Jenalyn: Disconnected (#5) [Complete]

Chapter 49: Hayden

Thurs. 1/08/09 • 12:24 A.M. PST

The movie finished a while ago, and Evelyn retired to her new room shortly after, her attitude rotten as ever as she walked off without saying a word to anyone. I know she's in her room because her lights are one of the only lights on in my section of the house, and every so often I can see her shadow dance by them.

She probably thinks I slept with, or am going to sleep with Russell. I have no idea why she always gets so upset about what I decide to do with my sexual life, but it's something I've been dealing with for a while.

I'm not even going to bother entertaining it tonight. Or any other night, for that matter. I mean, Evelyn is not my girlfriend. What I do sexually is none of her business.

Russell doesn't want to sleep with you anyway, I hear Jena sneer in the back of my mind, her voice bitter but further back into my head than I expected her to be.

I've been surprised that she hasn't taken over my head and tried to jump his bone yet. Jena enjoys taking from a man just as much as she loves getting taken by a man. I thought, for sure, that she would have tried something after my failed attempt to give her monster what it needs earlier, but... nothing. Just a few snide remarks in the depths of my mind.

"So you live here with your two other sisters, huh?" Russell asks as we swing gently on the hanging daybed, his hands folded over his chest as he turns to face me. "Why such a huge house? It seems like a lot of emptiness."

I have to brush thoughts of Jena from my mind. I'm obsessing over her right now when the reality is that things are usually better when she doesn't get to do what she wants. Her actions tend to have pretty harsh effects on Hayden's life; I should be thankful that she's keeping calm instead of freaking out and taking repercussions like usual.

"Eh... it's definitely a lot of emptiness. I still have like... three sections of my house that we're just waiting to renovate until I can figure out what I want to do with them," I say, shrugging my shoulders as I stare up at the dim crystal lights lining the roof of the gazebo. "My mom wanted us to stay close. I guess her way of doing that was to give us enough of our own space while still sharing one whole space together."

Russell nods his head, taking a moment to absorb my words before he props himself up on his elbows to glance around the vast back yard I share with Harper and Harlee. "Are they home? Your part is the only one with any lights on."

I prop myself up too, noticing the same thing for like... the third time tonight. Truth be told, Harlee is practically never home. Even when she's in town, she ends up spending the night at Mama G's, you know, because they're besties and all. Harper is home more often than Harlee, but spends days at Mama G's while only coming home to sleep, or hangout with me.

I'm only home so much as of this past week because I've been trying to get used to being "alone" with the baby. I'm sure the Golds will have me back to work and back to excessive visits at Mama G's in no time.

"Just one of them is home," I mutter, trailing off in my mind for a few moments. "The other one is here on and off. She works a lot."

Russell and I go on with our mindless conversation for a while longer, getting to know each other more and more as each second passes. Russell is a videographer/photographer working for some pretty decent people out here, living out in LA in a really nice house he inherited when his father died.

I can't help but stare at him in wonder as he explains how he came to be so successful at the young age of just 22. "Damn, I'm starting to feel a little inadequate here, I mean-"

Russell interrupts me to shoot me with furrowed brows. "Inadequate?" he scoffs, "Look at you! Look at this place! I know you're not older than I am, and you seem pretty damned well off! My success has nothing on yours! Tell me your story- How did you get here today?"

I think about telling him I was just born into a celebrity family, but a simple search on Google could easily tell him otherwise. Not only that, but... I kind of want to tell him the truth. There's something about him that intrigues not only Jena, but me too... maybe that's what she hasn't thrown a fit. We don't mind just... getting to know him for a bit.

"I was actually just... adopted into a famous family, and kind of got famous for that fact, I guess..." I mutter, not even realizing the change in my tone until I hear it myself. I've never really thought of it like that before. I've definitely worked for a lot of my fame, but at the same time... it was just kind of handed to me. "Don't get me wrong! I sing, I act, I've toured with my sister... but like, I don't know. I guess I just got a good opportunity in the whole scheme of things. I didn't really do anything other than listen to Evelyn when she told me I should submit a tape..."

I realize after the fact that Russell probably has no idea what I'm even talking about. He didn't know I was Hayden Gold, so I doubt he knows her origin story. I expect a look of confusion to spread across his face. I wait for it.

Instead, he just nods understandingly with a shrug of his shoulders. "Work is work," he says matter of factly. "Speaking of which- I do have work in the morning... maybe I should start heading out. Want to walk me to the door? I honestly don't know if I could find it on my own anyway!" he laughs.

He pulls himself from the swinging day bed we both lay on to dust off his clothing as if he just spent a day in the Sahara. I laugh with him before standing up.

Walking Russell to the door is bittersweet. On one hand, Jena screams and cries about how he was supposed to calm her monster. On another hand, Hayden is so proud to have had such a... normal interaction. One thing that has never happened before though, is that both sides of me are rooting for eachother.

Jena, intrigued by somebody interested in her for something other than what she carries between her legs, wants to get to know him more. Hayden, used to the automatic attraction everyone will have with her considering her social status, is ready to jump his bones.

This is the first time they have both agreed on something; We need to see this guy again.

"So this was fun, definitely worth the wait," Russell says as after we shuffle out my front door and onto my front porch. He shoves his hands into the pockets of his suit. "You think you'll stand me up again if I ask to see you after tonight?"

A playful smile spreads across his lips as he watches my cheeks grow flushed under the light of the bright moon. There's something about the way he looks at me that makes my stomach flutter. A guy hasn't made me feel like this in a long time.

"I will not stand you up," I assure him as I playfully roll my eyes. "-And I didn't stand you up last time either! Something came up and I just... forgot, I guess!"

Russell playfully rolls his own eyes as if to doubt my excuse for not showing up at his hotel room the night we met, but ends it with a satisfied nod of his head knowing I want to see him again too.

He searches his pocket for his keys. "Do I need a code or something to get out?" he asks after a second, turning toward the long driveway leading to my front security gate. I let him in remotely through my phone when he got here earlier to save him the trouble of putting in the code. I remember him bringing up how cool it was that I had a security gate during one of our conversations earlier.

"Nah, not to get out," I giggle. "But maybe if you come hang out again, I'll let you use the code... only if you play your cards right, that is!"

This time Russell grows flushed. I enjoy watching it happen.

A few moments pass with the air between us growing heavy. I bet he wonders the same thing I am... do we kiss? Is that where this night has lead us? I certainly wouldn't mind it- I wouldn't mind more than that either, but Jena seems to be the one with her head screwed on right tonight because she doesn't push it.

Figures.

Russell suddenly steps toward me, his arm extended before he gently pulls me into a hug. He pulls away from me away momentarily only to lean back in and plant a firm kiss on my forehead. "I had a lot of fun tonight, Hayden," he says. "I'm really glad I had the chance to get to know you better. Beauty, brains, and you host a pretty decent movie night?"

He leaves it at that, walking off to his car with a smile spread across his lips. I can't help from walking back to my front door with my own smile.

It's been a long time since I've been able to hang out with a guy without Jena's influences ruining the entire interaction.

Maybe things are starting to look up!