Jaided (20 page)

Jaide smiled at the logic. She wanted to fully trust him, she was prepared to, but she just couldn't, not yet. Not until she knew for sure.

They both lathered up with her kiwi-scented shampoo and took turns rinsing off. Once they were done, Blaize stepped out of the stall and handed her a towel before wrapping one around his hips.

"Still tired?"

"Not really. We took a pretty long nap."

"Yeah. We should try to sleep, though. We have to start preparing for classes when they resume after the break.”

Jaide groaned. "How’s your Trig?”

"Ok, but when school starts, we will only have three days to get ready for Parker and Arlington next weekend."

Jaide pulled on some shorts and a tank top to sleep in. "Yeah, we'll be fine though."

"I'm sure we will, but Coach would skin us alive if he saw us slacking." Blaize dropped the towel and pulled on a pair of boxers and then sweats.

Jaide slid into his bed. "I guess we better try to get to sleep then."

"Probably." He turned the lights off and locked the door. "I'm beat but I can put a movie in if you wanna stay up."

"Nah, I'll do my best to sleep." She held the blanket open for him while he climbed in.

Blaize automatically rolled her over and pulled her back against his chest. "Goodnight."

Jaide snuggled closer against him. "Night."

A
s school resumed and soccer practice kicked in, Jaide obediently fulfilled her ten suicides for Coach Thacker, essentially running her backside off. She felt it was worth every step because now she was assured she’d be traveling with the team to Arlington.

After practice, everyone was hanging out in Chance's room, playing video games and being typically bored juveniles. The teachers seemed to have the same attitude about the three-day week as they did. Why bother? They hadn't been assigned any homework so they had absolutely nothing to do.

Jaide sighed, leaning back against Blaize's chest as he played Mario Kart with both arms around her, holding the plastic steering wheel in mid-air.

He nuzzled her ear. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just bored."

"Wanna play?" he offered, as he finished a race.

"No thanks, I want to doooo something. What is there to do in this town?" Jaide asked the rest of the boys.

They all looked around, thinking.

"Well there are movies," Bhrade suggested.

"Yeah, but there's nothing good playing right now," she said.

"We could go cruising," Matt said.

"Now there's an accident waiting to happen," Chance laughed.

"We could try to sneak into a bar," Leith suggested.

"Yeah!" Jaide exclaimed. Everyone looked at her weirdly.

"You want to go to a bar?"

"Yes, I mean, no. Not a real bar, a karaoke bar! Is there one around here?"

"Actually, there’s a Yakima restaurant and bar that has karaoke almost every night."

Jaide got real excited and leapt up. "We have to go!"

A few of the boys groaned.

"Awww, come on. You don't have to sing if you don't want. Just hang out, have a good time, maybe a little dancing." She did a short, eccentric dance consisting of shaking her hips, flaring her hands and clicking her heels.

"Ok, ok! We'll go! Just don't ever do that dance again," Alex said with a laugh.

Jaide grinned. "Yes! We'll leave right now ... after I go get dressed." She scurried out of the room, leaving the boys looking at each other.

They arrived at the restaurant in three cars: Blaize's F-150, Alex's Excursion and Jaide's new Audi. They had decided to take multiple cars in case anyone wanted to bail early. They would still be able to get everyone back to the school.

Jaide hopped out of her car. She had dressed in dark, low-cut Levi's and a simple black tank top. Even though the clothes were plain, Blaize couldn't help but notice how sexy she looked. They entered the restaurant bar as a group and Jaide sensed that the atmosphere was pretty relaxed, just people having a good time.

Grr nudged her. "This bar doesn't card, you know."

"It doesn't?" She spoke loudly to be heard over the music. No one was singing at the moment but a pop song playing.

"Nope. In Yakima, this is where kids our age come to drink. The cops stay out because the bar never lets anyone get too drunk. They figure people can drink safely here or unsafely somewhere else."

