So Close, So Far
By Dimples
Disclaimers:
The characters in this story are all mine and the story is all mine. The characters may look like two of our favorite actresses that are not mine, but that's where the similarity ends. The song in this part is all mine, as well.
Love/Sex/Language:
Yes to all of the above. This story depicts an explicit loving relationship between adult women. If you're under-aged or live in a place that this isn't allowed or this isn't your cup of tea, I suggest you move along and look for something else to occupy your free time.
Violence:
There are some scenes that contain pretty graphic violence but I don't consider them to be much. But if you're of the fainter heart, I'd suggest you don't read 'em. They're really not bad though...Not worse than any regular Xena episode.. There is a scene that deals with an almost-rape but nothing serious and nothing graphic.
Thanks:
To my beta-reader Erin Jennifer for everything. For reading and correcting my stories and doing a great job of it!
To all the readers that took the time to write to me and telling me what they thought, you encouraged me to keep on writing.
And to all the great bards around and their amazing stories that I loved reading and gave me the inspiration to start writing my own.
Author's comments and Feedback: This is my second novel length story. I hope you'll like it. Unfortunately, the story is yet to be finished because I'm quite busy in my day to day life at the moment so I apologize ahead for the delays in my posting of the parts. I promise to try and write as fast as I possibly can. I hope you decide on reading it anyhow...
I decided to put on hold the writing of the sequel to my story "Time and Time Again". Now about this story, everything in this story is meant purely for fun and I hope you find it funny (in places it was meant to be funny), dramatic (the same) and so on. I would really appreciate knowing what you think of my stories. Tell me if I'm doin' alright or if I royally suck. Some plot ideas would be very much appreciated also. Actually, come to think of it, any comment would be very much appreciated :) mailto:Dimples_2000_fr@yahoo.com
Copyright © Dimples 2002. All rights reserved.
Part Six
Ch. 12
Jay, Jennifer and the rest of their group stepped out of the cars and headed toward the club's entrance. Jay tried to explain, "We wanted to do something kind of symbolic for your 21st birthday and this is what we came up with..." when she noticed the reluctant look cross Jennifer's face. "Besides, we heard it's one of the best clubs in the city." added Jonney. With Jay and Jonney on either side of her, Jennifer was led inside the club.
The line at the entrance was extremely long and crowded. The noise was deafening and grew even more so when the duo's bodyguards cut their way through the growing mob. People started gathering around them and craning their necks to get a better view of the celebrity that was getting such attention. The moment someone got a glimpse of the singers through the thick crowd, they made sure to let everyone else know exactly who the celebrity was. The club's security tried to calm the commotion down and get everybody settled, so they could make sure that the celebrities entered the club as safely as possible.
After several more minutes of giving out autographs and shaking hands with the fans through the small spaces left by the thick bodies of their bodyguards, they were led to a private area inside the club that was reserved for these kind of occasions.The room wasn't overly large and looked much the same as the rest of the club only less crowded. In the middle of the room was a small, rounded dance floor. Lights illuminated it from every corner of the room. Only but a few bodies were moving to the beat of the music in the middle of the floor whereas the large crowd occupied the main dance floor. A glass door to their left led the way. Any of the people using the private area could join the partiers in the room next door. However, the other patrons did not have access to the one they were staying in unless in possession of a special card. Large black, leather sofas adorned the length of the wall in front of the dance floor and on the other side stood a fully equipped bar.
Jay took Jennifer's arm and led her to one of the unoccupied sofas and sat down. A brunette waitress that was wearing a skirt so short, it barely had enough fabric to go around her, moved to take their orders immediately after. The brunette made sure they understood that should the need arise, they should call on her and she would gladly offer her services. Jay ordered a double shot of whiskey, while Jennifer opted for a soda. The waitress smirked slightly as she moved to get their order. Jay raised her eyebrow at Jennifer and then just shrugged it off. 'It's her party, she can do whatever she likes.' Thought Jay.
The loud beat of the music rocked the walls of the club and beat a constant staccato in Jennifer's whole body. The hypnotic movements of the sweaty bodies on the dance floor drew Jay like a moth to a flame. After downing the first shot in one quick gulp, she ordered another and raised to her feet. "Come on, let's dance." She said to Jennifer as she extended her hand to her. Jennifer quirked her lips into a small smile and without a second thought, put her hand into Jay's larger one.
