Ch 127 Glad we did this

Janet sighed contentedly. She loved the feel of Wes’ arms around her. Her head lay on his shoulder, so she was comfy-cozy as you please. She smiled and turned to kiss his neck. “I’m glad we did this,” she whispered.

“Me too,” he replied, kissing her temple and pulling her closer. When she looked up he kissed her sweet lips and they fell into bliss again.

Anyone seeing them like this would think they were miles from anyone in a romantic setting, perhaps sitting by a lake watching the sunset. Instead, they were high up on the bleachers at Orianco high school smack in the middle of a boisterous crowd of football fanatics, mostly West-Castillo fans alternately cheering and moaning as their team did well or poorly. They were mostly moaning and groaning.

Janet and Wes, however, were not in the least interested with the game. Neither did the noise bother them, not one bit. Even the kid next to Wes suddenly jumping up when a touchdown was imminent, and accidently stepping on his foot in frustration when Luke Tramaine himself ran the ball over the line, didn’t register. When they broke apart from their kiss, they smiled and continued ignoring the game, speaking softly amongst all that noise.

“I missed you so bad, Janet. I didn’t like sharing you with Luke,” he said.

She giggled and had been about to say something sarcastic about Luke being a

better boyfriend because he didn’t have a problem at all with it, but she thought better of it. Wes was a bit too sensitive when it came to Luke and she didn’t need to rub it in.

“I missed you, too. I was just too busy to realize it,” she replied.

“I’ll be glad when the gala’s over and done. Then things will go back to normal and I can have you all to myself. We’ll have tons of time to be together, especially now that soccer’s over for me,” he said, kissing her again.

“Wes, we…” Another kiss silenced her and that was fine by her. She didn’t want anything to ruin things, not just yet anyway. Life intrudes all too quickly.

“Janet! Wes! I thought I’d never find you!”

Wes actually groaned as he pressed his forehead to Janet’s making her giggle. “We’ve been found,” he mumbled.

“Was bound to happen,” she said, and smiling she turned to see that nearly everyone around them had left their seats. “Game over already?”

“No, silly, it’s half time,” Alana said, climbing up to them. “What are you doing all the way up in the nosebleed section?”

Janet’s smile vanished when she saw who was coming to bother them. “Obviously to get away from you,” she snapped.

Shocked, Alana stumbled and might have fallen if Billy hadn’t been right behind and caught her.

“Easy, kid. Sit down before you hurt yourself,” Billy said, grabbing her arm. “Hey, guys. Enjoying the game I see.”

“Yeah, great game,” Wes said, although he hadn’t a clue one way of the other.

Billy laughed. “So you’re happy your team’s losing something horrible?”

“Is it?” Wes said shrugging. “Oh, well.”

“Hi, guys!” Joanne said breathlessly, climbing up with Amy and Marc. “Glad we found you, Janet. Have you decided on the gown you want to wear? I promised whichever one you don’t take to Amy and the other one’s for me.”

“Uh…” Janet said, ignoring Alana who was staring at her with a pained expression on her face. “I wanted Wes to see me in them first and pick one for me. I loved all of them.”

“Babe, you’ll look great in anything you wear. Pick the one you like best and I’ll love it too,” Wes said.

Joanne laughed. “That’s a good answer!” she said. “If you could bring them to Luke’s tomorrow that would be awesome. I’m so excited about this Gala!”

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?” Alana timidly asked.

Janet ignored her again and said to Amy and Marc, “I didn’t think you’d be here. I thought you were strictly into baseball.”

Marc grinned. “We always go to Luke’s games. Just ‘cause I play baseball doesn’t mean I don’t like other sports. Wes plays soccer and he’s here.”

“They’re here because Luke insisted, I’m sure,” Amy replied, smiling.

“He does like everybody to see him play,” Marc said, sounding annoyed.

“And you don’t?” Amy asked.

 “People want to see me, ‘cause I’m that good!” he replied, with a smirk which showed off his adorable dimples.

