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Chapter 11 - Jayden.

   That morning on the bus, Red wasn't at her stop. I felt my heart sink as we passed the empty driveway. It yawned out at us like it had been deserted for centuries despite the fresh groove that the tires had made in the dirt.

   At the next stop I noticed a boy, he was tall and handsome, with a bit of black colored scruff under his chin.

   He came on the bus, scanning the seats and spotting me. His bright green eyes glinted and he smiled, pushing through the crowd of kids and standing beside my seat, "May I sit here?" came a familiar voice. A soft gravelly voice, but deeper.

   My eyes widened, I looked the boy up and down, "R.. Re…"

   He raised a finger to his lips and slid down beside me.

   "Red?" I hissed, surprised, "This is your joke?"

   The boy nodded, smiling wickedly, "My name is Jayden Haynes."

   I laughed softly; no one seemed to notice that this was clearly Red.

   "Do you like it?" Jayden asked, grinning and stroking the line of hair that ran down his chin.

   I nodded, "It's really convincing…" I breathed, scanning over him again. "What happened to your…" I motioned to his chest awkwardly.

   Jayden chuckled softly, "It's called binding, it makes you look flat chested so you can fit the part better."

   I nodded, breathing out a little, "Oh…"

   Jayden smiled, his eyes glinting again, "I'm called a drag king."

   I had heard of drag kings before, but I had never met one. They were girls that dressed as guys I guess. Same with drag queens, only they were guys that dressed as girls.

   I smiled a little and nodded, "I know."

   The bus halted and everyone got off. Jayden and I walked just far enough apart that we didn't look like we were together.

   I heard Caroline's voice, "Hey you!"

   Jayden and I both turned around, Caroline stood there, smiling, then she looked at me and scowled, "Not you."

   I shrugged and started walking again, I heard Caroline talking to Jayden.

   When the bell rang for English, Jayden walked into the classroom grinning like a fool, he went up to the teacher and explained what he was doing.

   The teacher nodded and smiled, then Jayden came and sat beside me.

   I was slightly upset about the fact that Red had been talking to Caroline. "What happened?" I asked, watching her features.

   Jayden smiled wickedly, "She bought it, that's what happened."

   I laughed, feeling strangely jealous, "That's nice."

   His face softened, "Hey now, don't be like that, it's only a trick…"

   I felt a little better and uncrossed my arms.

   "Gonna smile for me?" He asked, leaning closer.

   I felt the corners of my mouth tighten slightly.

   He grinned, "I saw that."

   I smiled and shook my head, laughing.

   Jayden smiled and hugged me, kissing me gently on the cheek and sitting back in his chair when a few other students came in.

   I blushed crimson and smiled down at my desk.

   Caroline walked in, plopping down next to Jayden, "So is your sister sick or something?"

   I raised an eyebrow, but kept my eyes on my paper.

   Jayden smiled, "She's only my half sister, I'm doing a project for my college. Of what it's like to be a high school student nowadays."

   I could almost hear Caroline's eyes twinkling, "You're in college?" She gushed.

   Jayden nodded.

   I felt like I was about to burst out laughing.

   "I have a half sister too," she continued, motioning to me, "But we don't look anything alike."

   Jayden scanned over me and winked, I smiled a little.

   "You have the same hands," He said.

   Caroline smiled and flipped her hair behind her shoulder, "It's cute that you would notice that."

   Caroline flirted for a while longer. I could hear the annoyance in her voice at the fact that Jayden didn't seem to care too much.

   After class, Jayden and I stayed behind to, "finish up some work."

   The second Caroline floated out the door smiling like a fool, we both burst out laughing.

   "Oh my God!" Red laughed, "I can't believe she bought that!"

   I snickered, "I know!"

   "I must pull it off pretty well huh?" she laughed.

   I nodded, smiling "You do."

   "Hey, so…" Red started, "I'm… having a show tonight."

   "A show?"

   She nodded, "A drag show, I'm performing at Patrick's."

   Patrick's was a little place in the next town, it was mostly for Lesbians and Gay men.

   "Cool" I said, smiling.

   "You should come watch, I think you'd like it."

   I perked up, "Really? But don't you have to be 18 to get in there?"

   She nodded, "But I can get you in, they'll let you if I say it's okay.

   I nodded and smiled, "I'd love to go."

   Red grinned, "Awesome, so me and my mom can pick you up at 8 if you'd like, maybe you can just come home with me today if you want."

   "Sure yeah I can come with you, but we'd have to ask Jean."

   "Of course."

   I pulled out my phone and called Jean. She said yes.

   The rest of the school day was fun, no one suspected a thing as Jayden paced through the halls like a college student, notebook in hand.

   Chris came and picked us both up after Art class had finished.

   She had a huge smile on her face, "How'd it go, Jazzy?" she asked, starting up the little red jeep and pulling out of the parking lot.

   Red laughed, "They bought it, even Caroline did."

   Chris chuckled.