"Hey you two! Be careful!" Yelled Jimmy, their bodyguard, after the retreating women. His yell, however, fell on deaf ears. Jay wanted to feel and make Jennifer feel the entire experience of letting go on a dance floor in a crowded club. There was nothing like feeling the blood pump in your veins as you move to a sensual, hypnotic beat between hundreds of other sweaty bodies. Losing yourself in the music, in the tempo. It was an elating, almost climatic sensation. And Jay wanted to share it with Jennifer. To Jay, it felt very close to what she experienced on stage. She would get the same rush out of it and she hoped that Jennifer would enjoy herself just as much.
Four of their bodyguards went after them into the bustling room and spread out. Standing in each of the corners, they kept a close watch on the two singers.
The smell of sweat and excitement was palpable in the overly crowded room. The moving bodies emitted a powerful scent that was intoxicating to Jay while for Jennifer, it was plainly uncomfortable. She let herself be led to the middle of the dance floor and joined the other patrons in the sensual dance. Bodies were rocking from side to side, not giving much space to maneuver, bumping into each other. The lights around were flashing and the air was smoky. All made for the perfect club scene.
Jay was already in a slight haze from the drinks she had downed on the way over to the club and from the ones she had, just minutes before. The slight fuzziness made the atmosphere all that much better. Jennifer, on the other hand, was getting a bit antsy. She enjoyed dancing with Jay but she couldn't help the slivers of worry that were creeping up out of nowhere.
After a few more fast songs and a slower one, she retired to the private area and ordered another soda for herself and one for Jay, for when she'd be back. Cooling down a bit, she relaxed into the sofa and kept watching the moving bodies beyond the separating door. She squinted slightly, trying to make Jay out in the crowd. Quite immediately she noticed her tall, statuesque friend in the same spot she had left her. She couldn't help but revel at the sight of her fit body, moving to the music. More often than not, Jay was the main reason for her distraction in the middle of a concert or a recording session. She'd gaze over at her friend and the lyrics would just disappear. Sipping slowly from her glass of soda, she looked on.
Suddenly, she noticed that Jay wasn't dancing alone. Jennifer tried to get a better look of her companion, but to no avail. Jay was changing partners so fast that she wasn't able to get a good look at either one of them. Jennifer felt a strong pinch on her heart and tried desperately to avert her gaze, but found she couldn't. Jay was smiling wildly as she moved provocatively against one woman or another. She had no idea as to the effect she was having on her small friend. Jennifer felt her chest constrict harder and a suffocating feeling flooded her entire body.
Jay pulled the woman she was dancing with closer still and then nuzzled her neck.
Jennifer couldn't remain in the club for a second longer. She had to get some fresh air. She had to get away from this club. Away from the scene unfolding in front of her eyes.
Abruptly, she stood up, picked up her belongings as fast as she could and headed for the door. Jonney and the rest of the group were preoccupied with their own enjoyment of this rarely experienced time off. They hadn't noticed Jennifer's actions or her brusque leave. When Jonney finally noticed that Jennifer was nowhere to be seen, it was already too late. Jennifer had slipped out of the club unnoticed and unprotected.
Ch. 13
Jay was oblivious to all around her but the current rush she was experiencing. After Jonney noticed Jennifer's absence, he went back to their seat and decided to give her a few minutes before he would start to look for her. Five minutes had passed and still no sight of Jennifer. Jonney was starting to get anxious. His protective nature kicked in. He got up and looked around the room then went over to the bathrooms and tried his best to peak inside without being overly conspicuous about it. He even called out Jennifer's name. When he didn't receive a response, he finally went into the main lounge. He noticed Jay immediately and looked to see if Jennifer might be somewhere near her. He noticed that Jay wasn't paying much attention to what was going on around her and was dancing with every person that moved her way. He figured it would be useless to ask her about Jennifer's whereabouts by the looks of her so he approached one of the bodyguards that was supposed to be watching the door. "Hey Kevin, did you see Jennifer?"
