Chapter 15: "I miss high school,"

A/N: this one is a filler chapter bcs this next chapter is what y'all know is coming if you've seen Starstuck ;(

E.J's POV:

"Ok, so what do we do till then?" I look at Gina and the backpack she put on her chair.

"We could watch more Disney movies?" I watch as Gina got her laptop out.

"I thought that you were going to work on your portfolio?" I looked over at her desk.

"I'm not feeling inspired anymore," I watch Gina as she opens her laptop.

"Ok, then we'll have a movie marathon till we leave but we need to take a nap so that we have energy for the adventure," I fake yawn as I go over to sit on her bed next to her even though it is meant for one person.

"Oh, and don't forget about lunch," I watch as Gina types in her password and smiles at me.

I like when she's happy. I don't like to see her cry.

"Yeah, lunch sounds good too," I smile at her.

"What do you want to watch?" I look over at Gina's screen to see that she clicked on Disney + again.

"You pick," I look at her since I picked Princess Protection Program.

"How about Read it and Weep ?" I watch as Gina clicks on a movie.

"I've never heard of that movie before," I look at her beautiful face.

"What?! It's my one of my favorites besides High School Musical, Camp Rock, Lemonade Mouth and Descendants, well you get the point. I love all of the Disney movies," I watch as Gina quickly clicks play on the movie and sits on her bed comfortably.

"You really love Disney movies don't you?" I look at the screen.

"Shhhhhhh.... the movie is starting," I watch as Gina puts her fingers up to my lips as I laugh at her quietly.

She's really cute when she's focusing on something like her portfolio or a movie. I really like her reactions at least when she's not snapping at me.

After the movie ends, I watch her as she exits out of the screen smiling. I guess Disney Movies make her forget about her problems.

"Are you hungry yet?" I look over at Gina looking me in the eyes.

"Not really. Let's watch one more movie," I reply to her as her eyes focus back on her laptop.

"Ok, you pick this time," I listen to her while she turns to face me.

"Ok, let's watch Zombies," I click on the movie on her laptop.

"Ok, good choice," I watch Gina as she fluffs her pillow.

Halfway through the movie, I feel Gina lean her head on my shoulder. I'm not sure if she realizes it but I think its kind of cute. She must be tired from all that crying. I still feel bad for starting her dad's argument at dinner the other day but it's his opinion not mine.

A few minutes later, she lifts her head off my shoulder and looks back at her laptop screen.

"Sorry, I didn't realize that I was doing that. I guess I'm tired from all the crying," I listen to her speak then rub her back since she liked that before.

"It's okay, maybe we should get lunch and then take a nap till dinner and then we can go on our adventure," I turn to face her.

"Ok that sounds good. I hope that my dad doesn't come home for dinner. I don't want him making a scene before our adventure," I see her yawn and I think she's tired now.

"I'm sorry again for starting that argument at dinner the other night," I look at her sympathetically.

"It's not your fault. You didn't start anything. Stop blaming yourself for things you can't control," I hear her say as she pauses the movie and gets up to check her meter that is laying on her nightstand.

"Let's see what my mom got from the supermarket. Maybe there's something we can make that isn't a pb&j sandwich," I listen to Gina as she heads to her door.

"Aww but I was going to suggest we make another few sandwiches," I fake pout at her as I get off her bed.

"You really like pb&j don't you?" Gina turns to look at me before we go down the stairs.

"Yeah, I miss normal non-sponsored or catered food," I say to Gina as she looks at me sympathetically.

"Well then, we'll just have to have pb&j for dinner," I see her smile at me as she leads the way to the kitchen.

"Yay!" I whisper to her quietly as we arrive in the kitchen and see her mom cooking something at the stove.

"Mom, what's this? You hardly ever cook," I listen to Gina as she talks to her mom.

"I'm destress cooking. You wanna taste?" I watch as her mom holds up a spoonful of something.

"Is it because of dad?" I hear Gina say quietly to her mom but I can hear her.

