Starburst (19 page)

“What
was he going to make you do?” she asked curious.

Alley
laughed. “Eat supper when it was ready and not come down in the middle of the
night to eat.”

Peyton
laughed too. “Did you have sex with him Alley?”

Alley
didn’t speak, if she said yes he could go to jail, but it felt so good to talk
to someone, and even better knowing that it was her mom. “Are you going to tell
dad any of this?” she asked, thinking about whether or not to take the chance.

“No,
I’m not. I actually just had an argument with your dad because I told him that
I think we should let you see him.”

“You
did?” she asked, excited and shocked.

“I
did, but he hasn’t agreed to it yet, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Yeah
right, you have him more wrapped around your finger than I do, and you have
been divorced for twelve years.”

Peyton
laughed, knowing she spoke the truth. They had always stayed friends, and were
much better friends than they ever were as a couple. “Answer my question
Alley,” she requested, wanting to know if her daughter was sexually active.

“Yes
we did,” she admitted quietly, looking at the computer of the now picture of
Trevas on his motorcycle. “But that was all me too mom, he didn’t want too. He
was scared shitless because of my age, and then even more when he figured out
that I was a virgin,” she snorted, remembering how freaked out he was.

“He
didn’t know?”

“No,
he assumed because of the promiscuous tabloid photos, and the fact that I was
on the pill that I was not. He was so mad at me, he wouldn’t even finish,” she
explained, and felt a little flushed, sharing this information with her mom.

“I’m
guilty of that too,” her mom admitted. “That is why I put you on the pill a
year ago, because of the pictures of you dancing way to provocative with that
guy in the club.”

“You
of all people should know not to believe what you see on the internet or on the
cover of a magazine.”

“Very
true,” she again admitted. “Why was he so mad that you were a virgin? I mean
most men look at that as a trophy.”

“Trevas
isn’t like that mom. He was upset for one because I didn’t tell him and two, he
felt like he was taking something from me that didn’t belong to him, like he
was ruining me or something, I don’t know, he’s kind of weird.”

Peyton
laughed a short laugh. “I don’t think that is weird. I think it is kind of sweet
and mature. You really like him don’t you Alley?”

“I
love him mom. I can’t stand not talking to him or seeing him. I can’t imagine
ever feeling this way about anyone else.”

“Alley
you are so young. You don’t know that. Don’t you think you need to play the
field and see what else is out there?”

“No.
I don’t, not at all. I don’t want anyone else. I don’t need to see the
difference. I love what I see in Trevas and how he is with me. He has set the
bar way too high for anyone else to even have a chance.”

“Wow…I
can’t say that I have ever felt that way about anyone,” Peyton admitted, and
then they heard the ding from the new email that popped up and said Trevas.

“He
just gave me his email at the nursing home, I swear.” Alley told her mom.

She
opened it, and it was short, just a paragraph.

“You
at a loss for words? Who are you and what did you do with my Alley? My
grandparents were happy that you visited them today. Thanks for that, and stay
strong and listen to your parents. They are only trying to do what they think
is best for you. Stop crying! I can’t stand the thought of that, and No, more tantrums…GOT
IT! I miss you like crazy. Email when you are not at a loss for words.

Alley
let her mother read it after she made sure there was nothing that was going to
get her into more trouble, and her mom smiled at what he had said.

“I’m
starving, let’s go make something delicious,” her mom told her, and kissed the
top of her head, and it made Alley smile.

“I’m
going to email Trevas back, and then I will be down.”

“Promise?”
her mother asked, wanting her out of her room.

“Yes
mom.”

“Okay
I’m not at a loss for words anymore. What a crazy *&%$#%# day. My mom just
left my room, and you are not going to believe this. She is trying to talk my
dad into letting me see you. You will be the first to know, WHEN….that happens.
Please tell me that makes you happy and you want to be with me. It is the only
way that I can promise that the tears will stop. Is that blackmail?”

Alley
waited a couple of minutes and got a response right back.

“Watch
your mouth, and yes that is kind of blackmail because I would do anything for you,
to never shed another tear, and yes I want you. I want you more than anything
Alley Fletcher. I have spent the last three weeks telling myself that I didn’t,
and trying to forget you. You are unforgettable. I am leaving for Chicago this
evening for a couple of days, but I have my phone, and will check my emails
regularly. I love you, talk to you soon, going to pack.”

