Green Eyes, White Lies

Green Eyes, White Lies ~ Ch. 1

Chasing a mop of brown ringlets across a playground, all I could hear was her laugh. Her hair bounced as she ran, just like mine, and the reddish tint shined brightly when the sunlight hit it through the trees. I couldn't help but smile. Though I'd only met her, I knew she was mine. As she rounded a slide, I caught her four year old body from behind and, in a fit of giggles, tossed her lightly up in the air and caught her. "Time to go home," I said as I sat her down and she turned and grabbed my hand asking "Is daddy home?"

And I stared at her big green eyes.

I sat straight up in bed gasping for air. I looked around at my small bedroom in my apartment.

"Honey, what's wrong?" A voice asked from the other side of the bed. I glanced over to see Ben's tired blue eyes looking at me with worry.

"It was just a dream," I sighed, "Don't worry," I whispered, "You have a scene in the morning, go back to sleep."

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked.

"Yeah," I smiled sweetly at him, "I'm gonna go make some tea." I looked at him as he continued to look concerned, "Seriously, it's 2am, go back to sleep."

"Kay," he groggily whispered as his head hit the pillow. I moved the covers and carefully crawled out of bed and slowly opened the door and gently closed it back. Turning the kitchen light on, I began to boil some water then turned toward my laptop in the hopes that Stephanie was online, only to realize after logging in that it's 4 in the morning where she lives. People I knew out here in LA were on, but they weren't people I could talk to about this. Suddenly a chat box popped up with a simple "Hey" written in it.

Of all the people. 'What are you doing up so late? It's 4am in Texas!' I typed back.

'Yeah, but ti's only 8pm in New Zealand' Jack typed back.

I laughed then typed 'I forgot you're doing research there' I paused for a moment then added 'Skype?'

'Sure,' he typed, 'Let me log on.' I logged into skype and waited for the chat to pop up. Within moments I was seeing the scruffy looking face of my high school best friend.

"Hey Jack," I smiled at him.

"Hey Jenn," he smiled back, his blonde hair a mess, his face dirty, and his green eyes twinkling, "You look like you just woke up."

"And you look like you just got through rolling around in the dirt," I quipped back. He just laughed. "I had a strange dream," I explained pushing my shoulder length reddish brown curls behind my ears. "Oh, give me a second, I need to grab my water." I jumped up to get my water off the stove when I heard a laugh. I rolled my eyes as I poured the water into my already prepared cup with a raspberry tea bag. I sat back down as Jack continued to laugh. "What?"

"Nice underwear," he managed to say as he continued to laugh. I looked down at my boyshorts that just met my white tank top. That's when I noticed that I grabbed the pair with the tool belt design with the general idea being 'place tool here.'

I turned a little red, "They're comfortable," I snapped.

"Oh I bet they are," he teased, "And super cute."

"You're just jealous," I snapped.

"Oh no," he said, "I don't need another tool. I've got plenty."

"That's not what Allison told me," I joked.

Jack looked down like he was unsure of what to say, "Um, Allison and I broke up."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I offered.

"Don't be," he shrugged, "I'd been wanting to end it for months and I just kept hoping things would get better. They didn't. Plus she didn't like you at all."

"Really?" I asked.

"Yep, she couldn't stand you. She thought you were going to steal me or something," he revealed

"Well then," I said, "Screw her, you can do so much better."

Jack laughed, "Yeah, I know. So how are things with you and what's his name? Jim? Finn?"

"Ben," I sighed, "Ben Marshall. Don't pretend you don't know his name, you just sound stupid, or jealous."

"Well sorry, I'm a little bit jealous," he admitted, "You're dating a big time movie star and I'm single and surrounded by smelly scientists and marsupials."

"Not my fault," I smirked, "And Ben and I are doing fine, I guess."

"You guess," Jack raised an eyebrow.

"It just feels like we are in a rut," I shrugged as I whispered, "But I'm sure it's nothing. It just feels like we are stuck, like we're not going anywhere."

"He's there now isn't he?" Jack asked.

"He's asleep in the other room," I gave a sheepish grin. "I have everything a girl could want, a great job that I love, a beautiful apartment, fabulous friends, and the most eligible bachelor in all of Hollywood. I should be happy, but I'm not."

"I know what you mean," he sighed, "I love work, my friends, I love it all, but something is just, you know, missing."

"Exactly," I smiled. Somehow Jack could always put into words exactly what I was feeling. "So on a somewhat related note, you know Monica is getting married, right?

"Yep," he laughed, "About time too, they've been together what, eight years now. I'll actually be home for the wedding, I'm one of Jerry's groomsmen. I heard you're maid of honor."

"Yep," I laughed, "The joys of being her only sister."

Well, not that I don't love your brothers," Jack teased, "But you'll look better in the dress." I laughed as I leaned forward to grab my tea and my hair fell forward. "Has Monica seen that yet?" He asked as a large blue streak that was longer than the rest of my hair fell forward. "Cause she's gonna make you dye it back."

"No, she already tried," I assured him. "She's decided to just make it as hidden as possible during the ceremony. Then I can take it down for the reception cause, well, it actually matches the dress." I laughed, "She wanted me to cover my tattoos."

"I bet you had some choice words to say to that," he laughed thinking about it. "When do you fly down?"

"Next week. I'll be down for at least a month," I told him.

"Aren't you working on a movie right now?" he questioned. "How are you doing that from Texas?"

"Most of the wardrobe is picked out already," I informed him, "I'll approve everything else via skype and e-mail and my assistant will do alterations."

"Assistant?" He asked in a fake uppity voice we would make fun of people for using. "Well, aren't you just important with your assistant."

"I know!" I exclaimed, "I'm 26, and I have an assistant and being introduced this fall is the beginning of my own line!"

"Oh my gosh," he exclaimed, "that's awesome, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thank you, Thank you," I gave a small pretend bow. "Soon clothes by Ayita will be the new in thing."

"Nice," he nodded, "I bet your grandmother loves that."

"Yeah," I smiled, "She really liked it."

"So, I got to get ready, we're taking some people out on a night tour, starts soon. But I'll see you in two weeks, right?" he questioned.

"I will even pick you up at the airport," I yawned.

"Sweet, I'll send you the flight info," Jack accepted, "Now go get some sleep."

"I will," I yawned again, "Have fun, night."

"G' night Ayita," Jack returned, "I'll see you soon." With the he leaned forward and soon his window went blank. I sat there for a minute, smiling about my best friend, before logging out and going back to bed.