Sequel: True Affection. ›
Status: Completed.
Fuel to the Fire.
When it Started.
“I need to find you a boyfriend.”
“No thank you”, I said laughing throwing a packet of pop tarts in the cart.
“Yes, so we can go on double dates.”
“That’s the most awkward thing.”
“Blind dates are. I once got set up on this blind date when Jeff and I broke up for a bit. My friend, well ex friend, set me up with this guy. Total douche, it was horrible”, she said making me laugh.
“My best friend back home once set me a date with her boyfriend’s friend. They didn’t tell me the guy has two kids with two different women.”
“Sounds like a winner to me”, she said smiling before throwing some fruity pebbles in the cart.
“So what’s up with you and the neighbor?”
“Who?”
“JohnOhhhh.”
“Do you know him?” I asked with a laugh.
“Yeah, we went to high school together. Nice guy, I approve”, she said nudging me.
“He’s a nice guy, but not my type.”
“How is he not your type? That man is gorgeous!”
“Well I don’t go for guys with girlfriends”, I said with a laugh.
“Oh, don’t worry about that slut Danielle. She’s a total bitch, plus I see the way John looks at you. He wants it.”
“Whatever you say”, I said laughing before throwing a bag of chips in the cart.
We paid half and half for the groceries and went back home. School was going to start soon and I was beyond nervous. I didn’t know why, but it caused me to have a knot in my stomach. My Dad was disappointed that I decided to move here so early but I just needed out of San Diego and start new. I sat down on the couch reading up on the chapters for my Sociology class. Assigned reading before the class even started, welcome to college.
“Dylan!”
I looked up and saw John standing there with a smile. I just smiled back before he walked over closer standing in front of me.
“We’re going to the lake right now and you’re going.”
“Sorry I can’t, I’m reading there chapters.”
“Are you crazy?! School hasn’t even started yet!” he practically yelled laughing.
“They assigned the reading and I wanted to get it done. I don’t want to be behind.”
“Oh Dylan, Dylan; I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”
I just shrugged when Emma walked into the doors with a smile. She lifted her eyebrows suggestively before John turned around.
“Hey Em, can you please tell Dylan to come to the lake with us.”
“I tried John, but the bookworm turned me down.”
“Dylan, please come with us.”
“Johnnnn.”
He bent down on the floor, completely on his knees looking at me with a smirk. His hands were together and he gave me those puppy eyes, he was adorable.
“Pleaseeeee.”
“Fine, fine. Get off your knees!” I yelled blushing.
“Yes! Be ready in 10”, he said before walking out the apartment.
Emma sat down next to me with a big smile that said I told you so all over it. I just rolled my eyes before getting up and getting dressed. I grabbed my bikini and the put shorts and a tank top over. I grabbed my blue vans slipping them on and then my black pairs of ray bans and I was out the door. I walked out and saw everyone standing there, I felt awkward once more. I got in Jeff’s car and we followed them to the lake. Once we got there we saw it was a big party. Once again I felt out of place. I watched as they all docked the boat and got in the water. I didn’t know it was this big of a deal. Everyone around me was drinking and having fun but I sat there uncomfortable.
“Beer?”
I looked over at John who was holding the pretty girl under his arm. I just nodded my head and grabbed the beer from his hand.
“Dylan this is my girlfriend Danielle”, he said introducing us.
“Hi”, I said with a smile but she just glared at me.
“Why aren’t you in your bikini?”
I looked at her barely anything bathing suit and I just shrugged. John just laughed and grabbed her away from me. I looked over at them kissing and that jealousy pain was back. I downed the beer, as fast as I ever drank any kind of alcoholic beverage. And then filled it up and started the drinking.
“Let's get in the water!”
“I’m down, I said smiling at Emma.
I took off my shoes and then felt kind of uncomfortable to strip down in my bikini but I just manned up and followed suit. I felt eyes staring in my direction. I looked up and saw John looking over in my direction, I smiled and he smiled back looking me up and down. I probably looked disgusting. Emma grabbed my hand as we jumped into the water. The water felt amazing. I was always a big fan of water, even since I was younger. I looked up and saw all the guys jumping in after us. After those couple of beers, I was done drinking. This heat was too much, I couldn’t handle it.
