A Believable Performance Pt. 02

"There is a small matter of lunch with Aunt Rose," he said. "Within the next hour, if I recall."

Fredrick became pale.

"Why did you not wake me sooner?"

Cooper cleared his throat. "I made several attempts, sir. None were successful."

Fredrick began to notice his clothes, his hair and his face were wet. He noticed his cheeks stung. In fact, there seemed to be distinct hand-shaped prints on his face. He'd woken up on the floor, tangled in his damp bed sheets. A smart man might've wagered he'd been yanked out of bed.

"Oh dear..."

"Indeed, sir."

The rest of their performance had Miss Bennett clapping and laughing. They took a bow. That was the first run-through. They performed six more times for her, each time taking her advice and making changes. It was rough. Diego's energy dipped but West was invigorated by Miss Bennett. She stepped in to show them how to choreograph parts of the action, moved them to block their scenes better, recommended props, and told them to adjust their delivery repeatedly.

She took a long drink of water and almost offered the bottle to West. They shared a crooked smile and looked away from each other. Other students were lined up for their sessions with her. She called up the next act. West couldn't stick around to watch.

"You're not staying?" she asked.

"I wish but I need to get some work done and prepare for that dinner," he said.

"Of course," she said with a subtle smile. "Don't feel any pressure for that dinner, by the way."

"I won't."

He left with Diego. While they walked home, he filled him in on the dinner he was planning for Friday.

"Look at you," he said, bumping his shoulder. "Did you also buy her roses and scented candles?"

"I'm not that cheesy. I had something else in mind."

"Is that what you told Miss Bennett?"

"Just asked her opinion on what I should do."

"Right, right." Diego smiled. "I bet you ask her for all kinds of advice."

"You can shut up now."

Diego laughed and they walked in silence for a stretch.

"I'll need you to cover me again," West said.

Diego nodded slowly. "You should really pay me for this. Sounds like I'll be covering you a lot these days. What's the excuse this time?"

"I'll sleep over for the weekend."

He raised his hands in the air with a look of shock. "Whoa! Am I understanding this right?"

"Yes, you are," West said, hiding a smile.

"Dude, that's going to need some expert subterfuge. Normally, I'd do it for free, if I knew who the mystery girl was. But..."

That much was true. Diego would have to spin a story if his mom phoned in during the weekend.

"We can talk about it after June," he said.

"Sure, but I still need insurance in case my mom flays me for lying to her."

"I'll take you out to Jimmy Joe's."

Diego threw his arm around him. "And you'll give me a nice foot rub while we're there."

West rolled his eyes but he smiled anyway. "Yeah, sure."

They reached the crossroads where they went their separate ways and said goodbye. West made his way to the one-stop grocery store in the area. Matilda, the manager, greeted him with a tight hug. He requested a pickup for the ingredients he'd need for the dinner.

"The best and freshest, please," he said.

She raised her brow as she wrote everything down. "Hmm. It doesn't look like this'll be enough for the family."

He smiled. "I'm staying at my friend's place this weekend and I wanted to bring something nice."

"That is absolutely wonderful. You are such a great friend, Weston," she said, patting his shoulder as if it would burn her fingers.

"I do my best."

He asked for the price on everything and she waved it off.

"Oh, don't even worry about that. You just come and collect, okay?"

West was stunned. "Mrs Ellis, I can't do that."

She raised her finger at him. "Yes, you can and you will. Don't argue with me."

He deflated but he smiled. "Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, please tell your father I said thank you very much for that last shipment. He's an angel," she said.

"I will. Thank you, Mrs Ellis."

With that, he made his way home. Part of the preparations was getting ahead with his work. There was a steady buildup of pressure close to the end of the academic year. An assignment was due on Wednesday, another was due on Thursday and he had a test on Friday.

Jess had plenty on her plate too. They didn't chat over the phone and she seemed frantic in class. He gave her space to breathe.

On Thursday night, he sat down at the dinner table with his parents. It was the best time to broach the idea of spending the weekend away.

"The whole weekend?" his father asked.

"Yeah. It's been a crazy week so we thought we could just chill for the weekend. I'd be back on Sunday," he said.

Father didn't answer. He ate as if they'd been sitting in silence the whole time. Mom put her hand over his wrist.

