The Usual: A Jonathan Brandis Fanfiction

Three

Sunday

  "I think this would be a great project to take part in," Jon tried convincing his mom, who happened to be his manager.
  "I told you it'll be too much. When you graduate, you'll have enough on your hands with the move and filming SeaQuest. I don't think you should take it, Jon."
  "Mom, you don't give me a challenge, ever! I want to grow as an actor! I cannot grow without taking these opportunities!"
  "How many magazine covers have you been on in the past 2 years? Who played the main role in IT? Who worked with Rodney-fucking-Dangerfield? And I don't give you opportunities? That's pretty fucking selfish."
  Jon rolled his eyes and stormed out of the kitchen. Mary did the same. I sat on the couch holding their dog, Megan, and soon followed Jon to his room. Jon sat on his bed, head in hands, looking stressed beyond belief.
  "Jon, is something going on?" I asked, sitting beside him.
  "No, I just wish she wasn't so controlling, I can make my own decisions!"
  "I don't know much about acting or anything but-"
  "And neither does she! You both don't know anything about picking the right movies for careers! It's like taking advice from a 3 year old!"
  "If you don't want my fucking advice I won't give it to you. But I'll tell you one thing. You're the biggest kid in Hollywood right now and you need to get over yourself. You're not gonna be fucking River Phoenix or Kurt Cobain and take over the fucking world just like that. But if you ask me, you're doing pretty damn good. SeaQuest is going to be fucking great for you, and you need to not put so much damn stress on yourself because I know how you get when you're stressed."
  Jon looked at me and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," he put his arm around me. "I just wish I felt good enough for once."
  "Why don't you feel enough?"
  "I don't know," he sighed and held me closer. "I don't know."
  "Do you wanna go out today?"
  "Sure," he sighed as he stood up. "Let's go," he grabbed his baggy flannel.
  I grabbed my clothes and threw them in my overnight bag and followed Jon out to my car.
  "Where do you wanna go?" I asked, my leg up in the seat and lighting a cigarette.
  "Somewhere new," he sighed.
  "Somewhere new it is."
  After about an hour and a half of driving, we came to a downtown area and walked around, eventually finding a small hippie inspired shop full of handmade tie dyes and other goodies. Jon and I walked around the store, and eventually I got so caught up into a conversation with a worker that I didn't notice Jon staring intently in the mirror.
  "Like what you see?" the worker, who's name was Rachael, joked to Jon.
  Jon snapped out of an apparent trance and walked over to us. "I didn't realise how bad my acne is lately," he smiled small.
  Jon is so self conscious about his acne. He's on accutane for it, but he still doesn't think he's attractive. The slightest blemish sends him into a dark spot. It sounds dramatic, but dealing with body issues I can relate with him in that sense. He also gets down a lot when he's not working. It's like work makes him feel successful. Makes him feel important.
  "At least you're not losing skin," I joke about my own eczema.
  "Damn, are we all talking bad about ourselves?" Rachael joked.
  "We usually try not to, but I guess today we're breaking the usual," I grinned.
  "You guys need to come by more often. You both seem so fucking chill," Rachael said as she set out some small trinkets to sell near the cash register.
  "Well we live about an hour and a half away. In LA," Jon explained to her.
  "Holy shit! Really?"
  "Yea," he leaned over the counter.
  "Why don't I come visit y'all then?" she exclaimed.
  "Why not?" I smiled. "Hey, how about this weekend we all go to a party?"
  Jon grinned back and agreed. "Awesome," she continued grinning. "I'll get in touch with you guys more in the week then?"
  Jon gave her his number as I explained I didn't have a house phone. As Jon and I left, I jokingly looked at him and said "She was into you."
  Jon laughed and said, "no I don't think so."
  "Come on she totally was," I opened my car door and got in.
  "Abi I promise you, she doesn't like me. I'm not exactly into her type anyways."
  "Oh my gosh, she can't steal you from me Jon, who else would marry me out of desperation?"
  "You have nothing to worry about," he laughed as we sped off.

