Like a G6 [Open]

Luke was checking his watch and then looked up at the gate. Still nothing. Beside him, Ashton had turned his laptop on and was ensuring the fifty grand were in the Jap dude's account. Then again, Evelyn was with them here, so that was fine. Ashton glanced up instinctively and then said to Ashlee, "Hey, where's Evelyn?"

"Did Tigger never watch Blue's Clues as a child?" Seth wanted to know, taking the seat beside James and Luke as opposed to leaping around in it.

***

Evelyn was already feeling much better. Apparently the rich and famous who hired private jets (or bought them), were really cute too. She'd gotten into a conversation with some guy behind hr in line who apparently turned out to be traveling to France. Envious, Evelyn had asked him where and he told her he was actually visiting the same town she'd visited her (stuffy) family in. Instead of going back to the damn awkwardness around Jake, Evelyn figured she deserved some fun in Vegas, and had accepted the boy's request to sit down while she finished her latte instead of just going back to the lounge.

She needed a break from these boys. She now understood why Rose wanted to fly out with Weston.

Ashlee knew Evelyn had went to get coffee but it sure as hell was taking her a long time, she turned her gaze to the cafe and squinted her eyes a bit looking for her. But it was kind of hard since a lot of people were wearing black.

Finally she spotted a bronze head, but she wasn't alone. She was chatting it up with someone. Ashlee turned her attention back to a magazine she bought and simply said. "Oh she's cheating on her husband." Turning the page of the magazine.

Ashton coughed and looked up, following Ashlee's gaze but didn't catch sight of Evelyn. And then he saw her, a black hat atop her head, stirring a spoon into her cup of coffee nonchalantly while a guy across the table from her chattered on excitedly. Evelyn wasn't smiling but she didn't look like she planned to move any time soon. Ashton bit his lip and glanced up to see Seth had overheard Ashlee's comment.

"So, anyways," Seth said, figuring he should cover this awkward moment. He leaped up and returned to his seat by Jake. "I bet Lassie will kick your ass when she finds out we're back in New York."

***

The guy she was talking to, Laurent/Laur-something, (Evelyn hadn't paid attention), was telling her about the neighbourhood she'd often visited as a child with her mother. Apparently it was no longer a sleepy little community but an edgy, tourist-centered area now. Evelyn, attempting to cradle her latte with her bruised hand and her functional one, winced as hot liquid hit her palm. She expelled a pained gasp but suppressed it and just used her left hand to lift the cup.

"Is your hand all right?" the guy (Laurent?) asked, eying the weird little lump that indicated a dislocated bone in her hand. Evelyn shrugged at him.

"Yeah, I just skidded a bit and tried to catch myself on a wall, didn't work out so well," she lied quickly, and then cringed when he reached over the table and gently tapped the little welt.

Evelyn slowly slid her hand back onto her lap. If this guy knew she was married (and particularly if he saw foreboding Jake), he'd probably be a lot less welcoming. "I'm gonna get it looked at," she muttered, and sipped at her latte again.

She kind of wished one of the guys who was with their group (Jake excluded) had come to the cafe instead; she'd willingly have hung with them (unless it was Connor or James). The only reason she was talking to this guy was because he was separated from those boys. He didn't know her, he knew nothing about how messed up she was right now. All he saw was a pretty, single girl and Evelyn intended this to be a one-time meeting only, evasively ducking around his query for her phone number.

Huh, guess the siren thing still stays true even when I'm not a worthy prize anymore.

Yes, so she felt tainted, and kind of used, as strange as that was. It wasn't even the awkward marriage thing that had her so upset - it was just her missing v-card. She felt like maybe there should be a visible change in herself, but there wasn't, not really.

She didn't fault Jake, and no matter what it looked like, she wasn't even angry at him. He just reminded her too much right now of things that hurt her. She knew he was picking up her cold vibe, and it was probably confusing him considering the easy, playful stage they'd reached earlier that day (ahi tuna came to mind), and she knew no matter how badly they'd both screwed up, it didn't really change what she felt about him. Not really. Even if she hated how she felt and didn't want to believe it. Because she didn't believe those kinds of feelings existed. There was only like.

But she couldn't be around him right now, feelings aside. It just hurt too much.

She felt so self-conscious now. When Laurent/whoever had first spoken to her, she'd stammered and tried to back off uncomfortably, feeling like she had EX-VIRGIN stamped across her forehead. She felt like everyone in the damn city knew and she couldn't go anywhere without ducking her head and avoiding people's gazes. It had taken her a moment to realize Laurent/whoever was really clueless and the fact that he didn't know her, didn't know what she'd just gone through at all, was a breather.

