Chapter 13 Ripley
Ripley
‘I think this might actually work,’ Mom says as Arianna laughs for what must be the hundredth time at something Garrick has said. We’re in an alcove of Pixie Forest, the warm glow of lights speckled in the trees and shrubbery.
As much as I want to, I haven’t been able to take my eyes off Garrick.
Because, ugh, he really is charming. A little too much sometimes.
I don’t know how anyone else doesn’t see that he’s clearly performing.
I want to run over and shake him to see if the real Garrick falls out.
If I hadn’t spent nearly every day with him for the last several weeks, I’d probably be fooled too, but I’ve seen enough peeks at the boy beneath the armor to know the difference.
Still, the girls seem to be eating it up, and the cameras too. That’s all that matters.
I rub my thumbnail over my bottom lip, trying not to bite it as I look back at Mom. ‘So, does that translate to “Well done, Ripley, I should listen to you more often”?’
She pulls me into a side hug and kisses the top of my head. I relish the gesture – the warmth of her against the cool evening. Lately, she’s always too busy for me. ‘Like mother, like daughter.’
‘That feels more like you’re complimenting yourself.’
‘Shh, we don’t want to ruin the shot,’ Mom says before walking away – moment over.
Whether Garrick’s putting on a show or not, I’m just happy that the first day went off without a hitch. I was worried Garrick wouldn’t take it seriously, but he’s great. He really was made to be on stage.
I wonder what that’s like? Feeling so confident in your own skin. It’s not that I’m not confident. It’s just that I don’t always know how to do it in a way that doesn’t feel like I’m trying to prove myself. Garrick makes it look effortless.
Garrick says goodbye to Arianna and the cameras shut off for the night. Everyone goes their separate ways to finish post production or to get some sleep before tomorrow’s early shoot.
‘So, how did I do?’ Garrick says, walking up beside me as I finish an email. Mom wanted me to send her daily updates for accountability and progress reports to the investor.
‘Satisfactory.’ I don’t want to inflate his ego any more than necessary.
His nose and ears are pink on the tips. ‘Really? I don’t even get a “Good job, Garrick” or a “Thank you for saving my butt, Garrick”?’
I level him with an impassive stare. ‘Nope.’ I spin away, but he takes my elbow, sending sparks flying up my arm, despite the fact I’m wearing a heavy coat and can’t even feel his skin against mine.
‘Fine. Will you at least indulge me in letting off some steam? I’m too wired to go to bed.’ He scrubs a hand through his blonde locks, messing up the perfect swoop they created for the show.
I raise an eyebrow. ‘What did you have in mind?’ I shouldn’t engage. Still, I’m curious to know what Garrick does to unwind.
His gaze sweeps the park before settling back on me. ‘Want to go do a ride?’
I should have guessed that would be his go-to activity. ‘Ugh, no. I don’t like theme parks, remember?’
He recoils like I punched him. ‘Oh, I recall you tearing down my livelihood, yes.’
I shrug, ignoring how his undivided attention makes my cheeks warm and my heart beat faster.
‘They’re loud, and I don’t trust the safety standards.
’ I leave Pixie Forest behind, heading toward the apartments via Carpathia.
I’ve been running on coffee and fumes this last week, getting everything ready.
I’m already exhausted and filming has only just started.
I should nab whatever sleep I can get and leave Garrick to his nonsense.
‘Then why did you wanna film here?’ He jogs to catch up.
‘One: it wasn’t my decision. And two: I don’t actually have to ride anything.’
He rubs a hand across his forehead, leaving a red mark. ‘OK, that is a sentiment we’ll have to deal with later. But for now –’ he taps his fingers against his chin – ‘what do you say to some karaoke?’
‘You have a whole day of filming tomorrow.’ We step through the hidden exit in a sparkling apple tree. ‘You should get your rest.’
He slings an arm around my shoulders and my heart skips a beat. ‘I told you, Ripley, I won’t be able to sleep.’ He is just so effortless. It makes it easy to like him.
So, I relent, slightly. Call it professional curiosity. ‘Karaoke? Let me guess, you have a whole set-up in your apartment?’ Totally seems like something he would do.
‘No – great idea for the future, though. Remind me to ask Santa. But for now, I know a place.’
I decide, if I’m going to let Garrick drag me around, I need backup.
Nathan and Melika are more than happy to tag along when I message them.
They were helping in the lounge where the girls had been hanging out and debriefing about meeting Garrick while they waited for Arianna to come back from her date.
Garrick and I are waiting by his car for them when a voice rings in the darkness.
‘Hi!’ Imogen bounds across the parking lot.
‘Tristian is a party pooper and decided sleep was more important than singing.’ Her sparkling dress is peeking out from her coat.
‘But I have no such responsible bone in my body, so let’s do this. ’
‘Happy to have you as my surrogate twin for the night, Imogen.’ Garrick grins.
We pile into Garrick’s car a few minutes later when Nathan and Melika arrive.
He takes us to a building a few miles away.
The faint glow of stars is visible in the ink-black sky.
A neon sign blinks in yellow letters, reading Wayward Bar.
Cars fill the tiny parking lot, but that doesn’t faze Garrick as he pulls around the back, stopping next to a dumpster.
‘A bar?’ I say when he turns off the engine.
He grins in the shadowed light. ‘Yes.’
‘Oh, Rip.’ Nathan conceals a laugh in the backseat.
I ignore my friends. ‘Let me guess, you have a fake ID?’
Garrick gets out of the car. ‘Juliet, I would never.’ He grabs his chest. ‘Besides, I don’t need one. I have a hookup.’ I follow him reluctantly to a side entrance.
