A Little Piece of Heaven

Johnny pulled me aside at dinner. We were all celebrating together at Red Lobster the next evening, and Jimmy and Naomi were cuddled at the end of the booth and didn't notice us slip away. He took me outside and lit up a cigarette. I frowned a bit; the smoke always bothered me.

"Sorry," he said, blowing the smoke in the opposite direction I was standing.

I shrugged and said, "It's fine."

"No, it's not, and I know it," he replied. "I've been wanting to quit for awhile." He looked down at the bud, hesitated, then put it out. "Maybe now's a good time to start."

"Anyway," I said, "what's on your mind, JC?"

"I was thinking," he began. He looked back down at his dead cigarette before looking back up at me. "I know you and me haven't really..." He paused, collecting his thoughts. "Well, we haven't had sex like you've had with the other guys- especially Brian."

I opened my mouth, but he cut me off.

"No- it's true, which it also in a way means I don't know you like the others do. But I'd like to know you, not like you have with them, though. So I guess this is me asking you if- if you'd like to go on a date sometime. A real date, not like our little excursion yesterday."

I smiled, and I was about to reply when the door opened and Zacky peeked around the corner.

"Guys, food's here," he said.

"Ah, great, I'm starved," said Johnny.

I followed him through the door. As I passed Zacky, I elbowed him in the side. He shut the door and said, "What the hell was that about?"

"For interrupting, you ass-clown," I sniped.

Zacky let out a chuckle and poked my side. I couldn't help but smile as I slid into the booth in between Johnny and him, across from Jimmy and Naomi.

Naomi kicked me under the table, and I threw her a dirty look. She raised her eyebrows at me, knowing Johnny had asked me out without me even saying a word. I nodded, and she squealed with joy.

"What the...no, nevermind," said Brian. "I don't even want to know."

"No, you don't," Naomi giggled.
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I rode back to the house with Johnny, Naomi, and Jimmy. It was silent, for the most part, except for the occasional giggle from Naomi. I bit my lip, wanting to talk to Johnny, but instead I looked at him. His eyes were concentrated on the road. It had begun to rain, and I was glad he was focused on not killing us.

Jimmy tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to him, and he grinned.

"Go for it, Turner," he whispered. "You know you wanna."

"Shut up, Sully," I said, pushing him back. He and Naomi laughed, but I was turning red, and I knew it.

Johnny glanced away for a second, and he rested his hand on mine. By the time I had looked back at him, he was already looking at the road again. I turned my hand over and laced my fingers into his. I saw him smile.

We reached home faster than the other three, who'd driven in Matt's car. Naomi and Jimmy toppled from the car, and walked up to the front door laughing with each other.

Johnny opened my car door and helped me out, even though it wasn't really necessary. He touched my cheek and smiled as the rain drenched us.

"We're getting soaked," I said.

"I don't care," replied Johnny.

We stood there for a second, but Matt pulled up. Zacky rolled down the window, laughing.

"Christ, can't you two get wet inside?" he yelled.

Even I laughed at that. Johnny, I could see, was struggling not to let Zacky have this one, so instead he flipped him off. I shut the car door and led the way back to the house.

I managed to dry off and get changed into my pajamas- a pair of shorts and a barely-fitting tank top- without any more jokes from the guys. I was just about to turn down the covers when instead I crept down the hall to Johnny's room. I knocked on his door and opened. He was grabbing a shirt, standing in only sweatpants. He nodded to me, and I leaned against the door frame.

"I, uh, just wanted to tell you that- yeah, I-I'd like to...go out."