“Oy!” Joanne said, rolling her eyes at her cousin.

“You and Luke must be cut from the same cloth,” Amy said, smiling at Janet.

Janet stared at her confused. “Why do you say that?”

“Neither of you seem the least bit nervous about tomorrow,” Amy said with a laugh. “I think I would be shaking in my boots if it were me singing in front of all those people!”

Janet shrugged. “Maybe by tomorrow I will, but I don’t think so. It’s no big deal for me, really. Not like it’s national TV or something. My life doesn’t depend on it. It’s just one show,” she said.

Billy gasped. “What the… It’s not just one show, Janet. It’s only the first of many you and Luke will be doing together!”

“Luke said he just needed Janet for the gala,” Wes said, gripping Janet’s hand possessively and a bit too tightly.

“Wes, you’re hurting me,” Janet said, pulling her hand away.

“Oh…sorry,” he mumbled, dropping it, still glaring at Billy. “Luke said he was getting another backup singer.”

“What for when he’s got the perfect one right here?” Billy said, pointing at Janet.

“But he said…”

“He’s been trying, but he’s really picky, Wes,” Alana said. “He’s been so pleased with Janet, too, that I don’t think anyone will do now, except for her.”

“You forget, Wes, we still have the wedding,” Janet reminded him. “And it’s coming up soon, too soon for him to get somebody new. We’ve already been practicing the songs on Ms. Kimberly’s playlist.”

“You said that was cancelled,” Wes said.

“Only postponed,” Billy said.

“Like seven times,” Joanne interjected.

“Eight, actually,” Alana said.

“Who asked you?” Janet mumbled to herself, but Alana clearly heard her.

“The McIntyre wedding is at the end of this month and this time it’s for sure. They told me if this gets bumped, they’re just gonna call the whole thing off until their baby is born,” Billy stated firmly.

“Wait, what?” Joanne said. “No one told me Ms. Kim was pregnant. I thought she couldn’t have kids.”

“Turns out she can. It was her first husband who obviously was sterile,” Amy said. “She’s so happy she’s almost floating!”

“Did you know this?” Wes asked Janet.

She nodded. “I talk to them almost every day at school. They pretty much tell me everything.”

“Anyway, the wedding is on, so there’ll be tons of rehearsals in the next couple of weeks with the new band Luke put together and we need Janet there,” Billy said, rubbing his stomach. “I’m hungry. Let’s go get some food before I die of malnutrition.”

“Yeah, like that’s gonna happen!” Joanne said following her boyfriend down the bleachers, Amy and Marc holding hands right behind them. Only Alana stayed behind.

“Are you mad at me for something?” Alana asked.

“No shit, Sherlock,” Janet replied.

“Why? What did I do?” Alana asked.

“I think you know.”

“Not really or I wouldn’t ask.”

Wes, instead of listening to the girls, was plotting Billy’s demise. He stared after him and the others as they went down the bleachers and headed to the crowded concession stand without a care in the world. He wanted to wring his cousin’s neck. It was all his fault he couldn’t have Janet to himself. Of all the girls in the world who could sing backup with Luke, the soon to be famous rock star, why did Billy have to discover his girlfriend and drag her along with him?

“How long did you know?” he suddenly said.

The girls stopped arguing and stared at him.

“What?” Janet said.

“That the wedding was on and you’d have more rehearsals.”

“All along. I told you Ms. Kim...I mean, Mrs. McIntyre, tells me everything and I’m pretty sure I told you about it,” she said.

“No, you didn’t. I thought it was cancelled for good. They eloped last week for Pete's sake! What the hell do they need a wedding when they’re already married?”

“Everyone knows the wedding reception isn’t for the bride and groom,” Alana said. “It’s just for the families.”

“That sucks!” Wes shouted. “Why couldn’t you get another backup singer by now?”

“I thought you were okay with me singing,” Janet said. “Or was that only if it all ended with the Gala?”

