Who You Say I Am (A Jai Courtney Fanfic)

Chapter 83-Jai

Jai

The whole group of us on our triple date—Megan and me, Gale and Floyd, Valentina and Izaak—go out to eat at Bianca's family's restaurant.  I hadn't seen her in a while and she waves to me when I come in.  I wave back.  We're seated and I think it's one of her family members who waits on us.  I get a steak fajita meal. I hear Megan order something with shrimp and I realize she really does like seafood. I'll have to take her out if I can ever coax her to travel with me. I smile thinking about how she's defo coming to my screening and I can take her out then for sure.
"I know that look," Izaak says to me grinning smugly.
I hum a reply to him.
"You're in love with her, aren't you?" he whispers quietly.
I laugh in surprise, "You sound like my mum."
"Maybe we're right," he chuckles.
"I don't know about that," I say trying not to guffaw.
"Prove me wrong then," he laughs. "I know I am."
"How... how do you know?" I ask him curiously since he's so sure of himself.
He shrugs, "It's just a kind of feeling you get, you know? It's like you never want to be apart. When you're together, it's as if you're flying or something. It's like the closest thing on earth to Heaven."
I nod in understanding. "I've never been in love before," I admit.
"I wouldn't say never," he shakes his head. "I think you just don't know it yet."
I glance to Megan seeing her talking and laughing with Gale. She looks to me and smiles. I feel that sensation in my chest again and wonder if that's what that is.

