 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Chapter Two | ||||||
| "Ack! I'm all wet now, thanks to you," Bridget said, trying to squeeze the water out of her clothes. "I'm glad you're soaked," Justin replied putting his arms around Bridget. "So am I," Bridget murmured and kissed Justin. They were walking back up to the blanket holding hands when Bridget heard a rustle in the beach grass. "Did you hear that?" "Hear what?" Justin asked. "Nothing. I guess it was just my imagination," Bridget said, looking behind her warily. "And if there is anything there, I'll protect you," Justin boasted. Bridget pushed Justin. "Oh you will, huh?" Justin nodded. "Of course." When the fireworks started, Justin lay back on the blanket and Bridget lay down too, her head resting on his chest. He put his arm around her and pulled their bodies closer together. Bridget put her arm across Justin's stomach. They seemed to fit together so perfectly�like they were meant for each other. Justin watched Bridget's content face being lit up the by the fireworks. He thought she was beautiful, but there was more to her than a pretty face. She seemed so fragile and delicate�almost as if she would snap in half if he wasn't careful. After the fireworks were over, Bridget slowly sat up. "I'm cold." Justin kissed Bridget softly. "Can I keep you warm?" Bridget looked at him doubtfully. "You can try, but I doubt it'll work." "You're right. Let's go back up. Why don't you go home, change into some dry clothes and come over to my house?" Justin suggested as they picked up their dining area and put everything into the picnic basket. Bridget nodded. "Okay." When they reached Bridget's house, Justin gave her a long kiss. "Be over soon, okay?" Justin said. "If you're not over in twenty minutes, I'll have to come and get you!" "I don't think I'll take that long," Bridget said with a smile and went inside. Ten minutes later, she had changed into a black tank top and jeans with black platform sandals. After brushing her hair and putting it up into a messy bun, she began to walk to Justin's house about a hundred yards away. There was rustling in the bushes and Bridget's eyes warily searched the darkness. She continued walking, but then heard a raspy whisper: "Bridget." Bridget's head snapped up. "What?" "Bridget�you're min." Bridget broke out into a run and pounded on Justin's door. He opened it with a grin. "Geez Bridget. I didn't know you wanted to see me that bad." "Justin there's someone out there," Bridget said. "What?" "Over there. Someone was whispering my name and stuff." Justin took Bridget's hand. "Let's go find out." "Justin, no. Let's not go over there," Bridget said. "But if there's someone over there�" Justin looked into Bridget's eyes and saw how scared she was. "Okay. Let's just go inside." Bridget nodded. "Yeah." Justin locked the door and led Bridget to the living room where they sat on the couch. "Wanna watch some TV?" "Yeah." After awhile, Justin said, "Can you give me a back rub?" "Sure. Why, are you sore?" Bridget asked. "A little," Justin said as he rolled over on his stomach and Bridget sat on his back. "Bridget, you're really good at this." "Thanks," Bridget said. "No, thank you for relieving my stress," Justin replied. "Although it's very hard to have stress when I'm around you." "Right whatever," Bridget laughed as she got off Justin and sat back on the couch. "I probably give you more stress." "That's all in your head," Justin said. "Then relieve my stress," Bridget said and Justin kissed her. She kissed him back as he backed her down on the couch and kissed her again. Bridget put her arms around Justin's neck and gave him another kiss. They kissed for hours and fell asleep in each other's arms. Bridget woke up first the next morning and padded out to the kitchen to make some breakfast. She had mixed up some pancake batter and was cooking it on the stove when Justin slid his arms around Bridget's waist and placed little kisses on her neck from behind. "Good morning, Justin," Bridget said with a smile as she flipped a pancake over. "Morning," Justin replied and took some orange juice out of the refrigerator. "Did you sleep okay?" "Of course- I was with you," Bridget said. "Aww, how sweet," Justin murmured, gently turning her around to face him. "Oh is that how you're gonna be?" Bridget smiled. Justin kissed Bridget. "That's exactly how I'm gonna be." "Well then- oh no! The pancakes!" Bridget exclaimed. "Look what you made me do Jay!" Justin laughed and poured himself and Bridget some orange juice. "You're so cute." Bridget glared at Justin and stuck her tongue out at him. Justin just laughed again and said, "I had no idea you were so mature, Bridgy." "There are a lot of things about me you have no idea about," Bridget said quietly. The doorbell rang at that instant and Justin went to answer the door, saying, "We'll continue this later." Bridget nodded and put the finished pancakes onto a plate to be served. "Justy!" a girl squealed from the front door. Bridget joined Justin by the front door to find him looking disgusted at the plastic looking half dressed girl standing on the porch. Justin turned to give Bridget a look that said "Help!" which the girl didn't see. Bridget smiled. "Justin, who's this?" Bridget asked, knowing full well who is it was, as Justin put his arm around Bridget. The girl's face fell. "You don't know who I am?" Bridget shook her head innocently. "No. Should I?" "Hello! I'm Britney Spears! Duh!" the girl exclaimed. "I'm sorry- I've never heard of you," Bridget said as Britney waltzed into the house. "Why not?" Britney asked. "Oh wait! Aren't you the one who sings that really annoying song�what was it? 