I watch as her mom nods her head and gives Gina a spoonful of whatever she made.

"He'll be back soon. He's just angry because his only child doesn't want to go into a profession like him," I listen to her mom say to her.

"The stew is good. Where'd you find this recipe?" I listen to Gina as she hugs her mom.

"The internet has many things," I watch as her mom motions for me to come over.

"E.J are you treating my daughter well?" I hear her mom say as I walk over to them

"What? Oh we're just friends but we're having fun together," I wink at Gina knowing that we have our adventure tonight.

"Oh ok. Well, there's plenty of stew for a whole family so you two can help yourself. I'm going to go to my room to freshen up," I listen to her mom say while I watch Gina smile.

I think she's happy to see her mom like this but also sad to see her dad disagree with her.

"The stew taste good. Let's eat then we can nap, and figure out what we can do before dinner," I look over to see Gina smile at me while she takes out two bowls from a cupboard.

"Ok, sounds good," I smile back at her.

I like to see her happy and not sad.

"You know I never see my mom like this, I like it a lot. Her cooking is good too. I just wish my diagnosis didn't get in the way of my FIT dreams. Ever since, I was diagnosed my parents became workaholics. I think my mom sees something in you that makes her happy though," I listen and watch as Gina pours stew into each bowl.

"Well, I'm glad that I can make her happy. I'm just a friend though. I'm glad I make you happy too," I smile at her and watch her get napkins out too.

After Gina sets everything up at the dining room table, I watch her as she presses some buttons on her pump again.

"You know, you don't have to wait for me," I see Gina look up at me.

"I told you, I don't mind waiting," I smile back at her.

"Ok, suit yourself. The stew might get cold though," I watch as Gina shrugs her shoulders and places a napkin on her lap before tasting the stew.

I do the same and she giggles lightly at me.

"What's so funny?" I turn and ask her before I pick up my soup spoon.

"It's just that I never thought that I'd see a celebrity act so polite before. Like dinner the other night was a surprise," I see her smile back at me.

"Well if I ever go to a fancy steakhouse. I'm going to have to be polite or they'll kick me out," I reference to what I told her the other day.

"You should be polite even if you're at Starbucks," I watch her as she touches my nose with her finger and continues to eat.

"Well I'm always polite and I always use my manners. I just have to be careful. It's like I said someone is always watching me for my next move," I sigh at her and eat her mom's stew.

It taste amazing. I wish catering had this on tour.

"I'm sorry you don't get privacy," I hear Gina say as she gets up to get two glasses of water.

"Yeah, I'm sorry too," I half smile at her and continue eating.

After we finish eating I see Gina yawn and remember from before that she's tired from crying earlier.

"I think it's time for a nap," I look over to her and help her put the dishes in the sink.

"I think so too," I look over to her yawning again.

I follow her to back to her bedroom and I lay down on my makeshift floor bed.

"I'll set an alarm for dinner," I hear Gina say as I try to get comfortable on her floor and watch her tap on her phone.

"Ok," I respond as she gets into bed.

"You know I feel bad that you keep having to sleep on the floor," I look up to her bed.

"It's ok. Your bed is only meant for one person," I look up at her but she's already asleep even though the lights are on.

She must've been tired from that crying. She didn't cry for long but it felt like a while when she was hugging me.

A few seconds later after tucking her into bed, I clap my hands like she did the night before to turn the lights off and try to get some sleep on the floor.

Although, the floor is uncomfortable I'm still awake thinking about how fun and free the last day or so has been.

I lie awake staring at her ceiling for a while till I eventually close my eyes and nap.

A while later, I wake up and hear a beeping sound. It's either Gina's meter or her alarm.

"Gina, wake up, Gina," I go over to her bedside and gently take the covers off.

"Five more minutes," I hear her mumble in her angelic voice.

"No, I think your meter is beeping," I hand her her meter that was on her nightstand.

"Thanks," I watch her stretch her arms and grab her phone too to look at the time.

