Living Bad Metaphors

Don't Let Them Get To You

"You okay?" Jon asked, steering metowards the elevator to a side entrance. I nodded, biting down on mylip. We burst into the bright afternoon sun. I leaned against thesmooth exterior of the hotel, pressed my palms to my eyes.

"I don't think you're a bitch."

"That wasn't what really botheredme." I mumbled. "I've been called worse things than a bitch."

"I really--." he rubbed the backof his neck and then crossed his arms. "I don't know what to reallysay, Lita. I'm a little lost." he gave me a wan smile.

"I don't know." I dropped my handsand pulled my sleeves down over my fingers. "It was just somethingmy supervisor said last night. Some of the other guests werewhispering, and I let it get to me."

"Oh," he looked uncomfortable,watching the traffic crawling by our hotel. The hum of car enginesand the dull murmur of conversations by us still didn't drown out thethumping of my heart.

"You're gonna be late if you don'thurry." I muttered, smoothing my hand down my braid. I turned to goback into the building, and he grabbed my elbow and spun me around.

"Don't let them get to you, Lita."his voice was soft, different from the joking bravado I knew from hisinteractions with fans and from his panel. I shrugged and turned forthe handle again.

"It isn't worth it."

"Yesterday you told me that you'reonly here because of these people." I didn't bother looking at him."And today you're telling me that they aren't worth it. Which isit?"

He was silent. There was somethingdiscomfiting in his silence. I also preferred the bravado more. Icouldn't stand to look at his eyes, to see the depths of them takingin my suffering. Suffering that I wasn't even able to explain.

"I have a job to do. Please followme, Mr. Jafari." and in more silence, he followed me to his nextevent.

***

I calmed myself sitting in the shadowsof the game tournament he was hosting. Mario Party All Ages. He wasable to clean up his commentary at least a little bit. Everyone waslaughing as they completed the tasks for their teams.

I lingered in the shadows, havingfetched myself a bottle of soda from a cooler handy. I played with theedges of my badge, not listening to what he was saying. I replayedwhat my supervisor had said, I replayed what he had said about thejealousy and the disaster it was to really even like someone you werewrangling.

When the event was over, he lingeredfor a bit, saying hello and chatting. I watched the crew begin toclean up as he ambled over to me, hands in his pockets. Neither of usspoke for a few minutes, his head titled to the side, considering me.

This time, I was able to meet his eye.

"I think you're supposed to bring mea bottle of water."

"I think you're a grown ass man andthe cooler is right there." I jerked my thumb towards it. "Unlessyou ask me nicely."

"Oh Lita, delight of my eyes, lightof my fucking life. Would you please do me, the greatest idiot you'veever know, the biggest favor of getting me a bottle of cold water?"he rolled his eyes and fell to his knees dramatically. Blushingfuriously, I yanked him up.

"You're not the biggest idiot Iknow." I got him the bottle and opened the cap for him. "In thetop five, but not number one."

"Guess I'll have to try harder." Icurled my lip at him and checked my board. "Lita? Are you okay? Imean, really okay?" I stopped and looked at him for a minute andshrugged, nodded.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It's nothing toreally be worried about. You're right, I shouldn't let what they saybother me."

He was walking beside me through aquiet hall. He stopped short behind me, and I turned.

"What, what is it?"

Without another word, he stepped closeto me, his hand touching the sides of my neck. My fae turned up tohis, and his head turned ever so slightly. His lips ccame to mine,pausing for just a moment and then pressing into mine.

I froze, barely able to kiss back. Hisfingers tangled in the back of my hair and he pressed harder, hismouth opening just a little. I stepped close, angled my own head.This was, most likely, against the rules somewhere. But what no oneelse could see couldn't hurt me. His hands slipped down my body torest on my hips, and my arms wrapped around his shoulders.

He broke apart for air, his handsgripping harder on my hips. I gasped, feeling the tingling in my lipsand between my legs. My hands shook slightly as he drew me just alittle bit closer to him. We stared at each other for a moment.

"I should go." I whispered.

"You don't have to."

His hands slowly left my body, and hestarted walking towards his next event. I trailed after him, a fogdrifting over my head. We headed for exit again, and I froze in thedoorway. Maybe he didn't want me to go with him? Maybe he meant Ididn't have to leave because he was going to leave?

"You comin'?" he called over hisshoulder.

Well then. I hurried along until I wasbeside him. I had to walk a little faster, his stride was longer thanmine. He didn't slow down, but walked us purposefully towards a foodvan shilling tacos. He looked at me expectantly.

"What?" I blinked.

"Beef or pork?"

"Beef?" I shrugged. He walked upto the window and came back with two soft shell tacos and handed meone. He handed me a napkin and began to eat nonchalantly. I stared.

"Eat, your shell is getting soggy."

"If you'll tell me what the hellthat was all about!"