Episode 13: Running Away

Recapitulation: Winter

            A couple blissful months have passed in peace, and now the snow begins to fall, welcoming the last month of the year. Isabelle has rejoined Jay and their crew in their adventures through the city and music sessions in the practice rooms. They had never felt as happy and carefree in years as they had in those couple months. But as the vibrant colors of fall drained from the leaves and skies, leaving a dull brown and gray behind, the carefree, playful nature that filled the days of the five musicians would also come to fade. The crisp air outside seemed to disappear with the wind as the cold burning gusts of winter set in.

            Jay shivered as he stepped out into the cold, pulling his jacket collar up to cover his face. He saw his driver in his van right in front, and hurried over. He climbed in and shut the door as fast as he could, letting out a sigh of relief as he settled in the warmth of the van.

"There you are!"  A perky voice shouted in his ear. Jay jumped in surprise as he turned to see Cera sitting in the seat next to him, wrapped up in a fur coat, looking at him with a disapproving frown.

"What are you doing in my van?!" Jay said, eyes wide, exasperated.

"Why have you been avoiding me?!" Cera shouted, pouting her lips.

"What are you doing in my van?!" Jay still couldn't get over the fact that she just decided to get in his van whenever she felt like it.

"I'm your girlfriend! Why can't I sit in your van? You let Isabelle ride in it! Why can 't I? Why is she so special?!" Cera was clearly frustrated, her short bouncy hair flew about her head as she shook it angrily.

"Wait, what? Is this about Isabelle again? I've told you we're friends! We've been best friends ever since we were kids. So calm down! And...get out of my van. I'm busy, I've got places to go."

Cera scoffed in disbelief, "You did not just tell me to get out! I can't believe you. Who is this Isabelle anyway? Best friend since you were kids? I don't remember her being around until this past spring! She's from the United States, how could you have possibly known her before?"

"Wait, have you been looking up stuff on her? You need to stop. Come on, get out." Jay opened the door on her side and a rush of cold air came in.

"How can you treat me like this! It's almost my birthday, and you're being so mean!" Cera started sobbing. "You weren't even planning on celebrating my birthday were you? I...I don't know why you hate spending time with me so much. Everyone loves us as a couple!" The waterworks began. Jay closed the door again and sat back, sighing. He couldn't stand making a girl cry.

"Alright, alright. I'll plan you a nice party ok? When is it? Next week?"

"What?! You don't even know when my birthday is?!" She squeaked in between her tears.

"I...I..uh..." Jay didn't know what to say to that, "I do...I just...you know...It's um..." He tried to remember. "December....uh...15?"

"No!" Cera bawled. "It's the 28th!" She reached into her bag and pulled out a mini pack of tissues.

"I knew that!" Jay tried to sound excited, "I'll have an awesome party planned for you ok? A big one! Everyone will be there, and the press will have a field day! Anything you want, just tell me ok? I'll make it happen."

"Really?" Cera stopped crying, dabbing her face with a tissue.

"Really." Jay forced a smile. Cera's face lit up brighter than the sun and she threw her arms around Jay, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you Jay! I love you so much." She smiled and looked up into his eyes.

"Alright. Now I really have somewhere to be and I have tons of work to do." He said as nicely as he could, avoiding her gaze.

"Ok. I'll see you when you get home tonight then." She kissed him on the cheek and stepped out of the van, waving to him with a big smile on her face before she closed it. As soon as the door closed, Jay's smile vanished and he relaxed back onto the seat.

"Come on Max, I'm already late." His driver looked back at him in the rear view mirror with a smile.

"She's a handful isn't she?" He started the van and turned on the blinker, pulling into traffic. Jay wiped his cheek with the sleeve of his jacket.

"Max, about that party I promised her."

"Yes?"

"Take care of it will you?"

"I had a feeling I would be doing that." Max chuckled, very amused. Jay leaned his head against the window, his usual cold expression staring out at the streets that flew by. A little ding sounded somewhere in his pocket. Without much interest, he pulled out his phone from his pocket at looked at the message. It was from Isabelle.

"Thought you might get hungry. I put a boiled egg in the front pocket of your guitar case. You're welcome."

Jay smiled at this, chuckling a little bit.

"Isabelle?" Max asked from the front.

"No." Jay said, trying to keep a straight face. Max pushed his thick round glasses further up his nose and chuckled to himself. He had been Jay's driver for far too long to not be able to tell when he was lying. Jay looked back down at his phone and quickly typed a reply,

"Who are you, my mother? How's your repressed love life doing?"

Laughing quietly to himself at his cleverness he leaned his head back on the window. In less than ten seconds his phone dinged again. He eagerly picked up his phone and read the response.

