LoveandLogic
Refugee
I hope I didn't break any Fan-Fic rules in this chapter. Please let me know. I edited it as best as I could considering the situation at hand. And thank you for all your support, dear readers. 
Disclaimer: What should I own in this chapter? Erm...I own the photographs but I can share!
Other than that, don't know don't own.
Chapter Six
Sunlight peaked in through the windows, burning the back of my eyelids. Not daring to open them, a phone rang in the distance. Groaning, I reached around blindly for my cell. Where the hell was I?
“’Ello?”
“Where the hell are you?” Brooke shrieked so loudly that I had to pull the phone from my ear. “You were supposed to be here an hour ago! Don’t you know that we’re supposed to go over the photos with band today? You went out drinking last night didn’t you?”
“Yeeees, I did. I’m sorry. Trust me, I‘m very sorry.”
“Bono had to call me because you didn’t know where your own apartment was.”
“Ha, ha, ha, really?”
“It’s not funny! I hope you didn’t do anything stupid.”
Opening my eyes, I looked down at my body. My shoes were off as were my jeans.
“Me, too.” I prayed.
Two weeks had passed since Jess and Bono shared their kiss in the darkroom. She could still feel his soft, thin lips on his. Kissing him was nothing like kissing her ex. Their kisses were never passionate, only habit. Bono, on the other hand, kissed her with such a passion that she had only read in books: deep, gentle, eager and careful mixed into one. It was the only kiss they had shared. She would have thought that she would have been uncomfortable after words, but it was all too natural for her-like air to her lungs.
She still snuck into his room at two in the morning, laid on his bed next to him to talk of dreams and childhoods. Sometimes they touched, a hand caressing another hand here and there or a leg bumping into another. Other nights they would slow dance to classical music. Nothing major, nothing that would cross the line. Secretly, both Bono and Jess dared one another to make a move, only to retreat in unknown silence. She felt too young to be so serious and he felt too old for romance.
It was too silent in the house for Jess. Downstairs she could hear Adam and Larry playing a video game but they weren’t as loud as usual. Edge went to sleep about an hour ago. She didn’t know where Bono was, probably in the guest room reading or writing. She got up and went to the room next to hers only to see that the light was off so she headed for the stairs.
Peaking from behind a wall, Jessica watched as Bono sat next to the fire, a glass of red wine in one hand, the other holding up his chin. He looked deep in thought and she didn’t want to intrude.
“You’re fine,” He said, almost like he could read her thoughts. “You can join me if you wish. I don’t mind good company.” He patted the empty space next to him on the floor.
Watching her as she sat down, Bono took a sip from the wine glass then twirled the liquid around. The fire was hot on her back and a smell of burnt ash filled the air. Finding words to say was almost a challenge for her.
“What are you thinking of?”
Bono sighed. “Not much really. Actually, I’m thinking of all the angry fans right now. The tour dates are getting pushed back by weeks. This has never happened before. It’s horrible feeling…let down your fans like that.”
“It’s not your fault. Your bus broke down. The roads are covered with six feet of snow. There is no way to get out of here. You’re lucky to have found a spot to stay. My house is one of three on this street.”
“I know,” He nodded. “We were very blessed to have found such a loving family to take us in. I could never make up for what your parents have done for us.”
“They don’t mind, I assure you.”
Feeling brave, Jess laced her fingers through Bono’s and he squeezed her hand, smiling his famous crooked smile. Setting down the wine glass on the end table, he cupped her face gently in his palm.
“Why are you always afraid to look at me?” He whispered.
“I’m not.”
“Then look at me.”
She lifted her eyes and found the blue iris’s. They knew it was coming, it was a long stretch of days from their last kiss and an urge needed to be fulfilled. Bono’s heart was pounding fiercely beneath his breast bone and he moved in, closing the gap between their lips.
Neither moved for a long while.
“It’s now or never,” Thought Jessica, pushing her lips into Bono’s, opening her mouth ever so slightly. He felt the tip of her tongue in the crack of his lips, prying them apart. He kissed her back, pulling her shoulders to his chest.
Pulling apart, Jess caught her breath, hardly realizing that she had stopped in the first place. If it was the fire, or the smell of his cologne or the taste of the red wine on his lips that put her in a trance, she didn’t mind, and felt motivated to carry on. Passionately, she took fistfuls of his hair in her hands and slammed their lips together.
He moaned in the pit of his throat, shocked at first, then taken the next. Bono found himself kissing back, their mouths creating a waltz he had never danced before with another woman. Usually he saw Jess as a child. For the moment, however, she was all woman.
