Chapter 1 | Part IV

The Food Court- Jason

1:44 P.M.

After thinking about how I'd probably miss my senior prom and how I wished so much that just for one day I could live a normal life, I kind of lost my appetite. I was still hungry, but didn't feel like eating a full meal. So I stopped by the pretzel and cookie shop and ordered something.

I ordered a salty soft pretzel, a giant chocolate chip cookie, and a soda. Even though I was feeling down, that wasn't going to stop me from ordering something sweet. I mean, I try to eat healthy, but I still have a weakness for sweets.

I grabbed my order and sat down at a two-seated table near the ordering counter and began to do one of my favorite things: people watch. I love watching people. Human beings are so complex, yet so subtle with the things they do. Living the life of fame, you tend to forget that sometimes. So as often as I can, I like to people watch to remind myself of the beauty of human beings—especially when it's not always pretty.

That's when I saw her. Standing at the pretzel and cookie shop, the girl from the prom store. Obviously, she was not in her dress, but what she was wearing now surprised me. A t-shirt, shorts, and... sandals! Like me. I would have never expected a girl as beautiful as her to be so dressed down. I expected to see her in a sundress or heels or something, but not this. By this time, I desperately wanted to talk to her—not to flirt or anything, just to get to know her, maybe be her friend? But how could I do that with my fame?

The Food Court- Tamia

1:51 P.M

I was so excited. I actually liked the dress I picked out and I was about to eat a pretzel! I couldn't wait to show Larry my dress. Should I let it be a surprise? Yes, a surprise. I'll just tell him to either wear something black. Yeah! That way, we'd both be surprised, but still matching. Yes, that's what I'll do.

I was still so giddy over the dress that I almost didn't hear what the lady at the pretzel counter said to me: "I'm sorry, but we're out of pretzels right now. We're making more, but it'll be about a thirty-minute wait."

"Oh, alright," I said, understandingly. But low-key—no, HIGH key—I was upset. That's when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I nearly jumped.

"You can have mine if you want," I heard this soft, sweet voice behind me say.

I slowly turned around, and looking back at me I saw the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen in my whole life! I was speechless. He had his hand out, and in it was a small paper tray holding a half-eaten cookie and an untouched soft pretzel. Half my brain wanted to take the deliciously salty pretzel that I had been craving all day from this beautiful stranger, but the other, logical half of my brain said, You don't even know this guy! He could have poisoned it!

He must have read my mind because then he said, "Oh it's probably weird that I'm offering you this. You don't even know me."

I was still silent. All of a sudden, I couldn't find the words to speak. I had just gained a new confidence in my prom dress, but now I was back to the same old me.

"M-my name's Jason," he stuttered hesitantly. "Would you like to sit with me?"

I was still silent. I couldn't seem to process what was going on.

Jason

The next thing I know, I was offering this girl my pretzel. I hadn't even touched it, and the last thing I remember was hearing the lady tell her that they were out of pretzels at the moment. I had gotten the last one. The look on her face went from joy to sorrow in a split second. I felt like I had caused that. So, without even thinking, I stood up and offered her my pretzel.

When she turned around, I got a really good look at her. She was incredibly beautiful, with her long, curly, dark brown hair pulled away from her face. Her big, beautiful dark brown eyes stared back at me like a deer caught in headlights.

Oh no, I thought. What am I doing? I had also taken my sunglasses off because I wasn't planning on standing this close to anyone. Does she recognize me? Is she star-struck? Is she gonna scream out who I am for the whole mall to hear?

Quickly, I decided to say, "Oh it's probably weird that I'm offering you this. You don't even know me," hoping that my last statement was true.

She still didn't say anything. Was she nervous? "M-my name's Jason," I stuttered hesitantly. "Would you like to sit with me?"

Tamia

Finally, after what seemed like forever, I said, "Sure."

We sat down at the table that I assumed he got up from. He seemed really sweet, so I took a chance. After all, if he were a killer, he'd have to lure me out of the food court away from all these witnesses. Yeah, I decided. I'll sit with him. He can't do anything when all these people are sitting here.

As we were sitting, I noticed that he was still staring at me. Not in a creepy way, but more like admiring me. Hmm, I've never had anyone admire me before. Not even Larry...

"S-so you said your name's Jason?" I asked, breaking the awkward silence.

He said, "Yeah, I'm sorry that I didn't get your name."

"Tamia," I replied.

"Wow, that's a beautiful name," he said, ever so sweetly. Was he flirting with me? No, he couldn't be. Guys never flirt with me.

He must've read my mind again because the next thing he said was, "Sorry, I'm not trying to be flirty or anything. I really do like your name. And I feel really bad because I got the last pretzel, and I can tell that you really wanted one."

I really did. Okay, I thought. He seems safe enough. Maybe I'll just eat half of the pretzel. And I'll ask him some questions too, to get as much information about him as I can.

Jason

Finally, she answered me and we sat down. I learned her name and told her that it was beautiful. Ugh, why did I have to say that? (Even though it's true.) I don't really know how to talk to girls, or anyone for that matter— except for my brothers. I'm always with them. I grew up with them, so of course it's easy for me to talk to them. But not her... it was almost like... I didn't want to say the wrong thing when talking to her...?

