We Can't Forget Last Summer

"What the..." I mumbled as I rose up from the bed I was in. Where the hell was I? And how in god's name did I get here?

I started to panic. What had happened last night? Did I go home with some stranger or something? Aunt Sara is probably freaking out.

I slid out from underneath the covers and started to walk out of the room. I followed the hallway that was similar to the one at Carter's apartment. I crept into the living room area slowly. I peered into the room and look around, trying to see if there was any life in there.

I spotted someone on the couch, snoring. My eyes went wide when I recognized the tall, thin, shitless guy on the couch. I shook my head, rolled my eyes and marched into the room.

"What the fuck am I doing here?" I snapped.

John's eyes immediately flipped open and he jumped. He sat up straight and placed a hand on his chest. He heaved in and out for a moment, staring at the ground, then up at me. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Well, I was pretty scared shitless in that room over there too. Why am I here? What is this anyway?"

John stood up and scratched as his messy hair. My eyes wandered to his revealed chest. I was more than surprised to see how built he actually was.

"This," John open his arms wide, "is my apartment. And you were completely drunk last night so I let you crash here, because you couldn't even take two steps without falling over."

I ran a hand threw my hair. "What, why, um," I paused and looked around, "did um, did anything-"

John cut me off before I could speak any further. "No, nothing happened. I took you back here, with no intentions at all- let me make that clear. Then I helped you into my bed and I crashed on the couch. It's as simple as that."

"Did you drink at all last night?" I asked, shocked.

"Two beers. You and the rest of the guys were full on drunk though. So don't feel embarrassed...."

My cheeks heated up. "Well, um, I better get going." I started for the door with my shoes in hand.

"Alright," John walked into the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of cereal. "See you around."

"Yep." I nodded my head and opened the door. I stood outside for about two minutes before realizing John's apartment was right next to Carter's. I panicked thinking Carter could step outside any minute and see me. He would think that I just slept with his neighbor. The thought made me blush even more. I shook my head and started to speed walk to the end of the complex.

It wasn't until that I realized I had no car; I had no way in getting home. I sighed heavily and retreated to John's apartment. I knocked on his door and before I knew it, he opened the door, grinning.

"Did it really take you that long to realize?"

I rolled my eyes. "Have I told you that you're a real dick?"

He paused for a moment and pursed his lips. "No," He shook his head and paused. "no, I don't think you've said that one yet."

"Well, you are one."

"Do you want a ride, or not?" He asked, eyebrows raised.

Once again, I sighed and my shoulders slumped. "Yes." I mumbled.

"Alright, let me get my keys." He reached over to the table next to the door and picked the keys up. He walked outside, still not wearing a shirt.

"Aren't you going to put on a shirt?" I asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Oh please, I know you love it." He winked.

I rolled my eyes and stuck a finger to my mouth, as if I was about to throw up.

John laughed. "Okay, try to convince yourself that I'm not sexy, you just try." He licked his lips. "But I'll put a shirt on just so you don't feel the need to come on to me."

I decided not to even comment. John ran back inside and several moments later he was out and wearing a white v-neck. We walked to his car.

"My brother's apartment is right next to yours." I told him as we hopped in the white kid napping van.

"Yeah, I realized that when you told me your last name last night. Carter and Carson. That's cute. Did Mommy and Daddy come up with that?"

I wanted to tell him to shut up. I wanted to scream and shout never to mention my parents again, but people just don't do that. And as far as I know John isn't friends with Carter and does not know a thing about my family.

"Nope. Baby name books."

"Oh." John fell silent.

"How do you know Carter?" I asked.

"Well for one...... he's my neighbor." John looked at me as if I was stupid. "And second, we used to have classes together when I went to the university."

"Ahhh, another college dropout are we?" I smiled.

"Carter dropped out?" John furrowed his brow.

"No, you idiot." I shook my head.

John's head snapped over to me. "You?

I nodded my head. "Yeah, that's basically why I'm here."

"Because you dropped out of college? Wow.... I heard other things."

"Yeah, well there are several reasons. But my parents are all about education and that shit, meanwhile I basically saved up all my money for college because they're too cheap to do anything. They'll spend thousands of dollars on themselves, but just...." I sighed heavily and shook my head.

I didn't want to tell him that, even though it wasn't a lot. It wasn't his business.

To my surprise, John let it slid and went back to the original topic. "Why did you decide not to go?" He asked.

I shrugged. "I just didn't want to. I was never the person to spend hours in a classroom and quite frankly, I don't want to learn more. Yeah, it sounds stupid and that I should think of my future, but why can't I just live in the present for once? Why can't I just enjoy everyday by itself. Everyone needs to stop thinking about tomorrow and yesterday and for once, just focus on today. One day at a time; that's my motto."

John pulled into the fairgrounds and parked the car. He stared at me in amazement for several moments.

"What?" I asked.

"That's my motto, well, I mean, I have just always thought the same exact thing."

"That's why you dropped out?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Well, not necessarily, but it takes a large part. I needed to focus on the band, which technically at the time was my future, but at that point, and the same for right now, all I wanted to do was play music. So yeah, I guess that is why I dropped out."

I nodded my head and bit my lip. I stared out the window for a moment, eyeing my car in the parking lot. I had this weird feeling about leaving right now. As much as I wanted to kick John in the balls, he was intriguing and I had this feeling that deep down, he was truly the writer I thought he was. I mean, when you write the lyrics that he does, you can't really just be some disgusting, player with raging hormones all of the time. I guess it was just a cover up, but then again, I really had only knew him for about a day.

Which brought me to my next question. Why would I tell John all of that? I could barely even tell my own brother, yet I almost spilt all my guts to John? It just doesn't makes sense.... it's not suppose to work that way.

"Speaking of the band, why aren't you guys on tour? It's summer; isn't that the time for the biggest tours and all?"

John sighed heavily and nodded his head. "Yeah, it is. We had this tour planned, but unfortunately, one of the bands on the tour broke up and the other one's lead singer got really sick and then all of them ended up catching the flu... which sucks completely. Our manager is on the lookout for new tours though. we many be starting one sometime in August, but thats not for two months."

"You guys are pretty big, aren't you?"

He shrugged. "We're getting there. We have a large following, but nowhere near radio play and all of that mainstream stuff, which I'm fine with. I like where we are now."

"Why's that?"

"It's just... well, it's hectic, but we have awesome fans and we're at the point where we can play what we want to play and I can write what I want to write. Right here, no one can tell me what to do and I have faith in our fans that they'll love what we do."

I smiled lightly and nodded my head. "Well, I must say John, I think is the first time, aside from last night, because I don't remember anything, that we've every had an intellectual conversation without anything immature coming from you."

"Yeah... you're right," he paused for a moment, "wanna do a quickie in the back? There's enough room."

I groaned, but couldn't help but smile. I rolled my eyes and opened the door. "Goodbye John."

I started towards my car. John rolled down the window and started to call out, "Aw, come on! Don't worry, I'll be gentle!"

My eyes went wide and my jaw dropped. "Oh my god! Shut up!" I pulled open my car door and shook my head.

"Okay!" John waved. "Next time!"

I shook my head as the corner of my lip pulled upward.