All Grown Up

Chapter 6

Jo woke up slowly realizing she was alone on the couch. Not wanting to awake fully she closed her eyes and wondered if this was all a dream. Opening her eyes again she saw the roses on the table, and next to them a note with her phone.

Sleepyhead.
I put my number in your phone.
Text me when you get up.
Sorry I had to run.
Matt

A smile spread across her lips. So it had been real. The whole night of watching t.v. making out then watching more TV. No pressure no words just bliss. She let out a sigh, looking towards the windows she noticed the blinds drawn and she remembered they were opened last night. Matt must have closed them, she thought.

Getting off the couch proved to be a problem her whole body was sore. Sleeping against Matt was not as comfy as one would think, after all he was pure muscle. But it had been the best night of her life. Surprisingly she picked up her cell phone and text-ed him.

To: Matt Sanders
Good morning.

Going to make coffee she heard her cell phone ring. She ran and picked it up. “Good morning to you too.” Matt said, a smile spread across Jo’s lips.

“Hey,” Jo answered realizing her voice not quite up to par, she couched

“How are you feeling?” Matt asked concerned.

“Good just making some coffee. You should of woken me up,” Jo said filling up the filter with coffee.

“You were too cute for me to wake up, besides I had to leave. It was easier this way.” Matt said. His words hurt Jo in a way she didn’t know she could hurt.

“Oh,” Jo said sitting down. Bracing herself for something bad.

“Yeah, ok well I got to go my turn to drive. I’ll call you when we get a break.” Matt said, making Jo realize that he was already gone and she didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to him. She let out a sight and said her goodbyes.

1 hour earlier.

“Sam, Sammy wake up,” Brian’s voice filtered Sam’s dream. She fluttered her eyes closed them then turned over. “I know you’re awake.”

“What time is it?” Sam asked. Remembering nothing but shots, and beer.

“9 a.m” Brian said lifting her arm then letting it drop.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Sam asked opening one eye, he looked as fresh as day, when she stirred someone groaned. She looked down there slept The Rev, his mouth hanging half open. More images from the night before came to her.

“We’re going to have to leave soon. And I didn’t want to leave you without saying a proper goodbye,” Brian pulled her to sit up. He sat down next to her and placed his arm around her.

“I’d take sleep any day, over a goodbye,” Sam said snuggling into his shirt, she really wanted to go back to sleep.

“I know I know. I’ll drive you home,” Brian said.

“But you’re still drunk,” Sam mumbled.

“Nah, I’m not driving I’ll get us a cab,” Brian sat up and pulled her up with him. She lost her balance but he caught her. “Whoa there.”

“Can you take me to Chapters?” Sam asked. Brian looked at her.

“Why do you want to go there?” Brian asked as he got her jacket and put it on her. She smiled at him, slowly waking up.

“I have to buy a book…” Sam said, her tone implying a duhhh at the end of her sentence.

“Chapters it is.” Brian walked Sam to the elevator then kissed her forehead as they waited for the elevator to show up. They got into the cab without talking. Brian asked if there was any book shop close and the cabby took them there.

“Here we are,” Brian said leading Sam out of the car.

They walked in and Sam went directly to the Number 1 book. She picked it up, and started walking towards the cash register. “Are you sure you don’t want to look around?” Brian asked walking besides her.

“Yeah,” Sam said paying for the book.

“What’s the book?” Brian asked as they got another cab.

“How to hold on.” Sam gave him the book to look over.

“You have an addiction problem? Suicide? What is this?” Brian asked turning the book over.

“It’s my next article.” Sam said, as the cab stopped and they got in.

“Oh, why would Rolling Stones do an article about a book on suicide?” Brian asked, Sam took the book out of his hands and turned it to a random page. She pointed to the chapter name.

Afterlife

“You mean?” Brian waited for Sam to answer.

“Yes, the book has a song motif, every chapter is written based on a song, by a number of artists, Avenged Sevenfold being just one of them.” Sam closed the book, trying to think straight.

“That’s pretty cool.” Brian said, sounding excited. “Who’s the writer?”

“Um, Ioana (E-wanna),” Sam said.

“Who’s that?” Brian noticed from her voice that there was something more to the name then just the sound of it.

“It’s Jo.” Brian’s eyes opened wide.

“You mean?”

“Yeah,” Sam nodded. “But you can’t say anything.”

“Why?” Brian asked.

“Because it’s a fairly new thing, and not a lot of people know she wrote it, hence there’s no picture on the cover of it. She wants to keep it private. Especially from people just meeting her, I mean people might read the book and judge her. But that book means a lot to her,“ Sam sounded sad.

“Is this book about her?” Brian asked.

“Is it autobiographical? No. But some of it is true, not the best parts of it, but enough of it for her not to want people to know for now that she wrote it.” Sam looked at him straight in the eyes. “So you can’t tell anyone.”

“Why did you tell me?” Brian asked pushing her bangs out of her eyes.

“Because I trust you.” Sam said.

“I’ve achieved my goal.” Brian smiled as they pulled up to the apartment building.

“Don’t abuse it.” She got out of the car, and kissed his cheek through the open door. “Thanks, I had a lot of fun last night.”

She walked away as he stared after her, he did too. Drinking with the band was something he did often yet last night was more fun. Maybe she made it more fun. One thing he was sure of he was going to see her again. He told the cabby the hotel address.

Sam said hello to the guard. “Here are you keys miss. Mr. Sanders gave them to me this morning with strict instructions to give them to you as soon as you cam in.”

Sam said her thanks and went to the elevator. She pressed the button to the top floor and hugged the book to herself. She had not read Jo’s book in a while, actually since the first draft which was years ago, maybe 5 or 6, she wasn’t looking forward to it, but part of thought it was time to face the past.

She got to the apartment and opened the door. “Hey,” Sam called out.

“Hey,” Jo called back. She came into the room, dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Hair drawn back, no make-up. Her eyes were sad.

“What’s up?” Sam asked.

“Nothing much, just did some unpacking, I’m going to be sticking around for a while.” Jo said as she went to pick up her cup of coffee. “What’s that?” She pointed to the book in Sam’s hands.

“Um…a book,” Sam answered taking her coat off.

“I figured as much.” Jo said laughing, she sat down on the couch.

“It’s your book, actually.” When Sam said that her face dropped.

“You didn’t tell anyone did you?” Jo asked, all jokes aside.
“No I didn’t,” Sam answered sitting down.

“Good.” Jo took another sip of coffee.

“Don’t you think it’s time for people to know?” Sam said looking at Jo, watching her eyes dart across the room.

“No.”

“But..” Sam started to say.

“No,” Jo repeated firmly.

“Ok, whatever you decide. I’ll talk to you laters. I’m beat.” Sam got up there would be no point in talking about the book now.

“You still have to tell me what you did last night,” Jo said picking up the remote control.

“I know, when I know you’ll know,” Sam said reaching the door to her bedroom.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jo asked her attention away from the TV.

“I don’t remember much about it.” Sam said showing that pretty much upset her.

“That’s ok, get some sleep.” Jo turned her attention back to the T.V. She thought about Matt, and maybe she was ready to open her heart up again, but she was scared, what would happen if he hurt her? What would happen if the past repeated itself? Has she learned enough?