"I don't know. How's your girlfriend's nagging problem doing?" That wiped Jay's wicked smile off his face. He threw his phone down. Darn, she got me. He thought. Angry that he couldn't think of a better comeback. He unzipped the front pocket of his guitar case, and sure enough found a large white egg. He picked it up and smiled at it, turning it around in his fingers.

            They reached the recording studio and Jay hurried into the building and found the usual room they recorded in. Da-ge, Taiyo, Lao Hu, and Loq were already sitting around waiting for him.

"Hey sorry I'm late." Jay walked in, still playing with the egg in his hand. "Got held up by Cera."

"Be careful talking about her like that." Loq said, standing up and slowly walking toward Jay. "Some people might find out that you don't actually like her." He stared coldly in Jay's eyes. Jay stared right back, confused as to why Loq was confronting him like this.

"What's it to you?" He threw back, just as coldly. Loq just smirked and looked down at the egg in Jay's hand.

"You going to eat this?" He snatched the egg out of Jay's hand. "Hope you don't mind, but I didn't get a chance to eat breakfast." Loq took the egg over to a desk nearby and set the egg on it.

"I actually was going to eat it. It's mine." Jay felt protective over the egg that Isabelle gave him.

"Well Isabelle's mine, but you don't seem to mind taking her for yourself." Loq revealed his thoughts. Jay inhaled sharply, shocked at Loq's sudden attack. Still staring at Jay, Loq positioned his hand over the egg and squished it into the table. There was a cracking sound and Loq jumped a little. Jay looked over at the egg and saw the raw white and yolk running down the table and coating Loq's hand in the goo. There was a brief moment of silence and Jay let out a laugh. Jay flung his hand to cover his mouth and try and stifle the laugh, but as Loq turned around and glared at Jay with his deadly, piercing eyes, Jay couldn't help but laugh harder. Loq tried shaking the goo from his hand and angrily flung the smashed egg shells off the table onto the floor. He stormed out of the room, purposely shoving Jay aside with his shoulder as he left.

            Jay tried biting his finger to keep his laughter down. Good job Isabelle. He thought to himself. Even though the egg was meant for him, he couldn't be angry. He made his way into the sound proof room and Taiyo, Lao Hu, and Da-ge followed him in. Jay took out his guitar and plugged it into the amp. He then realized how everyone else had been silent the whole time.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Jay raised an eyebrow at them. Taiyo let out a loud sigh.

"Jay...look. I know...we know, that you have more history with Isabelle than all of us, but...come on. You spend more time with her than your girlfriend. If you like her more than a friend, just say so. Stop playing games with Cera. That's all." Taiyo let out another deep breath and turned to take his place behind the keyboard.    

            Jay couldn't say anything. He stared at the ground, the smile completely gone from his face. Lao Hu changed the subject and tried livening the mood. For the entire recording session, Jay felt Taiyo's words pressing on his conscience. He knew in his heart that he loved Isabelle, and he knew that she loved him too. But he had stupidly gotten himself involved with Cera. If he were to break things off with her now, it might ruin his image, and if Cera was angry enough, she might even try to ruin his career.

            Jay's mind wandered all over the place as they practiced in the recording studio. He relied on his finger memory to strum the right strings and his subconscious mind to sing the words. His conscious self sat back and observed the whirlwind of emotions and problems that this past year had brought.

­­______

­

A couple weeks and tons of party hype later.

"I vill be zere soon. I am trying to vind Lao Hu, and zen ve vill go to ze party. Tell Izabelle not to vorry." Karin hung up the phone with Evie and opened the door connecting the middle section of the building to the south tower. She walked down the hallway towards Lao Hu's room. She was dressed in a dark blue gown with sparkles. The gown had a sweetheart neckline and was form fitting all the way down to the knees until it flowed loosely to the floor. Carrying her black fur coat over her arm, she shuffled down the hallway and stopped in front of Lao Hu's room. Knocking loudly she called to him,

"Vat are you doing? Cera's party haz already started! Ve should go now!" She heard some noise inside and listened carefully. She heard some loud giggling and running around. She heard a girl squealing and Lao Hu laughing. Karin threw the door open and stormed in.

"Vat iz going on?" Karin stood there, watching as a short Chinese girl was loosening Lao Hu's tie and undoing the buttons. Lao Hu's head whipped around to look at Karin,

"Oh, Karin. Well I keep telling her not to do this but..."He didn't look the least bit apologetic, "She's so persistent." He looked back at the girl clinging onto his shirt, smiling mischievously. Karin scoffed and walked over angrily. she pulled the girl by her hair and dragged her off Lao Hu's shirt.

"You, get out!" Karin pushed and pulled the protesting girl out of the room and slammed the door in her face. Turning around angrily to face Lao Hu she shouted,

"Vat are you doing? Vhy do you have ze strange girl in your room?!" Her long blond curls shook as she yelled angrily.

