Xandros and Ally

Chapter 9 (Ally): Waiting There

Zed was passed out next to me in the window seat, and I tipped my head back, trying to settle myself. The woman next to me was crocheting, and I was glad she didn't feel like being chatty because I simply wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone.

My cousin and I were on a six a.m. flight to LA, which meant we hadn't gotten a lot of sleep after we left the party. Once Xandros had made his shocking declaration, he felt me stiffen next to him. Since I was at his party in a professional capacity and there were already at least a hundred cell phones recording us, I was unable to grab my mic stand and start beating Xandros over the head with it. I couldn't even give him one shot between the legs.

"Ally," he whispered, looking down into my face, "Let's go outside and talk."

"Xandros," I whispered back, smiling huge, "I don't want to talk. I do, however, want to kill you, and if you don't let go of me right now, I don't care how many cameras are on me -- I'll do it and you'll be the first man to die from having a mic shoved down his throat."

"OK, now isn't the time anyway. Tomorrow?"

"For now, Zed and I just want to get out of here. Stop by my place at ten tomorrow and we can talk."

Good luck with that. Zed and I would already be in LA by ten the next morning.

"Stay? Please?" Xandros pleaded. A beautiful man with beautiful brown eyes begging me to stay would normally be hard to resist, but I had no trouble tonight.

But fortunately, my cousin saved me from having to answer... or commit murder. He obviously read my face and quickly came up to Xandros and put an arm around him. He walked him two steps in front of me to address the partiers.

"OK, that was hilarious!" Zed's voice cut across the crowd's cheering. "Best end to a performance ever! Even I thought he was serious for a minute! Let's hear it for the birthday boy with the great sense of humor! I mean, who wouldn't fall in love with Ally and want to marry her? Well, me because I'm her cousin, but you know what I mean! Birthday boy or not, he's going to have to get in line!"

The crowd laughed again, and I grabbed Zed's guitar and walked outside with it to his car, smiling that he'd called Xandros a boy twice. Leaning against Zed's car, I sighed, not wanting to go back in there. Zed could get everything else -- it wasn't that much.

"Ally!" I heard a feminine voice call out to me. I turned and saw Cassia running toward me.

"That was incredible! You blew everyone out of the water! You have the most amazing voice."

"Thank you," I said, and was pleased my stutter wasn't too bad.

"No, thank you. Really. You and your cousin were amazing," she said. "So, ah...is he single, by any chance? I mean, guitarists are hot to begin with, but he's gorgeous, too."

"Yeah, but I strongly advise you to pursue him only if you really have thick skin. All of his previous girlfriends last about two months at the most before they're calling me asking why he's such an asshole."

"Yes! So he is single! Can I have his number?"

"Tell you what. I'll pass your number on to him. But just remember, I warned you."

"No worries; I'll have him domesticated in a week. Anyway, here's the check for you and for Zed."

 She handed me the slip of paper, then gave me a big hug. "I don't know what's going on with you and Xandros -- no way did I buy what Zed was selling after Xandros declared he loved you and wanted to marry you -- but you have my vote and not just because you're a famous singer."

"There's nothing going on between us," I assured her. Almost one hundred percent truthfully. Unless you counted my desire to do bodily harm to Xandros.

Zed came walking out with the mic box and stand.