Listening to Empty Spaces: A Lost and Found Novel

Chapter five: Popcorn, and too many People

    "You look lovely tonight," Camden says, and just when I'm going to give him a shy smile, Master's says. "She looks like a schoolgirl or as if she's trying out for the tennis team. I mean fuck we have to wear our uniforms everyday, and on the day we don't she puts it on anyway, all she needs is the blazer to complete the look."
I shrink back into my seat.
"You're a complete asshole, Masters." This time from Weston.
"Don't I fucking know it." He takes another drag from his funny little cigarette and then passes it around. When it stops at me I shake my head and say as kindly and properly as possible. "Thank you. I don't smoke though."
Masters throws his head back in laughter and says, "Of course pretty pretty princess doesn't smoke. You're missing out, This is the good stuff."
"It's a blunt, Havenlee," Serena says no censure in her voice. "They're not smoking cigarettes, they're smoking weed.'
My eyes widen and I shake my head even more vigorously. "Oh no, no thank you. I'm fine without...without."
"A blunt." Masters says taking a deep drag. "Wouldn't want to loosen you up at all."
"She said she didn't want it. So lay off," Weston says firmly and Masters looks at him, mouth hanging open. I guess he doesn't often get talked in that way by his friends.
"Fine, whatever, you're all fucking acting so straight laced you're killing me." Masters takes another drag and leans against the upholstery of the car happily. "Sooo the prim and proper Havenlee Hemshaw, is the daughter of a famous rocker." God. he really can't keep his mouth shut, can he.
I stiffen. "I didn't know. It took me a moment to figure out that Fitz was ALSO a huge rocker."
"Is there a reason you call you father dad, or father, but Fitz."
"It's more proper," I whisper. Suddenly I clench my jaw and say, "I don't want to speak about this anyone. My life is far from interesting. And even if it were I wouldn't be comfortable indulging all the facts in the car with people I barely know." I chew my lower lip, certain I've blown it. No one is going to want to talk to me now.
They all burst out into laughter and large grins.
"Kittens got some claws," Braydon says.
"Maybe not so useless after all," Is Massters response
"You can take that temper out on me anytime" Weston says quietly, but there is a strange undercurrent in his words.
"You all are pigs." And i turn my head toward the window and take in the sights whizzing by. Too soon we've reached our destination and the boys are climbing out of the huge car, and offering me their hand. I take Camden's hand and let him help me out of the car.
"Awww Camden she likes you...isn't that too sweet." Masters says with a smile, although his eyes tell an entirely different story. What now? What had I done to piss him off now?
When I'm out of the car I let go of Camden's hand, ignoring his wounded expression (can't let these guys think I care about them). Not even sweet Camden who makes my heart beat faster in my chest. If I were honest with myself I'd admit that all the guys made my heart beat faster, and I'm determined to tell myself it's my heart murmur and not them. Each of them seem special in their own way...except Masters. Masters could go jump off a bridge for all I care. There was definitely nothing likable about Masters.
"Where do you want to start?" Serena's eyes are wide.
"Let's go to the arcade section with all those stupid games like whack-a-mole and trying to shoot a basket twenty times." Masters says.
"You only want to go there because you know you're good at it." Braydon huffs.
"Yeah so...chicken?"
The guys groan and Camden rolls his eyes and then whispers in my ear. "Every time we come here we get suckered into playing these ridiculous games, like put the penny in the bottle...it's like impossible because the penny just jumps from the top of the bottle to another top of the bottle etc. But Masters somehow always gets that stupid penny into the bottle.
"I wouldn't mind seeing..." I say quietly. "I've been to a carnival before, I want to see as much as possible before we go home."
Camden takes my hands his his and gives them a squeeze before speaking loudly to be heard over the din. "Princess has spoken. She said the arcade would be fine. That she'd like to see it." There are groans all around us except from Masters who already looks like he's victorious. Camden whispers in my ear, and his breath fans my already heated flesh, "Maybe this year you'll be my lucky charm."
Biting my lip and feeling a little emboldened, I stretch up and he bends down so I can speak in his ear. "You never know...luck and charm come in so many ways," and then I bit the shell of his ear lightly causing his to shudder and let me go so quickly I wondered if I'd done it wrong. Mary-Ellen Rubitz at my old school said that it always drove her boyfriends crazy when she did that.
But now I'm mortified. What the heck did you do, Havenlee. I quickly rush away from Camden following the group down the trail, ignoring Camden calling my name. My face is red with shame and embarrassment and I'm also shaking from my mortification. I try to take in the arcade game section and see a very gaudy area with lots of lights and twinkling starts strung up. Each game sounded intriguing. But the hit the ducks with water game was the one I needed because its prize is a giant panda.
My eyes haze as I remember that time when I was four years old and my mother was dragging me around. We passed F.A.O. Schwartz and in the middle of the window was the cutest large panda ever. I'd begged my mother, pleaded with her, but she wouldn't budge. She said stuffed animals were for babies and I was four now I didn't need a stupid squishy make believe thing to keep me company. I never did get that panda, but I'd wanted it so much.
I pull out some money, give it over to the vendor and get the run down on the game. I need to shoot all five ducks right in the middle to win the panda. How hard could it be right?
Fifteen minutes later I was at my wits end. No closer to getting that Panda than when I started the game. All the guys were competing against each other in basketball games, baseball games, and here I was like an idiot trying to get a stupid damn stuffed animal.
"Here let me have a go. I've always wanted to try...see if I'm as good at this as all the others." Masters says. Dejectedly I nod my head. Moments later I here the ring and little firework lights go off. He'd done it. Had I expected any differently. I vaguely hear him say that one before I turn and get ready to go when suddenly there's a huge bear suffocating my face. It's the panda. I begin to cry. I just cant help it.
"Hey, hey none of that. I didn't do this so you'd cry. I say you staring at it earlier...seemed to mean something to you. So I got it for you, that's it."
I throw my arms around Masters and at first he's stiff and then he melts softly, his body molding to mine and his arms wrapping against my middle. I feel his nose nuzzle my neck and then a small sniff, and still pressed against him, I ask, "Did you just sniff me?"
"So what if I did. You smell good."
"Uhmmm okay, whatever."
"What the hell is going on here?" Braydon asks having come over having witnessed the end of the hug.
"Don't make her feel like shit man." Masters says. "I won her a prize and she hugged me to say thank you."
"You never win prizes for girls. Hell the last time you brought Rebecca Sharp and she ended leaving in the middle of the date because you wouldn't buy her anything but food, and you wouldn't win her something."
My eyes widen. He doesn't do this for everyone? Somehow it made the panda even more special to me. I give him one more squeeze and then pull away feeling strangely bereft of his warmth and touch. Masters grins and says. "I think I'll go see what the guys are doing."
"Whatcha he get for you?" Braydon asks. I hold up the giant panda proudly and Braydon looks at it dubiously. "You realize there are a lot of better prizes here. That bear is going to lose his stuffing or beads or whatever they use to stuff him with, in a week or so."
"Bet not." I say haughtily.
"Oh are we betting now." Braydon says.
"I bet that Panda is in the same if not better condition a week from now."
"What do I get if you lose, Havenlee"
"What do you want."
"Oh isn't that a loaded question, Havenlee. Since what I want I cannot have at this moment I'll take a private concert from you where you play and sing just for me."
I swallow and nod slowly, "I guess I can accept that."
"And me, Havenlee, what do you want from me if you win he bet."
Havenlee cocks her head to one side and finally says. "I'd like you to pretend you're my boyfriend for four weeks."
"I'm sorry what?"
I'd thought this out. It Braydon pretended to be her boyfriend she could bring him to the house to hang out, do homework, and those mundane things that couples do. Then Paul couldn't get close to her, or at least it would be very hard for him to get a hold of her. It wasn't exactly a perfect plan and certainly it was thought and uttered impulsively. But the more she thought of it, the better it seemed.
"I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend for four weeks."
"Havenlee, I'm sure you have plenty of guys that..."
"I want you. So do you agree? I understand if you're scared of losing...."
"...Oh no, now you've done it," Braydon says. "You got a bet." He holds his hand and I take it and we shake. I've noticed his hand is so much larger than mine, and had some calluses .
"No telling anyone." I say.
"Well that goes without saying. You have my word, I won't tell anyone."
"Even the boys?" I ask.
His eyes darken and his jaw clenches and unclenches before saying, "Even the boys."

