The sun was just starting to rise when I woke up and found Jake had already left. I felt so giddy when I thought about last night! I decided to enhance my good mood with some early morning caffeine.
I surveyed the awful color scheme of the kitchen as I stood waiting for the first cup of coffee to finish brewing. We really needed to get around to remodeling in here! Then I heard someone coming down the stairs. To my surprise, it was Jacq! Color bloomed in my cheeks when I realized I sat in nothing but my undergarments. Of course, Jacq wore some sexy outfit herself so I guess it didn't bother her. I said nothing as she passed by to get a cup of coffee. Do vamps really drink coffee? Funny, I don't think I really ever noticed if Vi did or not. Since Jacq was in the process of adding cream and sugar, I guess they did.
I was taking my first tentative sip, when a thought struck me. "How come you don't burn in the sunlight? I remember Derek coming into the sun to ... say goodbye in Sunset Valley. The sunlight didn't seem to affect him." Jacq started to stir her coffee. "We can be in the sun for short amounts of time. But sustained UV will singe us. And if we don't get out of it soon enough, we will turn into a pile of ashes." After her matter of fact answer, silence filled the room.
Our eyes locked as she came back with her cup. "You're wondering about me and Jake?" I nodded my head. She smiled into her cup. 'Tell me what he told you and I will fill in the blanks." I recounted everything Jake had told me. "He said Vi was trying to drain his blood, she was so mad. That he put everything behind him and left Sunset Valley to start work with B. Then Vi got a job with B last year and he tries being cordial to everyone." As my tale wound down, Jacq angrily slammed her cup on the table and pushed out of her chair. "And everything is hunky-dory, right? He was just upset about losing me as a girlfriend?! His words just paved a path of gold right into your bed, didn't they?" At my shocked expression, she apologized.
"I am trying to understand," I pleaded. Jacq reached for a kitchen rag and wet it in the sink. "Jake wanted me to turn him. To make him what I am. But Derek forbade it. When I told Jake that I couldn't turn him, he got irate. That is when I left for Bridgeport and found Vi stealing from my hotel room." She began to wipe up the spilled coffee from the table. "Why did Derek forbid it?" She looked over at me and sat down. "I don't know, he wouldn't tell me. But I will tell you this. Jake didn't give up. He came to my house two weeks after my return. He planned on trying to convince Vi to turn him. But being a newborn she wouldn't have had the strength to stop and would have killed him. Thankfully, Derek was able to step in and prevent Jake from reaching her. I don't know what Derek said to him but he did leave Sunset Valley."
Lies! She had to be telling me lies. I had seen Jake and Vi together. They didn't act like two people who had been at odds. But what if she were telling the truth? The Jake she described wasn't the one I knew. So then who was this man that I gave myself to? Did I really know him at all? And more importantly, was there a motive behind our relationship? Was he still trying to convince Vi to change him? I started to get up as Vi came in ... wearing only her undergarments! "Good morning, Ladies." Vi's chipper voice was a big contrast to the mood in the kitchen. She leaned over and kissed Jacq before she headed over to the coffee pot.
Vi came back and took my spot. "What have you two been chatting about?" I watched Vi's whole demeanor change when Jacq simply responded, "Jake." She slowly lowered her cup. "I am guessing you've filled her in on everything. So I will only add this: I have no plans on turning Jake and yes, he does still ask." I felt a lump rise in my throat. Jacq had spoke the truth! She saw my thoughts as if I had spoken aloud. She got up to rinse her cup and mine. I tried to reason out loud, "OK, so he still wants to be a vamp. That doesn't change the fact that I love him. Yes, he was in my bed last night. But he was so gentle and caring. And..." My words trailed off when I noticed someone coming up to our back door. It was B. What was she doing here so early?
"I know it's early and .. Wow! A total lingerie party going on! Sorry. Sidetracked. Oh, um...I have news about two of your competitions." Jacq's phone rang so she excused herself to answer it. B continued, "First, 'Girls'. I was disappointed with your scores. You got sixth which is too close to the bottom for my liking. I know you changed my layout and that Jake let you. I will not tolerate anything like that again, do you understand?" I solemnly nodded. I felt like I was getting the "safe sex" lecture all over again! "Now, about 'Staged'."
"I have pulled you from that competition! I don't even remember what position you took or your score. But it doesn't matter because I refuse to waste my talent on comps like that." Both Vi and I asked in unison, "Why!?"
B looked uncomfortable. She sighed. "One of the judges wrote on their scorecard 'model kinda looks like crap.' CRAP! I would not let my company name be dragged through the mud like that so I told the Host we would not be participating any longer." Crap? Oh my Creator, someone had lost their mind. Judges can't say that, can they?
B looked very sad. I hated to be the cause of her company getting a bad reputation. I felt tears starting to gather. This terrible news plus the questions about Jake. I wanted so much to just run away!
Suddenly, Jacq was there embracing me and telling me not to worry about this. "Vi told me you received first in the first round of 'Colours'. That should prove this judge was out of line. Put on a strong face, Lacey. I can see paparazzi gathering outside." Her words reminded me that I was always in the spot light. After a quick pat on my back, Jacq headed back upstairs.
"Lacey, I know this is tough and you're new. But I need you to pull it together so we can get in an early photo shoot. I have a Jake Gyllenhaal look-a-like coming in for your next entry in 'Girls'. I have to go now and get him from the airport. I need you at the studio, ASAP." As she turned to leave, I heard her dial a number on her cell. "Jake, where are you? Call me when you get this message! Oh and....," B's voice trailed off as she walked out the back door.
Vi held my arm when I tried to head upstairs to get dressed. "Lace, are you going to be alright? I know B expects you to be your best but with your new relationship with Jake, the things Jacq was telling you this morning, and being pulled from your first comp... well, I expect you to be a little upset." I reached out and held Vi's hand. "I am upset. But B's right, I have a job to do. I will let it out after the work is done." With that said, I went upstairs to get dressed. I had a sinking feeling that the day wouldn't get much better.
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