Episode 15: Playing With Fire

Previously, on "The Real World, Sunset Valley":
Episode 14 (Calm and Confident)

-Pak met a woman named Karrie at the art museum.
-They hit it off but he learned that she's married.
-Karrie is still interested in seeing Pak again.
-Her son saw them flirting and he started crying.
-Jason slept in Brooke's room that night.





It's getting late. Brooke has been chatting with Matt for over two hours. She's so engrossed in their conversation that she forgets she's not alone in the room. As she closes the laptop, she can hear a light tap. The room suddenly becomes filled with heavy silence as she becomes more aware of Jason's presence. It's strange because they used to share the room on the second floor. But somehow Jason finds her in this room, and he decides to sleep here. What is he doing??

Ever since she found Jason and Hannah in a lover's embrace, she had to teach herself to accept their new relationship, no matter how devastating it was for her. Matt's appearance in her life could not have come at a more perfect time because now she will not be in this alone. At least she has found someone that can give her hope, support, companionship, and possibly help her get over Jason.

But seeing Jason asleep on his own bed, next to hers, in the same room, does not help. At all. She fully prepared herself for the possibility that he will be sleeping in Hannah's room from now on, but this completely threw her off. How exactly am I supposed to get over this guy when he is only a few feet from me at night? But the strange thing is, she actually feels slightly comforted by his presence. As naive as it seems, she's actually flattered that he chose to sleep in her room instead of Hannah's.



Brooke: Umm...hello?? I'm very sleepy. But I have to make it look dramatic even though I know where my bed is.

Go to sleep, Brooke. You're such a sim. 



Why is he dreaming about baby bottles?? Good lord, I hope Hannah's not pregnant. 



As she gets ready to nestle under the covers, she catches a quick glance at Jason shirtless. She never noticed this before nor was it an issue, but it makes her very uneasy. Her body wants to climb in bed with him so she can fall asleep in his strong arms and smell his skin, but her head is telling her to keep away. Do not play with fire. You will get burned.



Okay, that's more like it. This is the Jason I know.



Whaaat?? He's dreaming about settling down??



Now they're both dreaming about the same thing.



Is his subconscious trying to tell him something or is someone REALLY pregnant??



Okay, so he dreams about baby bottles, settling down and teddy bears but he's against getting engaged. What is he so afraid of??



Hannah doesn't sleep in her room either. She sleeps in the first floor bedroom with Thor.



Good morning, Sunset Valley!



Look who's bright and cheery this morning! He's even making pancakes.



Pak: I can't believe I met someone as hot as Karrie. And she wants to see me!!

Oooh la la. Love is definitely in the air!!



Pak: She couldn't resist these guns. *flex*



Ahem. The dishwasher broke. Again.



Pak: Dammit!! I seriously need to start charging for my services around here.



Pak: Pancakes for the boys!!



Pak: No. Nooooo!! Dammit. What am I gonna eat now?



Autumn salad? For breakfast?

Pak: Better than burnt pancakes.



Pak: A man's work is never done. Let's see what we got here.



Pak: Yeah buddy!!

It truly is handy to have a handyman.



Oh yeah. The stereo broke too.

Pak: Aww, come on!! I gotta get to work.

You can take the glasses off Pak, but he's still a nerd inside. He's just in a different packaging.



Brooke is still sleeping when Jason wakes up. He had such a good night's sleep that the sight of Brooke in peaceful slumber catches him off guard. Her long black hair fans out over the pillow, framing her delicate face. Her mouth is slightly open as she breathes softly. Sometimes she would make these muffled groaning sounds, as if she's gasping for air. She looks so sexy when she sleeps. I just want to wake her up with a kiss.

Then flashbacks of his steamy night with Hannah suddenly brings him back to reality. I can't believe I slept with her. At that time, in the throes of passion, it felt right. But seeing Brooke sleeping in front of him just makes him feel guilty. And horrible. He doesn't understand why he feelst that way even though they are just friends, and nothing more. This is crazy. I'm not even with her but I feel bad. Like I cheated on her or something. Could it be that part of him wanted to share that special moment with Brooke? The heart has no reason.

With Hannah, it was different. It felt good to have someone next to him in bed, especially after they've been intimate, but he still felt a slight apprehension. It was as if he didn't want to give too much of himself because he wasn't sure how much he had to give her. Maybe if I give it more time, I'll feel closer to Hannah. 

Still, he couldn't explain why he found himself in Brooke's room instead.

"Watching every motion in this foolish lover's game
Haunted by the notion somewhere there's a love in flames
Turning and returning to some secret place inside
Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say
Take my breath away"



Jason: Mmm...what would she feel like in my arms??



Hannah: I hope I didn't scare him away. He didn't come to bed last night.



Brooke: Jason...

For the first time, Brooke became self-conscious about the way she dresses. Her style is usually sexy and trendy (to show off her figure), but something about her encounter with Matt and Jason's presence makes her want to tone it down a little bit, even her make-up. She doesn't want to walk around in short skirts and lacy lingerie all the time anymore. Strangely, she wants to add some mystery, as well as save those sexy outfits for a special guy. The guy that she's going to give herself to.

She feels really good about her decision. For once, she wantsto be appreciated for her personality and intelligence, not just her looks. That magical night with Matt inspired her to have more respect for herself, as well as aspire for bigger dreams. I'm a smart girl. I should become a doctor. I don't know what I was so afraid of before.



Jason is nervous about how the three of them will act around each other. Especially after the date, and especially after he and Hannah slept together. To their knowledge, Brooke doesn't know. They have no idea how devastated she was when she saw them together.



Little does Hannah know, Jason slept in Brooke's room last night.



The sight of Hannah in her underwear makes Brooke sick to her stomach again. She looks so different now. Gone is the pale, quiet girl that used to wear glasses. This Hannah is thinner, prettier, has fiery red hair, has sex appeal and oozes confidence. The thought of Jason touching and kissing Hannah's body sends sharp stabbing pains through her vulnerable heart. Worse yet, the thought of Hannah touching and kissing Jason's body makes her even more ill. So ill that she wasn't even sure if she could stay in the dining room to eat her breakfast.



She's hoping that this is all a bad dream that she would eventually wake up from. But it isn't. This morning is very real, and it still retains the remnants of the sexual energy between Jason and Hannah. The look in their eyes share a secret that only they both know: an intimate knowledge of each other's bodies.



Hannah: Good morning.

The sound of Hannah's voice makes Brooke want to lunge at her and pound her to a bloody pulp. Then she would take her plate of autumn salad and smash her face with it until there's nothing left but ceramic fragments on the floor. Then she would hear her scream for help as she sees blood being splattered all over the walls. That would ease her anger and jealousy, and she would quench her desire for revenge.

If this bitch rubs anything in, I swear I'm going to beat her ass.



Brooke: Good morning.

---------------------

"Take My Breath Away" by Berlin



Next: Episode 16 (Three's A Crowd)