Romance: Teen Romance: Follow Your Dreams (A Nerd and a Bad Boy Romance) (New Adult High School Sports Romance) (9 page)

''Fuck him,'' Celia said as she retreated.

Celia sat at the breakfast bar in the kitchen and wondered what Kerry was doing on TV. The irony of it was, the last time she'd seen him, he'd had an erection in a swimming pool. Now he was on TV.

''Celia, it's finished,' Sandy shouted.

''Thank fuck for that. I was beginning to think I was to sit alone all evening. What's the matter, why are you staring at me like that?''

''That man just made you a national celebrity.''

''What do you mean?''

''He said your name on
air
and showed some of your photos. Then he told the public that you were a fantastic photographer.''

''You're kidding right?''

''No, really.''

The phone rang making both of them jump.

''Hello,'' Celia said.

''Hi is that Celia, it's Dave Nevison from the National Star. I got your name from the Johnny Jefferson show. Kerry Allinson
said you were
a fantastic photographer. Can we meet, we need a great staff photographer?''

''Sure. When?''

''Where are you?''

''New York,” Celia said.

''Okay stop by the
office tomorrow
23rd and fifth.''

Celia put the phone down stunned. It rang again, this time, it was the editor of a geographical magazine who needed a photographer to cover assignments abroad. Around two hours later the phone stopped ringing. In a short space of time Celia had five interviews and one job offer.

''I'm stunned,'' Sandy said.''Look what's he's done for you. He must think very highly of you. ''

''Maybe. But he doesn't love me, and I would trade all the interest in my photography skills just to be able to lie in the same bed as him.''

''But you've just been speaking to some of the
nation’s
top news organizations. Get real.''

''I know, it's great, but the sight of him on the show was too much. If I can't have him, I can't stand to see him.''

''I understand but he's just been on TV and talked about you, he must feel something. Call him.''

''No way. He'll just say I'm not the kind of woman he fucks.''

''Well, I think you're making a mistake. I don't
think
he's the kind of guy who is even capable of chasing a woman. You'll have to go to him.''

''How many more times, no,'' Celia concluded.

*****

''
Great
bit of TV. You
really
raised her profile,'' Vance said when Kerry arrived back at the mansion. ''But that's got fuck all to do with telling her
you
love her.''

''She's bound to come running to me now,'' Kerry said. ''I thought it was a real smart move.''

Joe poured himself a vodka ice and laughed. ''It was a nice thing to do, but Vance is right. She may send you a thank you card, but she won't come after you.''

''What the fuck do you guys know?'' Kerry said.

''Well, for what it's worth I agree with them,'' Silas said. ''If you
really
want a woman you have to win her. You're too used to having women come for you. You should ask yourself why?''

''Because I've got a big cock?'' Kerry said facetiously.

''No butt head. Because they want fame and money. Celia doesn't need your money, her dad's loaded. In fact, she doesn't need anything you've got.''

''So, what you're saying is I should chase her.''

''Yes, if you want her,'' Silas concluded.

''No fucking way, I've never chased a
woman,
and I'm not
gonna
start now.''

''Then you don't love her enough. Now either stop talking about
her
or fucking well do something, it's beginning to irritate me.'' Vance said.

*****

''Stop,
stop
the car,'' Celia shouted.

''Why?'' Sandy asked.

''Didn't you read that advertising board.

''Er....no, I'm driving you to the airport because you're going on an assignment to South Africa for the magazine you got a job with, and I'm trying to concentrate.''

''Well, turn
round
and go back.''

''We're already late.''

''I don't care. I want you to turn around.''

''Okay, but don't complain when you miss your flight.''

''Just do it.''

Sandy turned the car round and drove the half mile back to the huge advertising board they'd just passed. She spun back
round
and looked at it. ''Wow, no way,'' she said. ''How cool is that?''

''I know.''

Sandy read out loud. ''Deadly Heroes  -  New Single - Celia I need you - Out Now. So where do you want me to take you now?'' Sandy asked.

''I want to go to the airport, I'm still going to South Africa.''

''But look, he's trying to tell you something. He's made a song about
you, it
'll probably sell millions.''

''Maybe,'' Celia said coolly.

''Jesus, I wish you knew how lucky you are. You don't seem to see it.''

*****

''
Hodi
? What the fuck are you talking about?'' Kerry asked.

''No need to be so irritated sir.
It's just a simple local greeting,'' the taxi driver said.

It was well over a hundred
degree,
and Kerry was sweating profusely. ''Take me to Hotel van den Berg, please,'' he said.

''Sawa,'' the taxi driver replied. Kerry let out a groan of exhaustion.

When they arrived at the hotel, he checked in, went to his room and showered.
He
stood on the balcony and watched the hustle and bustle of the city. All this fucking way, he thought.
After all,
I've fucking well done for her, I still had to travel half way
round
the world.

An hour later he
was dressed
in a pair of jungle shorts and a pink T-shirt. The same taxi driver picked him up again. ''
Hodi
,'' Kerry said, the taxi driver smiled and applauded Kerry's effort.