"Shoot, we fell asleep for a while its already 6:30 pm and my glucose reading is 85," I sit back down on my floor bed and look over to her with concern.

"I'm hungry," I pat my stumach and hear it grumble.

"You're always hungry," I hear Gina laugh lightly and see her get out of bed.

"Yeah but I want pb&j," I pout as I follow her down the stairs.

"Ok, let's make more pb&j," I hear her as she goes over to her fridge.

"You're cute when you're concentrating on something," I blurt out loud.

Shoot. I just told her that she's cute. I can't fall in love with her I'm a celebrity.

I just watch as she nods her head and takes out two plates for us to eat on.

After we've eaten our sandwiches in silence, I follow Gina back up to her room.

"Ok, now we've got to change into our black clothes but we've still got some time to kill before 2:00 am. I say we continue our movie marathon," I listen to Gina speak as she picks up her outfit from her desk.

"Ok, sounds good," I smile at her and watch her go to the bathroom to change.

I like to see that she's happy and not focused on her dad anymore. I think that this fun adventure is a good distraction for her. She really needs it. I do too because I'm tired of being cooped up in her room.

"Ok, now it's your turn to change," I see Gina come out of the bathroom in a black shirt and black sweats.

"Wow, you look like a spy,"I look up from the floor and see her make a piece sign at me.

"Ok, go change but you can just put the bandana around you neck for now," I watch her smile at me and go sit on her bed.

After I change into the hoodie she gave me and put the bandanna I come out of the bathroom.

"I look weird," I stand at her bathroom door.

"No, you look like you're ready for a midnight mission," I see her look up and smile at me.

"Well it's technically an after midnight mission," I say and see her roll her eyes at me and sit back on the floor.

"Whatever. Come sit up here with me. We're having our movie marathon till 2:00 am," I see her pat a spot next to her even though her bed is small.

I go up and sit next to her and dangle my legs off the side of her bed since there isn't much room.

"Ok,so what are we watching?" I look over to see that she clicked on Disney + again.

"The Last Song," I see her click on a movie with Miley Cyrus.

"I've never heard of that one," I distance myself from her so she has space on her bed.

"E.J Caswell have you ever heard of Nicholas Sparks?" Gina turns to look at me with her mouth wide open.

"Nope," I look at her confused.

"He's an adult romance author. He writes some amazing stories about falling in love. This movie is based off of one of his books. Its sad but its worth the watch. Plus it has Miley Cyrus," I watch as Gina presses play on the movie.

Instead of replying to her I sit on her bed and watch the movie. It turns out to be just as sad as she said it would be. I never thought that a movie could make you cry.

"Oh my gosh, is E.J Caswell crying over a movie?" I see Gina take her phone out and pretend to take a picture but I look on her phone and see that it is closed.

"No, its just allergies from the dust in your room," I wipe a tear that fell onto my cheek.

"You know its okay for guys to cry over movies," I see Gina come over to me and side hug me.

"Ok, so let's watch something happy next," I look over to her and click on the Cars movie.

"Ugh, this is boring," I listen to her groan.

"What? I thought that you liked all Disney movies?" I pause the movie and look over to her.

"This one is boring," I see her sigh at me.

"I don't think that its boring watching cars. What would you rather watch?" I look over to her.

"Let's watch Disney Princess movies till 2:00 am," I see her smile at me.

"Ugh, fine. But that sounds boring," I groan as she clicks on the Disney Princess collection smiling.

After Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Rapunzel, The Little Mermaid and Half of Sleeping Beauty, I look over to the clock and see that it's past midnight.

"We should pack up and get ready to go," I nudge Gina's shoulder even though she's still focused on the screen.

"Yeah, you're right," I see her look over at her phone for the time and watch her get up to get the black backpack sitting on her desk chair.

"Let me carry that," I go over and pick the heavy backpack up and put it on my shoulder.

"My mom is probably asleep and I don't see my dad's car parked outside. We still need to be quiet though. Put the bandanna over your face," I listen to Gina and watch her put a black beanie on her head.