*****

We go to a bowling alley and I admit I haven't done this in ages.  This is glow bowling though and it's crazy fun.  I've never done this before.  Megan is actually pretty decent at this, more so than anyone else.  I'm okay.  Gale is terrible but she's having a good time. 
"I should've asked for the bumpers," she laughs jokingly as she gets another gutter ball. 
"You're not that bad," I assure her.  "You've knocked a few pins down."
She laughs at that as I take my turn.  I actually get a strike... but Megan has had all strikes so far.  That was my first.  As Megan gets ready to bowl, Gale pulls me aside away from the group.  We step behind the seated area. 
"How's everything going between you two?" she asks me excitedly. "Megan won't tell me anything."
"Good," I smile. 
"You haven't asked her out?" she questions. 
"It just never seemed like the right time," I shrug putting my hands in my pockets.  "Either something would come up with her ex or we'd get interrupted.  I don't know if she's even over the bloke either."
She nods in understanding. 
"Excuse me," a young man comes up to me.  "Are you Jai Courtney?"
"I am," I nod.  I go through the spiel with him—how he can't get over that I'm here, autograph, photos... etc. and he leaves. 
I look back to Gale and she's gaping at me.  "Wh... what just happened there?" Gale questions motioning to the fan's retreating form in utter disbelief.
"I'm in films and he recognized me," I shrug. 
"Films... like movies?" she questions. 
I nod. 
"So... you're famous?" she asks dumbfounded. 
I nod again. 
"Like Pureflix or something?" she inquires confused. 
"I'm not familiar with that," I tell her shaking my head. 
"Mainstream movies?" she questions. 
"Yeah," I say. 
"What have you been in?" she asks curiously. 
I list off some of my more well known films: Jack Reacher, Die Hard, Terminator, Divergent, and Suicide Squad. 
"Does Megan know this?" she questions skeptically. 
"She does," I nod. 
She blinks in surprise. 
"Alright then," she says a bit in shock before we return to the group. 
I sit beside Megan putting my arm around her until my turn is up again. I go up and get a spare. Megan's next—strike. I laugh in disbelief and she seems surprised, too. I'm wondering if she's going to get a perfect game.
Gale takes her by the hand and they disappear, probably to the bathroom but I know from the glance I got from Gale just now that they're talking about me.
"So how's the business?" I ask Floyd and Izaak as Valentina bowls.
"Good," they both nod.
"We're working on a couple new builds for Luis. They're actually near Megan's neighborhood. That's all I do because it's enough for me but this guy does the odd job," Izaak says motioning to Floyd.
"Hey, if your mama needed help with something, I bet you'd be there straight away," Floyd replies.
"True," Izaak nods. "I'd hate to work on my mom's electric though. I think she still has some knob and tube. I'll just save up for a new house. I don't want to mess with that stuff. I'd have to rework the whole house, then probably get her asbestos in the walls abated," he laughs awkwardly.
"That sounds rough," I agree. I've heard about the nightmares associated with old buildings.
Valentina joins us and Izaak goes up.
"So... how's work?" I ask her.
"I've actually switched jobs," she beams. 
"Really?" I ask surprised.  I think she mentioned something about a coffeehouse before but I'm not sure because my attention was centered on Megan at the time.  "Where are you working now?"
"Luis needed some help in the office so I'm working there for him—handling paperwork, phones, bringing things to the worksites..." she lists off.  "He hired Nova and me in the office. We're going through training together right now."
"That's good news," I nod as Izaak comes back and Floyd is up. "Better pay than the other?" I question.
She laughs and nods. "It's full time. We get health insurance and the pay is more than double what my part-time job was offering."
"That's great then," I smile at her. "Anyone else get hired?" I question kind of wondering about Javier since I've heard nothing lately. I've haven't even seen him.
She nods. "Let's see... Luis hired Rashaad, Khalan, and Javier.  They're all doing on site apprentice work.  He offered a few more positions since he's doing so well.  Everyone else is undecided at this point.  They're building up the entire subdivision and they had just finished some apartments and assisted living quarters there."
"That's awesome," I say in disbelief. 
"It is.  I feel so blessed to be a part of that.  I really had no real plan for my life," she smiles.  "It's like I was offered this free trip to Jamaica.  We helped out some kids, had some fun, and God just dropped a dream job in my lap.  It's unbelievable."
I smile at her enthusiasm.  That's pretty fantastical. 
"So, what do you do, Jai?" Floyd asks me as he returns.  "You've got some serious vacation time."
"Um... I'm in films," I say biting my lip.  This always changes the dynamic between new mates. 
"Films?" Valentina asks confused. 
"You know, the pictures," I clarify. 
"Movies?" Izaak asks. 
I nod. 
"Are you in production?" Floyd asks. 
"I star in them," I explain. 
"You're a movie star?" Valentina asks for confirmation. 
I purse my lips and nod. 
They ask what I've been in and I give the same list as I gave Gale earlier. 
"I'm gonna have to see some of those," Izaak says excitedly. 
"Wait... you said Suicide Sqaud?" Floyd questions.  "Were you Captain Boomerang?"
I nod. 
"That's cool, brah," he says fist bumping me.  I laugh in surprise.  "I'm a big Will Smith fan."
"He's pretty awesome," I agree. 
We chat a bit more and they're actually not being weird about it—treating me the same way as before except I feel more open with them, not like I'm hiding anything anymore.  It's a relief and kind of freeing in a way. 
The girls return and Gale goes up to bowl.  I put my arm around Megan.  She smiles at me.  Gale knocks a couple pins down and she's jumping up and down praising Jesus.  I chuckle at her enthusiasm.  She throws the ball again and knocks some more down.  Floyd high fives her and she's beaming as we switch places.  I bowl again and get a strike but I'm hoping for Megan to get another.  I watch as she goes back up.  She does, in fact, get another strike.  By the next couple, she's grasped the attention of those around us.  They observe our players as we progress.  By the end of the game, Megan covers her mouth in surprise. 
"I can't believe I did that," she tells me as I pick her up. 
"That was bloody amazing," I tell her grinning as I hug her and kiss the top of her head.  "I didn't know you were a bowler," I tease. 
"I'm really not," she laughs in disbelief.  "I've only played a little with my family growing up."
"Well, all that practice paid off," I chuckle. 
She gets her picture taken and put up on the wall of the small bowling alley with the handful of others who had a perfect game.  She also wins a coupon for a free game and shoe rental.  She poses with the coupon like it's the biggest award she's ever received.  I can't keep the smile off of my face at how happy she is.