Walking into the airport, another guy had smiled at her and Evelyn had had to look away, feeling like she wanted to throw up. For some ridiculous reason, she felt like his smile had been mocking, but he was a stranger! He didn't even know her! She just felt like her tainted status was out there, though, stamped all over her face for everyone to point out.

Even if she still felt as scared and naive as she had yesterday.

"Yeah I know right?" Jake said to Seth not really paying attention, his eyes had flicked past Seth's shiny head briefly to find Evelyn, and there she was nonetheless at the cafe, the guy sitting across from her had grabbed her hand and he didn't like that. Technically he had every right to go over there and tell the dude to quit hitting on his wife, but he knew that this was a mistake and why bother making anymore scenes?

Jake couldn't help but feel his blood boil a bit at the guy, who did he think he was? But Jake had to constantly remind himself that no matter how much he liked Evelyn, it was all gonna be over soon. That even after everything that had happened she still managed to just confuse the hell out of him. Earlier she was crying which was understandable given that she had lost her virginity. But then the next second almost she was shoving fish into his mouth, and they were just sitting there talking like this whole marriage never happened.

He hated this, he hated that anytime they seemed to make some progress in the right direction. Everything always got ruined by something they did. Jake still hated that he had a chance to have her as his girlfriend and he screwed that up, and now just as they were going to attempt becoming friends. He drunkenly proposes to her and now any chance of friendship or anything was going to go out the door. Jacob knew once he signed those divorce papers, she would run. And he would let her because he didn't want this constant hurt or confusing feeling he just seemed to get with her.

But as much as he'd want to let her go, he'd still want to be near her. To talk to her, make her laugh. Even argue with her. He knew once they landed in New York that everything was going to change majorly for the both of them, that people were going to possibly shut him out and such. But he at least wanted on person to hold onto.

When Jake didn't answer, Seth glanced over at Evelyn again. She had yanked her hand back under the table, clearly to stop the dude she was with from getting too chummy.

Seth nudged Jake with his umbrella with a grin and placed said bullhorn on Jake's lap. "Go nuts. I dare you."

Jake raised an eyebrow at Seth, taking the umbrella from him. Honestly he wasn't even sure how this damned thing, "Dude I don't even know how this--"


ERRRUHNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

Seth was now the only one laughing, because everyone else around them had almost fallen off their seats.

"DUUDE!" Ashton snapped, glaring at Jake and Seth. "Seriously! Trying to work here!"

Luke was trying to get his heartbeat back to normal. He placed a hand over his heart and muttered to James, "I think my blood pressure just spiked dangerously."

Over in the cafe, however, they'd only caught the tail end of the horn, since this was just a toy and really didn't have much vocal radius. People around Evelyn looked around in shock and Laurent (???) nearly spilled his coffee. Evelyn winced as her latte dripped onto her injured hand. She hastily mopped it up before Laurent could offer to help her.

"No, it's fine, merci," she muttered, casting a glance over at Seth. He didn't have the bullhorn, though. Jake did.

Evelyn swallowed and turned back firmly to continue her conversation with Laurent.

Jake gave the thing back to Seth, "I didn't even know how this thing worked! Although..." Jake had thought it was pretty funny after his heartbeat did return to normal.


"Hey Seth, if you hold it for a long time do you think?" He smirked mischievously and then opened the umbrella slowly as the loud sound emitted from the umbrella again and he held down it so it just sounded like those damned disaster warning alarms.

People in the vicinity screamed but a few laughed. Some glared daggers at Jake and Seth.

Evelyn had held onto her latte so she was the only one who didn't drop it. She felt the damn bullhorn sound jarring her insides and gritted her teeth. Her hand ached badly now, the damn liquid had incensed the swelling. She set her latte down carefully and blew on her hand, wincing softly.

"Are they insane?!" Laurent (Laurie?! She really needed to ask him his name) was saying, sounding aggrieved. Evelyn glanced over at Jake and Seth, and she could tell jusst by the look on Jake's face that this was no accident.

She gritted her teeth. "Ignore them, they're harmless," she said, rubbing at her dislocated knuckle with a tissue. It didn't help. The pain went needle-sharp and Evelyn gave a soft whimper, standing up. "I - uh, I'll be right back." She left her latte, but grabbed her bag and headed across to the drinking fountains set up across the lounge. She wet a tissue and placed it over her aching hand, biting her lip hard. God damn that asshole. He'd just disabled her punching hand!

Seth was smirking across the lounge when he saw her. He nudged Jake. "Sweet! I didn't know it would even work like that!. Shit!"

He grabbed the umbrella and stuffed it under his seat just as a guard marched up, looking around suspiciously.

Evelyn threw Seth a glare and walked back to the table, picking up her latte and figuring she hsould head back to the others since it was nearing ten. She waved at the French guy adn strolled back to where the rest were seating, resisting an urge to drop her latte on Jake's head.

