four

I now had three options. To scream for help, try to make a run for it or cooperate and tell him everything.

Actually, I didn't think anyone would hear me, and as I said, he was between the door and me and I knew there was only one other choice.

So, I just sat there.

Richie took his hand off my wrist and sighed. "I'm not trying to scare you, Dani. I just want to know what you told him. And yes, I do realize that his lights are on but no one's home."

"Then why would you believe what he said to you?"

"I already told you, he said things that only Jon and I know about."

"Like what, for instance?"

He eyed me warily and sat back in his chair sipping on his Coke. "I think those things are between Jon and me."

"And Weird Fred." I couldn't help it.

Leaning forward again, he threatened, "you know, I could take this up with your GM if you're going to be uncooperative, Dani."

I debated over whether playing dumb was an option. He wasn't buying it. I decided to test my menacing glare once again.

His head dropped back as he let out a laugh. In fact, he was laughing so hard, he started crying.
Maybe now was my chance to escape. I looked toward the exit door.

"Don't even think about it."

Defeated, I realized there was only one thing I could do. I lied.

"I didn't say a thing to him, Richie. He's crazy. Everybody knows that. Besides, I think Fred has had a crush on me for a while, now. He'd do or say anything to get my attention."

He was staring at me with his arms folded and a big grin across his face. He believed me.

"You're adorable when you're lying, you know that?"

"Look, Richie. What do you want me to say? That he was bugging the crap out of me about some stupid conspiracy theory so I just made up some stuff about you and Jon just to get him off my back?"

"That's a start."

"Okay, then. That's what happened."

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why did you make up stuff about us? I mean, what would make you think about us of all people to weave your crazy story about?"

I couldn't very well tell him the truth. Not when he is sitting right in front of me like this. It's just that the other week, Jackie had started her incessant gushing on about Bon Jovi and it irritated me to no end.

Okay, Jackie irritated me to no end. She was a stupid pompous know-it-all who knew nothing. Daily she would try to exert her 'authority' over me, ordering me to do her ridiculous biddings. She belittled me every chance she could and I finally exploded and told her to mind her own business and that I do not work under her.

Then, they promoted her as director over me.

I just had to retaliate, of course. And I did it the only way I knew how. I told her that Jon and Richie were old friends of mine. That shut her up. That is until she realized that I could be lying.


"You're so full of it, you know that, Dani?" she sneered. "I bet you think you know them just because you sat in the front row at one of their concerts and one of them just happened to look at you."

I hate it when she's right. But this time she was wrong. I never even went to their concert.


We were standing in line at the Mocha Latter when Jackie decided to rub more salt into my wounds.

"Hey, Fred! Dani here says she's friends with Jon Bon Jovi. You believe that?"

"Why of course, I do. She had shown me photos of her with him and several other evidences."

Good old Fred. He can sound so lucid sometimes. Usually right before launching into some spiel about seeing Milli Vanilli flying by in a UFO.




"Dani?"

"What?"

"You didn't answer my question. Why us?"

"Well, uh, you were the first things that came to my mind."

"Oh, really? And why don't I believe you?"

"I don't know, Richie. Why don't you believe me?"

"Because, Weird Fred said that you were the one who told him about the contract."