“Hey fishy.”
“Hey”, I said stopping and looking over at Kennedy.
“You look adorable when you swim.”
“Thanks, I guess”, I said with a laugh.
“What are you two talking about here?”
I looked up and saw John smiling at us; I was surprised Danielle wasn’t attached to his hip.
“How cute Dylan looks when she swims.”
John looked over at Kennedy for a second before looking back at me and nodding his head in approval.
“My good friend Kenny is right; you do look adorable when you swim. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile as much as you are now. Friend of the water?”
“Best friends, water and I go way back.”
John just laughed. I watched as Kennedy gave John a look and John gave him the same look but stayed put and continued to talk to me. The rest of the day was spent like this. I didn’t want to leave the lake, but eventually we had to. We packed up and went back home. For some reason the air was cool, I placed my hoodie on and we drove back home. Once we got there, everyone went home except for John, his girlfriend, Kennedy, Jared and Eric. We sat in our living room talking. The talking turned into us playing guitar and having sing alongs. This of course made Danielle very annoyed.
“Babe I want to go to bed”, I heard her whisper.
“Then go sleep in my bed.”
I tried my best not to have them notice me listen in on their conversation.
“Babe.”
“Danielle just go to sleep in my bed, I’ll be there soon. I just want to hang out with my friends before I start school.”
“Fine, key?” she asked standing up as everyone stared up at her.
“The doors open”, he said simply not even looking at her.
She walked out the door, stomping her feet in the process. I looked over at the guys laughing, John was oblivious to this.
“I think Dylan should play a song.”
“I second that!” Eric screamed making everyone laugh.
“No no no.”
“Come on Dylan”, Emma said grabbing my arm.
“No!” I said putting my arms up.
“Come on, we’ll have a cute little duet. I’ll sing with you.”
“No, I don’t really sing in front of people.”
“We’re not just people we’re your friends”, Jared said with a smile.
I couldn’t help but to some at this, I just nodded my head and reached for the acoustic guitar. They all looked at me excited, yelling and cheering already. I just laughed and put my finger to my lips, feeling really embarrassed for what I was about to do right now.
“What song shall we sing beautiful?” John asked me.
“Any requests?”
“Sounds of settling!”
“Yes!” John yelled making me laugh.
“Do you know the chords?” Kennedy asked looking over at me.
“Yeah”, I said feeling embarrassed.
I tuned the guitar feeling really nervous. Then I started to play the chords not daring to look up.
“I've got a hunger
Twisting my stomach into knots
That my tongue was tied off
My brain's repeating
"if you've got an impulse let it out"
But they never make it past my mouth.”
I felt them all staring at me but I didn’t look up as I sang the lyrics.
“Baa bah, this is the sound of settling
Baa bah, baa bah”, they all sang along with me making me laugh a bit.
“Our youth is fleeting
Old age is just around the bend
And i can't wait to go grey
And i'll sit and wonder
Of every love that could've been
If i'd only thought of something charming to say.” John and I sang together as they all joined in and of course it turned into a huge sing a long.
“Baa bah, this is the sound of settling
Baa bah, baa bah”, we all sang together once again dancing around.
I couldn’t help but to notice John’s voice, it was amazing. No one really noticed it but I did. He had such a raspy tone and I loved it.
“I've got a hunger twisting my stomach into knots.”
They all cheered, chanting my name. I couldn’t help but to laugh at how ridiculous this was. I put the guitar down and they just told me how amazing I was, but they were just being nice. Finally the compliments went down and we started talking about other things. I felt someone’s eyes on me, so I looked over and was looking into John’s eyes. He smiled at me and I smiled back, he had a beautiful smile. Then he grabbed him phone out of his pocket and with a sigh he stood up, I was hoping he was just going to the bathroom but that wasn’t the case.
“The old lady awaits, see you guys later”, he said waving us off.
“Bye”, we all said but mine just sounded way more sad then the others.
I sat there, once again feeling jealous but I tried to put it aside and converse with everyone. Repeating in my head, “he’s taken”
He’s just a guy, right?
