A Christmas Surprise

Six

Sept 2003

Jessica

I was back in Vegas for the first time in months, my school had taken over my life and I had ended up staying in New York over most of the Summer, taking an extra photography course and working in an art gallery. I was only home for a few weeks as I was preparing to travel to Rome to study for a year. I felt so excited about this amazing opportunity, but I was also ready to have a good time before I left the US behind for a year.

During my time in New York I had managed to acquire a very convincing fake ID and Thomas also had a much better one, compared to when we were sixteen. Michael had softened towards the idea of me going out with my friends and having fun, but I was not involved in his group of friends, which included Brandon Flowers. He was actually the only person in Las Vegas that I really wanted to spend time with, but as I had experienced at Christmastime, last year, that things between us were too awkward, because of my brother. I did know that The Killers were doing really well and were hoping to  be signed to a label anytime soon.

September in Las Vegas was hot. I was lying beside the pool in the back yard, covered by a large plastic table parasol that I had managed to stick in the grass, so I could enjoy the shade and dip my feet in the cool water. I was thinking about Rome and what I hoped to do there, when Michael came sauntering out to the back garden with his latest girl friend, Veronica, who seemed to be lasting longer than most.

"Hey, Jess," Michael said, as he dipped under the shade of the large umbrella, "can I ask you a favour?"

"You can ask, but I may choose to decline," I said sitting up, splashing my feet in the pool.

"You know the guys in The Killers?" He said, and my whole body temperature seemed to drop dramatically, despite the heat.

"Yeah," I said as calmly as I could manage.

"Well, I said you were in town and they wondered if you could take some photographs of them as a band and I said you would," he smiled, "Veronica and I can drive you over to Ronnie's house."

"Oh, ok, "so you have actually booked me a job, without asking me and I have a feeling you said I would do it today?"

"Well, you are not exactly busy, and I think this is a favor, not a paid job," he laughed, "You've got about half an hour to get ready."

Brandon

We were sitting in Ronnie's kitchen, trying to keep cool under the wonky air conditioning unit, when I saw Michael's car pull up into the drive way. I felt my stomach turn over as I caught sight of Jessica. I had stayed quiet as Ronnie and Dave had talked to Michael about getting her to take photos of us, I had silently prayed that she would agree, but I didn't want to be the one to instigate it, I was worried my feelings would be exposed. I was now even more anxious, as I would be with her, surrounded by those that know me best and she was looking hot in a vest top and cut offs, her long blonde hair in wavy bunches.

"Is that Michael's sister?" Ronnie asked as he stood at the window.

"That's her," I said with a smile that I knew Ronnie could read, because he grinned at me, showing all his teeth.

"Hi," Ronnie said, playing the host and welcoming them in. I could see she was nervous, but she smiled and greeted everyone, including me. She was so beautiful, I couldn't keep my eyes off her, she had changed so much since I saw her last. Ronnie was funny and charming as he always was with the ladies and both Jessica and Veronica were laughing and giggling away.

"So where do you want us?" Ronnie said posing and showing off across the kitchen worktop.

"Well, you have a lovely kitchen, but it doesn't quite match your image..." Jessica giggled, "I know it's hot weather, but I think we should go outside."

"I don't think me and Veronica have to hang around," Michael interrupted, "maybe one of you guys could give Jess a ride home later?"

"Sure," I said, louder than I had meant and I felt everyone's eyes on me, including Jessica's, "I'll be heading out past your house anyway," I said hoping I had managed to get away with it.

"Cool," Michael said as he and Veronica made their way out, "see you later."

Jessica

After a quick discussion about a suitable location, we decided to drive to a large park in one of the large Vegas suburbs, it was full of trees and a big green spaces. We all climbed into Brandon's car, and I felt bad that I had been given the front passenger seat, despite the fact that I was much smaller than the other guys. They tried to squeeze in the back of the car, but gave up pretty quickly.

"You two go together and we'll follow in Ronnie's car," Dave said with an obvious wink at Brandon. Brandon stifled a smile and drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel. The others disappeared into Ronnie's car and I watched as Brandon reversed out of the driveway. I watched his long fingers on the stereo as we made our way out of the street.

"So Miss Valentine," Brandon said with a smile, "I hear you are going to Rome?"

"Yes at the beginning of October," I said shifting about in the seat, but not before I caught Brandon as he cast a quick look down at my bare thighs, "and I hear that you are about to sign a deal in the UK?"

"Yeah," he let out a big giggle, "It's really happening, we go to London in three days!" he exclaimed with excitement.

"I'm so pleased for you, Brandon," I said with a smile as we pulled up at a stop light. He turned towards me, his eyes shining, gazing into mine.

"Thanks, Jess," he said with a returning smile as the light flicked to green and we were off again, "and I'm happy for you too, you know about studying in Rome, I remember you spoke about it that day in Starbucks." I cringed as I thought about the awkward hot chocolate we had shared just after Christmas last year, "What are you thinking about?" Brandon asked, "You've gone all quiet," he giggled, but I knew he was fishing for how I felt about that day.

"I was thinking about that day in Starbucks and how it was a little awkward," I confessed as I looked out my passenger window, not able to look over at his face.

"It just summed me up," Brandon said shaking his head as we pulled into the parking lot of the park, "I wanted to really talk to you, but I seemed to let my feelings and worries get the best of me," he said as he cut the ignition and turn his whole body sideways to look at me. I felt my heart begin to beat faster.

Brandon

I looked at the gorgeous girl in my car as I waited for her response. She was looking down at her lap, playing with a loose thread in her cut off jeans. I had driven a bit faster than usual, because I had wanted to get ahead of the other guys to get Jessica alone, even just for a few moments.

"Do you think something would have happened between us, if Michael wasn't my brother?" Jessica asked, catching me every time with her blue eyes.

"Yes," I croaked, feeling cowardly as I looked down at her tanned knees, "I wish I had been brave enough to tell him that I liked you and that I wanted to date you, but you were still so young and I felt like a creep" I said trying to get the words out.

"I'm not that much younger," she said a little annoyed, a frown line appearing right between her eyebrows, that made her even more adorable.

"Yeah now," I said with a chuckle, "nineteen going on twenty is different from just turned eighteen," I said.

"So, now that I am older...?" She asked, just as she began, her soft tone sending a wave of butterflies through me, Ronnie and the others pulled up beside us beeping the horn and waving. I waved back, disappointed that our moment was lost.