“You’re everything I ever imagined.” She breathed, her fingers running along his stomach.
The exploding intensity was almost too much for him. It was too much for him.
“Stop,” He said, perhaps a bit too harshly. “We need to stop.”
A puzzling look shadowed her face and they sat up, Bono buttoning his shirt. “I’m sorry I just can’t do this. It’s not right.”
“What do you mean its not right? Did I do something?”
“It’s not you. Trust me, it’s nothing you’ve done. I just. I don’t know what to say. I’m not ready for this. If I hurt you I don’t know how I could live with myself.”
…what could she say?
“Is Bono there?” I asked.
“Yes, they’re all here. And Lucy. You have an hour to get your ass in here.”
“Calm your panties. I’ll be there.”
It hurt to get up. My body ached, my head was still dizzy. Great…I was still drunk. Why did I drink so much? Figuring a shower would help, the cold water only made me more tired and my stomach was beyond sour. After drying my hair, I did everything I could possibly do to get rid of the dark circles under my eyes. It was helpless. I was way too hung over.
After dressing into a pair of jeans, a black tank and Ed Hardy flats, I grabbed my purse and jolted out the door. I arrived at work fifteen minutes early, took an elevator to the third floor and practically sprinted to my office.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized the moment walking in. “I over slept.”
Lucy looked as if her eyes would pop out their sockets. “Rough night? Or did you hit by a truck?”
Adam and Larry chuckled under their breath and I threw a glare at them. This was not a funny matter. This was my career! Bono made eye contact with me from across the table, smirking.
Edge handed me a cup of iced Starbucks coffee. “I figured you might need this.”
“You’re a doll, thank you.”
“Alright, enough chit.” Lucy announced. “Let’s get to work. Now I chose these ones and the guys picked these ones.”
“But there are no individual pictures of us,” Edge said. “The ones you took of us when we were playing ’One.’”
“I didn’t use a digital for those,” I explained. “I’m going to develop them today and we will meet tomorrow for those shots. Now, these are nice, but I figure we should use only about three from the red backdrop. It’s a bit harsh on the eyes. Now, the black background is amazing and it will look exceptional if transformed into black and white, maybe even some selected color.”
Brooke disagreed. “I think we should keep them color. Intensify their eye colors perhaps.”
“Yes, we could do that.”
“What about both?” Lucy advised.
“Yeah, we will play around with them. I definitely want to keep the one of Edge using his guitar as a shield against Larry. Where is that one?”
Sifting through the pages of prints, I found what I was looking for and pointed it to Lucy and the guys. They all agreed that it was a humorous and well taken photo. The meeting lasted for another two hours, discarding the less favorable and setting aside the best captured photos.
We wrapped up the meeting and Adam and I went outside for a cigarette. He lit my cigarette for me and looked about the city.
“It’s always nice coming here. Now I’m not trying to be nosey but did anything happen between you and Bono last night?”
How forward. “I…I don’t know to be honest. I want to say no but I can’t be sure.”
“You don’t have to be secretive anymore. I know you and Bono had an affair. Why else would you write him for three years straight, even though he never wrote back.”
“Are you going to warn me too?”
He laughed. “No. I’m not here to be a father figure. I’m the last person to give relationship advice.”
“Your opinion is just as important as anyone else’s.”
“I’m afraid that none of us have a right to give you an opinion. What happens between you and Bono happens between you. But I think there is something I should tell you.”
His voice became very serious, almost too serious for a light hearted man like Adam. “You do know he’s engaged right?”
Did my heart just stop?
“Wh-what?”
“He didn’t tell you. I knew it. No one told you. Olivia Gilbert.”
How did I know that name? “The runway model? Bono is engaged to a runway model?”
He shamefully nodded. “I hate to be the one to tell you.”
“Don’t,” I smiled, taking his hand. “It doesn’t matter. It’s been six years since I’ve seen him. I didn’t expect him to hang on to me. I expected him to move on.”
“Don‘t you think that you deserve to move on as well?”
As if my head was spinning enough…
Bono walked over to Adam and I, a cigar in his mouth, a bottled water in his left hand. He flicked his cigar and asked Adam if he could have some privacy with me. The bassist nodded, gave me a peck on the cheek and went back into the building.
Going to light another cigarette, I fumbled with the lighter, my hands shaky and uncontrolled. Bono took out his Zippo and did the honors. I inhaled deeply and thanked him.
“Listen, about last night,” He said.
“Yeah, about last night. Did we…uh…well, you know…”
“No!” Quickly he said. “Defiantly not.”
“Thank God!” I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.