“Wait…who
are you going to Chicago with?”

“Don’t
worry, it’s a guy, and I’m not too into men. I love you.”

“Just
checking and I love you too.”

Alley
spent the next couple of days happy with her mother. They went out to a nice
restaurant, and were then going to go to the Los Angeles County Art Museum, but
because someone had tipped off the paparazzi, they were rushed back to the car
surrounded by four body men, they decided to just go home after their meal, not
wanting to be followed with flashing cameras.

This
was the part Alley hated most about being the daughter of a superstar. She had
never been able to have the normal life that she longed for, and it was worse
at times like this when Peyton had a blockbuster movie out, and everyone was
waiting for the sequel to her latest movie ‘BLACK.’

She
and Trevas continued to email each other, and she was so hoping that her dad
would come through before he got home on Friday. She wanted to see him so bad,
and couldn’t wait to be in his arms and kiss his soft lips. She and her mom had
fun together for the first time in a very long time, and Peyton was ecstatic
about it.

On Friday
night, Peyton and Alley were in the pool, and Alley asked her about her dad.

“Have
you said anymore to dad about me seeing Trevas?” she asked, hopeful.

“Not
really but I have been thinking about something,” she confessed and spun around
in the water to her back.

“About
what?”

“Well,
there is one thing that you could use to your advantage.”

“What?”
she wanted to know. She would do anything if he would agree to let her see him.

“Peanut
Silks”

Except
that
. “Mom, I’m not going to be in a movie. You know how I feel about all
of this. I dream of living in a house like Trevas grew up in, in a neighborhood
with a yard, and no cameras or paparazzi. I want to go to the store or to a
movie without looking over my shoulder like you do.”

“Your
dad and Lidia told me that you showed every girl that they have auditioned for
this part, including Heather Marshall,” she replied, talking about a famous
child star that had really come along way. “Alley I think you should at least
give it some thought. It’s very addicting, once you do one movie, it’s like a
drug, and you want more.”

“I
highly doubt that,” she said, and then dove under the water.

“Why
did you get up there and play the part if you weren’t interested?” Peyton asked
as she came up, pushing her wet hair back.

“I
wasn’t trying to play any part. They had all of these dumb girls up there, and
none of them were right for Peanut Silks. I just didn’t want them to ruin the
book. Will you stop with this? I’m not doing a movie.”

Alley
crawled into her bed and had an email from Trevas.

“Hey,
baby. I just wanted you to know that I’m home but getting ready to head out for
a birthday party. I will email tomorrow. I love you.”

“You
are going to a birthday party?” she answered.

“No
silly, I’m working one.”

Alley
called her dad. She hadn’t talked to him since her last runaway episode, and
wanted him to un-block Trevas’s phone number so that she could talk to him.

“Hey
Alley girl,” he answered, happy to hear from her.

“Hey
dad, will you please un-block Trevas’s number?”

“I
knew there was an ulterior motive,” he replied, not entirely joking.

“Please
dad,” she begged.

“Alley,
you know that I do not like this one bit.”

“Yes
I know that, and you know that you are not going to stop me.”

“Did
you think any more about the movie?”

“No,
I don’t want to think about the movie. I don’t want to do it, get one of the
dumb girls, I don’t care, just stop asking me.”

“I
will un-block Trevas’s number if you will at least think about it seriously for
a few days. Don’t tell me, you don’t want too, just tell you will think about
it, and I will talk to you over the weekend.”

“Fine
dad, will you do it now?”

“Yes
Alley, I will do it now, but I still don’t like it. What is your mother doing?”

“I
don’t know, but something smells really good so I would say she is baking
something.”

“Hmm,
that is what I miss most about her,” he replied, thinking about her always
baking or cooking something. “Tell her to call me.”

“Okay,
thanks dad.”

“Alley,
I expect this thing with Trevas to stay in the dark. Do you understand?”

“Yes
dad, don’t worry.”

“Mom!
Dad wants you to call him,” Alley yelled down, unable to contain the smile from
the excitement of talking to Trevas.

“Come
here,” her mother called back.

“What?”
she yelled, wanting to call Trevas and not caring about tasting whatever it was
she was baking.

“Come
here,” she yelled again.

Alley
went to her, annoyed. “What? I want to call Trevas,” she stated, wondering what
was so important.