"How much longer?" she asked aloud, taking a seat beside Ashlee.

Seth checked his watch just as a bunch of people came into the lounge. "Shouldn't be much longer." He wiggled in his seat, feeling his buzz die down. "I'm bored," he informed Jake. Luke, flipping through a magazine, lifted his gaze and frowned. He could have sworn he saw a familiar face in the huddle of men that were now sitting across the room.

"I think we can go in," Seth added a little while later, when the hostess at their gate gestured to him. He got ot his feet and grabbed hte umbrella and his jacket and carry-on bag. Ashton closed his laptop adn stuffed it into his backpack while Evleyn finished off her latte, tossed it out adn carefully slid on her glove over her aching hand. She picked up her purse and backpack.

Luke elbowed James. "Um...." he leaped to his feet. "Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't those the same, uh, guys?" he muttered, nodding his head toward the men in business suits. "The ones who visited earlier?"

James looked back at where Luke had pointed out the Japanese men and pulled a face, but he wasn't too scared. They had paid him back in full! James had to prostitute himself! As far as he saw it, their debt was paid off and he would probably seriously reconsider ever setting foot in this city again.

Jake had overheard Luke and tensed up as he looked back at the Japanese men, of course they would be here! They were wealthy businessmen why wouldn't they have their own private jet? Maybe they should have flown commercial instead. He glanced over at Ashton, "Dude we paid them right? Every single thing." Jake asked, tensing at their presence.

The boss could feel Jake's gaze on him, and looked directly at him and gave him a small nod with an arrogant smile and went on his way. And Jake could feel himself breathe again as they went to board the plane.

"Oh wow," Evelyn murmured, stopping in the entrance to the plane. For some reason, Seth had made her and Ashlee get on first.

The cabin was gorgeous. Evelyn's eyes widened in wonder as she entered. Seth behind her, grinned and nudged Ashlee. "Fuck commercial."

Ashton entered behind the girls and took his previous spot midway down the cabin. Evelyn glanced around, unsure of where to sit and then realized Jake was right behind Seth and hastily walked past Ashton to take the seat at the very back. She dropped her things on the ground and sank down onto the soft leather.

"You guys should have flown out with us," Luke told Ashlee as he walked past her, whistling a tune under his breath. He took a seat across the aisle from Ashton, who had his phone in his hand and was texting busily.

"No kidding, I had to sit next to some large man with bad breath. And I think he liked me too because he wouldn't stop talking to me!" Ashlee said staring at everything in awe. Whoever Seth's wife or future ho would be one day would really love all of this, she thought to herself as she made herself cozy in one of the nice leather seats.

Jake had taken his seat where he was last time on the jet, James taking his next to Luke all of them awaiting to leave Las Vegas.

Everyone had buckled up adn the plane began speeding along the runway. Seth was peering wistfully out the window at Vegas falling away below them. He glanced at Jake across teh aisle. "I'mma miss SIn City, bro."

Although he couldn't say he expected THIS much to happen. "Even if..." He hesitate and lowered his voice, glancing back at the girls, "It ended a little weird. Wasn't really expecting to bring a missus home."

"I hate Vegas," Evelyn muttered softly to Ashlee next to her. Nova, strapped down on Evleyn's lap, was whimpering as the ascending plane toyed with his hearing. Evelyn leaned down, kissed his head and hugged the puppy to her, relieved they were headed home at last.

"Um I don't plan on coming back for a long while." Jake said as he watched the bright city disappear into the clouds.

A moment had passed and the plane was once again horizontal. The hostess was passing out tequila shots because Seth figured they could use a lift. He took one and then glanced over at Jake as the hostess moved on. Seth threw his shot back and set it down on the tiny table by hsi seat. "Hey, um...." It occurred to him that he'd barely said two words one-on-one to Jake all day. It had been so insane.

Seth lowered his voice. "Um, you doing okay?"

Evelyn, in the back, shook her head at the hostess and asked for some orange juice instead. She pulled a face at Ashlee. "You know, Alexis is gonna have a lot to say when we get back."

"A lot of people will but don't let her get under your skin. I mean the truth, she hardly knows you. She has no room to talk." Ashlee said quietly to Evelyn.

Jake mussed his hair up a bit and shrugged, "I mean honestly I kind of feel like crap. She's not even you know, cause of me. And I know that's probably really upsetting her." Jake muttered.

"I have to live with her though," Evelyn muttered, heart sinking at the thought of having to face Alexis' sharp tongue. She bit her lip. "Can i room with you a couple days? I'll take the couch, I just...I really can't handle her scorn on top of....everything else." She glanced up to the front where Jake and Seth were talking quietly. "And....I don't wanna have to run into him all week long."