Garrick sends a quick text. I huddle against Melika as we bounce up and down to stay warm. I’m about to tell Garrick to take us back when the door opens. A tall Black guy around our age with a T-shirt sporting the bar’s name gives Garrick a toothy grin.
‘Tyrone, you already know Nathan. And this is Melika and Juliet.’ Garrick motions to me.
‘It’s Ripley,’ I correct. Garrick is getting way too much enjoyment out of that.
Garrick has the audacity to wink at me before turning to Tyrone. ‘Tristian needed his beauty sleep, but Imogen is here in his stead. We wanted to do some karaoke.’
‘Sure thing. We had a cancelation, so we got an open slot.’ Tyrone pushes the door open and we head through.
The packed bar is in front, the music blaring and the crowd rowdy. It smells like fried food and malty beer. As we head toward the rooms in the back, the faint sound of music spilling out, the scent lessens.
‘We have several private rooms you can rent for parties and karaoke,’ Tyrone explains as he unlocks a door, swinging it open to reveal a moderately sized space with a large TV on one wall and a brown leather sectional attached to the other, with a coffee table in front of it.
In the center of the room is a karaoke machine and several microphones.
‘I’ll go first.’ Garrick takes a minute to scan the karaoke options from the tablet.
‘I must warn everyone,’ Imogen says, yanking off her jacket. ‘While I may have dressed like a pop star, I do not have the vocal cords to back it up. So, I’m just apologizing in advance. But what I lack in talent, I make up for in enthusiasm.’
‘Don’t worry, babe.’ Nathan pats her arm. ‘I’ve got enough talent for the both of us.’
‘Bless you.’ Imogen does a little spin before running up and stealing the tablet from Garrick.
‘So, is this a date?’ Nathan asks, digging into the loaded fries Tyrone brings us.
‘Between me and you?’ I deflect. ‘Nathan, I didn’t think I was your type.’
‘Ten points for the dodge,’ Nathan says, the cheese pull catching on his chin. ‘But no. With our star over there.’ He nods to Garrick, who has wrestled the tablet back from Imogen and is studying the songs like a manual to deactivate a bomb.
‘Nathan, duh. Of course not.’ I pop a fry in my mouth, the delicious salty bacon coating my tongue. ‘He’s got plenty of girls to choose from.’
‘But if he didn’t?’ Melika chimes in.
‘If he didn’t, nothing. Garrick just wanted out, and I figured he needed a babysitter.’
‘Mm-hmm, sure.’ Nathan smiles. ‘I just see the way you two spar. Seems like it has some electricity.’
‘Whatever electricity you’re imagining between us is to power the success of this show.
’ But even as I say the words, my eyes drift to Garrick.
Maybe another life. In this one, I’ve seen the way love holds you captive and next thing you know, you’re raising a (very awesome) kid, but with a person who is killing you slowly each day in a million different ways.
Full autonomy of the heart is the only way to go.
Garrick finally makes his selection, and I recognize the music before the words start. It’s ‘Juliet’ by LMNT. I groan, fingers covering my face.
‘This one goes out to a special someone,’ Garrick says, winking at me.
What have I got myself into?
The second the song ends, I jump out of my seat and grab Garrick’s microphone.
‘Hey, I have another song in my set.’
I push him toward the couch. ‘Sharing is caring, Garrick. Let someone else have a turn.’
‘Well, then …’ He smiles. ‘Please grace us with your lovely pipes.’
As he walks away, I realize I’m holding the microphone and am now expected to sing. But I have another idea, since I don’t want to wake every dog in the neighborhood with my terrible voice. ‘Nathan, Melika, Imogen, get up here. Time to spread some Christmas cheer.’
Nathan bounds out of his seat. ‘I know the perfect song!’ He taps the tablet a few times to get to his selection and the bright notes of ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ start.
With the colorful flashing lights and overwhelming beat of the song, I forget for a second that Garrick is even here.
I’m lost in the music, laughing through the lyrics Melika and I don’t know by heart, unlike Nathan, who is word perfect.
Unable to sit still, Garrick joins us on stage and finishes the song.
‘Encore, encore,’ Nathan yells, spilling water down his front as he chugs from his glass.
This is the first time all week I’ve felt relaxed. It’s been non-stop with the show and Mom’s stress levels hitting the max. But here, it feels like none of that matters – it’s like my brain let out a huge exhale. ‘You can’t encore yourself!’ I laugh.
Nathan ignores me, picking three more songs for us all to sing.
‘Wannabe’ by the Spice Girls – obviously.
‘Shake It Off’ by Taylor Swift. And one more Christmas hit, ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’, because it’s not Christmas without Mariah.
When those end, Garrick adds a few more, and then Melika takes her turn, with Imogen acting as backup vocals and improv dancing.
The hours blur by. I don’t know how long we’ve been in this muggy room, but, for once, my logical brain isn’t worried about calculating the time left on the clock until my next to-do-list item needs to be checked off.
Nathan spins Melika round as Garrick takes the lead on the final chorus.
Not to be outdone, Imogen grabs my hand and we twirl around the stage, stumbling into each other as our sides ache from laughing.
Usually, I wouldn’t be keen on this, but it feels like the exact right thing to do.
There is no show, no knight in shining armor ready to pick his beloved.
We’re just five friends letting off steam on a Saturday night.
I giggle as I stumble into Garrick belting out the last chord – ever the professional, he doesn’t miss a beat.
‘Admit it.’ Garrick grins when the song ends. ‘This was a good idea.’
I bite the inside of my cheek, glancing around the room. ‘Ask again in the morning.’
‘One for the road?’ Garrick hands me the microphone. ‘You didn’t pick any yet.’
I know we should go home, it’s past midnight, but one more song won’t hurt. I pick a classic One Direction song and let the world slip away. Not admitting to Garrick that this is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.