'You Drive Me Crazy'?" Bridget said sweetly. Justin muffled a laugh. "Justy, who is this loser anyway?" Britney said, adjusting her barely there tube top. "This 'loser' is my girlfriend, Bridget," Justin replied. "Oh�so nice to meet you, Bridget!" Britney said snootily. "Pleasure's all mine," Bridget replied with a sweet smile. "So, um, Britney- how did you find out where I live?" Justin asked. "Oh, I asked around," Britney said nonchalantly walking into the kitchen. "Oh look! How sweet- Bridget made pancakes for you, Justy!" "Um, yeah. I know," Justin said, his arm wrapped around Bridget's waist. "So how long have you two been together?" Britney asked. Justin looked down at Bridget. "Um�for awhile now�do you know how long, Bridgey?" Bridget looked at Justin. "A month?" "Yeah- that's about it," Justin agreed. "What are you famous for, Bridget?" Britney asked. "I'm not famous for anything. I just got out of high school�not really anytime to be famous," Bridget replied. "I see." "Yeah�um, Britney? Can you leave please? I need to discuss some stuff with Bridget," Justin asked. "Of course, Justy. I'll drop by later," Britney said and whisked out of the house. "You handled Britney so well, Bridgey!" Justin exclaimed with a laugh. "I couldn't have done better." "I take it you're not too fond of her," Bridget said. "No way. She's so fake-plastic, annoying," Justin explained. "I hope she doesn't come by later." "Come to my house later�she won't come there," Bridget said. "These pancakes are good, Bridget!" Justin exclaimed. "I just threw some stuff together�I mean it was nothing huge�" "Who cares? This is great! I should have you cook for me more!" Bridget was sitting at home, watching the ocean waves crash on the shore with soft music playing from the house's sound system. Her eyelids started to feel impossibly heavy, so Bridget gave in to sleep. Justin looked out his window and saw no pink cars pulling into his driveway. He locked the front door and let himself into Bridget's house. "Bridget?" She was nowhere to be found downstairs, so Justin figured she was upstairs watching the ocean- one of her inner peace things. He climbed up the stairs and heard Bridget yelling. "Daddy no! Please don't! It's not my fault, I swear! Daddy please�don't hit me!" Justin raced up the last few stairs and found Bridget lying on the couch, curled into a little ball with tears streaming down her face- she was asleep. "Daddy, let go- you're hurting me!" Bridget screamed. Justin gently shook Bridget. "Wake up, Bridgey." She flinched at his touch. "No�" He shook her a little harder. "Come on, wake up Bridgey." Bridget's eyes opened. "Justin, I�." "It's just a dream, baby�." Bridget burst into more tears and Justin held her tightly. "Justin, it's not�" "Shh, it's okay. Just a dream�" Justin whispered, stroking Bridget's hair. "It's not�it's not a dream," Bridget whispered. "What are you talking about?" Justin asked as Bridget pulled back and looked into his eyes. "I'm talking about�my dad. He�he hits me," Bridget whispered. "Bridgey, why didn't you tell me before?" Justin asked. "I thought you would hate me and never wanna see me again if you knew," Bridget said. "Hey, look at me. I would never ever hate you for something like that. It is not your fault- I might hate your dad, but not you- okay?" Bridget nodded and sniffled as Justin took her in his arms again. How could anyone want to hurt her? She was so small�so easily broken�he wanted to make her tears go away- stop the hurt she was feeling. The sun was about to begin setting when Bridget stopped crying. "I've gotta cook dinner�" "Hey, uh-uh. No way. You're gonna sit here and I'm gonna get take-out okay?" Bridget smiled. "Chinese?" "You know it�moo goo chicken right?" "Yeah, my favorite." "Okay. I'll go into town and get it- don't go anywhere." I should be back in about thirty or forty minutes." Bridget nodded. "Alright." "Justin gave her a sweet long kiss. "I'll see you in a little while okay?" "Yeah." After Justin left, Bridget decided to take a shower to make her feel better. She stepped into the hot shower, closing her eyes and letting her tears wash away into the water. When she got out of the showe, she slipped her silk bathrobe on and tied the sash tightly. All of a sudden, Bridget heard a door close. "Justin, is that you?" Bridget called as she combed her hair. There was no answer. She checked the living room and kitchen and found no one. "Must be my imagination." Bridget walked into her bedroom and opened her closet, rummaging around for her flannel PJ pants. "Bridget, I'm back!" Justin called from the front door. Bridget met him in the living room. "That didn't take too long." "I think they recognized me," Justin said with a grin. "You look great." "I'm wearing a bathrobe." "My point exactly- you look wonderful," Justin said and kissed Bridget. "Right. Let me go change into some real clothes," Bridget replied and kissed Justin lightly on the lips. Justin kissed her back. "Don't take too long." "I'll try not to." Another kiss and Bridget went into her room again, back to her closet to find her flannel pants. Only this time there was something there that didn't belong. A red-headed Barbie hanging by her neck, covered in blood and tattered clothes. |
||||||
| Chapter Three You Don't Have To Be Afraid index Back to that sweet, sweet gravy |
||||||