“Well, gee, would it have been that bad if we did?” He laughed.
“Yes, it would have been terrible if you must know. Whatever I did last night, whatever I said, and I’m sure I said a lot because I was beyond oblivious last night, meant nothing.”
“Oh, good. So I’m not an arrogant, big headed, selfish rock star then?”
Pause.
“No, you’re defiantly that. What I’m trying to say is, I know we got along last night, I remember bits and pieces, but don’t get the wrong idea. It was the alcohol speaking and I still want nothing to do with you.”
“Jessica, come one. Can’t you let this grudge go?”
My laughter had no humor. My voiced carried. “Let it go? Don’t you understand what you did to me? It’s not about pride, Bono! It’s about emotion! You didn’t have one shred of decency to at least write me one lousy letter! If you didn’t want to be with me that’s fine. I would have understood! I’m so much younger than you and it would ruin your precious rock star reputation!”
“It had nothing to do with reputation!” I’ve never heard Bono yell before.
“Then what was it! I’d really like to know! I wrote you three-hundred and seven letters! Sure, it’s a tad obsessive, but all I wanted to know was how you were and how your career was going! I wanted that friendship to remain! Nothing everything has to be romantic. You were a friend before a lover and you fed me to the dogs.”
Calming down and fighting back the tears, I looked him in the eye. “You took everything from me. You let me fall. Paul? There was no Paul. There was only Bono. I was too blind to see it. You took advantage of a young girl with no remorse. Admit it!”
He hung his head, his voice above a whisper. “I have more remorse than any man should have to carry on his shoulders. I got caught up in a moment.”
“You may have got caught up in a moment but I got stuck in that moment. I will never refer to you as Paul for as long as I live. You will only remain Bono to me. The rock star, not the man. It’s my turn to hurt you. And it’s not about revenge. It’s about fairness. Go home to your fiancée and stay there.”
This caught his attention. “Who told you?”
“What does it matter? At least someone had the decency to do what you should have done. I hope you don’t screw this one over like you did me.”
“I didn’t screw you over. I let you be free.”
“You call what you did to me ’freedom?’ Ha. You’re more selfish than I thought. I have work to do. Leave me.”
Staring for a long minute, Bono reached into his back pocket, retrieving a white envelope, handed it to me and shook his head. “I hope you can forgive me someday.”
Proceed???
Disclaimer: What should I own in this chapter? Erm...I own the photographs but I can share!
Other than that, don't know don't own.Chapter Six
Sunlight peaked in through the windows, burning the back of my eyelids. Not daring to open them, a phone rang in the distance. Groaning, I reached around blindly for my cell. Where the hell was I?
“’Ello?”
“Where the hell are you?” Brooke shrieked so loudly that I had to pull the phone from my ear. “You were supposed to be here an hour ago! Don’t you know that we’re supposed to go over the photos with band today? You went out drinking last night didn’t you?”
“Yeeees, I did. I’m sorry. Trust me, I‘m very sorry.”
“Bono had to call me because you didn’t know where your own apartment was.”
“Ha, ha, ha, really?”
“It’s not funny! I hope you didn’t do anything stupid.”
Opening my eyes, I looked down at my body. My shoes were off as were my jeans.
“Me, too.” I prayed.
Two weeks had passed since Jess and Bono shared their kiss in the darkroom. She could still feel his soft, thin lips on his. Kissing him was nothing like kissing her ex. Their kisses were never passionate, only habit. Bono, on the other hand, kissed her with such a passion that she had only read in books: deep, gentle, eager and careful mixed into one. It was the only kiss they had shared. She would have thought that she would have been uncomfortable after words, but it was all too natural for her-like air to her lungs.
She still snuck into his room at two in the morning, laid on his bed next to him to talk of dreams and childhoods. Sometimes they touched, a hand caressing another hand here and there or a leg bumping into another. Other nights they would slow dance to classical music. Nothing major, nothing that would cross the line. Secretly, both Bono and Jess dared one another to make a move, only to retreat in unknown silence. She felt too young to be so serious and he felt too old for romance.
It was too silent in the house for Jess. Downstairs she could hear Adam and Larry playing a video game but they weren’t as loud as usual. Edge went to sleep about an hour ago. She didn’t know where Bono was, probably in the guest room reading or writing. She got up and went to the room next to hers only to see that the light was off so she headed for the stairs.
Peaking from behind a wall, Jessica watched as Bono sat next to the fire, a glass of red wine in one hand, the other holding up his chin. He looked deep in thought and she didn’t want to intrude.
“You’re fine,” He said, almost like he could read her thoughts. “You can join me if you wish. I don’t mind good company.” He patted the empty space next to him on the floor.