The bodyguard didn't even notice Jonney until he was almost nose to nose with him. He arched his eyebrows and looked down at Jonney, "Uh, yeah. She was right there with Jay."
Jonney clenched his jaw and ground his teeth to stop himself from throttling the man. "Maybe she was, but she isn't anymore. Did you see her leave the place?"
"Uh..." Kevin wasn't exactly paying attention to the door and now he was sorry that he wasn't. He knew that if he told Jonney the truth, he would get fired, so he lied. "Umm, no. I didn't see her leave." Well that wasn't exactly a total lie.
Jonney wasn't stupid or fooled. He knew Kevin was probably lying and his concern grew by the second. He went to the other two bodyguards that appeared to be doing their jobs and requested that they begin a search for the missing singer. "I don't want you to make a big fuss, just look for her all around the club and then if she isn't in her, look outside. Alright?" The two nodded dutifully and went on their search.
Jennifer had successfully managed to dodge the crowd and her bodyguards and stepped outside. The cool air that hit her face felt rejuvenating. She took a deep breath of the fresh air and let it cleanse her smoky airways. She looked around the parking lot, searching for one of the cars they arrived in. To the far side of the lot, hidden in the shadows of the night, she thought she noticed their limo so she started in that way. After taking no more than a few steps, a strong arm grabbed her from behind, pulling her backwards and a filthy hand quickly covered her mouth. Jennifer tried to scream and squirm her way out of the strong hold but found she was helpless. He was dragging her towards an alley behind the club. Suddenly, he turned her around and thrust her against the wall. She felt the hard edges of stone dig into her back as she tried once again to free herself. The attacker pushed against her harder, using his weight to his advantage while still covering her mouth to keep her from screaming. He looked Jennifer in the eye and smiled at her. His eyes were rolling in his head and when he focused on her, a demented look took residence on his features. He delighted in the fear that he saw in Jennifer's eyes.
"I bet you don't even know why you're here, do you?" He asked.
Jennifer shook her head frantically and released a small whimper. Thoughts were running through her head. Fear was gripping her insides, leaving her more helpless than she already was. He laughed as he watched the throng of emotions run over Jennifer's now pale face. "Yeah, why should you? All you famous bitches are all alike. Never take time from your 'busy' schedules to talk or even give up a stinkin' minute of your precious time for the people that made you. Well, now you will give me your time and everything else that I might want." He said as he grabbed his crotch with his other hand. His foul breath and the vile taste that was in Jennifer's mouth made her almost gag. Her eyes started to tear up and she regretted the moment she left the safety of the club.
"You pay more attention to that bitch you sing with than to your own fans!" His facial expression went from anger to hurt as he said, "All I wanted was for you to give me a chance. Just one small chance. I loved you..." He croaked pitifully, "But you! You didn't even look at me. And I tried...Again and again and again! I wrote letters to you, I paid good money to get the best seat possible at all your concerts, your public appearances and then..." He spat the words at her and just as suddenly, the expression changed once again to pure rage and hatred, "Then, I couldn't take anymore." His tone was so high. It made Jennifer cringe internally. "I though to myself, 'self, if the bitch doesn't give a damn about me than why should I give a damn about her?' That's when I decided to teach you a lesson, remember? I was the one that jumped you at the record store. But again! That bitch got in the way," He said with a distasteful grimace.
His speech was slurred during his monologue, he seemed to be fighting with himself as well. He would talk incoherently from time to time and then mutter a few unintelligible words to himself. He was looking around them like a caged animal.