“No thank you”, I said laughing throwing a packet of pop tarts in the cart.
“Yes, so we can go on double dates.”
“That’s the most awkward thing.”
“Blind dates are. I once got set up on this blind date when Jeff and I broke up for a bit. My friend, well ex friend, set me up with this guy. Total douche, it was horrible”, she said making me laugh.
“My best friend back home once set me a date with her boyfriend’s friend. They didn’t tell me the guy has two kids with two different women.”
“Sounds like a winner to me”, she said smiling before throwing some fruity pebbles in the cart.
“So what’s up with you and the neighbor?”
“Who?”
“JohnOhhhh.”
“Do you know him?” I asked with a laugh.
“Yeah, we went to high school together. Nice guy, I approve”, she said nudging me.
“He’s a nice guy, but not my type.”
“How is he not your type? That man is gorgeous!”
“Well I don’t go for guys with girlfriends”, I said with a laugh.
“Oh, don’t worry about that slut Danielle. She’s a total bitch, plus I see the way John looks at you. He wants it.”
“Whatever you say”, I said laughing before throwing a bag of chips in the cart.
We paid half and half for the groceries and went back home. School was going to start soon and I was beyond nervous. I didn’t know why, but it caused me to have a knot in my stomach. My Dad was disappointed that I decided to move here so early but I just needed out of San Diego and start new. I sat down on the couch reading up on the chapters for my Sociology class. Assigned reading before the class even started, welcome to college.
“Dylan!”
I looked up and saw John standing there with a smile. I just smiled back before he walked over closer standing in front of me.
“We’re going to the lake right now and you’re going.”
“Sorry I can’t, I’m reading there chapters.”
“Are you crazy?! School hasn’t even started yet!” he practically yelled laughing.
“They assigned the reading and I wanted to get it done. I don’t want to be behind.”
“Oh Dylan, Dylan; I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.”
I just shrugged when Emma walked into the doors with a smile. She lifted her eyebrows suggestively before John turned around.
“Hey Em, can you please tell Dylan to come to the lake with us.”
“I tried John, but the bookworm turned me down.”
“Dylan, please come with us.”
“Johnnnn.”
He bent down on the floor, completely on his knees looking at me with a smirk. His hands were together and he gave me those puppy eyes, he was adorable.
“Pleaseeeee.”
“Fine, fine. Get off your knees!” I yelled blushing.
“Yes! Be ready in 10”, he said before walking out the apartment.
Emma sat down next to me with a big smile that said I told you so all over it. I just rolled my eyes before getting up and getting dressed. I grabbed my bikini and the put shorts and a tank top over. I grabbed my blue vans slipping them on and then my black pairs of ray bans and I was out the door. I walked out and saw everyone standing there, I felt awkward once more. I got in Jeff’s car and we followed them to the lake. Once we got there we saw it was a big party. Once again I felt out of place. I watched as they all docked the boat and got in the water. I didn’t know it was this big of a deal. Everyone around me was drinking and having fun but I sat there uncomfortable.
“Beer?”
I looked over at John who was holding the pretty girl under his arm. I just nodded my head and grabbed the beer from his hand.
“Dylan this is my girlfriend Danielle”, he said introducing us.
“Hi”, I said with a smile but she just glared at me.
“Why aren’t you in your bikini?”
I looked at her barely anything bathing suit and I just shrugged. John just laughed and grabbed her away from me. I looked over at them kissing and that jealousy pain was back. I downed the beer, as fast as I ever drank any kind of alcoholic beverage. And then filled it up and started the drinking.
“Let's get in the water!”
“I’m down, I said smiling at Emma.
I took off my shoes and then felt kind of uncomfortable to strip down in my bikini but I just manned up and followed suit. I felt eyes staring in my direction. I looked up and saw John looking over in my direction, I smiled and he smiled back looking me up and down. I probably looked disgusting. Emma grabbed my hand as we jumped into the water. The water felt amazing. I was always a big fan of water, even since I was younger. I looked up and saw all the guys jumping in after us. After those couple of beers, I was done drinking. This heat was too much, I couldn’t handle it.