Watching her as she sat down, Bono took a sip from the wine glass then twirled the liquid around. The fire was hot on her back and a smell of burnt ash filled the air. Finding words to say was almost a challenge for her.
“What are you thinking of?”
Bono sighed. “Not much really. Actually, I’m thinking of all the angry fans right now. The tour dates are getting pushed back by weeks. This has never happened before. It’s horrible feeling…let down your fans like that.”
“It’s not your fault. Your bus broke down. The roads are covered with six feet of snow. There is no way to get out of here. You’re lucky to have found a spot to stay. My house is one of three on this street.”
“I know,” He nodded. “We were very blessed to have found such a loving family to take us in. I could never make up for what your parents have done for us.”
“They don’t mind, I assure you.”
Feeling brave, Jess laced her fingers through Bono’s and he squeezed her hand, smiling his famous crooked smile. Setting down the wine glass on the end table, he cupped her face gently in his palm.
“Why are you always afraid to look at me?” He whispered.
“I’m not.”
“Then look at me.”
She lifted her eyes and found the blue iris’s. They knew it was coming, it was a long stretch of days from their last kiss and an urge needed to be fulfilled. Bono’s heart was pounding fiercely beneath his breast bone and he moved in, closing the gap between their lips.
Neither moved for a long while.
“It’s now or never,” Thought Jessica, pushing her lips into Bono’s, opening her mouth ever so slightly. He felt the tip of her tongue in the crack of his lips, prying them apart. He kissed her back, pulling her shoulders to his chest.
Pulling apart, Jess caught her breath, hardly realizing that she had stopped in the first place. If it was the fire, or the smell of his cologne or the taste of the red wine on his lips that put her in a trance, she didn’t mind, and felt motivated to carry on. Passionately, she took fistfuls of his hair in her hands and slammed their lips together.
He moaned in the pit of his throat, shocked at first, then taken the next. Bono found himself kissing back, their mouths creating a waltz he had never danced before with another woman. Usually he saw Jess as a child. For the moment, however, she was all woman.
“You’re everything I ever imagined.” She breathed, her fingers running along his stomach.
The exploding intensity was almost too much for him. It was too much for him.
“Stop,” He said, perhaps a bit too harshly. “We need to stop.”
A puzzling look shadowed her face and they sat up, Bono buttoning his shirt. “I’m sorry I just can’t do this. It’s not right.”
“What do you mean its not right? Did I do something?”
“It’s not you. Trust me, it’s nothing you’ve done. I just. I don’t know what to say. I’m not ready for this. If I hurt you I don’t know how I could live with myself.”
…what could she say?
“Is Bono there?” I asked.
“Yes, they’re all here. And Lucy. You have an hour to get your ass in here.”
“Calm your panties. I’ll be there.”
It hurt to get up. My body ached, my head was still dizzy. Great…I was still drunk. Why did I drink so much? Figuring a shower would help, the cold water only made me more tired and my stomach was beyond sour. After drying my hair, I did everything I could possibly do to get rid of the dark circles under my eyes. It was helpless. I was way too hung over.
After dressing into a pair of jeans, a black tank and Ed Hardy flats, I grabbed my purse and jolted out the door. I arrived at work fifteen minutes early, took an elevator to the third floor and practically sprinted to my office.
“I’m sorry,” I apologized the moment walking in. “I over slept.”
Lucy looked as if her eyes would pop out their sockets. “Rough night? Or did you hit by a truck?”
Adam and Larry chuckled under their breath and I threw a glare at them. This was not a funny matter. This was my career! Bono made eye contact with me from across the table, smirking.
Edge handed me a cup of iced Starbucks coffee. “I figured you might need this.”
“You’re a doll, thank you.”
“Alright, enough chit.” Lucy announced. “Let’s get to work. Now I chose these ones and the guys picked these ones.”
“But there are no individual pictures of us,” Edge said. “The ones you took of us when we were playing ’One.’”
“I didn’t use a digital for those,” I explained. “I’m going to develop them today and we will meet tomorrow for those shots. Now, these are nice, but I figure we should use only about three from the red backdrop. It’s a bit harsh on the eyes. Now, the black background is amazing and it will look exceptional if transformed into black and white, maybe even some selected color.”
Brooke disagreed. “I think we should keep them color. Intensify their eye colors perhaps.”
“Yes, we could do that.”
“What about both?” Lucy advised.
“Yeah, we will play around with them. I definitely want to keep the one of Edge using his guitar as a shield against Larry. Where is that one?”