                                                *****

"I think I'm going to be sick," I groan, closing my eyes and praying for it to be over. Somehow I'd allowed Serena to get me on the whirl-a-twirl, these seats that turn and twist and move while they're spinning. It was a sure fire way to lose you supper. Thankfully I hadn't eaten anything, or I'd probably have thrown up on Serena by now.
The minute the horrible ride stopped I was unbuckling myself and running for the exit.
"You okay, Havenlee?" Serena pats my back. "You look a little green."
"Serena NEVER take me on a ride like that again, I think I had my stomach in my throat the entire time."
Serena laughed, "Ohhhhhh you get motion sick?"
I roll my eyes, "I get crazy spinning chair sickness." I nudge her shoulder.
"You're supposed to feel for me. You're not supposed to be laughing."
"Let's go see where the guys are out."
"You have no heart." I say.
"Sure I do. But it's superseded by my stomach at the moment." She pulls me along until we crash into Weston's back.'
   "Couldn't wait to see me, right?" Weston says with a grin.
   "Oh shut you pie hole, Weston." Serena says, all sassy like.  "We're in search of food."
   "You sure?" He points towards me.  "Cause that one still looks a little green.  Hey, hey, green is a great color on you?"
   I let out a little laugh and shake my head.  "Green isn't a good color on anyone."  But I swallow and stand up s straighter.  "I feel as if I could eat a little something."
   "Well this place has EVERYTHING." Serena says.  "You want cheesy fries, you want bacon on that, that they have that too.  You want a hot dog the length of you arm, you can find that.  Then funnel cake for dessert."
   My mind is reeling.  Well I've never had cheesy fries before.  Actually I've never had fries before, so that sounds like a good place to start."
   Both Weston and Serena say at the same time, "You've never had fries before?"
   I shake my head.  "Mother said they were unhealthy for me and a waste of truly good carbs."
   "Your mom sounds like a bitch," Weston mutters.
   I rush to her defense.  "She loves me in her own way.  She raised me on her own," okay nannies had raised me, "and she's been there when I needed her.  More than I can say for my biological father."
   Weston wraps an arm around my shoulder and nuzzles my neck,  "I'm sorry, princess.  I didn't mean to throw shade your mother's way.  If you turned out this way, then she did something right."
   I cant help but burrow into Westons side.  He smells so good and she too ridiculously handsome for his own good.  "You're forgiven." I say with a smile.
   "Good now that the heavy moment is over, can we go get those cheesy fries?" Serena asks breaking the tension.  The three of us laugh and head off in search of a vendor that sells cheesy fries.