"We are just having fun!" Lao Hu said, shrugging his shoulder. "We aren't really dating, so why do you care so much what I do?" 

"So you do zis kind of zing all ze time? I am just anozer one of zem?"

Lao Hu just shrugged again. Karin let out an exasperated sigh.

"Mein Gott! Glaub ich nicht!" She turned around and stormed out of the room, ranting in German, "Ich bin verruckt! Du bist ein Arsch! Geh zum Holle! Ich kann das nicht mehr machen!"

She took the elevator down and stormed through the lobby and out into the cold snow outside, profanities flying out in German all the while. She flung on her black fur coat and strutted to the black limo that waited for her out front.  She opened the door and slid in, sitting next to Evie.

"There you are! That took a while. Where's Lao Hu?" Evie asked.

"He von't be coming vis us. Let's go." She said to the driver. The limo started and pulled away from the curb. Karin looked around the limo at everyone. Isabelle looked at her, clearly concerned. Da-ge, Taiyo, and Loq were discussing what happened. Hendrick and Raj weren't paying attention, absorbed in some computer game Raj had on his laptop.

"Isn't Jay coming vis us?" Karin asked. Trying to avoid explaining what happened.

"Oh he's coming in a separate car, with Cera." Isabelle answered. "But Karin, what happened? You don't look so good." Karin sighed and gave in, telling them what had just happened.

            Everyone tried consoling her, but Karin didn't need it.

"I am fine. Let's have a good time at ze party." She put on her dazzling smile and the limo pulled up to a large hotel.

            There were tons of other cars pulling up, letting the guests out onto a bright red carpet leading up to an extravagant party.

"We're a little late aren't we?" Evie said, as they stepped out of the limo, greeted by the tons of people lined up on the sides of the red carpet.

"Not too late." Taiyo spoke up, "Everyone's still waiting for Cera and Jay to get here. Let's go wait up at the top." The little group made their way up the stairs and stood at the entrance to the hotel. They stood there chatting for a little while when all of a sudden a loud commotion broke out. The paparazzi whipped out the cameras and rushed down toward the black Mercedes that pulled up. 

            Jay stepped out of the car and looked around at the crowd and cameras, smiling as the flashes came one right after another. He wore a light blue suit with a black bowtie, his platinum blond hair slicked back. The black roots of his hair showed enough to help keep his rock star look even though he was cleaned up in a suit. He turned around and held out his hand for Cera, and as she stepped out, the camera flashes seemed to explode in a frenzy. Her long silk dress was a matching light blue color that dipped in the back all the way down to her lower back. The dress hid her white platform heels, but even with those on, she barely came up to Jay's shoulder.

            Isabelle watched as the two slowly walked up the stairs, the paparazzi jumping around them. As she looked at Jay, he noticed and looked up to meet her eyes. He smiled at her, and she returned it. Isabelle looked next to him at Cera and wished that it was her standing there next to Jay. But she knew that that couldn't happen. Jay already had his career, he was already well known, but she was only just starting her career, working on making it in the music world on her own. There wouldn't be any way for them to be together. Isabelle just had a feeling, that even though they were the closest person in each other's lives, that they're being together wasn't meant to be.

            The birthday party was one of the most extravagant parties Isabelle had ever been to. Even though she grew up in Los Angeles and had been to a fair amount of big house parties, she had never been to a celebrity party before, and this one was absolutely fabulous. Everything was shimmering with deep blues and sea greens, and all the people were dressed according to the theme as well.

            Jay looked around the crowded party searching for her. The reporters and paparazzi had dragged Cera away and Jay was able to escape their clutches. He pushed his way through the crowd dancing to the pop music that blasted the speakers. He finally pushed himself free from the suffocating crowd and came to a clearing. Directly in front of him, a short distance away, was a tall, dazzling angel. He stared at Isabelle's light sea green dress that had a high collar flowery lace cut and flowed out into a twirling skirt around her knees. He couldn't keep his eyes off her as he slowly walked toward her. Isabelle looked up and saw him walking over and a large smile blossomed on her face.

"Having fun?" Jay asked, smiling back at her, with his lips and his eyes.

"More or less." She replied, eyeing his slightly ridiculous light blue suit. Jay rolled his eyes at her, and took her hand in his.

"Well let's spice things up." He nodded to his friends and the others in the little group and pulled Isabelle away.

"Where are we going?" Isabelle laughed as he pulled her through the crowd of people out of the hotel. Ducking behind potted plants and bushes, he pulled her along without saying anything. Finally once they were on the street, they took off jogging away from the party. Isabelle laughed as they jogged through the streets, feeling a rush of excitement. They came to stop  in front of a tall skyscraper building.

"Where... is... this?" Isabelle said in between breaths. Jay looked up at the towering building.