“That
is what I wanted to talk to you about. Invite him over tomorrow for dinner.”

“Really
mom!” Alley asked, excited.

“Yes
and I’m going to have a friend over too, so invite him over so I can get a feel
of this guy. I can’t decide whether I approve or not until I scope him out for
myself.”

“Yes!”
she exclaimed pulling her fist back, and Peyton smiled. “Who is your friend?”
she wanted to know.

“Garland
Wright, he is a producer in New York. He is here on business for a couple of
days, and I invited him over.”

Normally
Alley would have thrown a fit, and went to her dads, but she didn’t care as long
as she could be with Trevas, and she knew that wouldn’t happen at her dad’s
house, not yet anyway.

Trevas
was a nervous wreck and didn’t want to eat dinner at Peyton Paxton’s house. He
was an escort for people like her not the sit down and carry on a conversation
type. He had called his mom, and she couldn’t believe that he was having dinner
with Peyton Paxton. She loved her and had seen every movie that she had ever
played in and kept up with all of the gossip online. Peyton was going to have
dinner ready at one, and Alley wanted him there by noon. He showered and
dressed in nice jeans, a white button up shirt with a thin black tie and brown
leather shoes.

He
couldn’t believe he was doing this as he typed in the code Alley had given him
to get through the gate. She was waiting on the front steps as he pulled up.
She was also wearing jeans and of course a tight shirt that showed her
midsection that made her small breast look bigger than they actually were. She
was bare foot and met him at his door.

He
had no choice but to wrap her in his arms when she threw herself in his arms.

“You
go change this shirt,” he teased.

“Why?
Does it make you want me?” she teased back.

“Very
much so,” he said and kissed her quickly.

“Why
are you wearing a tie? Take it off,” she demanded, and he laughed.

“I
have to make a good impression on your mom.”

“My
mom is just like your mom Trevas, don’t wear the tie,” she requested again, and
loosened it herself while he stared down, amused at her. “You should just take
this off too,” she said, and unbuttoned three of the buttons on the white shirt
before he stopped her.”

“Behave
yourself,” he demanded and took the bottle of wine from the car.

Peyton
was waiting at the door to officially meet Trevas, and he shook her hand. She
did seem to be a lot like his mom, only knock down gorgeous.  Her hair was a
little lighter than Alley’s, but they were the exact same build, and pretty
close to the same height as well. Trevas pictured her to be in some fancy dress
or expensive pant suit, but she too was in jeans, with the same slices and holes
as the ones Alley wore. She too had on a knit shirt that was a little tight,
and showed her midsection as well, and her breast, were definitely bigger than
Alley’s.

“Dom
Pérignon,” she said as Trevas handed over the bottle. “I haven’t had Champaign
since my birthday.” Peyton took the bottle, and Trevas noticed that she too was
in her bare feet as she walked away.

“Trevas,
this is Garland Wright,” Peyton introduced her friend.

“I
think we may have met in New York a time or two,” Garland said shaking his
hand. “How are you?”

“Good
and yes we were at the same New Year’s Eve party.” Trevas remembered him from a
celebrity’s ball in New York City where he had worked. Everyone was drunk,
except of course the security, and he had to wear a tuxedo that he remembered
not being happy about.

“Come
on Trevas, I will show you around,” Alley told him, pulling him by the hand.

They
walked out to the pool, and it was a bigger pool than the one at her dad’s. It
was a lot wider and had more privacy with a huge stone wall surrounding the
small grassy area.  He eyes lit up at the massive outdoor kitchen with a stone grill,
which he would have loved to get his hands on it. She took him to her favorite
room in the house, and it was an enormous library with big comfortable chairs,
and book shelves that lined the walls.

“I
take it your mother is a reader too?” he asked.

“Yes,
and she will not graduate to the e-reader yet. She thinks she has to hold the
book in her hand, and be able to turn the pages.”

There
was no game room or theater like at her dads, but Trevas sensed that she
enjoyed her books more than the entertainment anyway.

“That’s
my mom’s room,” she said pointing to a closed door downstairs but didn’t open
it. The dining room was in the open floor plan with the kitchen and living
room. She took him upstairs, and into her room next. She closed the door behind
them, and before Trevas had a chance to tell her to behave, she was in his
arms, kissing him. She forced his lips to part with her tongue, and he had no
choice but to respond. He walked her toward her bed and lay her down with his hands
already up her shirt. Her hips were responding as well, and thrust into his. He
moved down her neck, and kissed her throat and then her chest.

