Crystal Eyes: Chapter 2

I spent the rest of that night staring into the darkness, not daring to believe that the events of the evening had been real. I was afraid to go to sleep in case I would wake up in the morning and find out it was all just a vivid dream. But I eventually did sleep, on my living room floor. I’d gotten used to hard beds in China so I was much more comfortable on the floor than I would have been on my dilapidated couch. 

The major downside of sleeping on the living room floor? Sunlight. In my nice cozy bedroom I had thick curtains up to keep out the evil morning sunlight. In the living room I had gauzy breezy curtains meant to let in the light. So, at an ungodly early hour, I found myself torn from the loveliness of sleep and thrust into the blindingly bright world of morning. 

With a groan I levered myself off the floor and made my shuffling way to the kitchen. After such a sleepless night, I knew I needed something strong to help me wake up, so I flipped the switch on the coffee maker and sighed as the precious scent of hot coffee wafted across the room. I then set about making a breakfast that would be tasty for me and for a probably hung over Jimmy Crystal. 

I pondered my decision from last night while I waited for the eggs to cook. I had a very famous celebrity asleep in my bed who didn’t want me to know he was a famous celebrity, why else would he introduce himself as Ben instead of Jimmy Crystal? So, since he didn’t want to be a famous celebrity, I wouldn’t treat him like a famous celebrity. I would just treat him like Ben, a handsome man I met in a bar. A handsome man who just happened to be a filthy rich celebrity that I had a major celebrity crush on. 

I sighed, this was going to be hard, and moved the eggs in a basket to two plates, setting another plate over the top of Jimmy’s to keep it warm while I took my plate and a delicious cup of coffee to the table. I slowly sipped the hot coffee as I checked the news on my phone. I checked major events in my city and internationally, then I googled Jimmy Crystal to see if I could figure out why in the world he would come to middle-of-nowhere China. 

Well, maybe not quite middle-of-nowhere. Hefei is the capital of the province so it’s one of the biggest cities in Anhui. But compared to the big tourist attractions like Shanghai and Beijing, Hefei was nothing. But as I researched, I realized Hefei was a little more prominent than I thought. I’d been unusually busy lately with midterms and preparing my students for their TOEFL and SAT tests so I hadn’t been keeping up with the news. So, I was both surprised and yet not surprised to see that there was a science fiction convention in downtown Hefei that I hadn’t known about. And the star guest? Jimmy Crystal. 

My favorite celebrity was in town for one weekend and I missed it. I mean, I missed it until he walked into my local bar and passed out in my bed. 

Go figure. 

But here and now in the present, I was going to treat him like Ben, even if that meant letting him leave without even a single signature. He wanted a normal night, I’d give him a normal night. Maybe even a weekend if he were up to it. We could go to the amusement park downtown. Or the temples. See some of the impressive sights that Hefei had to offer. It could be an adventure. 

That was my motto, since moving to China. I stole it directly from a Disney movie. “Adventure is out there!” and boy was I living it. Everything in China is different and every day is a new adventure. It helped me to cope to think of this part of my life like a grand adventure. 

Just like this weekend might turn out to be. 

I was debating putting Jimmy’s eggs in a basket in the fridge to keep when I heard movement coming from my bedroom. Slow, shuffling steps sounded on the wood floor as my bedroom door creaked open and a disheveled Jimmy Crystal stumbled dazedly into the sunlight. 

It was almost like watching a bear wake up from hibernation. His eyes were squinted tight against the bright sun of the early morning, and his nose was turned up, casting from side to side and sniffing loudly. I chuckled. The smell of coffee can do that to just about anybody. Jimmy finally got his bearings and started toward the kitchen table. I smiled at him. “Morning.” I said brightly, then chuckled softly to myself when he winced. 

“Oooh. Hung over?” I asked, voice dripping with sympathy. 

Jimmy nodded tenderly, then looked hopefully into my galley kitchen. “Is that coffee I smell?” 

I nodded. “It is indeed.” As I got up to get him a cup, he sat down and laid his head on the scratched wooden surface of my table. Poor guy. I brought him a cup of coffee and the bottle of cream from the fridge, sitting it down gently by his head so as not to jar his headache. He mumbled a thank you and started to mix cream and sugar into his coffee. 

