Turning A Page

After we finished our meal and I'd helped Mom clean up we all moved into the living room, me cuddling up to Dad on the couch while Johnny and Mom sat on the two recliners opposite. They caught me up on the happenings of the rest of the family and I filled them in on what had happened with mine. They knew the major things, like my grandparents deaths, but the smaller events were just as important.

Like I knew it would, the subject of my leaving New Zealand soon came up. I retold my story, hesitantly at first. They knew my dad had a temper, but they never experienced it in full effect, so talking about that night was a little shocking for them. I could feel their disappointment at his actions, that he could say something like that to his own child. But at the same time I guess they knew he didn't really mean it, and that it was something that just flew out of his mouth in the heat of the moment. It was my own fault really, I knew better than to argue with him. I should have stuck to my usual method of dealing with him when he was in one of his moods and just said the bare minimum then walked away.

The rest of my story was faced with sympathy, then joy at hearing of my reunion with Johnny and how much I loved the band and girls. Laughter met the explanations of the nicknames I'd given the guys, especially the story of 'Susie'. Of course there was no mention of the hostilities that had happened since my arrival, our parents didn't need to know anything about us fighting, or loving, or whatever the hell it was that was going on. As far as they were concerned we'd just slipped straight back into our friendship, and there was a possibility of something happening between Zacky and I.

"He's almost like another JC for me," I explained. "We just seemed to click, and he's so fun and sweet. He looks out for me, just like JC does too."

I could see Johnny rolling his eyes and looking a little disappointed at my description of Zacky. It was starting to annoy me that he kept up his denial of the obvious dislike he felt, but at the same time it meant a lot that he wasn't happy having to share me.

I excused myself to go to the bathroom, being completely shocked that it was no longer the hideous shade of pink it used to be. Now it was painted in a soft blue tone that made it feel more peaceful and relaxing, the perfect atmosphere for a long soak in the tub.

Walking back down the hallway I took my time looking at all of the pictures that had been placed along the walls over the years. There were the traditional posed family portraits, the more relaxed ones taken in the living room that I had been invited to join as well, a few of Johnny and I in the midst of our adventures, various other family members in significant moments of their lives, the band... So many memories, most of which I could see clearly in my mind as if they'd only just happened.

"So have you told her yet?" Mom's voice broke through my reminiscing.

I knew I shouldn't listen in, but it was too tempting not to. What hadn't Johnny told me? Apart from the obvious, of course.

"No, but I think she knows anyway." Johnny was quiet in his reply, sounding almost ashamed. "And you heard what she said before."

That was enough, I didn't want to hear him sound that sad any longer. "Hey JC, I'm going to raid your room!" I yelled before running to the stairway and charging to his bedroom. Bouncing up and down on his bed I waited for him to come join me, knowing I couldn't be trusted alone in there. He'd made that mistake in the past - I managed to successfully mismatch all of his pairs of socks and hide them in various places around the room, while also stealing a few of his favourite shirts that I held for a pretty substantial ransom. From that day on I wasn't allowed in his room unaccompanied for more than a minute.

The thudding of feet on wood came only a second later, then a pause as he ran along the carpeted hallway, coming to a small skid in the doorway. He looked at me sceptically as he walked in, not trusting that I hadn't done something in the small time I'd been there.

"I touched nothing!" I professed my innocence.

He only shook his head, while I continued to bounce happily, not caring what he thought of my childish behaviour. At least that was until he pounced on me, sending me flying backward while I was mid-air. Landing on my butt hurt, but Johnny's weight resting over top of me kept my mind occupied as I took in just how his body was pressed closely to my own, his face only centimetres away as I felt his hot breath floating over my skin. The phone in his left pocket was digging into my leg, but I was more interested in focusing on his eyes, the eyes that told me so much as they bore into my own.

At that moment they were dark and cloudy, filled with emotion after emotion. Just looking into them it was obvious what his feelings were, and all of the arguments I'd been waging inside were instantly defeated. He did love me; it was there, plain and clear.