"Good to know."

They moved to one of the empty tables along one of the walls and sat down.

Jaide asked, "So! Who's first?"

Chance shook his head. "Jaide, none of us are going to sing."

"Why not? We should make it a competition."

Everyone laughed aloud and Alex grinned. "There wouldn't be much competition there."

"Why not? Can you sing really well?" she asked.

"Not me." He jerked his head toward Leith. "He's got some serious pipes."

Everyone agreed. Leith just smiled.

"Is that true?" she asked him.

"I got the voice of an angel, sweetheart." Leith winked at her.

"An angel on cocaine, maybe. He has one of those troubled rocker voices," Grr said.

"Ah, yeah. I can definitely see that."

A guy came on stage, calling for any karaoke players.

"Let's hear it then, Leith." She motioned to the stage.

Leith stood up and headed for the stage without hesitation. "As you command."

"Can he really sing?" Jaide asked as he strode away.

"Yeah. He was the vocalist of a pretty popular local band last year."

"Why'd he stop?"

Chance shrugged. "He can sing but it's not one of his aspirations. He just does it for fun. He didn't really like the whole scene so he focused on soccer."

Jaide nodded and turned around so she could see Leith as he climbed onto the stage. She thought he looked damn good in his jeans and T-shirt. He seemed very relaxed and comfortable, like he was used to being on stage. He spoke quickly to the DJ as he took the microphone from him, then the DJ left the stage to start the music.

Leith started singing and Jaide smiled. He had the perfect voice for the song he was singing. She had never heard him sing before but he did have a sexy regular voice, now that she thought of it. But this new voice, this singing voice, sounded amazing.

Jaide heard all the girls in the place cheering by now. Many even stood up to dance, going crazy for the song and his amazing voice. Leith smiled to the ladies and kept singing. As he sang, a couple of hot girls climbed on stage with him and danced with each other right next to him, their moves matching the chorus lyrics. The girls shook their asses, then grinded with each other. They pulled each other's hair and pretended to pull each other's shirts off, giving the audience a show.

When the song finished, Leith wrapped his arms around the girls, kissing both and thanking them for their help. He hopped off the stage and helped them both down before strolling back toward their table, pausing to talk to a few other girls on the way.

When he finally made it through the crowd, he sat down with a smile. "Happy?"

"That was really good, Leith! I had no idea you could sing," Jaide exclaimed.

He just shrugged. "Who's next?"

Everyone looked around.

"Come on, someone else has to sing. Jaide? This was your idea, you have to."

"Um, no I don't. I just wanted to get out of the room. I can't really sing."

"So? It's a karaoke bar. No one here can sing."

She sighed. "You're not gonna leave me alone about it, are you?"

"Nope. You have five minutes to think of a song or I'm picking one for you."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes.

Bhrade stood up. "Anyone want something to drink? I'm gonna go get a Coke."

"Get me one, too?" Jaide smiled at him.

"Yeah, me too."

"Me three."

"Okay, okay. I'll bring everyone Cokes."

"But I want a Sprite," Grr complained.

Bhrade rolled his eyes. "I'll be right back."

Jaide looked at Blaize. "What should I sing?"

"I dunno, a song sung by a girl." He wrapped an arm around her.

"Oh, thanks."

He dropped a kiss to her cheek. "Whatever you pick will be good."

Bhrade returned with the drinks and she sucked down a big gulp of Coke. "Ok Leith, I've decided."

"Cool, what song? I'll tell the DJ."

"I Kissed a Girl."

Leith looked at her strangely. "Umm, ok? That's nice to know, I guess."

She laughed. "No, I Kissed a Girl. It’s a song by Katy Perry."

"Oh. Yeah, I've heard that song. Get on up there, girl. I'll get the song going." Leith left the table.

Jaide felt a little nervous but not overly much. She wanted to be a good sport. She had dragged the guys here in the first place. She stood up and headed toward the stage. Leith intercepted her, but he wasn't alone.