“Hey fishy.”
“Hey”, I said stopping and looking over at Kennedy.
“You look adorable when you swim.”
“Thanks, I guess”, I said with a laugh.
“What are you two talking about here?”
I looked up and saw John smiling at us; I was surprised Danielle wasn’t attached to his hip.
“How cute Dylan looks when she swims.”
John looked over at Kennedy for a second before looking back at me and nodding his head in approval.
“My good friend Kenny is right; you do look adorable when you swim. I don’t think I’ve seen you smile as much as you are now. Friend of the water?”
“Best friends, water and I go way back.”
John just laughed. I watched as Kennedy gave John a look and John gave him the same look but stayed put and continued to talk to me. The rest of the day was spent like this. I didn’t want to leave the lake, but eventually we had to. We packed up and went back home. For some reason the air was cool, I placed my hoodie on and we drove back home. Once we got there, everyone went home except for John, his girlfriend, Kennedy, Jared and Eric. We sat in our living room talking. The talking turned into us playing guitar and having sing alongs. This of course made Danielle very annoyed.
“Babe I want to go to bed”, I heard her whisper.
“Then go sleep in my bed.”
I tried my best not to have them notice me listen in on their conversation.
“Babe.”
“Danielle just go to sleep in my bed, I’ll be there soon. I just want to hang out with my friends before I start school.”
“Fine, key?” she asked standing up as everyone stared up at her.
“The doors open”, he said simply not even looking at her.
She walked out the door, stomping her feet in the process. I looked over at the guys laughing, John was oblivious to this.
“I think Dylan should play a song.”
“I second that!” Eric screamed making everyone laugh.
“No no no.”
“Come on Dylan”, Emma said grabbing my arm.
“No!” I said putting my arms up.
“Come on, we’ll have a cute little duet. I’ll sing with you.”
“No, I don’t really sing in front of people.”
“We’re not just people we’re your friends”, Jared said with a smile.
I couldn’t help but to some at this, I just nodded my head and reached for the acoustic guitar. They all looked at me excited, yelling and cheering already. I just laughed and put my finger to my lips, feeling really embarrassed for what I was about to do right now.
“What song shall we sing beautiful?” John asked me.
“Any requests?”
“Sounds of settling!”
“Yes!” John yelled making me laugh.
“Do you know the chords?” Kennedy asked looking over at me.
“Yeah”, I said feeling embarrassed.
I tuned the guitar feeling really nervous. Then I started to play the chords not daring to look up.
“I've got a hunger
Twisting my stomach into knots
That my tongue was tied off
My brain's repeating
"if you've got an impulse let it out"
But they never make it past my mouth.”
I felt them all staring at me but I didn’t look up as I sang the lyrics.
“Baa bah, this is the sound of settling
Baa bah, baa bah”, they all sang along with me making me laugh a bit.
“Our youth is fleeting
Old age is just around the bend
And i can't wait to go grey
And i'll sit and wonder
Of every love that could've been
If i'd only thought of something charming to say.” John and I sang together as they all joined in and of course it turned into a huge sing a long.
“Baa bah, this is the sound of settling
Baa bah, baa bah”, we all sang together once again dancing around.
I couldn’t help but to notice John’s voice, it was amazing. No one really noticed it but I did. He had such a raspy tone and I loved it.
“I've got a hunger twisting my stomach into knots.”
They all cheered, chanting my name. I couldn’t help but to laugh at how ridiculous this was. I put the guitar down and they just told me how amazing I was, but they were just being nice. Finally the compliments went down and we started talking about other things. I felt someone’s eyes on me, so I looked over and was looking into John’s eyes. He smiled at me and I smiled back, he had a beautiful smile. Then he grabbed him phone out of his pocket and with a sigh he stood up, I was hoping he was just going to the bathroom but that wasn’t the case.
“The old lady awaits, see you guys later”, he said waving us off.
“Bye”, we all said but mine just sounded way more sad then the others.
I sat there, once again feeling jealous but I tried to put it aside and converse with everyone. Repeating in my head, “he’s taken”
He’s just a guy, right?