Sifting through the pages of prints, I found what I was looking for and pointed it to Lucy and the guys. They all agreed that it was a humorous and well taken photo. The meeting lasted for another two hours, discarding the less favorable and setting aside the best captured photos.
We wrapped up the meeting and Adam and I went outside for a cigarette. He lit my cigarette for me and looked about the city.
“It’s always nice coming here. Now I’m not trying to be nosey but did anything happen between you and Bono last night?”
How forward. “I…I don’t know to be honest. I want to say no but I can’t be sure.”
“You don’t have to be secretive anymore. I know you and Bono had an affair. Why else would you write him for three years straight, even though he never wrote back.”
“Are you going to warn me too?”
He laughed. “No. I’m not here to be a father figure. I’m the last person to give relationship advice.”
“Your opinion is just as important as anyone else’s.”
“I’m afraid that none of us have a right to give you an opinion. What happens between you and Bono happens between you. But I think there is something I should tell you.”
His voice became very serious, almost too serious for a light hearted man like Adam. “You do know he’s engaged right?”
Did my heart just stop?
“Wh-what?”
“He didn’t tell you. I knew it. No one told you. Olivia Gilbert.”
How did I know that name? “The runway model? Bono is engaged to a runway model?”
He shamefully nodded. “I hate to be the one to tell you.”
“Don’t,” I smiled, taking his hand. “It doesn’t matter. It’s been six years since I’ve seen him. I didn’t expect him to hang on to me. I expected him to move on.”
“Don‘t you think that you deserve to move on as well?”
As if my head was spinning enough…
Bono walked over to Adam and I, a cigar in his mouth, a bottled water in his left hand. He flicked his cigar and asked Adam if he could have some privacy with me. The bassist nodded, gave me a peck on the cheek and went back into the building.
Going to light another cigarette, I fumbled with the lighter, my hands shaky and uncontrolled. Bono took out his Zippo and did the honors. I inhaled deeply and thanked him.
“Listen, about last night,” He said.
“Yeah, about last night. Did we…uh…well, you know…”
“No!” Quickly he said. “Defiantly not.”
“Thank God!” I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.
“Well, gee, would it have been that bad if we did?” He laughed.
“Yes, it would have been terrible if you must know. Whatever I did last night, whatever I said, and I’m sure I said a lot because I was beyond oblivious last night, meant nothing.”
“Oh, good. So I’m not an arrogant, big headed, selfish rock star then?”
Pause.
“No, you’re defiantly that. What I’m trying to say is, I know we got along last night, I remember bits and pieces, but don’t get the wrong idea. It was the alcohol speaking and I still want nothing to do with you.”
“Jessica, come one. Can’t you let this grudge go?”
My laughter had no humor. My voiced carried. “Let it go? Don’t you understand what you did to me? It’s not about pride, Bono! It’s about emotion! You didn’t have one shred of decency to at least write me one lousy letter! If you didn’t want to be with me that’s fine. I would have understood! I’m so much younger than you and it would ruin your precious rock star reputation!”
“It had nothing to do with reputation!” I’ve never heard Bono yell before.
“Then what was it! I’d really like to know! I wrote you three-hundred and seven letters! Sure, it’s a tad obsessive, but all I wanted to know was how you were and how your career was going! I wanted that friendship to remain! Nothing everything has to be romantic. You were a friend before a lover and you fed me to the dogs.”
Calming down and fighting back the tears, I looked him in the eye. “You took everything from me. You let me fall. Paul? There was no Paul. There was only Bono. I was too blind to see it. You took advantage of a young girl with no remorse. Admit it!”
He hung his head, his voice above a whisper. “I have more remorse than any man should have to carry on his shoulders. I got caught up in a moment.”
“You may have got caught up in a moment but I got stuck in that moment. I will never refer to you as Paul for as long as I live. You will only remain Bono to me. The rock star, not the man. It’s my turn to hurt you. And it’s not about revenge. It’s about fairness. Go home to your fiancée and stay there.”
This caught his attention. “Who told you?”
“What does it matter? At least someone had the decency to do what you should have done. I hope you don’t screw this one over like you did me.”
“I didn’t screw you over. I let you be free.”
“You call what you did to me ’freedom?’ Ha. You’re more selfish than I thought. I have work to do. Leave me.”
Staring for a long minute, Bono reached into his back pocket, retrieving a white envelope, handed it to me and shook his head. “I hope you can forgive me someday.”
Proceed???
it wasn't too provocative was it?
not too over the top or anything 
hehe
was this one ok, though? I just want to make sure. and thank you so much for the nice compliments. 