Wes clenched his teeth together and wouldn’t answer, because he knew that was the truth, but he surely didn’t want to say it. It would make him sound petty and stupid, not to mention selfish. Everything he said he wouldn’t be.

“Luke needs Janet, Wes,” Alana softly said, as if reading his thoughts. “They’re really great together, but it’s only for the music, nothing else. You know that. You’ve heard them singing.”

“Not anymore he doesn’t,” Janet muttered angrily.

“What?” Aland asked.

“That’s why he hasn’t been to the rehearsals with me, because of you. Well, thank you so much, Alana. Now he won’t come to the gala either,” Janet snapped, sitting down and turning her back on her soon to be former best friend.

Alana’s bright green eyes widened as she stared at Wes, her face flushing scarlet. “Are you sure she’s Janet and not the evil twin?” she whispered.

Wes nodded.

“So, you told her then?” Alana said.

“Yeah he told me!” Janet shouted. “And now he won’t come see me. I thought you were my friend.”

“I am,” Alana said.

“Friends don’t tell your boyfriends to stay away from you. If you're trying to break us up...”

"She's not doing that, Janet!" Wes shouted.

“That…that’s not what I said.” Alana stared at Wes. “What did you tell her?”

“What you told me, what was obvious from the videos. That I’m bad for her,” he said.

“Wes, I never said that you were bad for her,” she said. “It’s just the…”

“Yeah, you did. I showed her the two clips,” Wes said.

“Then you saw it for yourself, Janet. You sing better when Wes isn’t there,” Alana said. “It’s true, but I never…”

“No, it’s not! I saw no difference,” Janet said. “I just liked one song better than the other. That’s why I sang a little bit better. I knew one better. I know them both now, though, and I can sing them both just fine, so there’s no reason for Wes to stay away from the gala.”

Alana stared from one to the other. “You didn’t tell her the rest, then, did you?”

Wes clamped his mouth shut and shook his head ever so slightly.

“What else is there?” Janet snapped. “You think Wes is gonna ruin this stupid show for Luke just by being there? Well, if Wes isn’t there I won’t sing at all. How’s that for ruining Luke’s big break?”

“Janet, you don’t mean that,” Wes said.

“Yeah, I do!”

Alana’s cheeks turned bright red. “I didn’t think you were that selfish, Janet. Maybe you are the evil twin,” she said.

“I’m not selfish,” Janet retorted. “I just want Wes to be there for me. You’re gonna be there for Luke. How is that fair? Luke gets his girlfriend to see him at this big moment in his life and I don’t get my boyfriend?”

Alana stared at her for a minute then glanced at Wes and back again. “Good to know you finally can admit Wes is special to you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just this. You sing those romantic love songs with no problem with Luke, but suddenly when Wes is there, you can barely get the words out. Wanna know why?”

Janet looked bewildered from one to the other. “I don’t…I don’t do that.”

“Yeah, you do,” Alana said calmly, yet she was seething inside. “Luke can sing any song whether I’m there or not. Know why, Janet? Cuz he loves me and he knows I love him, too. We all know who you’re in love with, Janet, all except, apparently, for you and that’s the problem.”

“What are you talking about?” Janet said, looking from one to the other. “If you think…I am not in love with Luke and he knows it!”

“No, not Luke,” Alana said, looking significantly at Wes. “If it was him, you wouldn’t be able to sing with him at all. Now, think about that before you bitch at me for wanting Wes far away from the gala and from you while you’re supposed to be singing your best tomorrow night.”

Alana turned on her heel and ran down the bleachers as quickly as safety would allow.

Janet stared after Alana in confusion. “What is she saying? I don’t know what she’s talking about. Do you?” she asked Wes.

Again, Wes was not listening. He was, instead, staring down at the crowd below at what had to be his father, and he seemed to be having a raging shouting match with none other than Steven London.

©2013 Glory Lennon All Rights Reserved