Suddenly, he turned back to look her in the eye and came so close that she could see how bloodshot his eyes were. "But here we are now, all alone with no Jay to stand in the way to what I want. And I will get what I want." He sneered and pushed her to the ground. Jennifer was surprised at first from the abrupt movement, but soon enough she regained her senses and started fighting him off. That only served to make him angrier. He pushed her down and slapped her hard enough to draw blood by causing her to bite her lip. Jennifer yelped and tried to kick him off of her when he slapped her again, making her head connect with the ground. Jennifer was dazed. She tried to clear her fogged mind by shaking her head. She found that wasn't such a good idea when everything around her began spinning in wild arcs. She whimpered her helplessness and let a tear roll down her bruised cheek. When the attacker saw the tears, his crazed rage went up a notch. He punched her unprotected face and then got up to his feet, releasing her mouth in the process. A loud cry escaped Jennifer's throat when his foot connected with her ribs. He knew that she wouldn't be able to move now. He undid his pants in a frenzied action, almost losing what little he had and began to hike up Jennifer's skirt. In his eagerness to have his revenge on the small blonde he had forgotten to cover her mouth again. Using all the strength that was left in her beaten body, Jennifer screamed. The attacker jumped almost out of his skin at the raw, animalistic scream that came from the small woman's throat. He quickly regained his demented senses, slapped her again and covered her mouth. However, the single scream was enough to alert the looking bodyguards of her location.
They glanced at each other briefly and started running at break neck speed to where the scream had come from. They reached the alley just in time to see the attacker throwing himself down onto the prone body of Jennifer, poised and ready to rape her. The attacker didn't even have time to realize what was happening to him when he found himself airborne. He was bodily pulled off of Jennifer and thrown almost halfway across the alley. The same bodyguard that threw him off, went after him and started kicking him in every place he could reach. He made sure to break as many bones and damage as many vital organs as possible. The attacker was rolling on the ground, crying out in pain with each hit his body took, trying in vain to get away from the bodyguard.
The other bodyguard rushed over to Jennifer. He checked her vital signs and let out a breath of relief when he found a strong pulse beating under his fingers. He called an ambulance and moved gently to sit behind Jennifer. He tried not to make any sudden movements so as not to scare the already skittish girl. He picked the blonde up and pulled her against his chest, calming her with his voice when she tiredly tried to fight him off. He cradled her head under his chin and held her against him, steadily rocking her. He caressed her matted hair out of her eyes and whispered soft reassurances in her delicate ear as they waited for help to arrive.
The
bodyguard held the shivering girl in his arms, soothing her with his deep voice;
calming her with smooth strokes of his large hands, over her hair. With his
presence he tried to convey a sense of safety to her. All the while the other
bodyguard took care of the attacker. After rendering him helpless and hurt,
he made sure he wouldn’t get away by tying his hands with improvised bindings.
As the sirens were heard, the pathetic murmurs of the attacker were the only
sounds in the chilly night air.
Ch. 14
The ambulances came to an abrupt stop in front of the small gathered crowd.
People had assembled when the sounds of a fight came within hearing range. When
they noticed the person involved, it only brought more spectators to the site.
Jonney
rounded up the rest of the group after he had taken notice of Jennifer’s
disappearance; that was why Jonney had sent the bodyguards in search of her
in the first place. When too much time went by and he didn’t receive word
from any of them, he got suspicious and decided to go in search of them. He
passed through the main dance floor and saw Jay dancing and having a good time
with most of the girls in the club. He shook his head sorrowfully and continued
out of the door. He looked around for a few minutes until he heard the raised
voices and followed them. When he got into the alley, he noticed that he wasn’t
the only one. He pushed through the gathered crowd and tried to get a better
look. The bodyguard was just trying to get in contact with him. What he saw
made his heart stop and then jump out of his chest. Faster than a blink of an
eye, he was kneeling next to Jennifer that was safely cradled in the large man’s
arms. “Jennifer? Jennifer?” He repeated frantically. When Jennifer
failed to answer him, he turned to the bodyguard, “Ricky, is she okay?
What the hell happened?”
“She’s
alright, sir. She’ll be fine. I think she’s just in shock and bruised
up a bit.”
The
paramedics swamped the small alley with their gear and ambulances. They pushed
through the crowd and went to aid the injured. The police that had arrived at
the same time with the medics were trying to control the agitated crowd and
to coax them to move back inside the club. Two paramedics moved to tend to the
severely injured attacker and the other two went to Jennifer. They slowly pried
the shocked girl out of the bodyguard’s arms and laid her down on a backboard.
They checked all her vital signs and sighed with relief when they found them
strong and steady. “How is she? Will she be okay?” Asked Jonney. The
paramedics picked Jennifer up and laid her down on a stretcher, preparing to
leave for the hospital. “All her vital signs are good. She’s in shock
though and pretty banged up. I promise we’ll take good care of her, sir.”
