Fallen

Chapter 3: A Secret Kept.

Another scheduled appointment had me up early the next morning. I was dressed and locking my door before exit o'clock.
"Nice boots."
I looked over to see Shannon at Jared's door. He was undressed except for a pair of boxers.
"You're up early." I tried to be casual.
"It's ten o'clock in my head. Where you off to?" He was drinking from a mug.
"I have somewhere to be."
"In those boots. LA certainly has odd business wear."
I was going to make a sarcastic remark but then I really noticed him. He had wide shoulders, a thick chest, narrow waist and a flat stomach. His arms looked strong and his legs were well toned.
"Have fun your first day in LA." I felt a strange turn in my stomach.
"Thanks. Have fun doing whatever you got going." He waved then went back inside.
Shaking off the feeling, I walked downstairs, got in my car and drove to my appointment.

Going into a large, red brick building, the lights were dark, walls painted blood red and decorations that only few understood. This was where my demons lay. The only one I couldn't give up. I could do without drugs, without alcohol but I needed to feel alive, like I needed the high of helping people.
"Good morning." I was greeted by a receptionist dressed in a leather dress.
"Good morning." I replied.
"You're being allowed to be in room 11."
"Thank you."
Turning, I went down to the elevator, went up two flora and arrived at room 11. This was going to be an experience. I knocked.
"Come in." A dark voice spoke through the door,
Inside was just as dark, candles burned all around. There was a platform that moved, several masks hanging on legs and shackles of all kinds.
"Take off your jacket." The voice ordered.

