Roleplay

18

(Amy's POV)

"So, where are we going?" I asked Alex as we drove in the car.

Alex and I were in the front while Aria and Jason were in the back.

"I'm not saying anything," he replied teasingly. "Except that it's a good place to go when you've been cooped up for a couple weeks."

"That's what you said when we went to pick up Jason!" I complained with a groan.

Even for someone who had been in the hospital for two weeks, I was already myself again. Not my 'Jessica' self, my 'Amy' self.

Alex shrugged, but kept his eyes on the road of him. I rolled my eyes and peered out my window. I watched the clouds as they clustered together into thick, white bunches.

"AC," said Jason behind me. "You need to chillax a little."

"Yeah," Aria agreed, "it's like finals week all over again. Only you're not rushing off to the library to study, every free chance you get. Alex, is she like this when she's around you? Or is it just me?"

I turned around and gawked at her. She smiled; Jason chuckled. I stuck my tongue out at her and she mirrored me.

"Actually," Alex said, pulling our attention to him. "The three time I've 'hung out' with her, she was all 'Jessica'. I think that since Amy doesn't have to keep up the 'Jessica' character in front of me anymore, she's completely herself; maybe it's me. Heck, you know what she's got? Excitement-fan phobia. Amy can't contain her excitement as a fan, as a lucky one amongst millions, who won an outing with one of her favorite stars. and her curiousity about where we're going has her on an edge. Actually, it is me, ha-ha!"

For a brief moment I met his eye. He smiled playfully.

I realeased an exasperated sigh "Wake me up when we get there," I said, putting my seat back. "Doc said that I should take ever opportunity to rest."

I settled on my left side and covered my face with my jacket. I wasn't really going to 'rest' and I really didn't need to rest right that minute. But I wanted to go along with Aria's scheme. I was going to pretend to be asleep, then after a while-the right amount of time for me to 'be asleep'-she would start to ask Alex questions. She didn't tell me what she would ask him and I tried to discourage her from doing it all together. But as usual, she didn't budge.

Around ten minutes later, Aria began.

"So," she said; it sounded like she had leaned forward. "Alex, you seem to know my home-girl pretty well, huh?"

"Not really," he replied. "I mean, I knew the real Jessica a little bit. Then she disappeared for a while...Ok a long while, and re-appeared at the premiere. And she was a whole new character. Now I know why."

"You didn't answer my question though."

"I said 'not really'. I'm kinda just getting to know her now."

"Oh...So, who do you like better: the real Jessica, Amy pretending to be Jessica, or plain, simple Amy?"

There was a long pause. The car was so quiet, all I could hear was the purr of the engineas we drove along. When Alex did reply, he surprised me with his answer.

"To be truthful," he said softly. "'Plain, simple Amy'. I mean, when she was pretending to be Jessica, I kind of felt...something. Like I knew it wasn't really Jessica. The real Jessica would not have rejected me when I tried to pull a move on her. Same goes with when Justin tried to kiss her that 'first night'. Amy told Selena that Justin tried to kiss her. The real Jessica would've kept it a secret. But once Selena was out of the way, she would've made her relationship with Justin public. Amy's character is so different from Jessica's, to a certain degree. The only simalarities are that they look alike and they both have determination." I heard him sigh. "Amy's a good person. That quality is hard to find nowadays. I like that she is able to act herself around me, now that I know the scoop and since she's not being 'Jessica'. I just want to be friends. But if it happens to turn into something else, then we'll just have to figure it out when we get there. Although I hope it doesn't because that could ruin our friendship."

I smiled from under my jacket.

I LOVE BEING AMY!!! I wanted to shout, but I didn't.

All the while I had kept my eyes open; I closed them when I felt my jacket being slowly pulled away from my face. The car was no longer moving and it was very quiet.

"Kiss her awake," someone whispered; although the voice was muffled I knew it had to be Aria.

"Did you just hear what he said?" someone else whispered; Jason. "Plus, this isn't 'Sleeping Beauty'."

Alex chuckled "Why don't you two go and wait at that picnic table?" he asked. We'll be right there."

I heard a car door open, somebody giggling, and the door closed. The purr of the engine died and I became restless inside. But I remained very still until I felt Alex's hand shaking me.

"You can open your eyes now," he said.

I played the 'just waking up' act; opening my eyes slowly, arching my back to stretch, the works.

"You need to work on your fake sleeping."

I scoffed mockingly "And you need to go back to 'not talking about your personal life'," I shot back. "Didn't you say that in a magazine interview?"

Alex chuckled again and gave me a playfull shove. I smiled and picked up my phone just as it began to ring. The caller ID said: Nick. I answered as I got out of the car.

"Hello," I said.

"Someone is out and about," Nick said with a chuckle. "How're you feeling?"

"Wild and chicken coop free!" I half-shouted, laughing. "What's up?"

"You have a little explaining to do. Your two friends...Aria and Jason? Who are they? i only waited until now to ask because I knew you needed some time to mend. But curiousity is killing the cat right now."

I bit my lip as I sat at the picnic table next to Aria. Alex sat next to Jason on the other side.

Who is it? he mouthed.

Nick, I mouthed back. Then to the phone I said "It's kind of a long story. And I think it best to tell it in person. Do you think youcan stop by later tonight?"

"Uh...tonight," Nick hesitated. "Tonight is this red carpet thing. Are you going, or do you still need to take it easy for a while?"

"Well, yeah I do, but I can still go out. As long as I don't get too crazy, you know."

"Hmm, then maybe I should come by tonight. But i do have to go to this thing, so say...six-thirty?"

"Hold on a second," I replied, covering the mouth piece of the phone. "Anybody know the time?"

"It's almost three," Aria said showing me her watch/

I looked at Alex and wrinkled my nose. He'd driven us out here to have a good time. And now we'd have to leave because it was an hour and a half's drive home. Or did we have to leave?

"Nick," I said, putting the phone back to my ear. "I just realized that I won't make it home by then. I'm out with Alex, Aria and Jason. How about I go over to your place tomorrow in the afternoon?"

I could hear the rustling of something on the other end along with muffled voices. Was he with his brothers? I wondered.

"I guess that is the best time," Nick said after a while. "I mean, you're coming over tomorrow anyway. So, seven?"

"Great," I replied, "wait! Why am I coming over again?"

"Jess, I gotta go. See you tomorrow."

"Nick wait," I went on, but he had already hung up. I looked at the screen of my phone "How rude. But I guess he was with his family or something."

I placed it on the table in front of me and rested my chin on my arms.

"I know why you're going over there," said Alex, answering my question to Nick. "As a matter of fact, I believe I'm the one bringing you there too."

"But why?" I asked leaning my head to the side.

"You'll find out tomorrow," was the reply.