"The tallest building in the city." Before getting a chance to finish catching her breath, Jay pulled her into the building. He quickly pulled her through a side door before the people at the front desk could notice them. They found themselves in the stairwell. Jay began skipping up the steps.

"Wait, are we going all the way up to the top?!" Isabelle protested.

"Yeah! Come on!" Jay disappeared up the stairs. Sighing, but smiling at how even though they had been apart for so long, some things still the same. She took off her high heels and ran up the stairs barefoot.

"Wait for me!" She called after him. She followed the sound of his footsteps in the distance. After what seemed like an unending staircase, she heard a door open and close, Jay's footsteps disappearing. She finally reached the top and threw open the door, running out onto the roof of the building. Breathing hard, she looked up and gasped as she saw the view.

            The towers and skyscrapers of the city lit up the night, the sea of lights stretching for miles into the distance. A cold breeze blew through her hair, making her shiver. Jay stepped behind her and hugged her, not letting her go, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"We would come up here all the time." Jay said, "We thought if we could see the whole city from here, we could find you." They stood there admiring the view for a moment in silence. Jay slowly turned Isabelle around, hands on her shoulders, looking down into her eyes.

"Will you promise, you won't leave me again?"

            As Isabelle looked up at Jay, she felt her heart ache. She loved him more than she could put into words, but the love she had for him was for some reason, not enough. She couldn't bring herself to say it, but she knew that wouldn't be able to keep that promise. She knew that one day, she would have to leave again, for good.

            Jay bent down and leaned in closer. Isabelle could feel his breath on her lips as he got closer. She closed her eyes, holding her breath. Just as his lips lightly touched hers, Isabelle took a step back, slowly opening her eyes.

"It's not fair." She said quietly. Jay rolled his eyes,

"You know I don't feel that way for Cera! And Loq...he...he doesn't..."  

Isabelle put her arms around his neck and hugged him, eyes tearing up. He slowly wrapped his arms around her too. "That's not what I meant." Isabelle thought, as she blinked the tears away before they could roll down her cheek. Pulling away, she looked back at him,

"Come on, let's go back." She started walking back to the door and opened it.

"Wait...but I..."

"I'll race you down the stairs!" Isabelle smiled, challenging him. And of course, he couldn't refuse. He dashed toward the door and Isabelle sprang to action as well. They dashed down the stairs, jumping down steps when they could, it felt as though they were flying down the stairwell. They made it out of the building laughing and gasping for breath again. Isabelle started walking in the direction of the party they had left, but Jay took her arm and pulled her in the other direction.

"Let's go back to the dorms. I have something to show you."

"What is it?" Isabelle jumped on one foot as she put her shoes back on.

"I wrote a song. I want you to be the first one to hear it." He smiled that breathtaking half smile.

            They walked slowly through the streets, talking about nothing in particular but enjoying every second. Isabelle shivered, feeling very underdressed to be walking around in a dress in the cold December night. Jay noticed and immediately unbuttoned the jacket of his suit and put it over Isabelle's shoulders. She pulled the front of the jacket together and snuggled into the warmth of the jacket. She reached an arm out and tucked it through Jay's, hoping to keep him warm by being closer.

_____

"I must have left my guitar in my room. Come on." They left the practice room and opened the door connecting the middle section to the south tower.

"I've never been in the south tower before." Isabelle said as they walked down the halls decorated with tons of posters of famous rock and roll musicians.

"We've got better taste don't we?" Jay said teasingly.

"Psh. As if." Isabelle pushed him lightly. They made their way to the sixth floor and as soon as they stepped into the hallway they heard loud laughing and squealing. Isabelle looked at Jay, and he just shrugged, not knowing who it could be.

"This floor is just me and the guys...Maybe Lao Hu's got some girl over." They walked further down the hallway and the sounds got louder. Jay stopped in front of his room and opened the door. But before he could walk in, he stopped, standing still. He whipped around, Isabelle looked at him confused.

"Lao Hu's room is the last one down the hall." He whispered. He stepped around Isabelle and looked at the door right across from his, a deadly anger building in his eyes. He pounded on the door.

"Open up!" He shouted as he kept pounding on the door with his fist. The sounds stopped and a girl's giggling could be heard. All of a sudden the door opened slightly, and there stood Loq, wearing nothing but a sheet wrapped around his waist.

"What the hell are you..." Jay started angrily, but before he could finish the door opened wider as someone else came to stand next to Loq.

"Oh, Jay, what are you doing back so early?" Cera said sarcastically, holding onto the sheet wrapped around her. She snaked her arm around Loq's waist and leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I thought you and Isabelle would be out for longer."

Jay clenched his fists, his blood starting to boil, about to throw a punch. But he heard someone running down the hall. He turned around and saw Isabelle running back the way they came, rounding the corner to the elevator, his jacket around her shoulders fallen to the floor. Cera watched after her, smirking as the running footsteps faded away.