Two hours after, I was home, walking up to my apartment. My thoughts went over what I'd done and how calm I was in the aftermath.
"Must have been a long meeting."
"What?"
Shannon was at the top of the stairs, looking down over the railing. "You changed clothes. What happened to the boots?"
"It's too hot. I always bring a change of clothes, in case of a change in the weather."
"Smart."
"Thought that Jared would be showing you around." I reached my door.
"He had something and I'm still hung over. So we're going out tonight."
"Did Jared tell you about.."
"The rules. Yeah. I won't break them. Of course sometimes it's fun."
"Shannon. I don't mean to be rude, but I'm a little tired and I want to have a shower. Do you want something?"
"Nah. Just bored I guess. Where can I find a phone?"
"You don't know anyone here."
"I wanted to call my mother. Tell her that I got here."
"Oh. Come on in. Use mine."
"Are you the only apartment that has a phone?"
"Yes."
"Why? Do you like that much control?"
"No!"
"Hey. Calm down. Just a joke."
"Sorry. Anyone can have a phone if they want. Mostly they use their money to live and get what they need. My phone is for emergencies and messages. I let everyone use it."
"That's cool. So can I call my Mom?"
"Of course. Take as much time as you want."
Going inside, I pointed toward the phone, dropped my bag in the corner and excused myself to the bathroom. I spent thirty minutes showering, giving Shannon lots of time. When I walked out, I didn't think anymore about it.
"Well hello there."
My head shot around to see Shannon sitting on my sofa, smiling like it was Christmas morning. I had only dressed in a blue bra and bikini panties.
"I figured that you'd be gone." I searched for something to cover up with.
"I hate being by myself." His eyes were moving all over me.
Stepping over to my wardrobe, I pulled out a t-shirt and shorts, put them on and tired to relax.
"Since you're here you want a drink or something to eat?" I offered.
"I want to get out of here. I'm not used to this."
"You've been here less than a day."
"But it's LA. There's gotta be something to do."
He looked desperate. I wasn't sure if he was really that bored or looking for something to lighten his mood.
"We can leave Jared a note. I'll drive downtown and we can take a walk." I suggested.
"Really?"
"Just don't go looking to score a hit from anyone, and no drinks harder than a bottle of water."
"Jared told you?"
"I know the signs. Deal?"
"Yeah deal. I'll go grab a jacket."
"Give me a few more minutes to put some other clothes on."
"I liked what you were wearing earlier."
I knew he meant the lingerie. I blushed. He stood, left my apartment and I picked out some jeans, a lose shirt, sneakers and sunglasses.
"Did you leave your brother a note?" I asked when I met him in the hallway.
"Yup. So where we going?" He closed the door.
"Somewhere safe and touristy. The Chinese theater and the celebrity look-a-likes."
"Great." He groaned.
"You wanted to go out."
"Fine."
I drove downtown, parked at a lot and we walked to the main area of Hollywood Boulevard. I'm sure that Shannon wanted something more exciting, but I didn't want to have Jared worrying about him. As it was, Shannon laughed as he saw the people dressed up like Superman, Marilyn Monroe and other celebrities and characters. They made money taking pictures with tourists. For a giggle, I told him to stand with a costumed character of a Ninja Turtle. He actually had a pretty good stance for a Karate first position. After paying the person, we continued to the theater, to look at the cement prints. Shannon got into it putting his feet in John Wayne's prints.
We sat at an outside cafe, ordered some coffee and cinnamon rolls, taking a rest from Shannon's silliness. He was making me laugh with the odd faces and expressions, poking fun at the tourist attractions.
"So. You take in strays, show them around and don't take rent. I don't get it." Shannon chewed the pastry.
"I just got to a point where a had to make a choice. Live or die." I shrugged.
"Shit!"
"Rehab didn't really work, so my father came to me with the one thing I wanted more."
"Helping people?"
I nodded.
"Has anyone made it? Then come back to thank you."
"Some. I've gotten letters or phone calls. My success is in helping someone who has a dream so huge, and the determination to follow through."
"Like Jared?"
"But he's going to have a difficult time."
"Why do you say that?"
"Jared has talent, dreams that could be crumbled if he listens to some people."
"I don't understand."
I sighed. "He's that rare person who is a certain kind of beautiful if people push him to take roles, or commercials, based on how he looks, he'll be a success but not happy. Whatever he has planned, I hope that he doesn't take the easy route."
"With someone like you encouraging him, I'm sure he'll think it over."
"Don't read into it too much. I like your brother but I never lose myself. He'll move on and that'll be it."
"Nah. He'll keep in touch. We've lived in a lot of places and still have friends."
I looked at him. He was being sincere.
"Okay. More important fact." He sat back.
"What?"
"Those boots you had on. What kind of job would you wear those to?"
"It's not something I care to talk about." I was uneasy.
"It's either a model or a sex kitten." He teased.
My eyes gave him a look. "Why would you say that?"
"Back home a lot of girls wear boots similar down on Bourbon Street at night." He smiled.
"Well. I'm not trying to pick up anyone." I stood up and walked away quickly.
"Hey wait!" He ran after me and caught up. "If I said anything wrong. I'm sorry."
"That's the kind of thing that'll get you in trouble around here. I have to get back."
"Okay. Guess that I should rest before tonight. Lisa a really am sorry."
"Don't worry about it."
At home, Shannon thanked me for taking him out. I went into my place and him to Jared's. Not sure what to do with myself, I walked over to the bed, kneeled down, pulled out a storage box and opened the cover. I looked at the collection of clothes. I needed a distraction before I did something I couldn't take back. I pulled out a leather belt, pushed the box back under the bed, stood up, took off my shirt and wrapped the belt around my bare waist. Tightening it as much as I could, the belt had tiny pins in it that pressed into my skin. It was a way to suppress feelings that wanted to escape. I let the feel of the pins take over and leaned against the bedpost.

Later that afternoon, early evening, I was resting on the sofa, reading and having a cup of cinnamon tea. A hard knock came from my door, almost urgent and panicked. Standing, I went over quickly, hoping that it wasn't serious. Jared was standing in the hall, eyes wide and a worried expression.
"Jared? Is everything alright?" I asked.
"That's why I came over. Did Shannon upset you?" He questioned.
Oh. I shook my head. "I'm fine. Is that why you knocked so hard?"
"He said that he pissed you off. I wanted to make sure that he wasn't being inappropriate. He has no filter right now."
"Don't worry about me. He was just making conversation and asked me a question I was overly touchy about. It's okay. Tell him I'm not mad."
"Okay. Why don't you come out with us tonight?"
"I don't know Jared."
"Come on. You don't go anywhere and I want to make up for my brother. It's just that place off the Strip, the dance club."
His face looked hopeful, eyes smiling and a cheeky grin across his lips. It made me laugh.
"Okay. I'll go." I relented.
"Great. We'll be leaving around ten, so be ready."
"Fabulous."
He jumped foolishly back to his door. I shut mine, rested against it for a moment, then went to see what I could wear. I wouldn't be drinking, so no worrying about looking sleazy when drunk. I found the right outfit in my wardrobe, picked out some jewelry and shoes before deciding whether or not to have a short nap. I had four hours. An hour or so would give me plenty of time.