   I smiled, "It was great, I didn't recognize her at first either."

   Chris and Red both laughed.

   "So are you looking forward to the show tonight Brooke?" Chris asked, glancing back at me in the rearview mirror.

   I nodded, "I've never been to a drag show before…"

   "Oh they're great" Chris continued, "I like the men in the tights." She winked and laughed. I laughed too.

   "What exactly do you do for drag?" I asked, turning to Jayden, who was picking off the fake hair on his chin, Slowly turning back into Red.

   "Well, pretty much you dress like a boy, go onstage and strut your stuff to a song."

   I laughed, "Strut your stuff?"

   She chuckled and nodded, "Yeah you perform to a song, and see if you can make a convincing guy… it's pretty fun actually, sometimes you get money thrown at you"

   I laughed, "Those quarters must hurt."

   She scowled playfully and shoved me, "Not nice."

   I giggled and unbuckled my seatbelt as Chris drove up into the driveway.

   Inside, Red went and took a shower, I sat on her bed in her room. The paint was dry now, clumpy in spots where our battle splattered globs of excitement and laughter. I smiled.

   Chris poked her head through the doorway and looked at me, "Hey Brooke?"

   I looked up, "Yes?"

   "Would you be able to help Jazz get ready tonight? I have some stuff to do"

   I nodded, "Uhhhh sure, what do I have to do?"

   "Oh just some little things, helping with the binding, putting on the sideburns, making sure her hair's not lopsided."

   I shrugged, "Okay, well, how do you put the hair on?"

   Chris smiled, "It's easy, Jazz can show you hun."

   I smiled, "Alright."

   Chris left and Red walked in, "What did my mom want?" She asked, running a hand through her hair, "Ahh it feels so good to have this stuff off of me."

   "She wants me to help you with your drag stuff today cause she's busy." I explained.

   She nodded, "Ooh okay, do you know how?"

   "She said you'd teach me."

   Red smiled, "Right, of course I will."

   That night, after a while of laughing and getting ready, we headed off to Patricks'.

   We had some trouble at the door, but when Red mentioned I was with her, they let me and Chris in.

   We sat near the front, Red hugged me goodbye and I wished her luck.

   She smiled, "This one's for you Brooke."

   Then she rushed off backstage. I smiled.

   For me?...

   I wondered about this as I watched a few other kings perform. My favorite so far was Hugh Jardon. I thought the name was hilarious. He did "Closer" by nine inch nails. Some lady came up and stuck a $20 down his pants. I laughed.

   Then there was Sebastian Cognito and Milo De Milo. Sebastian looked a lot like Red.

   Then there was Flash, then Shane and a couple others.

   Then finally, the drag queen that called out the performers came out again and introduced Jayden Haynes.

   Chris whipped out her camera and I sat up in my chair. I heard a familiar note float through the air. It was the first note of my favorite song, "Always" by Bon Jovi.

   Jayden took the microphone from the drag queen and spoke into it softly, "I'd like to dedicate this to a very special girl. Her name is Brooke Haskin, and she's the most amazing girl I've ever met." She pointed to me and I blushed hardcore as a spotlight passed over me and stopped on me and Chris. People cheered, and the song started.

   "This Romeo is bleedin'… but you can't see his blood… it's nothing but some feelins', that this old dog kicked up…" Jayden began softly, setting the microphone down and dropping to his knees.

   I watched Jayden, Mesmerized. The lights glimmered around him, making him look almost angelic.

   I gazed up at him.

   "Always…" He synched, holding out a hand towards me.

   I heard cheering, he grasped my hand and pulled me on stage, wrapping his arms around me.

   I had always been completely stage fright, but this seemed okay. The lights from above seemed to make the audience invisible, just a flicker of color. I was alone with Red in the basement again. The last note sounded and she pulled me close, kissing me gently for a long while.

   My face reddened but I kissed back, cameras flashed and I glanced out at the audience, seeing the faint outline of Chris smiling, wiping her eyes, the camera still pointed towards us.

   I smiled and Jayden bowed, I bowed too and he lifted me up, carrying me backstage as the audience applauded.

   We stayed for a while after the show, some people came up to talk to Jayden, and others to me, congratulating us and commenting on Jayden's show.

   "Amazing"

   "Adorable"

   "Powerful"

   "Romantic"

   I smiled and we got in the car, driving back home.

   Chris was still crying, "That was excellent you two… did you plan that?"

   I shook my head, smiling, still blushing.

   Jayden smiled, "I did, sort of"

   Chris smiled, "You're so sweet… I got the whole thing on camera, you HAVE to watch it."

   When we got home, it was late. Red took another shower and I waited downstairs. We decided we'd sleep in the basement again since there was more room.

   I pulled out the bean bag chairs and waited, looking around a little. Chris said she would download the movie in the morning so we could watch it before we went to class.

   Red ran down the stairs, "Brooke! Brooke!" she yelled, I almost jumped out of my pajama pants, "Come here! Hurry!"