“Fuck
Trevas, get off of me,” she whispered.

He
kissed her lips one more time and then took her hand, pulling her up. Her legs
felt like they were going to crumble, and her heart was beating way too fast.
He held her in his arms and relished the feel of her.

“We
better go before your mom thinks we are up here doing something,” he told her,
kissing her head.

Trevas
let go of her hand before they got to the bottom of the stairs, not comfortable
holding her hand in front of her mother.

“Sit
you two,” her mother told them as she placed an appetizer of seaweed rolls on
the table.

“That
looks amazing,” Trevas exclaimed.

“That
looks disgusting,” Alley retorted.

“Alley
Fletcher,” he scolded.

“Sorry,
but I’m not touching that.”

“I
am,” Trevas said excited and pulled Alley’s chair out for her.

Alley’s
mother watched the two of them interact while she finished up the last of the
afternoon meal. Trevas used his fork and cut a slice of the seaweed roll, and
held it to her. She tightened her lips and shook her head no.

“Open
your mouth or I’m going to hold you down and make you try it,” he threatened, and
Peyton smiled as she watched them.

“Trevas
I don’t like it,” she demanded, and closed her mouth quickly so that he couldn’t
sneak it in.

“Open
your mouth. You can’t say that you don’t like it if you don’t try it.”

“I
don’t even know what it is.”

“It’s
a seaweed roll,” he told her, still holding the fork to her mouth.

“I’m
not eating seaweed,” she demanded, and Trevas and Peyton both laughed.

“There
is no seaweed in it, try it, please,” he tried begging.

“Trevas,
please stop before I get pissed,” she countered, not about to eat it.

“Open
your mouth and try it before I get pissed,” he retorted, and she groaned but
opened her mouth, and he quickly shoved it in, not giving her time to change
her mind. Peyton was impressed, and couldn’t believe that he actually got her
to try it.

Alley
smiled at him.

“You
like it don’t you?” he asked.

“Yes,
it is actually very good mom,” Alley said, turning to her mom who was carrying
in the main dish and Alley groaned again.

“Can’t
you make normal food?” she asked.”

“Hmm,
is that coconut curry shrimp?” Trevas asked.

“Yes,
with spicy peanut noodles and vegetable pakoras,” she replied and was a little
impressed that he knew his food.

“You
are not making me eat that,” Alley demanded.

“Oh
yes I am, so you might as well put it on your plate,” he demanded, right back,
and she gave him a dirty look but dipped out one small helping. She snarled her
nose again at the vegetable pakoras as Garland passed the plate around to her.
She got one of those too when she looked to see the look on Trevas’s face,
telling her to eat it, and Peyton watched amused.

“This
is amazing Ms. Paxton,” Trevas bragged.

“Thank
you, but please call me Peyton. You make me feel old.”

“It
is very good,” Alley agreed, taking another bite of the shrimp.

“Oh,
I almost forgot the Champaign,” Peyton exclaimed, and got up to get it. Garland
opened it, and the cork shot across the room. He filled Alley’s glass first,
and continued to fill the rest.

“Trevas
is a food nut too mom,” Alley told her. “He drove me crazy for weeks, watching
the food network, just like you do,” Alley told her mother.

“Really?”
Peyton asked, surprised. “You like to cook?”

“Love
it,” he replied. “And I never heard you complain once about my cooking Ms.
Alley,” he said turning to her.

“Have
you ever made Shrimp Fra Diavolo?” Peyton asked him.

“Yes,
I love it.”

“I
almost made that today, but I have only made it once and something just wasn’t
right. It didn’t taste like it did when I had it in Fiji.”

“Try
replacing the white wine with Sherry,” he offered.

“Really?
Sherry?” she asked, thinking about it.

“Yes
it totally changes the taste.”

“Are
we really going to talk about food?” Alley asked, bored with their
conversation.

“Trevas
did Alley tell you that she is being sought after to play a lead role in a
movie?” Peyton asked, and Alley was instantly fuming.

“You
really needed to fucking mention that?” Alley asked, instantly pissed.

“Alley…apologize,
to your mother, and stop acting like that,” Trevas demanded.

