Baby, Just Breathe.

Trading Heartbeats

Day by day, I found that John was a really clever, mature and down to earth guy. I liked to talk with him about his music, and knowing that he wasn’t arrogant like the most of his colleagues, was definitely a good thing. He loved his life and especially he was thankful to his fans. He probably was the nicest guy I’ve ever met. The fact he also was funny and gorgeous didn’t really help me to get my mind straight, thinking that it wasn’t what I expected to have a crush on him. I tried my best not to get in that situation, but being around him every day didn’t help me. It was impossible not to get trapped by his charm.

“I’m having a day off today, what are you girls doing this afternoon?”

He was often away because he had some stuff going on with the band about a new tour and so they had to rehearse a lot. He also asked me a few times to go and watch them practicing, because he wanted me to meet his band mates, but I always tried to stay out of it. It was hard to hide the fact that I really wanted to go, but I didn’t want to be attached. Realizing that I liked him was even too much.

“You promised me to go to the park with us weeks ago!”

Sophia didn’t have to beg him. He accepted her offer really quick, so as soon as she got changed we walked to the little park where we used to go and where she played with the sand. John and I sat down on a bench and we both stayed silent waiting for the other one to talk. He finally talked first.

“Would it be weird if I invited you to my birthday party?”

“Why would it be?”

“Maybe you don’t find it appropriate”

“It’s a birthday party, not a proper date”

He laughed nervously and nodded.

“My mom and Sophia are going to my grandparents for the weekend and I’m throwing the party on that Saturday… you know my birthday it’s on the 4th august”

“Yes, I do know it… Wikipedia is useful, remember?”

“You’re right…well then I’ll wait for you to be there”

“Just ask if you need some help for the house, ok? I’ll be glad to help you”

“I’ll remember it, thank you”

We found ourselves in an awkward moment of silence, until Sophia came back crying because another child pushed her and she fall in the sand. John got up and asked which child was it, so he could have told him to stop being mean to her. He did it for real and the kid remained speechless. Sophia hugged his brother and kissed his cheek. That was adorable. They both were.
Sophia got back to play while John took a cigarette from a packet he had in his jeans.

“You know it’s not healthy right?”

“It’s just one. I don’t do it often”

“I bet your fans get mad when they find out things about you”

“Some of them are too possessive. It’s nice they care, but they think they can judge me for everything I do, and that makes me furious. Once I got on a chat and they asked me to apologize because they found out I had a stripper for my last birthday. It was insane, but I did it to shut them up”

“I don’t know how you can take all that without being stressed”

“I am stressed, but I don’t show it. Thankfully I’m home for a while now and I can get some relax”

“I can’t hide the way I feel like you do. If I’m nervous people can see it immediately”

“I never saw you nervous”

“I’m not, actually. Sophia never gets me nervous and she always cheers me up in her own way”

“That kid is my treasure. I miss her so much when I’m away and I’d love to take her with me but it’s too dangerous… plus my mom would kill me if something happened to her”

“I’m on her side”

“Do I look like a bad influence?”

“No, you don’t, but there a lot of crazy people out there and Sophia is a little girl… we don’t know what could happen. You have to wait a couple of more years before bringing her with you”

“Maybe you can come with her to my next show…we have one in Phoenix soon”

“It’d be amazing. Sophia will be thrilled!”

He smiled and I felt my cheeks burning. I thought it was the sun and the heath but in my mind I knew why I was blushing. That damn smile always got me butterflies. Everything about him gave me butterflies.
We talked about his future projects and about me going to college. I loved listening to his stories, he had a lot of cool things to say about his band and what happened to them on tour.

“Once I was so drunk that I forgot the words of a song”

“What happened next? Did you puke on the crowd?”

“Ew no! But I thought I would have. Sometimes I drink too much, I reckon”

“And again your fans get mad”

“Pretty much”

“I don’t envy you”

“I don’t envy myself either”

We laughed together and I felt like being in peace. I wanted to stop time and talk with John for hours.
At 6pm we got back home and while walking John took Sophia on his shoulders.

“Lauren! Look at how high I am!”

“Wow! You’re a giant!”

“John is so tall, isn’t he??”

“Yes he is indeed. He is the giant then!”

“Yes! John you’re a giant!”

“Is that a compliment? Sophia, you know what happens if it’s not”

“No, please! I don’t want you to tickle me! It was a compliment! Lauren, it was right!?”

“Yes, it was! Totally!”

We all laughed again and I noticed their smile was the same. They both made me happy. It’s weird how someone you know for so little time can put a smile on your face so easily, but they did it.
I left them and took my back to go back to my own house. Since when I started that job I considered the O’Callaghan’s house like my second, and Sophia as a little sister. It was hard to picture John as an older brother, because I couldn’t feel that way for him, though. Thank God he wasn’t; I think it would have been hard to hide that unbearable attraction and not to fall into an incestuous relationship.
Everybody liked John, and I was aware of it. I liked John in some way, and I was aware of that too.
Of course, it was impossible that John liked me back, and unfortunately I knew it as well.
But again, why was I wondering about that, when I just wanted to avoid every kind of relationship that would have involved just pain, in the end? John was like honey, and I was a gluttonous bee.
I was trying to step back, and fall on the other part of the edge of it. Anyway, it looked like impossible.
♠ ♠ ♠
Lauren's Outfit

Here it is! Sorry for the wait :/
I find John and Sophia both adorable, and the way he treats her is lovely!
Lauren is really getting into him, you'll find soon if John is into her as well.
Any prediction?
I have a lot in mind, also a sequel :)
But you still have a lot to read on this story. The sequel can wait.

Thanks to all you readers! Especially to who takes time to comment.
It would be amazing if you gave me some feedback!

Danielle
xxxx