"We look like robbers," I quietly laugh at our disguises.

"Cute robbers," I hear her say as I follow her tiptoeing down the stairs.

Once we get to her car that is parked in the garage I out the bandanna on over my face and get in the backseat of her car.

"Even though, it's past midnight I advice you to keep your head down while I drive to school. Like you said earlier everyone's watching for you to make a move," I see Gina look at my sympathetically.

I just nod my head and duck my head under the backseat window as she drives to her school.

"Hey, why'd you park here?" I look up and see that we aren't at school.

"Because, I don't want my car to get towed or for us to get caught," I look up front to see Gina turn her car off.

"Ok, so I guess we're walking," I wait for her to unlock her car doors to let me out.

"Yeah, I'll leave the backpack here and take my purse," I see her nod her head in the dark.

"I wasn't prepared for walking blocks at night," I look down to see my high tops looking all new and shiny.

"It's only a block and a half," I see her take her purse out of her car and lead the way.

I follow her in the night and silence as we walk to her school. Eventually, we get to a large field and see a door. Gina goes straight to the door as I slowly follow along and sneaks through the cracked open door. I don't know why they don't get this door fixed but I follow her.

"We're in," I hear her whisper as I keep the bandanna on my mouth to cover my face.

"Wow. I miss high school," I sigh and look around the gym.

"No, you don't. It's torture. Mr. Gonzalez's History class is so boring and I basically fall asleep in chemistry class or any science class," I listen to Gina as she leads the way.

"I mean I miss the place because I had friends and there weren't security people following me to the bathroom or lunchroom," I sighed as I kept following her slowly to wherever the art room was.

"Yeah, I hear you. Come on slow poke. I need to get something from Miss Jenn's supply cabinet before we get caught," I hear Gina say to me as I slowly follow her.

"What are we looking for?" I whisper as I follow her down the hall and stare at all of the walls and posters.

Wow. I miss high school but not the classes.

"You'll see," I hear Gina as she leads the way.

I watch her as she walks into a room full of paintings and art supplies then goes over to a storage cabinet and unlocks it with a key.

"I found it," I hear Gina whisper while I look around at the art room.

"Let's go before someone sees us," I whisper as I lead her out of the room.

Before she follows me she goes over to lock the storage cabinet and classroom door to make sure everything looks the same as it was before.

"What did you get?" I look over to see her putting something in her bag.

"I'll show you in the car," I hear her whisper as she leads the way back to the gym.

Once we get to the gym, I take a second and stand by the doors to catch my breath. I guess we were running to the gym.

"Wanna see something cool?" I look across the gym to see Gina flicking a light switch on.

"I thought that you said we couldn't get caught?" I look at her from afar.

"Yeah but this night has been fun and I don't want it to end," I hear her stutter as she flicks another light on and I see a disco ball start glowing from the ceiling.

That's weird. She never stutters.

"Come dance with me," I listen to Gina's beautiful voice as I walk over to her.

"Do you know how to dance?" I walk close to her and whisper to her since we're inches apart.

"A little bit. This is from the winter ball we had last year. Ashlyn was on the dance committee," I see her smile at me.

I get a little closer and gently wrap my arms around her waist, I watch as she wraps her arms around my neck and gets on tippy toes. I think that its cute.

"You know I've always wanted to have a date to a dance but I never got asked, so I went with Kourtney last year at the Winter Ball," I hear Gina whisper as she rests her head on my shoulder.

I'm not sure if she realizes that this is a romantic gesture but I let her be and enjoy the moment.

"Hey, you kids aren't supposed to be here," I hear a man yell as we step back from each other.

"Run!" I whisper to Gina but she's lagging behind me as we run out the crack of the gym door we went through earlier.

"Wait for me," I hear her pant as she runs behind me while the security guard looks for us in the distance.

I keep running but also slow down and wait up for her.