He had the two girls from before, one on each arm. "Hey, I got you a couple back up dancers."

She laughed. "Oh ... thanks."

The tall blonde grinned. "We like, no, we
love
this song!"

"Yeah!" the shorter red head said, "Like
love
it!"

"They promised to make out. It like, totally matches the song, right?" Leith winked. "So if your singing totally sucks the crowd will still like it."

"Oh thanks, but I'm not that bad of a singer." She pulled the girls off his arms and backed toward the stage with them. "Just go sit down and enjoy the show."

The three girls hopped up onto the stage and the music started. Jaide did her best to stay in tune.

By the chorus, all the girls in the crowd were dancing again and all the guys were cheering for a kiss. Jaide glanced over at the two girls as she sang. They were dancing with each other, getting close to kissing but never actually doing it. They were just teasing the guys in the crowd.

Finally the girls kissed, and Jaide had to look away to keep from laughing while she sang. They were going full on tonsil hockey.

By the end of the song, everyone in the club seemed to be having a good time. The guys liked watching the girls kiss and the girls just liked to dance to the music.

Jaide finished the song and after much encouragement from the crowd, kissed both the girls on the lips quickly before jumping off the stage. When she reached the table, the guys were all cracking up. Bhrade flashed a thumbs up.

"Yeah, yeah. Don’t get too excited, Bhrade." She slipped on to Blaize's lap and munched on some fries that were sitting there.

"That was hot, Jaide. You’re actually a pretty good singer," Leith said.

"Thanks." Another karaoke song started and one of the girls that had been on the stage with her sang. It was a pretty fast-paced song, and it made Jaide want to dance.

She glanced toward the middle of the darkish room and saw a pretty big crowd there now, dancing to the music. She looked at Blaize. "Wanna dance?" she asked, slipping her arms around his neck.

"Uhhh ..." He hesitated.

"Dude. Dance with her or I'm going to," Leith threatened.

"Come on, it'll be fun," Jaide encouraged.

"Okaayyyy." He sighed and stood up. She was set on her feet and they quickly immersed themselves in the crowd of gyrating bodies.

Blaize moved a little tentatively at first but once Jaide started dancing, he loosened up.

Jaide was having fun. She was dancing with Alex now after a couple goes with Blaize, and once each with Bhrade and Chance. Blaize had gotten really into dancing now and they were playing good music. The restaurant bar had practically turned into a dance club.

Jaide and Alex were near the middle of the crowd. She could see Blaize's head through the crowd, dancing closely with a girl. She felt glad. She didn't mind at all that he was dancing with strangers. He had asked her “permission” and she had encouraged him. Alex and she were closed in on all sides, by boys and girls in their late teens and early twenties. Some pop/rap song was blaring loudly, the bass vibrating Jaide's chest. She moved back against Alex. For a gay guy, he was damn sexy dancer. It was probably because he wasn't afraid she would take it the wrong way like the other boys had. Bhrade and Chance had danced with her but had refused to get too close. Alex, like Blaize, had no such inhibitions. He had both hands low on her waist as he moved his hips against hers. She reached behind her and entwined her hands in his hair and pushed her body against his, grinding their hips together like everyone else in the room.

The song ended all too soon. Alex leaned around and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Thanks for the dance, sweetheart."

She turned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "My pleasure."

"It’s times like this I wish I was straight."

She leaned up and laid one on his lips. "Anything now?"

"Nope, sorry." His hands slipped down to her ass and he pulled her tightly against him. "You do have an amazing body, though."

"Likewise."

The next song started and Jaide felt a hand on her shoulder. Alex released her and she turned to see Leith. "Hey! What's up?"

"Wanna dance?" He leaned down to speak into her ear.

"Sure."

Half an hour later, Jaide had just finished her third dance with Leith. She figured Blaize wouldn't mind because he had been dancing with other girls all night, too.