I returned to the kitchen for his plate. “I made a little breakfast, if you’re up for it.” I set it down in front of him. “It’s my favorite. Eggs in a basket.” The plate held two pieces of toast with a circle cut out of the exact middle and an egg cooked over-medium in each center. The egg and toast combined to make a tasty crunchy yet savory breakfast that always reminded me of home. “My mom used to make these. They’re still fresh.” I handed him a fork. I’d learned how to eat mine with chopsticks, but he’d only been here a day or two and was probably still used to knives, forks, and spoons. 

He poked his eggs experimentally with the fork, looking at them dubiously. 

I spoke up again “Come on, try one. They’re not going to bite you, and it’ll settle your stomach.” 

He glanced up at me, then back to the eggs, before slowly starting into them. I could tell by his very carefully calculated movements that he was definitely feeling the alcohol from last night. If I was any bet, I’d say he had a world record hangover. But thankfully, he didn’t get sick. 

He worked his way through one of the eggs in a basket in companionable silence. I was bursting with a need to start conversation, but I just kept reminding myself of the last time I’d gone out with my coworkers and drunk way too much. That morning after, conversation had been the last thing on my mind. 

The coffee and food did him good though and he started to perk up. When I felt like he could probably handle it, I finally spoke “I’m surprised to see you up so early Ben.” I made a point of calling him Ben out loud, so he’d think I didn’t know who he was. 

He looked up in surprise at the name, but handled it well. He half shrugged and said “It was the coffee. I’d have slept all day if there hadn’t been that delicious smell of coffee.”

I frowned in puzzlement and asked “I thought Englishmen didn’t like coffee? I thought they all liked tea.”

He smiled, sipped his coffee, and said “Yeah, I like tea too. But I picked up a liking for coffee at…” he paused a moment, then continued “work. My friend introduced me to it and it’s not too terribly bad.” I had a suspicion that he had been going to say ‘at the studio’ and had only just barely caught himself. 

I chuckled “Yeah, I don’t usually drink coffee. But every once in a while I need that caffeine pick-me-up more than tea can offer, so I acquired a taste for it. Especially as a teacher. Some days, the only thing that keeps me going is the coffee.” 

He smiled again, and my inner fangirl swooned. She was thrilled that we’d managed to make him smile. I quietly shoved her back into her corner and fought off the urge to giggle like a schoolgirl with a crush. He reached to take another bite of his eggs in a basket, then rethought it and pushed it away. “I think that’s all I can handle right now.” His voice was deep and gravelly with sleep, like the night before. I couldn’t help a small pleasant shiver at the sound. I was a sucker for a deep voice. He sat back in his chair and cradled his coffee in his hands, nursing it and his headache. 

“Do you have any plans for the weekend?” I asked. I hadn’t seen his name on the program again for the convention, but sometimes they add things on later. Part of me was really hoping he didn’t have any plans and we could spend the weekend together. The other part of me was terrified at the idea of spending so much time in the company of a celebrity. A third part was scolding at the first part for even considering that Jimmy Crystal would want to spend any time with me. 

He thought about it for a second. “Not really.” He paused and my heart leapt hopefully “I had some plans, but I’d happily abandon them in favor of just about anything else right now.” His face grew shadowed for a moment and I wondered again what had sent him fleeing to a bar last night. He stared pensively into his coffee cup. 

I took my courage in both metaphorical hands and said “Well, if you’re interested and up to it, I’d love to show you around some of Hefei’s best tourist sights and maybe some of my favorite local places to.” My inner fangirl and I both held our breath, waiting for his answer. 

His mouth thinned as he stared into his coffee and thought hard. I wondered what he was thinking. He swirled the last gulp of coffee around in the mug and the silence in the room threatened to get awkward. Then he tossed back the last gulp and smiled at me, a smile with an edge of hysteria in it. “why not? It’ll be an adventure!”

I couldn’t help it, I grinned broadly. He’d used the ‘a’ word. Adventure. As shy as I might be, I always longed for adventure on the inside and to hear him use that word made me almost giddy. 

“Alright!” I said loudly and brightly. He winced, and I remembered he was hung over. “We can take it slow at first, let you get your head back.” I teased him a little. I couldn’t help it. It just had to be done. 

He smiled back at me, the edge of hysteria leaving his expression. Then he held up his empty cup. “Is there enough for a refill.” I nodded toward the kitchen, where the coffee maker was keeping the rest of the pot warm. “plenty. Help yourself.”