Once we get to the car I watch her as her hands start to shake while pressing her car keys to open the door.

"You okay Gi?" I get in the passenger seat and watch her sit down in her seat and put her head on the steering wheel.

"I don't feel so good. Everything's blurry-" I hear her mumble.

"What do you need?"

"Check my meter," I hear her mumble as her hands shake.

I dig into her purse and find her meter that's always on her nightstand and read the number out loud even though I don't know what it means.

"It says 55 and the arrow is pointing down," I look at her to see if she's still breathing.

"Orange Juice," I hear her mumble since her head is still down.

I quickly jump to the backseat and grab the backpack that she packed and get out the bottle of orange juice. Then I watch her a she chugs most of the bottle down without looking at me.

"You good?" I look at her as she puts the juice down in her cup holder.

"I will be. Thanks. I guess I forgot about my diabetes tonight because I was having so much fun," I watch her as she leans back in her seat.

Before I can reply she replies to me and give me a half smile.

"55 is very low and if my reading gets below 20 I have to get a Glucagon shot. It's got medicine that spikes my reading up so I can function again. I think all the running around made my reading drop. Tonight was still fun though," I listen to her and put the bandanna down against my neck since we're in the dark.

"I'm glad I could help then," I smile at her and squeeze her hand.

"I'll just wait 15 minutes. The juice will bring my reading back up to above 100 so I can drive again. You should probably put the bandanna on your face in case anyone sees you while I drive home," I listen to her and put the bandanna on my face again.

"I hate that I have to wear this," I say to her as we wait in the darkness.

The only light that's on is a small street lamp from afar but I can see Gina perfectly fine since the driver's seat has a small light too.

I watch Gina as she nods her head and keeps checking her meter.

After 15 minutes, I see Gina check her meter again to see if her reading went up.

"Ok, it's 90. Let's go back to my house. It's almost 3:00am," I watch Gina as she looks at the time on her dashboard.

The entire ride back, Gina makes me sit in the backseat the my head down again. I know that its so that paparazzi don't see me but I hate this. I know that she said she isn't doing this out of pity but I feel like she is. She's more than a friend to me even though she says we are just friends.

After our small dance, I saw something in her I never saw in any other girl or fan. I saw a sparkle in her eye that just made me want to keep dancing with her.

"I hope that no one saw me," I look up from my bending position and see that we're back in her garage again.

"I hope so too. There were barely any cars on the road. I saw a few tow trucks though," I listen to Gina whisper as she unlocks her car door for me.

"Are you tired yet?" I follow her as she tip toes back to her room and makes sure her mom's door is closed.

"Not really, I still have an adrenaline rush from tonight," I watch Gina as she puts her purse down and takes her beanie off.

"Can we watch another movie?" I look over to see her take something out of her purse.

"Ok, but I get to pick," I watch her as she takes out cloth swatches out of her bag.

"That's what you had to pick up from the art room?" I look at her curiously.

"Yup," I hear Gina and watch her pull her laptop out again.

"What are we watching?" I go over to her bed and dangle my legs over the side.

"A Walk to Remember. It's another Nicholas Sparks movie," I see Gina press play on the movie.

"I'm not gonna cry again am I?" I look her straight in the eyes.

"No, this time you're going to sob you're eyes out," I see her look at me with a serious face.

"Oh good lord. The things I do with you, Gina Porter," I distance myself on her bed and stare at her laptop.

While we watch the movie, I watch Gina as she fidgets with her pillow and bites her lip. This movie must make her cry. I don't like seeing her sad.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ... Love never ends,"I watch as the main character speaks to the other male character.

Am I in love with Gina Porter even though it has only been two days? I think so.

Before the movie ends, I see Gina lean her head on her pillow and close her eyes. She's probably more tired than she said she was earlier.

I tuck her into bed and hop out of bed after I exit out of the movie. I clap my hands to turn the lights off like she did the night before.

While I fix my makeshift floor bed, I feel a few tears fall from my eyes.

Damn that movie was sad.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

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