I immediately let her know that I wasn't flirting. Ugh, why did I do that too? I'm messing up so bad here. I felt like I kept babbling and wasting her time until she accepted my offer to have my pretzel.

After she swallowed the first bite, she asked, "So... Jason... do you live around here?"

I didn't want to be rude, but I also wasn't sure if she knew my true identity. Maybe she actually didn't. Or maybe she does, but wants to confirm through questions. Well if she does know who I am, at this point, she hasn't blown my cover. So I decided to answer the questions truthfully, but hesitantly.

"Yeah, I live in Beverly Hills," I said very honestly. I half expected her to say, "Wow, that's a really nice neighborhood, you must be rich!" but she didn't.

"Oh, I'm not sure where that is," she said. "What school do you go to?"

I wasn't sure how honestly to answer that one, but she really did not seem to know who I was. "I'm actually transferring to Roosevelt Academy next week," I replied. "You're not trying to stalk me, are you?" I asked jokingly. Ugh, why did I say that?

"Actually, that's the school I go to!" she said.

Wait, was that a smile on her face?

"Really?" I asked excitedly. "What grade are you in?"

"Twelfth," she replied.

"So am I," I said. "I'm actually here with my brothers shopping for school clothes." I mentioned my brothers to kind of throw out a hint to who I was.

"Oh you don't have to buy clothes," she replied. "The school issues uniforms."

That, I actually did not know. "Oh, really?" I asked.

"Yeah," she replied. "I actually like it too. I don't have to figure out what to wear every day, and everyone may looks the same."

Wow, she's amazing, I thought. I've never heard a girl say anything like that. The girls I'm around are always talking about their clothes, hair, makeup, and nails. But studying her, I could see that none of that mattered to her. Not that she just completely didn't care, but it wasn't her top priority. Man. I had to stop thinking about her like this. I barely know her. She barely knows me... or does she?

"So, umm... what kind of music do you listen to?" I asked, deciding that it was my turn to ask some questions.

"You'll laugh, but I only listen to older music," she replied. "I don't really listen to today's music. I mean, I guess it's okay, but I've never heard it."

"Really?" I asked, super surprised. I really didn't expect her to say that, but I was pleasantly surprised. She really doesn't have any idea who I am! But her next questions interrupted my thoughts.

"You said you were here with your brothers?" she asked.

"Y-yessss," I say slowly. Oh no, she is trying to see if I am who she thinks I am.

"Are you the oldest?" she asked next. Didn't expect that question.

"Uh, no I'm the middle child," I replied.

"Oh," she said. "I only asked because I'm the oldest in my family."

She never ceases to amaze me. Just when I think she's figured me out, she reminds me that she is completely oblivious to the fact that I'm a celebrity. Suddenly I felt like I was deceiving her. She was being so genuine with me, but I wasn't being completely honest with her.

"Any sisters?" she asked, interrupting my guilt.

"Oh no, just us boys," I say. "So um, you're the oldest you say?"

"Yeah, of four," she replied. "I have a 15-year-old younger sister, a 13-year-old younger brother, and a 3-year-old baby brother."

Tamia

I couldn't believe how much I was telling this guy that I had just met. I told him where I went to school and a little about my family! Well, I only told him because he told me. But why? There was something about him that made me feel safe... like I could tell him anything and he wouldn't use it against me. It was kind of like talking to Morrissa and Vie. They were my best friends, and I could tell them anything. Man, I wish I could talk to Larry like this.

Oh, shoot. Larry. My boyfriend. Am I cheating, sitting here talking to Jason? No, it's just a friendly conversation. But he was cute. Then I thought about how I would feel if Larry were sitting here talking to a cute girl. I'd be livid. Does that make me insecure? Maybe...

"Uh, I should go," I said suddenly, interrupting my own thoughts.

"Oh, um okay," Jason said sadly. "Uh, did you drive here? You want me to walk you to your car?"

Oh my goodness, he is so sweet! Larry is never that sweet to me! Okay, okay I have to stop this.

"No that's okay," I replied, "I have a boyfriend."

I could tell the words I just said shocked him. Well, they shocked me too. Why did I have to say that? It wasn't like I wanted him to think I was single, but he didn't ask. Plus he wasn't really flirting with me. He was probably just being nice and had absolutely no romantic interest in me.

As much as my words shocked him, the next words that came out of his mouth shocked me more.

Jason

I felt like our conversation was flowing nicely until she suddenly jumped up and said she had to leave. No! I wasn't ready for her to leave! Maybe I could steal a little more time with her.

"Oh, um okay. Uh, did you drive here? You want me to walk you to your car?" I asked, really upset that she was leaving so soon.

The next sentence that came out of her mouth pierced me to my core, and I don't know why. Of course she has a boyfriend, of course! A girl as beautiful and as sweet as her surely can't be single. So it makes sense that her boyfriend would walk her to her car. But even though I was only trying to get to know her as a friend, there was another reason why I tried not to think of her as anything more. And it goes deeper than my fame.

"Oh, that's cool. I understand," I said calmly. "I actually have a girlfriend. I didn't mean to sound too forward. I was just being friendly."