He stood up and I couldn’t help but admire him in the early morning light. The suns’ rays highlighted his cheekbones and the new stubble on his chin made him look rugged. Combined with the bluest eyes I’d ever seen and the rumpled dark black curls, he was the picture of a greek god to me. I watched the way his body moved as he walked into my kitchen and poured himself a refill of coffee and I found myself admiring that lovely rear end again. My fangirl and I shared a sigh of appreciation. 

I blushed when he turned around and headed back to the table, afraid I’d just been caught ogling. But he didn’t seem to notice. He was still walking with the extra care of the hung over. 

I hurried to distract him with conversation, so that he wouldn’t notice my blush. “What would you like to see first?”  

He shrugged again, then winced as it set off his head. “I don’t know what’s around here, so your choice.”

I nodded, and thought. “Well, the amusement park is probably not a good idea right now, with your head feeling the way I assume it does.” He snorted a short laugh and nodded. “So, how about the temples or the cemetery? Fantastic architecture, dating back hundreds of years. It’s breathtaking on such a beautiful day as today.”

He nodded “Sounds good. Just give me a few minutes to freshen up, if you don’t mind.”. 

I shook my head “No, not at all. Be my guest.” And pointed him down the hall toward the bathroom. He finished his second cup, then gingerly stood and made his way to the bathroom. 

I cleared the table while I waited. When I heard the shower start, I headed to my room to change into new clothes. The sight of my bed’s rumpled covers sent a shiver through me. It was almost erotic to think that a man had slept in my bed last night. I closed the door behind me and locked it. Then, and only then, did I give in to the urge. I laid down in the bed, curled up on the pillow where he’d slept the night before, and took a deep breath. 

Now, that probably sounds a little creepy, but it really did have a purpose. You can tell a lot about someone by the way they smell. For example, you can tell heavy smokers and heavy drinkers by the way they smell. And you can tell someone’s sense of hygiene as well. And some men just smell better than other men, and my curiosity and my inner fangirl ganged up to make me want to know; what does Jimmy Crystal smell like?

I was not disappointed. The pillow smelled faintly of cigarette smoke and alcohol, but not strongly enough to indicate that Jimmy smoked. It just smelled like he’d spent the night at a bar, which of course, he had. It also smelled a little of coconut, which I could only assume was from his shampoo. But underlying all of the other scents was a deep musk. It wasn’t overpowering, and it didn’t smell too much like B-O. Overall, it left a good impression and I indulged in a second deep breath before I got up and started getting ready for the day. 

By the time I was dressed and ready, Jimmy was done with the shower. As I put on my shoes, I heard his voice from the hallway “Why do you have a bicycle in your spare bedroom?” He seemed truly puzzled. 

My voice was muffled, since I was bent over putting on my shoes. “It’s mine. I use it to get around town, but I don’t want someone to steal it so I keep it up here. It’s not like I don’t have the space.” 

Jimmy made an agreeing noise as we walked back into the living room. He was walking steadier after the shower. Not surprisingly, sometimes a nice hot shower is the best rejuvenator. 

He had found a brush and had attempted to order his curls. He scratched at the stubble on his chin and I thought about offering one of my unused razors, but I liked the stubble, so I kept the existence of the disposable razors to myself and tied my other shoe. I sat up and looked up into those electric eyes “ready?” I asked, slightly breathless. No matter how often I looked into those eyes, they always gave me a shiver. 

He nodded. I grabbed my bag, slung it across my chest and we headed toward the elevators. We were half way down the building when Jimmy suddenly looked alarmed and turned toward me “What happened to my bike? I don’t remember what I did with it.” His body and voice was tense with concern. Obviously he loved that bike.  

I hurried to reassure him “It’s ok. Your bike is downstairs in my parking space. We walked it over from the bar.”

His shoulders relaxed and he let out his breath in a big wuff and leaned against the wall of the elevator. “Thank God.” He leaned his forehead against the cool metal. 

I didn’t quite understand why he was so attached to a motorcycle. I, personally, had never ridden one and never would. Too unstable, only two wheels. Maybe I’d ride a trike, three wheels being much more stable than two, but I didn’t think I’d ever risk a motorcycle. You will if Jimmy Crystal asks you my inner fangirl teased. I determinedly ignored her and led the way to the parking lot. 

In the daylight, Jimmy’s bike was clearly top of the line. I couldn’t help but admire it. It had sleek lines, a well maintained appearance and had the name of a well-known motocycle company that specialized in custom bikes emblazoned across the tank. 