The paramedic said to Jonney. He had noticed the sincere worry and affection
Jonney harbored towards the young woman on the stretcher.
As
they cleared the way for the stretcher a drunken Jay stumbled out of the club,
smothered by a very amorous blonde. Jay whispered something into the blonde’s
ear, making the girl giggle and press closer still. Jay, through her drunken
haze hadn’t noticed the commotion until one of the paramedics brushed passed
her to move Jennifer into the waiting ambulance. Jay turned angrily towards
the medic and was about to pick a fight when the figure lying motionlessly on
the stretcher filtered through her foggy brain. “Hey!” Jay yelled
at the rapidly moving paramedic. She pushed the girl that was clinging to her
aside, not too gently either and ran as best she could under the circumstances
after the already retreating ambulance.
Soon enough, she realized there was no way she was going to reach the car or stop it and so she slowly came to a stop. Bent over from exhaustion, she took deep lungfulls, trying to regulate her breathing.
Jonney
had noticed Jay’s exit and tried to get to her. He started running after
her, yelling for her to stop but she wasn’t paying attention to him. She
just kept running, looking ahead with one thing on her mind – getting to
Jennifer.
Jonney
breathed in relief when he saw her stop and soon came to a halt next to her.
He was breathing just as hard, if not harder than Jay. “Jay!” He swallowed
a few times and shook his head, trying his best not to pass out from lack of
oxygen. “Where did they take her?” Jay snapped at Jonney. Jay
was now very much sober and her mind was painfully clear and sharp.
“Hey,
calm down.” Jonney tried to appease the very distraught singer. Her eyes
were open wide with fright, her pupils were dilated and her breaths were so
harsh that they rocked her entire body. “Don’t tell me to calm down!
Damn it, Jonney! Where did they take her?”
“They
took her to “General”. Come on, I’ll drive.” They ran to
Jonney’s car but when Jonney went to get into the driver’s side, Jay
snatched the keys out of his hand and pushed passed him into the car. “Come
on! Get in.”
Jonney
cursed under his breath and moved to the other side. Before Jonney could close
his door, Jay threw the car in gear and stepped on the gas peddle. There was
barely any traffic since it was almost 2:00am and they reached the hospital
in record time. Jay left the engine running as she threw the door open and ran
toward the entrance. “Jay! Wait up.” Pleaded Jonney. Jay didn’t
look back and didn’t care about anything else other than reaching Jennifer.
She
walked to the nurses’ station and waited for one to appear. Several seconds
passed and a nurse stepped out of a back room. “Nurse? Where did you put
Jennifer Terry? She was brought in here in the past few minutes?”
Only
after Jay had finished her sentence did the nurse raise her head and acknowledge
her. “Excuse me?”
Jay’s
anger got the better of her and she slammed her fist into the counter in front
of her. She leaned closer to the now frightened nurse and growled between clenched
teeth, “Jennifer Terry!”
The
nurse gulped loudly and shuffled through the strewn papers on her desk. When
she got a glance of the name, she immediately pointed Jay in the right direction.
Jonney
had managed to catch up with her and actually follow, out of breath, to their
destination as Jay stormed through the empty halls of the hospital.
After
passing several doors down the hall, she found the correct room. She creaked
open the door and saw that the doctor was in the midst of looking Jennifer over.
Jay shut the door quietly and went to the plastic chairs that were the closest
to Jennifer's room. She sat down and stared at the white tiled floor. Looking
at her watch, she figured that the doctor must have been with Jennifer for about
ten minutes or so. Her frustration and worry grew by the minute and every second
felt like a lifetime. She exhaled a tired breath and started pacing the floor
until the door finally opened. “Doctor, how is she?”
“Are
you family?”
“Not
by blood but I’m her best friend and only family around. Please, how is
she?” Jay was close to tears by now, the adrenaline from the fright and
the fogginess caused by the alcohol were wearing off. “She’s bruised
and still in shock. She doesn’t have any internal damage and she wasn’t
raped.” When Jay heard the word ‘rape’, she blanched in horror.
She didn’t even realize what had happened or that rape was even in question.