Luke paused his music and nudged James across the aisle. "Hey, you alive?" he asked lightly. James had been eerily silent at the airport.

Seth didn't get at first what Jake was saying. Evelyn wasn't what?

Then it struck him. Oh. Fuck. He didn't....

Seth unclipped his seatbelt and leaned forward across the aisle, eyes wide. "Dude....I thought...I was kind of assuming she weaseled her way out of it!"

"Hmm?" James looked to Luke and gave him a small smile, "Yeah just tired."

"Yeah of course you can stay." Ashlee told Evelyn.

Jake shook his head and cringed, he probably shouldn't have said anything to Seth. He assumed Seth sort of knew, "Yeah dude just...don't say anything." He whispered.

Seth replied by signaling the hostess over. She handed him the tequila bottle and he poured another shot for himself and Jake, passing it over. "Who, me?!" he asked in mock-outrage. He smirked. "Don't worry, dude, I'm just glad you finally got some." He winked.

Ashton had wandered back to talk to the two girls since everyone else was being so moody adn glum and Jake and Seth were just muttering to each other. He sat down across ffrom Ashlee and grinned. "You guys should have come with us on the first flight. Everyone got trashed and Luke was beatboxing and Seth rapped to Jake about calling his mom because we kidnapped him from the hospital."

"You....what?" Evelyn asked, eyes wide. Ashton grinned as he explained how that had gone down.

"Been a friggin' long day." Luek yawned and closed his eyes.

Jake stared down at his shot, he really wasn't in the mood to drink for once. Even after everything that had happened a drink sounded good. But he was usually very loud when drunk so he just left it there, "Yeah dude too bad its nothing like you think." He said circling his finger around the rim of the glass.

"I didn't think it would be," Seth replied, recalling the one and only time he'd ever deflowered a virgin. He sighed. "You know there's a reason you never go for virgins." He finished his shot and noticed Jake hadn't touched. "Relax, you already married her. The worst you could do is make an ass of yourself and make people laugh." He glanced down the plane at the others. Ashton was talking to the girls, and they looked amused but everyone else was silent. "It looks like a fucking funeral in here."

"Yeah well..." Jake shrugged drinking his shot. "How come I always gotta be the ass? Why can't you be the ass?" Jake asked Seth poking him in the forehead.

Seth reached across the aisle and smacked Jake's head, and then promptly poured him another shot in his empty glass. He poured himself one and downed that before leaning around the side of his seat and saying to James, who was right behind him, "Yo, want a shot?"

Ashton paused his storytelling to shoot Seth a bewildered glance. "What's it gonna take for this guy to stop on the alcohol? World War Three?!"

Evelyn flashed an amused smile and nudged Ashlee. "Control your immature spouse," she said, rubbing her lumpy knuckle gently. Nova, now freely sitting on her lap, scrambled to the floor and down the aisle to tug on Jake's jeans leg.

Jake felt something tugging at his leg, and looked down and saw Nova. Jake's eyes widened and he smiled picking up the dog, "Mi hijo!." Jake was kind of buzzed since he had finished his two shots that Seth had gotten him, Jake gave Nova an rubbed his nose against Nova's and he responded by licking Jake's nose, "You're so cute... you're so cute." Jake set Nova on his hind legs and moved him back and forth, "Oh look you're dancing now, you're dancing now. Go Nova, go Nova! Is your birthday. Ole! Baila, baila perrito!

Ashlee took out her tissues from her purse and crumpled it up and threw it at Seth's head, "Oy you calm down!" She called to Seth.

The wad of tissues landed in Luke's lap and he blinked down at it before turnign around adn dropping it on dropping it back on Ashlee's head. "No thanks, I have shirtsleeves for that," he said, with a grin, before turning back around.

Seth was now up and out of his seat and prancing over to the stereo system. Five minutes later, thumping trans beats burst form the speakers all around the cabin. Evleyn jerked in shock as a bass speaker thumped right by her, adn nearly fell otu of her seat. She grinned a little and got up, yelling over to the dancing Seth, "WHERE'S YOUR FIRST AID KID?!"

"WHAAAAAT?" he hollered back, one hand cupped to his ear.

Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "FIRST!" She held up one finger. "AID KIT!"

"YOU HAVE AIDS?!" Seth exclaimed, horrified as his brain whizzed into overdrive. He paused dancing to gape down at Jake. "OH MY GAWD, SHE GAVE YOU AIDS!"

Evelyn's jaw dropped and she blushed bright red. "Oh forget it," she muttered, stalking up the aisle and shoving Seth aside to rifle through the cabinet behind him. She found cigarettes, more alcohol and some other typical bachelor party crap and frowned, looking down at the ugly red welt on her hand.