It gleamed a deep black with silver detailing. Any exposed steel had celtic designs acid washed on them which gave the impression that the bike was the embodiment of a thunder cloud. 

 Jimmy watched me as I admired his bike, his face beaming with pride. 

“D’you like it?” He asked, pride saturating his voice, with an undertone of uncertainty. 

I glanced up at him and I could tell that even though he was proud of his bike, part of him worried that I wouldn’t like it. I got the impression that someone had ether lied to him about his bike or couldn’t get over the fact that it was a death trap on two wheels. 

Luckily, there was no need to lie “It’s beautiful. Probably the most beautiful bike I’ve ever seen”. He grinned broadly and my heart did a back flip. 

“I’m glad you like it. It’s the only one of its kind.” He started pointing out details where his bike differed form the standard and I politely listened. I could tell he was really proud of it and loved it, but honestly? I didn’t care about the details and aerodynamics. It was beautiful and elegant but that was about all I was able to appreciate.

But I listened to him talk about it, since it made him happy. 

Eventually he ran out of things to point out and he instead started to rummage through the custom saddlebags. He pulled out a set of sunglasses and put them on. He looked around the parking lot then gave a happy sigh “Much better! It was a little too bright out here, if you know what I mean?” He gave me a wry smile, referring to his probably pounding headache. 

The glasses looked good on him, they weren’t the usual giant celebrity sunglasses that cover half your face. They were slim mirrored sunglasses with sweeping angles that highlighted his cheekbones. They hid Jimmy’s brilliantly blue eyes and I couldn’t help but feel a little sad. But maybe that was a good thing, if I didn’t see his eyes, maybe I’d do better at treating him like a normal person. 

Jimmy casually leaned against his bike, crossed his ankles and arms and looked at me. He cut a striking figure and I wished for a moment that I could take a picture. But his voice broke my reverie. “So, temples?”

I shook my head a little to bring my mind back to reality. “temples. Right.” I gestured down my little side street with my head “Come on, we can get a cab at the main street. “

I’d taken several steps along my usual path to the main street when I heard Jimmy’s voice from behind me and I realized he hadn’t followed. He was standing now, and his voice was puzzled as he looked at me “Why a cab?”

I blinked at him, a little confused. “It’s the fastest way to get anywhere. Unless you want to take the bus?” My voice expressed my dislike about taking the bus. Don’t get me wrong, the bus is a great form of public transportation. And Hefei has a great bus system. You can get anywhere on the bus. But as an overweight white foreigner, I felt a little trapped on the buses because you can’t get away from the staring. 

Most Chinese don’t mean anything bad by their staring, they’re just indulging their curiosity. Honestly, a foreigner like myself is a very rare sight indeed so I can completely understand why they stared. But it felt uncomfortably like being on display in a moving zoo every time I stepped on a bus. 

I preferred the cabs. The cabbie might look at you funny for a split second, but most of the ride is spent in companionable silence. Since I don’t speak Chinese and the cabbies usually don’t speak English. 

I’d gotten so used to the bus and the cabs being my main mode of transportation to the distant parts of the city that I didn’t understand why Jimmy wasn’t picking up on the plan at first. And when he stepped to the side and gestured an invitation to the seat of the motorcycle, I’ll confess I had no idea what he meant. 

Then he spoke “Why do we need the cab or a bus?” he gestured again to the motorcycle. Then continued when he saw that I was still confused. “Let’s just take the bike.”

I felt my jaw drop. Me? Ride a motorcycle? Even my mental voice was squeaky with nerves at the mere idea of riding a motorcycle.

Do people not realize how dangerous they are? I always swore that I would never be caught dead on a motorcycle. They’re absolutely terrifying. I hate driving next to them on the highway because I’m always afraid they’re going to fall over and I’m going to accidentally commit manslaughter by running the rider over. 

So, I martialed the strongest defense I could and said with all the strength I possessed “uhhhh… what?” Yeah… I meant to say that so much better. 

 

Jimmy kept looking at me and it was harder to tell his expression because of the sunglasses ”come on Lisa!” His voice expressed his exasperation quite well. ”It’s not dangerous, it’s cheaper than a cab and we’ll get there in not time. Besides, I don’t wanna leave it behind. What if something happens to it?” His voice turned coaxing there at the end. I knew what he was trying to do, and I would not fall for it. There was no way I was going to put my fat ass on that motorcycle. It would be ridiculous. 