''Are you sure this is the right place?'' Kerry asked as they drove through the mountains on roads hardly wide enough for a car.

''Oh yes sir.
This is
correct,'' the taxi driver said.

After another hour of bumpy roads, the
taxi
driver pulled up outside what seemed to be a ranch. ''This is Sunshine Farm, sir.''

''Okay.'' Kerry was pleased to get out of the vehicle and stretch his legs.

''You want me to wait for you?'' the driver asked.

''No it's okay. How much do you want?''

''One thousand four hundred.''

''Fuck off. It can't be that much.''

''Rand, sir. Not dollars.''

''Ah,'' Kerry said embarrassed. I'm not used to this traveling shit alone, he thought. Normally Rufus did everything. He pulled out a few crumpled notes and gave them to the driver.

Kerry walked to the main building and knocked on the door. A woman answered the door. ''I'm Kerry, is Celia here?'' She looked at him blankly. ''Woman with a camera,'' he said in pigeon English as he mimed taking a photo.

''Ah. Photographer. Back tomorrow.''

''What. Fuck. Tomorrow? Where is she?''

''In the mountains. Back tomorrow. You want to wait?''

All this fucking way, now she's up some
fucking
mountain, he thought. He had no alternative but to
wait,
he'd already traveled so far.

''Okay thank you, I'll
wait.
'' The woman showed him to a room with an iron bed which had a stained mattress
on it
.

''Sleep here,'' she said.

''Eat?'' he asked.

''Tomorrow. Kitchen closed.''

Kerry was so exhausted he capitulated without losing his temper.
''Water?''

''We have water.'' The woman went and came back with a bottle of water.

It was only five in the afternoon. Kerry didn't like the look of the bed and decided to walk around. He discovered it was a goat farm. Behind the main house, there were hundreds of goats in pens. In the heat, it stunk to high heaven. ''What the fuck is she doing here?'' he mumbled.

He walked to the back of the ranch and found a tree in the middle of a field. He sat under it in the shade and closed his eyes. When he woke it was dark
and,
the crickets were singing. He looked at his watch but couldn't see it.

''Shit, what's that,'' he exclaimed when he heard something moving behind him. He turned around. He eyes had adjusted to the
dark,
and he saw what looked like two eyes peering at him. Whatever it was, it was making snorting noises. His
heart
pounding in his chest, he reached up for a branch and athletically pulled himself up, out of the way.

*****

''He was here yesterday miss. I don't know where he went,'' the woman said.

''Well he's not here now,'' Celia commented. ''Help me look for him.''

The woman and Celia walked around the farm
shouting
. When they reached the
field,
they heard someone
shouting back
. The woman began to laugh hysterically.

''He's up the tree. Look. Daisy is there too.''

Celia also burst out laughing. ''Hey,'' she shouted as she got closer to the tree. ''Are you comfortable up there?''

''What the fuck do you think?'' he said. ''Would you be, with a wild animal gawking at you?''

''It's Daisy, the farm’s milk cow, she's as gentle as they come,'' Celia laughed. ''I can't believe you're scared of a cow.''

''How the fuck do I know. I stopped here yesterday evening and fell asleep. It was dark and that thing,'' he pointed to the cow, ''was peering at me. In the dark how the fuck was I to know it wasn't a lion.'

''But it's light now,'' Celia said. The woman next to her nodded.

''Can I come down?''

''Of course, I told you she's harmless.''

He climbed down and stood in front of Celia. ''Go,'' he said to the woman. She didn't like his angry face and did as he asked. ''So what the fuck are you doing out here, in the middle of nowhere?''

''Taking photos.''

''Of what, goats?''

''No, there's a cave here full of rare bats.''

''Fuck me. Bats.''

''I love it. I work for Geographical Image. Thank you for what you did. This job is better than I could have ever imagined. I can travel the world photographing all sorts of interesting things.''

''I did that because I
thought
you might call me to say hello. Then I could have asked you on a date.''

''Really? I would never have guessed. Thanks for naming a record after me, that was a lovely gesture as well.''

''Even then you didn't say thank you. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing here.
You're so ungrateful.''

Celia grinned. ''I know what you're doing here. You're here because you love me.''

He looked into her eyes. ''Why didn't you call me, after
all,
I did to attract you.''

''Because I wanted you to come to me. All you ever had to do was pick up the phone and call me. You didn't have to do all those other things, although they were
really
nice.''

''Well, I'm fucking well here now. All the way from LA. It's fucking miles, took me two days to get here.''

''So tell me why are you here, exactly?''

''To see you.''

''Why?''

''Jesus, are you stupid.''

''No. Say it,
Kerry
. It won't kill you. There's no press here to report what a wimp you are. Just me and you. Tell me what you want.''

He looked at her in her khaki shirt and pants, with her hair tied in a neat ponytail. ''I can't stop thinking about you. I'm in love with you. Fuck me Celia stop torturing
me, I
need you.''

''That's all I wanted you to say to me. I feel the same. I need
you, you
have no idea. You're such a great man.''

''See, that's better,'' he joked.

''Come here,'' she said. ''By the way, where did you get that awful shirt?''