Baby, Just Close Your Eyes

“Get that camera out of my face.” Jared groaned pulling the covers over his head.

“Nope. Wake up! I’m super bored! No one else is awake.” I said sitting on my knees and pouting down at him. He picked up his phone off the pillow and looked at the time.

“Why are you awake at six am for in the first place?!”

“I wish I knew. I can’t sleep.” I said laying down beside him. The guys had instilled the rule of no girls in the rooms from the first day but I’d managed my way in here almost every night since we had been here. His arm loosely laid across my hip. I waited until his soft snores filled my ear and then slipped out.

The sun was barely brinking the horizon. The wind lightly played with my hair. I pulled Jared’s GK cardigan closer to me and walked away from the house. I sat down and pulled off my shoes. The cold sand on my feet made me shiver. I held the camera up to the water and watched the sun rise my flash snapping every now and then.

“You know it’s a lot prettier if you just watch it.” Someone said behind me. I jumped. John sat down beside me, his Iphone out taking pictures of the surrounding area too.

“But….aren’t you doing the same thing?”

“You have the big fancy camera from work.” I looked down at the Nikon I had worked so hard for long before meeting any of them.

“I missed my camera. I didn’t have to work for the other one but there’s…..this one is just special.” I said adjusting the lens are taking picture of him silhouetted against the rising sun.

“You’d rather shoot with an older camera than a newer one?”

“It’s not about the camera. It’s about the talent and joy you get when you lift that camera and hold a minute of time in your hands its so beautiful. I could shoot with a dollar store digital camera and still be happy. Yeah, a faster flash works great when your at a show and have someone like Nate Flynn on stage. I don’t know. I hold pride in knowing that worked my ass for this.” I said holding it up.

“That’s deep, Annabelle.” I shrugged and played with the sand. John picked up a handful of it and tossed at me, hitting me in the arm with cold, white sand. My mouth fell open.

“Punk!” I threw some back at him, it quickly turned into a sand fight. I shielded my camera and took a picture of him throwing it into the air, a wide smile on his face. It was the happiest I had seen in some time. We settled down. The grains of sand made my head itch something fierce. I growled and smacked his arm. He laughed and brushed the top of my head off.

“I missed hanging out, Bella.”

“No ones called me Bella in so long, bro.” I said dumping the sand out of my shoe and pulling it back on.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m hungry. And, I need a shower. You suck at life.” I said sticking my tongue out at him. His phone flashed.

“That’s perfect. Thank you. I’ll make sure to caption that picture with your little quote.” He said standing up and following me.

“Come here you fucking giant.” He leaned his head on my shoulder. I held the camera up and took the picture. I didn’t want to look at it right away. I should have left when he showed up. John was going to be on my mind all day. It was awful what I was doing. Jared was second best. I adored Jared. He was the sweetest guy in the world but John….I’d never been able to put my finger on what exactly John was. Maybe it was the mystery I was attracted to. We walked back to the house silently enjoying the beach and the small warmth that heated the cold air.

“I’ll make pancakes if you promise not to use all the hot water.” I pinky promised him and went upstairs.

I sat on my bed. Hair curling in the breeze that came into the room from the balcony. The pictures I’d taken earlier were displayed across the screen of my laptop. I had yet to look at the one of John and I. I already knew it was going to be cute. It had crossed my mind multiple times while in the shower to just delete it and forget about this morning but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. There was a knock at the door. I closed the page to the desktop. I was on Jared’s back, we were both smiling. It was days after we’d been home and I’d gone to the beach in California for the first time. Great day.

“John said these are yours.” Kennedy said walking into the room with a plateful of hot pancakes. I smiled and took them from him. Kennedy sat down on my bed and lifted up the computer.

“Good morning to you too.” I said smiling at him.

“You know you really make him happy.” He said pointing to the screen. I nodded.

“Same. I adore that man.” I said leaning back. He pulled up the screen and looked through the pictures.

“When did you take these?”

“This morning. I woke up at three and couldn’t sleep so I watched t.v and edited for awhile and then it got later and I tried to wake up Jared but he wouldn’t get up so I went out and took pictures of the sunset but then John showed up and that’s when it happened.” I said in one breath.

“Guilty much?” He asked pulling up the dreaded picture. I sat the plate down on the night stand and pulled my knees up to my chest.

“No. Just…I’m…I don’t know. This morning was fun but it has me..”

“Thinking about this Summer and what could have happened?”

