The Lies We Tell

"What?"

Your Dad almost dropped the plate in his hand. He puts down the plate, wipe his hands, and holds you tight on your shoulders.

"Honey.....what are you doing?"

"I know what I'm doing Dad"

I don't think you know what you're doing! If the paparazzi get just one glimpse of you, you'll not be safe every again

"I know Dad but he promised to be extra careful and quite frankly I'll never be happy without him. So either I say, I'll leave him and see him behind your back or you see what we do, but I'm not leaving him"

Your Dad gives a loud sigh.

"Okay, honey, there's no changing your mind but if I see anything wrong we're moving okay? Jennifer, do we have a deal?"

"Thank you, Daddy, yes Daddy! Thank you! Thank you!"

You throw your hands around his neck and give him kisses over his entire face.

"Okay okay! Now get back to work, we don't want the customers to wait"

"Daddy"

"Yes?"

"Just one more thing..."

"Oh god...yes?"

"I kind of have a date with him tonight and I was wondering if I could go home early tonight?"

"Oh, that? Sure and honey....be careful!"

"I will Daddy, promise!"

You go back to serving the customers as they come in and your work feels light and happy. You sent Jason a text.

"Hey, it's all good for tonight, if you still want to?"

You carry on working and get a text an hour later.

"Hey, that's good news. Can't wait to see you again"

"Neither can I. What do you say about pizza as we didn't finish ours the last time?"

"That sounds good"

"Good and remember, no press okay?"

"I'll give it my best cloak and dagger act 😉"

You smile and take the next order. Mike walks up to you.

"Hey, could you help me with the pickles in the storeroom?"

"Sure"

You follow him into the storeroom and your sixth sense tells you to run but you brush it off.

"Okay, so I'm going to lift this rack if you could just bend down and get all the pickles down under please?"

"Okay"

He lifts the rack and you start moving all the ten bottles of pickles to the middle of the floor. Every time you move a bottle you feel his eyes on you. You start moving the pickles faster and faster just to get out of there.

"Thank you for your help"

"No problem"

You get out as fast as you can and start filling up salt and pepper containers.

(What was that?)

You feel kind of violated. Finally, it's time for you to go home. You walk home, excited to see Jason again tonight. You feel as if someone is following you. You look behind you and there are a few people which include that stranger of the other day. He looks at you.

(Oh god, this is kind of scary)

You walk-run home and lock the door. You breathe deep and you look out your window. Memories come flashing back. You remember how scared you were every day. You had to look over your shoulder and there was no safety, not even in your own home.

You see no one outside and shake your head.

(Get your head on straight Jennifer, there's nothing to be worried about. Those days are gone!)

You get ready for Jason's arrival and order some pizza. There's a knock on the door. It's Jason.

"Hey"

"H-" He pulls you into him and collides his lips on yours. You kiss until your both breathless.

"Hey to you! Come in"

"I wanted to do that since last night when I left the diner. I can't get you out of my mind"

"Neither can I. Please, can we greet like that all the time?"

"We can do that all day long if I had my way"

He kisses you again. You move to the couch and he plops down.

"Hard day?"

"What?" You notice black circles around his eyes.

"You seem tired"

"Oh..uhm...yeah I'm kind of tired today, don't know why"

"Then I suggest a night of relaxing"

"I'm NOT going to fall asleep again. I won't forget what happened last time. I'm not losing you again"

"Jason..." You put your hands on his cheeks.

"I promise you, you sleeping on my lap wasn't the problem. It was the press issue, which we worked out now. So if you feel tired, please tell me and you're more than welcome to sleep on my lap"

"Yeah but still"

There's a knock on the door. You open the door. "Big Jim" He nods at you and then looks at Jason.

"I told you I'll be in here, so here I am Jim. Now please, give us some privacy?"

With that, he's out the door.

"What was that about?" He chuckles.

"I told you, I'm going to tell him where I'm going but I guess he just wanted to see if it wasn't one of my tricks"

"So, he'll just be sitting outside the entire time you're in here?"

"Yeah"

"Don't you feel bad leaving him outside when you're here relaxing?" He stands up and holds you by the shoulders.

"That's his job. He does it, where ever I go aaannnddd he knows I need my privacy tonight..." He kisses you and his warmth fills your entire body.

"Okay, if you are sure"

(I'm kind of glad his outside, keeping watch, especially after today with that man..)

You sit on the couch and watch the movie.

"I can't get over...*cough*...excuse me! I can't get over how funny they made this scene"

"Yeah, I love this movie, probably one of the best so far" The pizza arrives and you start to eat. Jason only eats only one slice.

"Are you not hungry?"

"Oh, uhm...doesnt seem that way no"

"Is there something wrong with the pizza?"

You smell the pizza.

"No, no it's fine"

"Okay..."

"I guess, I'm not feeling so well..."

"Jason...." You kneel before him and put your hands on his knees.

"...have you been feeling like this the entire night?" You feel a little bit hurt that he didn't tell you.

"Well, yeah. I didn't want to spoil our second date that we just can't seem to get going and now I'm the one spoiling it"

"Oh baby, have you been feeling like this all day?....of course! That's why you have been sleeping at three in the afternoon? I wouldn't have minded if you called it off because of how you were feeling?"

"Yeah, that's why I slept. I just didn't want to scare you away *cough*"

"I really feel so bad, not only did I give you the cold, but I also made you lie to me because I didn't make it clear last night that nothing is going to take me away from you. I'm so sorry Jason"

"No! Please don't apologize. I guess we're still new in the relationship and we still need to understand each other"

"Can I please make it up to you?"

"You don't need to, rea-"

You put your finger on his lips and he stops talking, kissing your finger and holding your wrist. You moan softly.

"God....let me just finish. Please let me take care of you as you did me when I was sick?"

"But you are, just by being with me makes me feel better already *cough*" You lift your eyebrow.

"Uhmm...that's it, you're sleeping here tonight. No discussion"