"Remember, we're leaving on Sunday," she said.

West winced. Father winced. He remembered her talking about making a trip to see her family last week. That was before anything ever happened with Jess. He had no issue with visiting family but the timing was terrible.

"Then it can't be Sunday," Father said to him. "You'll be back on Saturday."

"I think that's fine." Mom nodded. She turned to grab her phone. "Maybe I should check with--"

"Diego told me his mom gave us the green light," he said dismissively.

"In that case," she said, putting her phone away. "Do you want me to drop you off?"

He smiled. "I'll walk. It's Leg Day tomorrow."

She chuckled. Father asked about his schoolwork and he told him he was up to date. He mentioned his last two assignments and said he was ready for tomorrow's test.

"Good," he said with a curt nod. "Keep it up."

The next day, the sun was shining and the birds were singing. He strolled to school with a spring in his step. His periods were a breeze and he walked over his test. He noticed Miss Bennett was also having a good day. During her lesson, she skimmed through the work and spent the rest of the period talking to the class. West was happy to see her taking it easy. Someone asked her why she was in such a great mood.

"I've got a date tonight," she said, feigning shyness.

Cheers erupted, especially from the girls. Miss Bennett raised her hands to keep the noise down. She glanced at West and her smile grew wider. West smiled too but he had to turn away so he didn't tip anyone off. Miss Bennett fended off demands for specifics and asked if anyone was coming to see her after school. Naturally, there were no hands. West kept his hand down too.

Miss Bennett eyed him, as if she was expecting him to change his mind. He smirked and shrugged. She narrowed her eyes with a hint of a smile.

When the bell rang for the last time, he decided to head home right away. The next time he talked to Jess, he wanted to be alone and far from the school. Also, it was fun to play a little cat and mouse. He reminded Diego about the arrangements.

"Got it. Stay safe and remember to wear your jacket," he said, making a show of flapping his shirt.

West gave him a devilish smile. "It's too hot for that."

Diego was stunned but he quickly nodded along instead. "I'll be sure to tell your son that's exactly what you said."

That cracked both of them up. West gave him a fist bump and made his way home. The sky was clear in the morning but grey clouds loomed over him that afternoon. He hurried home to dump his uniform and pack an overnight bag. He put on a hoodie and sweatpants and wore his running shoes. He hoped to beat the rain if it came. Then he walked to the grocery store.

He picked up his plastic bag, offered to pay for everything again, got denied, said thanks again and made his way to Jess' place. A slow drizzle hustled him to walk faster. He estimated it would take about thirty minutes of brisk walking to get to her. The rain unleashed after five. If he ran, he'd arrive covered in sweat and rain. He also preferred not to shake around the eggs.

Thunder rumbled above. He steeled himself by thinking of Jess. She said she was excited to see him. They were going to have dinner at her place. No, not even lightning would stop him.

He checked the street sign twice before making the last turn. The apartment building came into view. He approached the guardhouse at the front gate. The guy inside slid the window open and beckoned him closer. West ducked under a thin section of the roof and put his groceries down for a minute. He was surprised to see that the guard on duty was Frank, one of his father's former drivers. Father wrote him off after he crashed a second time.

"Damn, son. Is that you?" he asked, craning his neck.

"Hey, Frank. I was wondering where you went," West said, wiping his hands on his pants.

He shrugged. "Eh, you know me. I always land on my feet. You good, though? Can't be if you're walking in this weather."

"Yeah, I'm just seeing a friend. Glad to see you're okay."

"My man."

He pulled up a clipboard and thumbed through some pages. He asked for the resident's name and unit number. West pulled out his phone and gave him the details. Frank picked up his telephone to call her.

"Miss Bennett, you've got a visitor out here, a Weston Monroe. Young brother, good-looking, carrying groceries and a duffel bag." Frank cradled the phone to his ear and chuckled. "Will do, miss."

West cracked a smile. Frank put the phone away and gave him a look that said, "I see what's happening but I won't tell." He took down West's details and pressed a remote on the other side of his little office. The front gate rolled open. Frank pointed him in the right direction and flicked his cap at him. West saluted him and walked through with his luggage.

