rooms in the whole house. When her parents decided to
expanded the house they combined four rooms to make this her
special place. It even had a secret passage way to get to it. She
smiled feeling like she was going back to time. It was a time where
she and her best friend would hide and tell each other everything.
There were no secrets between the two. Sighing she press the small
button embedded into the painting. Stepping into the room, she
closed her eyes and threw her head back. She loved the smell of
books and old leather. She spent many of nights in Neverland with
Peterpan and fighting evil sea witches. She was one of those people
that would reread books. Some days a random quote would come to her
and she would search for the book until she found it and fall in
love with the characters all over again.

A gasped left her lips when hands
suddenly covered her mouth. “I knew you’ll be here.” A masculine
voice tumble out of the boy she’d never expected to see
again.

When did he get here? How?
Why?

“
Chester,” she whispered.
The hands released her and spun her around. Her heart pounded
furiously in her chest as she faced the one and only guy she’d ever
loved. His beautiful blond hair was styled messily on his head and
his eyes were so unique—a deep violet color. When he left she was
heartbroken. It was why she spent so much time dreaming, sometimes
reality was much harder to deal with.

“
I couldn’t miss your
seventeenth birthday,” he said scratching his neck. He was nervous.
Iris looked at him clearly shocked.

“
Shouldn’t you be touring
the world Chazzy,” she sneered, turning her back on him. He was a
famous rockstar; she knew she shouldn’t read the tabloids, but they
were her only connection to him. He wrote and tried calling her
several times, but she just couldn’t deal with him. It was hard,
she’d been thrown away like trash.

“
Don’t be that way Iri,” he
said reaching out towards her.

“
No!” she shouted snatching
her hand away. She couldn’t let him. She fought her tears as they
sprang to the corners of her eyes. This was why she didn’t want to
see him. All the feelings would come rushing back. She couldn’t do
this.

“
Why are you angry with
me?! You’ve ignored me for years! Left me alone!” he yelled back at
her. Anger, hurt, and sadness pumped furiously through his veins as
his body tremble. She was his world.

“
Shouldn’t that be my
line!” she shouted back tears streaming down her face. Chester
looked at her in bewilderment, he was supposed to be angry with
her; not the other way around.

“
You never said goodbye,”
she whispered into the quiet room. Chester’s eyes widen. She was
right. He felt like a complete idiot. He took her into his arms,
her scent filling his nose. It was still the same. Vanilla. He
tucked her face into his neck and felt the warm and salty tears
spill in the crevices of his shoulder and neck.

“
I’m sorry,” he whispered.
He and Iri were inseparable growing up. He’d always had a huge
crush on her but never told her. Her large honey eyes were so
beautiful and always filled with joy and happiness. He missed her.
Every day he called her hoping to hear her voice; but she had
refused him. It infuriated him, it hurt him; but it inspired him to
write and to create music. He wondered if she’d ever listen to any
of his music. Probably not. She’d grown into a beautiful woman. She
was curvier now.

When he first spotted her his heart
stopped. The black metallic teacup dress she wore was stunning.
He’d remember her fighting with her mother about wearing dresses.
He wondered if she was still the same way. None of the girls could
compare to her. He chuckled, he was carrying a flaming torch for
his best friend who probably didn’t even see him in that manner.
Damn. Would he always be the best friend?

“
What’s funny? I’m starting
to think that today is laugh at Iris day.”

“
Nothing. So was there a
bet?”

“
Eh?”

“
I mean what made you put
on that dress. Don’t get me wrong. I like seeing you in it.” He
said smirking at her. Chester was pleasantly surprised at the flush
that swept her face. Hmm what was this?

“
You know my mom loves
stuff like this.” She said turning away from him. Did he say he
liked seeing her in stuff like this? Did that mean he saw her as
more than a friend?

They shared one kiss when
they were nine, but it was her first. Did that even count? I’m such
a lame.

Thump.

She just needed to stay calm. She was
going to hyperventilate at the rate she was going. He grabbed her
hands and intertwined their fingers. She looked down at their
joined hands in shock. What was he doing? He dragged them over
towards the plush futon and pulled her down with him.

“
Chester, what are you
doing?”

“
Did you forget? We used to
lay together as kids in this very spot. We are much bigger now.”
She smiled. He didn’t forget her. She snuggled into his side with
her head on his chest. This was turning out to be the best gift of
all.

“
Now catch me up on
everything that’s happened,” he said looking at the ceiling. He
couldn’t be any happier with her in his arms like this. Everything
felt right in the world. She was all he needed.

“
You first.”

“
The night I left. I’d
never dreamt of getting a record deal. I was just a kid and there
were other people there with more experience. My parents signed me
up for the talent search without telling me, they were always
searching for their big break.” He said vehemently. “Being around
your family, gave them a little taste of fame, and they always
wanted more. It was never enough. I had every intention of coming
back to you. I had our favorite movies ready and my bag packed to
spend the night,” he paused glancing into her eyes while trailing
his fingers through her hair. “The agent wanted to sign me
immediately, once they heard me. It was icing on the cake when they
discovered I could play various instruments. If I walked away they
would have went with a different person. My parents turned into yes
people, it was the chance of a lifetime. It was finally in their
hands—to finally be a part of the in crowd, no matter the cost.
Even if it cost them my happiness.” He sighed staring at the
ceiling as all the emotions from that particular night surfaced.
Namely one—betrayal.

“
Screaming and shouting I
demanded to go back home. They told me my home was with them. I
told them I could go and live with you. I was ignored. I hated them
with such passion. They took away the one thing I valued
most.”

“
What was that?” she asked
her heart racing.

“
You” he said glancing down
at her. “I guess I should thank them in a way. Music is my passion,
but what they did was unforgivable.”

“
Where are they
now?”

“
I don’t know. I don’t
care.”

“
Don’t be that way Cheese.
They’re your parents.” She giggled.

“
You little devil! You
remembered that nickname!” He pounced on her, his fingers digging
into her flesh.

“
Stop Cheese! I’m in a
dress,” she said laughing as tears rolled down her face. “I give!”
He released her and laid back down.

“
What do you want for your
birthday?”

You.

It was almost like he never left.
There was no way she would ever utter the word.

Suddenly the door opened up. Her dad
entered the room, “I knew I’d find you here. Chester, how have you
been?”

“
Great Mr. McDerman. Thank
you for helping me with the surprise.”

“
Anything for little
Iris.”

Iris blushed looking away from both
men. “Well cupcake, everyone is looking for you. It’s time for your
mother and I to give you your gift.”

Everyone was out front. She was right.
A brand new shiny black car sat out front. Her mouth went slack. It
was an Audi RS7. She ran gleefully up to the vehicle. It had white
leather with aluminum trimming, she knew luxury when she saw it. It
was a hundred thousand dollar car. Were they insane?

Chester whistled beside her. “That is
one sexy beast you got on your hands.”

“
Thanks mom and
dad!”

“
Oh my god! Is that Chazzy
from Inked! He is so hot!”

Iris turned her head at the voice. She
wanted to snarl at the girl who said it. She was glad when Ryan
guided them back inside. Chester was supposed to be himself
here.

“
Oh we’re not done yet
darling.”

She watched her parents with wide
eyes. Her mother was in her father’s arms. “Well you can actually
thank Chester here for this last gift.” Her mother said smiling at
the young man. She glanced at him. He was just as flustered as she
was.

What’s got him so
nervous?

They moved to her dad’s studio, and
she gasped. It was a painting of her and Chester together. They
were both young. She was maybe ten? She was looking at him with a
smile on her face while he looked down at her. They were standing
in an open field.