Baby, Just Breathe.

When Sophia saw John she literally jumped on him.

The way they were hugging each other was so tight and John kept kissing Sophia’s hair. He gave her a couple of presents, most of all games and the last signed album of Selena Gomez, thing that totally conquered the little girl. I guess it’s cool to be famous.
Sophia started asking a thousand questions to him, about his tour and the things he did and places he saw while he was away. She was curious about the life he was doing and I couldn’t really blame her.

In the meanwhile I had a little chat with Mrs. O’Callaghan, who asked me if I could still baby sit Sophia, even if his brother was back. As far as I understood, he was home but always busy, so it was hard for him to take care of her anyway. I accepted because I didn’t want to leave Sophia…and I can’t deny the fact that also his brother was one of the reasons why I didn’t want to stop working.

She told me I could have gone home as they were going to have a family dinner, so I got home before 5pm. At home I didn’t do much than watch a movie and read a book. I thought that just do nothing for the whole summer would have been cool, but when I came home everyday from Sophia’s house I almost got bored. Maybe it happens when you get in touch with a little green eyed tornado a bit too much.

“Good morning, how are you today?”

“Great, John and I felt asleep in my bed while he was telling me that he saw Stonehenge”

I pictured them sleeping together and I was sure that they both were beautiful in their sleep.

“Maybe he will finish the story today”

“Oh, no. Today has stuff to do with Tim, his manager. He’s out already. He won’t be home until tonight”

The guy was really busy then. It was 10am and no one but Sophia and I were home. That day I had to stay there at least until 8pm, because Mrs. O’Callaghan had a meeting with some people from work and John was ‘out with Tim the manager’. Fortunately, Sophia felt asleep again in the early afternoon so I just relaxed watching TV until she woke up again at 4pm.

“Four more hours to go”

“Ok, what do you want to do? Play with the X Box?”

“It’s John’s. I can’t use it if he’s not home. He’s really jealous of his things”

I wondered if he was jealous of an eventual girlfriend too. He really looked like the type.
In those days I really thought about him a lot. About everything he was going through. A life on the road at 22 years old, important decisions that could have changed his life, people talking shit about him even if they didn’t know him, the lifestyle of the lead singer in a band known in almost every part of the world.
I could tell, it was hard just thinking about it.

“I hope we can play all together someday”

“John told me that he will come to the park with us one day or another”

“You should really get to know him. He asked me if I talked good about him to you”

“And in your opinion, did you?”

She nodded. I laughed, but that didn’t interrupt her from drawing a drum set with a big M on.

“I always talk about John in a good way. He’s good and he is my brother. You should stay here and dinner with us tonight. You two could talk. He thinks you’re cool”

“You really can’t tell anything to kids these days”

“For what it’s worth, I think he’s a cool guy too”

“Of course he is. Who would think he isn’t? He’s in a band, he’s cool”

We heard the door being closed and some footsteps coming into the kitchen.

“Is there someone here? Sophia?”

Sophia got up on the chair and started screaming his brother’s name. She jumped off and ran fast to the hall just to say hi to him. She probably loved him more than his own dad.
I followed her slowly and saw the two of them hugging. I didn’t resist so I smiled. That was so cute.

“Hey, hello Firework”

From the first day we met he kept calling me with the titles of some Katy Perry’s song. It was so embarrassing, but I guess it was what I had to get after what he saw. Especially because he wasn’t going to tell anyone about it or I would have killed him.

“Are you staying for dinner?”

I asked, changing topic.

“Yes, I am. I know mum won’t be home so I guess I will order a pizza, do you want one Soph?”

The little girl, who climbed on his shoulders, nodded a lot. Was it even healthy to give a little girl a big pizza? Maybe full of every crap possible? I don’t know what kids should eat.

“Are you going to stay with us?”

“Yes, she promised me! Isn’t it Lauren?”

What should have I said? I just nodded and they both smiled. John’s smile was seriously an attack to my heart. I got back into the kitchen to clean up the mess on the counter while I heard John and Sophie laughing in the living room. Apparently he was tickling her.

“So, which flavor do you prefer?”

He reached for me in the kitchen, alone.

“Where is Sophia?”

“She’s watching Hannah Montana. She’s crazy about that show. Why do you ask? Are you afraid to stay alone in the same room with me, California girl?”

“As long as you call me with all the titles of Katy Perry’s songs…”

“It’s a joke, Amanda”

Nobody called me with my second name. It was weird hearing that coming from him.

“I know it, Cornelius”

“Ok, how come do you know my second name?”

He became serious all at once; I could not help but laugh. He was funny. Actually I didn’t realize that he was wearing a pair of chequered boxers and a basketball red jersey of Chicago Bulls, who still got the name of Michael Jordan on the back. He got changed because I remembered he was wearing jeans and a shirt.

“Your sister talks a lot. In less than a week I basically knew everything about you; I didn’t need to check up on Wikipedia to know how tall you are or what’s your favorite song”

“Well, if it comforts you, she told me a lot about you too”

“I’m not the famous one here. What did she tell you thought?”

“That you like Ice Cream and you’re used to eat it in front of a movie. That you love dogs but you mom never got you one because she’s allergic to them. That your dad lives in Vegas…and your parents don’t live together. That you didn’t know my band but now that you do, you like my music. That you two share a couple a secrets about milk and McDonald’s but she didn’t tell me exactly what those secrets are. That you are going to Berkeley in September and you miss your best friend who studies in Stanford”

“Ok, fair enough. This is creepy, you know me too much already. I should be the one knowing everything about you as every respectable fan of your band”

“Are you a fan of my band then?”

“I like your music as Sophia told you, I saw a couple of pictures and I think you guys are cool. So yes, I think I’m a fan. But I would have preferred you didn’t know it because I don’t want to increase your massive ego”

He laughed and picked up the phone.

“So, which kind of pizza would you like to eat, then?”