“I don’t see any reason for a lasting physical effect on her. I predict
a full recovery in that aspect.” Said the doctor professionally.
“Thank
you, doctor.”
With those softly spoken words, the doctor left Jay alone. Jay stepped slowly closer to the door and opened it a crack. She looked over to the bed. Jennifer looked small and helpless in the big, white bed. She could see the beautiful, cherubic face covered in purple, painful-looking bruises. The sight was too much for her heart to bear and she stepped back out.
She had never seen Jennifer look that way nor did she ever want to have to see her this way again. God, it's all my fault. I should have been there. She thought to herself. She kept looking at Jennifer from the door and when she saw a flicker of movement from Jennifer, she hurriedly turned on her heel and closed the door. Jay was positive that Jennifer and everybody else, for that matter, were having the same thoughts running through their heads. She couldn't bring herself to face Jennifer after she had failed her. She needed time to think. To give herself, and Jennifer, some breathing room to look things over.
In an unconscious action, she drifted towards the area where the cafeteria and gift shops were located. She looked around and then walked randomly into one of the stores. She browsed around the merchandise for a awhile and then stopped, mid-stride. Something had caught her eye. She turned around to take a closer look and found herself staring at a small, royal blue teddy bear. The stuffed toy was holding a red heart with a white inscription that said, 'Best friends forever'. Reading the inscription over and over again, she felt a deep, burning ache engulf her chest, making it hard to breathe. The tears flooded her eyes and choked her throat. She felt like a fist was clenching her heart.
Silently, as to not cause a scene, she brushed away the unshed tears and grabbed the bear. With her body numb to any thoughts but the pain she felt in her heart, she paid for the bear and walked out of the store. Before it actually registered into her mind, she was on her way back to Jennifer's room. The stuffed animal clutched tightly in her hand. However, when she reached her destination, she found that she had lost her nerve. She stood in front of the closed door and just stared for what seemed like forever.
She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and sat down on one of the plastic chairs, outside the door. Leaning forward onto her knees, she looked at the floor then at the toy and then repeated that action a couple more times. Her eyes stopped on the inscription each time. She sniffed the tears back bravely and propped her head against the wall. She finally decided to do something that she hadn't done since she was a child. And even then she didn't do it from self motivation. She decided to pray. "God, I know I haven't done this in quite some time and frankly, this is the only way I know how to do it. I know I have no right to ask for anything but I'm begging...From the bottom of my heart, please make Jennifer alright. Don't let my stupidity and selfishness hurt her more than it already has. Please, please let her be okay and I swear, I swear I'll stop hurting people with my actions. I'll stop, I promise. Thank you."
Taking another deep breath, she stiffly pulled herself to her feet, straightened her shoulders and opened the door. Slowly and very quietly as to not disturb the girl, she inched her way closer to the bed. Jay looked at the small figure of her best friend laying still on the hospital bed and felt the dark pain grab her heart once again. She was sorry she didn't get a chance to take her anger and frustration out on the attacker. Looking at the stuffed bear in her hand, she smiled her small, crooked smile that Jennifer loved and as gently as possible, she placed him in the crook of her arm. The soft motion roused Jennifer from her deep, drug-induced sleep. She slowly blinked her eyes open and looked around, trying to orient herself with the unfamiliar surroundings. She looked at Jay's smiling face and then at the small, furry teddy that was lying comfortably in her loose embrace. She picked it up, looked at it and squeezed it softly, then she put it back in its place.
"He's cute." Said Jennifer, sleepily.
"Yeah, reminds me of you." Answered Jay, softly.
Jennifer smiled a tired half smile and grimaced slightly when her split lip made its presence known.
"How are you feeling, Jennifer?" Concern was clearly written on her face.
"Could be better. My head hurts."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. Do you want me to call the doctor?"
"Yeah, maybe he could give me something for this terrible headache."
"Okay, I'll be right back. Don't move." she added jokingly.
Jennifer smiled slightly and then was suddenly reminded by something. Before Jay could fully turn around and leave the room, Jennifer's voice stopped her, "Hey, I...uh...I'm not sure if you told me your name or not, but who are you?"
"What?" Was the only thing Jay managed to utter through her shock.
"I don't think I know you, should I?"