He walked up a few flights of stairs and down a short corridor, checking the numbers on the doors. He stopped at D12, checked he had the right number, and raised his hand to knock. His heart hammered his chest. This was a big deal, being right outside her home.

He looked down at himself and wondered if he should've gone for something more fitting for a date like a shirt and a coat. But then he remembered that he did a lot of walking and needed to be comfortable. They never talked about making their dinner a formal affair but he knew he'd beat himself up if she opened the door wearing a red dress.

"Argh, relax," he told himself.

He knocked three times and waited. The corridor was empty and quiet. He wouldn't have been surprised if Jess was the only person in the building. He neatened himself as best as he could and wiped his face.

The lock crunched and the door swung open.

He was used to seeing Jess at school and he saw her around town occasionally. But that was always her public facade. She had to look pretty and presentable and modest all at once. When the curtains closed, he never saw who she was.

Now he was looking at her away from everything and everyone. She wore a grey college hoodie and matching sweatpants. He liked the fluffy morning slippers on her feet. Her hair was tied back in clips and a messy bun. He wanted to melt at her feet. She gave him a smile that made trudging through the rain worth it.

"Hey."

"Hey," he said, smiling wider.

Her smile faded when she noticed his clothes were wet. "Did you walk in--"

He waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I'm just really happy to see you."

She tilted her head. "Come in."

He grabbed his luggage and stepped past her. Her usual sweet scent was lighter but he caught it and relished it. She peeked outside her door before shutting it and locking it. He dropped his bags and took a good look around.

Jess lived in a small studio apartment. Tan walls, wood floors and a giant window next to a balcony area too thin to stand on. A double bed sat in the corner of the room and a cluttered desk opposite that. She didn't have a TV but she did have a two-seater couch, a rug and a coffee table. Her kitchenette was in an alcove next to the front door. Picture frames filled empty spaces on the walls and tiny pot plants dotted all the packed shelves.

Jess stepped next to him. She fiddled with the sleeve of her hoodie and glanced at him.

"This is me," she said.

"I can tell. The warm colors, the little plants, the overloaded shelves, the stray sock under the bed, it's so you."

She spotted the sock and laughed. She bumped her shoulder against his. "You weren't supposed to see that."

He was falling for her all over again. He stared at her until she caught his gaze. She took a step closer to him and their mouths were only a breath apart. All over again. He kissed her. It was soft and brief. Their lips smacked when they pulled away. She looked up at him with big eyes and he kissed her again. Their kiss started soft and brief and became long and deep. He moaned against her mouth. If she felt his skin was cold, she didn't seem to care. She kept him warm.

She brought her hand up to caress his cheek. They smiled at each other and took a moment to breathe.

"I'm really happy you're here," she said. "I've been thinking about what you said on Friday and I'd also like to get to know you better. I'm hoping we'll have the time to talk and...just be together."

"I'm sure we'll have plenty of time," he said. He glanced at the window. The sky was dark and the rain refused to let up. "Looks like perfect weather for cuddles."

Her thumb brushed against his cheek. The gesture and the intense look in her eye sent a chill up his spine. He laid his hand over her wrist to savor her touch.

"When are you leaving?" she asked. The sadness in her voice made it seem like she expected him to stay for half an hour.

He smirked and pecked her lips. "Well that's up to you. I could leave later tonight or I could leave tomorrow night."

A slow smile crept up her lips. She looked at his duffel bag. "Is that--"

He nodded.

"Are you sure it's okay with--"

He nodded again.

She couldn't contain her excitement. She grinned and gripped him in a firm hug. He felt like a winner.

"So can I stay the night?" he asked, feigning shyness.

She smacked him and hugged him again. "Of course."

The night was only getting better. He took her hands and walked her over to the kitchen counter.

"I thought buying a ready-made dinner would've been boring so I thought I'd cook something for you," he said.

Her mouth hung open.

He let her hands go to unpack the groceries. Jess slinked behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She peeked over his shoulder as he listed everything he picked up. Oil, cod, spices, potatoes, eggs, the finest ingredients he could get.

"Fish and chips?" she asked, close to his ear. She rubbed her fingertips against his stomach.

"Yeah. I know it's not a fancy romantic dinner but it's a British dish and I wanted to make it for you," he said. His voice became softer. "If you don't want that, I can get something else."