“No,
fuck that. She knows how I feel about that, and its bullshit that she would
bring it up right now.”

“Come
here,” he demanded, and made her walk outside to the pool with him. He was
surprised that her mother let her talk to her like that, and didn’t even seem
to be fazed by her outburst.

“Trevas
don’t pull me away from the table like I am some child,” she yelled, as soon as
the door was closed.

“Then
don’t act like one Alley. You want to be an adult then act like one.”

“Fuck
you,” she shot back.

He stuck
his hands in his jean pockets and stared at her without a rebuttal.

“What?”
she finally asked.

“Are
you done?”

“You
make me so mad sometimes,” she blamed.

“And
you make me just as mad, and I would never, ever talk to my mother like that, and
I’m not going to let you do it either. I have missed you like crazy, and I want
you to stop, I don’t want to fight with you.

Alley
sighed deeply. “Fine, I’m sorry, you’re right.”

“Good,
now let’s go finish our dinner.” Alley came to him, and he kissed the top of her
head and opened the door for her.

“I’m
sorry mom,” she apologized, and her mother looked utterly shocked.

Peyton
didn’t mention the movie again, and they finished up their meal with pleasant
conversation.

“Trevas
you should stay here tonight and make your pizza for my mom.”

Trevas
kicked her lightly under the table, and gave her a look for suggesting that he spend
the night.

“That
sounds like a wonderful idea,” Peyton exclaimed. “We have plenty of room.
Pizza, beer and a card game, sounds like a party to me.”

“He
doesn’t need a room mom,” Alley told her, letting her know that she intended
for him to sleep with her, and then gave Trevas a look after
getting
kicked again.

Peyton
blew it off as a joke, and didn’t want to get into it with her again. “We can discuss
sleeping arrangements later.”

“Is
he sleeping in your bed?” Alley asked, nodding toward Garland, and then
screamed. “Ouch,” when she got a harder kick. “Will you stop that?” she asked
Trevas, and her mother knew that she had just gotten kicked.

“Actually,
I have a plane to catch,” Garland announced, and she felt bad.

“Sorry,”
she told him, and he smiled.

“I
doubt if I have what we need for homemade pizza, the house has been empty for a
few weeks now, and I haven’t quite gotten stocked back up yet,” Peyton
explained.

“I
can go to the store,” Trevas volunteered.

“I
will go with you,” Alley stated.

“You
can’t go with me Alley. You know that, and don’t go throwing a tantrum over it.
I will go to the store and we will make pizza if you want.”

“Fine,”
she pouted.

Trevas
helped clean up, and when the last of the dishes were in the dishwasher,
Garland announced that he needed to call a taxi and head out.

“I
can give you a lift,” Trevas volunteered, not really wanting to fight the
traffic at LAX Airport but thought that he should, since he was heading that
way anyway.

Alley
stayed with her mother against her will, and as soon as Trevas was gone her
mother started in on her about Trevas.

“Alley,
I freaking love him,” she exclaimed, and Alley smiled.

“I
knew you would, but I have a feeling that you love him because he puts me in my
place.”

“Yes
I do love that about him, and you
listen
to him. I’m baffled, that you
don’t tell him to F off like you do everyone else.”

“Oh
I do,” she admitted with, an ornery grin and Peyton shook her head, knowing that
she was speaking the truth.

“I
think he really cares about you too, and that makes me happy.”

“Well,
if he is staying here. He is sleeping in my room,” she demanded.

“No
he is not Alley. Your dad would kill all three of us. He wasn’t the happiest
man alive when I told him that I invited him for dinner.”

“Why
mom? Do you think we are going to have sex or something?”

“Yes,
that is exactly what I’m afraid of.”

“Well
you’re about fifty times too late.”

“I’m
still not going to condone you having sex in my house at seventeen.”

“Whatever
I will just go to him and have sex, and go back to my bed before morning if you
think that me sneaking around is going to make it easier for you.”

“I
have a feeling that Trevas wouldn’t go for that.”

“I
have a feeling you are wrong. Believe me, I know how much Trevas can take
before he cracks,” Alley admitted, sending Peyton running, wanting to get away
from the conversation.

“I’m
going to grab a shower so that I can stop the images in my head,” Peyton told
her and left her sitting at the table.

Trevas
was gone for almost an hour because of having to drive Peyton’s friend to the
airport.