“I hate how well you read me.” He laughed and put the computer down.

“John is swoon worthy. It’s one of the many things I’ve learned on tour. The girls crowd him. He’s talented, witty, and mysterious. You’re no different. But, if you feel like you can’t commit to Jared over there its best to end it. Or I’ll tell him for you.” He said sternly. I hated when Kennedy got all serious biz with me. Ugh.

“Okay. Thanks for getting man period on me by the way.” He laughed.

“Dude, that’s gross! Too far.” He said standing up.

“Your face is gross.” He gaped at me.

“Take it back.”

“Nope.” I crossed my arms across my chest and stuck my chin in the air.

“Annabelle!! Take it back!”

“No way mister! You’re a jerk!” He lunged at me, tickling my sides. I screamed trying to wiggle away from him.

“If you let me go I’ll tell you secret!” I squealed. He instantly stopped and sat up staring at me intently.

“Well….What is it?!” I leaned close to him.

“I have a girl crush.” I said jumping off the bed and running downstairs. I slid onto a chair at the island in the kitchen. My head rested on my palms.

“Annnnnnaaaaabeeeellllleee! Tell me who!”

“What’s happening?” Garret asked sitting next to me.

“Annabelle has a girl crush and she won’t tell me who!” Kennedy whined.

“Oh, dude. So late.” Garret said.

“How do you know?”

“You have a million pictures of this red head on your laptop.” I laughed. He was right. It wasn’t really a girl crush. She was just really pretty and I’d kill for that voice.

“Garret caught me! It’s Hayley, bro.”

“Oh….I thought it was T. Swift.” Kennedy said blushing.

“Punch yourself in the face right now. She’s so ridiculous.” I said shaking my head.

“Nick would punch you in the face.” Jared said walking downstairs and kissing my forehead.

“So? She’s suing a bar for playing her music….in Idaho. People play her music in public constantly. I downloaded that shit to give her a chance for Dave. All the songs were the same and ughhhhh. I don’t like her. Let’s leave it at that.”

“She’s so passionate about the hate. Jared, you better watch your ass. Make her mad she’ll unleash secrets about.” Pat said leaning against the door way.

“I’d never do that. Pat, I feel like we never hang out! Where have you been buddy?”

“Here. There. Silently recording. Halvo says he’s coming to visit and bringing a special guest too.”

“Who?” We all asked in unison.

“That chick we met at that restaunt. You remember her name?”

“Emmy.” I said pulling out my vibrating phone.

“Is that her name?” Pat asked.

“No. I always throw random names out there for you.” I said sarcastically poking him in the tummy and answering the phone.

“Yo?”

“Do you ever get online anymore?!” Daray screeched in my ear.

“No! Why?!”

“I sent you my choices for stuff. I need help. His mom is going to go broke planning my wedding. I’m going to have to take out a loan for my dress alone!” I laughed.

“Describe this overly expensive dress.” She described it in full. I sighed. It was going to be beautiful.

“I don’t know what to do. His parents have some money and my dad has already agreed to drop $10,000.”

“Won’t that be enough?”

“Ha. I wish. We haven’t enough chosen a venue yet. Alex is stressed because the band is falling apart. I miss my friends.” She said sighing.

“Aw. I’ll come visit. Halvo and his girl are coming. I don’t wanna share my room with anyone.” I said a pout forming on my face.

“We’re going to California for the next two weeks for recording. So, after that?”

“For sure. I hope you have fun.”

“I will. Now, go look at what I sent you and Alex’s ridiculous choice for his boys.” I laughed and hung up.

Back upstairs I looked at the stuff she’d sent.

“Oh. That’s awful.”

“What’s awful?” Jared asked sliding onto the side of the bed and looking at the screen.

“Alex wants to pair polka dots and plaid. You never put a pattern with a pattern! It’s solid and pattern. You don’t want your outfit to be too busy!” I said looking down at a confused Jared.

“Your speaking Latin again, baby. Fashion isn’t my thing.”

“I’m not the most fashionable chick ever either but I do know that at least.” I said closing the email and sitting the computer on the night stand. He pulled me down and kissed me slowly. I smiled against his lips.

“Don’t worry about that stuff right now.” And, I didn’t. He was right. All the petty stuff was easily out weighed by his presence. Staying away from John had been easy for this long. I could do it now without anything happening because Jared deserved to be happy. I was settling. Yeah, that wasn’t the right thing to do but I had to…..for the band. We’d stay together for the kids.