West glanced over his shoulder. She pressed her face against his back.

"Jess?"

"It's perfect, love," she said.

He heard a crack in her voice and turned around. She looked up at him with sparkling eyes and shook her head.

"I never expected this," she said. "You, a dinner date, everything that's happened, it feels like a dream and I don't want to wake up."

She teared up again but the look in her eyes was piercing. It drew him in. It convinced him that she felt as strongly about him. Perhaps even more. What they had, it was real. He took her face between his hands. She closed her eyes and held his wrists, to savor his touch.

"We're not dreaming," he told her. He kissed her forehead.

"West."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

Jess never let herself become vulnerable in front of anyone. He wasn't anyone anymore. He wanted to earn that and keep earning that.

He smiled at her and nodded.

"Let me get started here," he said, glancing at the groceries.

She let him go and looked over the ingredients he brought. "How did you afford this?"

"I didn't." He poked around the cupboards, looking for a proper pan. "Got everything for free."

"Uh, do tell. I'd like to get free groceries too."

He chuckled. "Matilda from the store on Fair Way; she must've been in a good mood."

"Or she likes you as much as I do."

"She does a lot of business with my father so I guess she thinks of me as her nephew."

"I see."

She stepped behind him and cuddled against his back again. Oh, he loved that. She clung onto him as he got everything set up. Before he rolled his sleeves up, he walked over to his bag with Jess in tow and pulled out a Bluetooth speaker. She laughed when he bent over. He raised it over his shoulder for her to see.

"Yes?" she asked.

"I like to cook with some music on but I want you to play your favorite songs," he said.

She let him go and took the speaker gingerly. "We're not allowed to play loud music in the building. People love to complain."

"Then play it softly. I just want to hear the kind of songs you listen to."

"Okay, okay."

She smiled and walked over to her desk to grab her phone. While she fiddled with the speaker, West rolled up his sleeves and got to work. He started with the batter. Jess put the speaker on an empty space on the counter. He didn't know what to expect: he picked up a lot of little things about her at school but her taste in music wasn't one of them.

She played a song he didn't know. He liked the catchy drums and the guitar. His foot tapped to the beat. A girl's voice joined in and Jess sang along. She was self-conscious initially, only muttering the lyrics. West wanted to encourage her.

He stopped chopping his potatoes and nodded with the beat. She saw what he was doing and blushed. She held her arm and swayed from side to side. He danced in front of her, in his own awkward little way. Sure, he had rhythm but that was it. He let loose and Jess laughed. She danced too, in her own awkward little way. He grinned. He realised that dancing in front of someone else was embarrassing but he had no reason to be shy with Jess, not anymore. She must've realised it too. She started serenading him while the song played. He held her hands and they danced together, in their own awkward little way.

They could've gone on forever but the song ended too soon.

She stared at him, her face flushed and a wide smile on her lips. He imagined he looked exactly the same.

"You make me feel like such a girl," she said.

"It's good to see you like this."

"Like how?"

"In sweatpants, singing and dancing," he said. "I noticed how rough the week was for you."

"Ugh, don't remind me," she said. "I was looking forward to this."

"I'm looking forward to your assignment. Thanks for that."

She kissed his cheek and smiled innocently. "Pleasure, love."

He carried on in the kitchen. Jess played more of her music in the background and came back to cuddle him while he worked. He smiled; he didn't have to ask her to.

West took care not to move about too quickly so she wouldn't trip over his feet. She felt cozy against him and he didn't want her to let go. A new song came on, a slower guitar and a lingering violin. It had a country feel to it. It wasn't familiar but it was interesting. This one felt more intimate.

"Need help?" Jess asked, peeking over his shoulder. She slipped her hands into the front pockets of his hoodie.

"I won't burn anything, don't worry," he said.

He coated the fish and set it gently on the pan. The fries also were coming along nicely.

"I'm not worried. Who taught you how to cook?"

"My mom. She didn't want me to end up like my father so she made me sit in the kitchen with her while she cooked. I'd watch and help her out. Eventually, she let me prepare supper by myself and she'd be the one watching and helping me out. She always said cooking's more fun with company."

"You're close to her," she said softly.