  The week went by quickly and before we knew it, it was Friday. Rachael planned to meet Jon and I in a Walmart parking lot. Jon and I had told Ryan, who of course was hosting the party, about her and he seemed excited to meet her. I was so excited to have someone with us who wasn't in any way a celebrity or related to one. I felt left out a lot with my group of friends, Brittany, Ryan, and Jon. Not that they did it on purpose of course, but there's only so much you can do when they're constantly talking about parties, premiers, events, signings, travelling, vacations, all of the fun stuff that comes with fame.
  We spotted Rachael in a Toyota Camry and pulled up beside her. When she turned and saw Jon and I, she smiled, applied some deep red lipstick, grabbed her purse and keys, and hopped in my back seat.
  "You look beautiful!" I looked at her through my rear-view mirror and smiled. She had her dark, long black hair pulled half up-half down, a dark purple velvet mini dress, and black heels.
  "Thanks! You do too," she returned a genuine compliment. Jon helped me pick out the very short leather skirt and lacy spaghetti strap. I left my blonde bangs and hair down and left my necklaces around my rear-view mirror. Jon, being a guy, wore a casual big t-shirt with a flannel and jeans.
  "Wow, this place is huge," Rachael exclaimed as we pulled into Ryan's mansion. You could already hear the loud rock music from outside as usual. We let ourselves in and Ryan immediately walked up to us and handed Jon a beer and Rachael and I Smirnoff Ices, something light to start us off.
  "My names Ryan," he smiled as he shook Rachael's hand. Just one look, and we knew Ryan was in love with this girl. Jon and I smiled at each other and winked, and I guess Ryan caught on because he stopped staring at her and started to "play it cool." 
  "So uh, Absidee and Jon tell me you're not from here?" Ryan asked, starting a conversation.
  "No, I'm uh, actually from an hour and a half north."
  "So I take it everyone here is a stranger?"
  Rachael looked around for a second. "Yea, I certainly don't know anyone here personally. Familiar faces, of course," she noted as she saw the many actors filling the house up.
  "Well, make yourself at home! If you need somewhere to stay, we have an extra bedroom, unless Jonny-boy offered you a place to sleep. If you need me just look for me. I'll try not to get too trashed for you," Ryan winked as he walked away.
  "Rachael! You're blushing," I died laughing. Rachael actually fell for Ryan and his dumbass charmy self.
  "Am not!" she exclaimed, embarrassed.
  "Ah don't worry about it lass, ol' Ryan is alright sometimes," Jon grabbed my hand and we made it towards the music blasting especially loud in the huge living room.
  "Do you know this song?" I yelled over the music to Jon as he danced his little heart out, holding my waist the entire time.
  "Nope," he laughed, his hands making their way down my back as we jumped around like hooligans.
  The night carried on and eventually, I found myself talking to Rachael on the couch near the living room. She had been making out with Ryan for a good solid 5 minutes before I interrupted them with an applause.
  "Abi! It's our song," Jon grabbed my hand and pulled me away from Rachael. He wasn't drunk, he didn't have to be. He was the life of the party. We danced to Mr. Jones by the Counting Crows and sung it as loud as humanly possible. After it ended, I joined Rachael again on the couch.
  "So, you like Ryan?"
  "He's a pretty cute guy! He seems sweet," she smiled. "Why don't you and Jon date?"
  "We're just friends," I took a sip of my drink.
  "Abi, he's in love with you," Rachael looked dead into my eyes.
  "You're just drunk," I smirked.
  "I'm not, this is water. Even so, Abi, the way he acts around you. He's in love with you!"
  "That's just Jon, he's like that all the time."
  "If you say so," she sipped her water and I sipped my whiskey and red bull mixture.
  All of a sudden, Jon rushed past me and grabbed my arm. "We have to go."
  "Jon! Why on earth-" then I smelled the marijuana filling the air. Then I understood.
  Jon has weird quirks about him. He is so anti drug that he will not step foot into a party if he smells marijuana, and will leave if it's pulled out. He's always been really particular about that kind of stuff.
  "We can't leave Rachael," I stopped in my tracks. Jon stood by the door, indicating for me to hurry up and get her.
  "Rachael, Jon and I are leaving. Do you need a ride?"
  "I'm gonna stay here with Ryan," she smiled. "I'll call Jon tomorrow. Will you be there?"
  "Yea!" I hugged her and left.
  Jon ran to the car eagerly, ready to leave. "Are you good to drive-" I started to ask but was cut off by Jon kissing me. I kissed him back, and when we parted he smiled and grabbed my keys.
  "Let's go," he smiled as he got in the car. I stood there shocked and speechless. My best friend just kissed me. We've kissed before but it meant nothing. That- that meant something. Even I felt it. I shrugged and got in the car, where Jon already had the radio blasting and the heat on.