Chapter 10 - Chapter 8b: The Key to flawless

* I hope the title is still appropriate… It was in the first (major) part at least… right?


























While Russ was browsing through the store, I took out Kaspar and started writing. But a previous note made me realise that I had gotten distracted from my real goal. My mind had been running wild and I forgot to ask for Russ’ agenda. Damn it. Now what?





“What are you writing?” Russ asked as he sat down beside me on the soft orange couch in this yellow walls store.





I immediately closed the notebook.





“Oh nothing, just… writing down a things-to-do-list for the coming weeks.”





“Is that so.. “





“I haven’t got much to do, what about you?”





“Me neither. I’m keeping all my days open for you. So when you get bored with Maya, feel free to pay me a visit.”





Well, aren’t we cheesy today. At least I got my information.





I nodded and looked down to his shopping bags, which weren’t many. He was quite picky.





“Yeah, this store is disappointing. Let’s go, I’m done here.”





But when we were scrolling through town, a man came up to us, turning all of his attention on Russ, not even giving me glance.





His hand went inside his suit-jacket and he took out a business card, displaying it on Russ’ hand.





“Whenever you have the time, let’s have a word.”





And gone he was.





Looking on the card, it turned out he was from a modelling agency.





“… This again…”





“Again?”





“It happens from time to time.”





“You never accepted one?”





“No. It such a pain.”





“Isn’t modelling all.. pretty clothes and stuff?”





“I like to pick out my own clothes. It’s not like I’ve got money trouble anyway. Besides, I’d rather be with you.”“…”





“It’s true.”





“…”





“What? You think I should take on that offer?”





Good question. Who knows, a whole new Russ might show up once again. That’d be interesting.“Yes.”





“…”





“…”





He stared at me, I stared at him.





“Alright. Then I will. But not often. It’s still a pain, and let’s not forget that the exams are coming up.”





“I can help with that. Studying for exams I mean. So go and be pretty.”





“Don’t you mean handsome?”





No. He was more pretty, than handsome. I gave him a smile, he placed his arm on my shoulders, I watched the cars pass by. An unusually lot of red ones this time.





Russ walked me all the way home. I nodded him goodbye, but he followed me up to my doorstep.





“Something…wrong?”





“Nothing wrong, just two things forgotten.”





“…”





“One, my goodbye kiss.” He paused to smile. “Two, what time should I come back here?”





“Come back for…”





“Sleepover! Remember?”





Oh, right. I vaguely remember Maya and Russ quarrelling about that. I wonder if my mother would mind. I’m not too sure. I’ve never had someone over at my house. The rare times I had sleepovers it always been at the other one’s home. The last couple of years it had always been with one and the same person.





“I’ll ask mom.”





“You haven’t yet?! You mean you forgot! Jenn!”





I walked inside to find my mom in the kitchen, busy to prepare dinner.





“Ah, Jenny! This smells nice doesn’t it? I read in Glamour Gossip that…”





“Mom.” Sorry for the interruption mom, but I’ve got someone waiting outside.





“…Yes dear?”





“Can Russ sleepover?”





“Who?”





“A friend.”





“You have a friend besides that girl? What’s her name?”





“Maya.”





“So that’s a friend of yours? Or… your boyfriend?” Mom grinned.





“No, he’s a friend.”





“That’s a lie!” Russ called from behind the front door.





“Is that him?”





“Yeah.”





“Why did you never bring him over before then.”





“He’s phoned to here before, so you must have known about him right?.” Or something like that.





“From a phonecall now and then? You never mentioned him. Let alone that you talk about Maya much.”





“…” Where was the yes or no to my question.





“You should tell your mother more what’s going in your life. I just love lifestories. Like, did you know that Jennifer Lopez became famous because she appeared on the show ‘Yo! MTV Raps!’ as a dancer. Just her striking appearance and enthusiasm caught the people’s eye, and she slowly but certainly climbed to top from there. She’s real famous and successful now. She’s beautiful and very independent, a powerful woman. That’s why we named you after her. So that you’ll follow her strength and become a striking, independent, strong woman like her. You’ve already got her pretty looks.” She smiled and stroke my hair.





“…Mom…”





“Yes my dear?”





“Russ is still outside.”





“Ah right. Can he be trusted in one room with you? We don’t have a free room and your little brother is having a sleepover here as well.”





“It’s not a sleepover,” Micheal claimed, getting a drink from the fridge, “it’s an all-night-mario-brother-videogame-marathon-party.”





Mom giggled a: “Pardon me.”





“SCOOOOOOOORE! EAT DIRT SUCKERS!” Dad shouted from the livingroom.





“I can be trusted Misses Buncley! My mother taught me well.” Russ announced proudly as he let himself into the house.





Mom looked at me, giving me a ‘What do you think?’-look.





I nodded.





“Alright then,” Mom cheered, “will you join us for dinner?”





“Sorry ma’am, my stuff is still at home, and I need to drop this off as well.” Russ held up his shopping bags.





“They are… all yours?”





“Yes ma’am.”





“What about Jenny’s?”





“…” I said.





“She didn’t find anything she liked.” Russ filled in for me.





“Ah, okay then. We’ll be done with dinner around half past seven. So you’re free to come around that time.”





“Excellent. See you then Jenny.”





I looked over my shoulder and nodded him goodbye for the second time today.





“Go tidy up your room sweetie. Dinner is done in fifteen minutes.”





No sooner said than done. We finished at a quarter past seven. Looking outside of the window, because the clock was getting more and more boring, I saw Russ pacing up and down nervously and seemingly angry in front of my house looking at his watch over and over again.





“What are you smiling about?”





My dishwashing mother asked.





Smiling?





“Russ is here.”





“Already? He’s early. Well go let him in. I’m only doing the dishes anyway.”





So I did. I showed him around the house, pointed out where he was staying and where he could fresh himself up. We watched a movie in my room, we listened to music, he showed his catwalk-walk, he talked, I nodded, he talked some more, we laughed, he got overwhelmed, he kissed me, I told him to not do anything at night, he swore he wouldn’t.





I went to the bathroom first to get ready for bed, he went right after me, to you me in the bedroom an hour later. It was warm, so he lay down on top of his sleepingbag, wearing nothing but his three shades of blue coloured underwear.





“It seems he shaves everywhere,” I informed Kaspar, “though I don’t know about that everywhere.”





I turned off the light.





“Goodnight.” Russ said softly.





“ ‘night. “ I replied.

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