“I don’t think that would work Ben.” My voice was much more hesitant than I wanted it to be. What was wrong with me? There was no way in hell I was going to get on that motorcycle, but it sounded even to me like I was considering it. 

“Sure it will!” He rushed to reassure me. “Don’t worry. All you have to do is hold on. I’ve ridden with a passenger tons of times. It’ll be a piece of cake.” He gave me his best smile. My heart did a backflip. 

I still wasn’t sure, but now my heart was pounding so hard at that smile that I wasn’t sure I could think straight “Are you sure? I mean… I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before.” And never will! I told myself firmly. 

But apparently I wasn’t listening to myself today because when Jimmy reassured me again that he had it all under control and it wouldn’t be nearly as bad as I thought it would, I found myself nodding hesitantly in agreement. 

“Yes!” He was grinning madly now, and happily kicked back the stand, moved the motorcycle out of the parking space, and swung his leg over the seat and settled in. “All right. All you have to do is sit right behind me,” he gestured over his shoulder at the ridiculously small portion of the seat that was left “and hold on tight.” 

I can’t believe I’d agreed to do this! Since when do I ever ride a motocycle? Since Jimmy Crystal asked you to my fangirl chimed in. and I suddenly knew. It was her. That devious, manipulating, easily swayed by macho-hotness fangirl had overruled my common sense and agreed to ride a motorcycle. For that moment, I hated her. Hated fangirling. And even hated Jimmy with his too-good-for-me looks. Then Jimmy turned that smiling face to me again and I knew why she’d done it. Here was a perfect excuse to get up-close and personal with Jimmy Crystal. 

My heartbeat hammered in my ears as I moved towards the motorcycle and Jimmy. It’s just like riding a bike, I told myself. Just swing the leg over, settle into the seat, hang on tight and it’ll be fine. Right. I could feel my hands starting to tremble as I stood a mere inch from Jimmy. I thought for a second I might lose my balance when I swung my leg over the bike, but I didn’t. 

I was sitting astride the motorcycle, two inches from Jimmy’s back. That was good enough right? I looked around confusedly, where do I hang on? 

Jimmy rescued me and terrified me at the same time with his next words “Not that far back. Come on, I don’t bite. You need to be pressed right up against me so you’ll be secure” and he reached back, almost casually, grabbed my knees lightly in his hands and shifted me forward with an ease that took my breath away. I’ll blame my breathlessness on the ease with which he moved me, not on the fact that my most intimate of places was now pressed tightly against Jimmy’s most luscious backside and my entire front was so close to his back I could feel every muscle. 

 

 

I was starting to have a hard time breathing. Jimmy seemed to think my nerves were funny. He chuckled when he spoke “that’s better. Now, wrap your arms around me tight.” I tentatively put my arms around his waist “not too loose. Come on, real tight.” He grabbed my wrists and wrapped my arms around him until I was pressed even more firmly to his back. “All right. When we really get going, it might be more comfortable for you to hide your face behind my back, since I only have the one helmet.” He slid his helmet over his head and I felt like I should really say something about how this was a terribly awful idea.

“Ben…” My voice was shaky “I’m not sure I can do this.” 

He patted my arm with his hands and his voice was muffled when he spoke “don’t you trust me?”

“Maybe?” I squeaked as he kicked the engine to life. 

He laughed. “Don’t worry Lisa Liberty. I’ll take good care of you. Just point me in the right direction ok?”

My voice was small when I replied “K.” I was really starting to regret having breakfast. 

“All right! Let’s go.” He kicked the engine to life and I instinctively clutched his chest tighter. I couldn’t see much around his helmet, my right ear was pressed hard against his back to the point where I could have heard his heartbeat if the bike hadn’t been running. 

When he shifted and the bike began moving forward, I thought I might just pass out from sheer nerves. For the second time in twenty-four hours, I prayed like I don’t usually pray. Please, any god that’s listening, please, I’ll be good I promise if you just get me there and back in one piece. 

When we reached the end of my side street I said “left” loudly into his ear and wiggled the fingers of my left hand, not quite sure he’d hear me over the noise. He grunted and turned, barely avoiding a collision with another motorcycle heading the opposite direction. He may not have been in China long, but he sure knew how to drive here.