The Beating of Our Hearts
The Beating of Our Hearts - 11
*Jared’s P.O.V.*
I couldn’t get enough of her. I couldn’t stop thinking of her. My stomach did a back flip every time my phone buzzed with a message from her. I hadn’t felt like this since my first girlfriend when I was in middle school.
“So when are we gunna get to meet this girl?” Shannon asked over breakfast the next day.
“Why do you want to meet her so badly?” I evaded answering his question.
“Because you talk about her all the time, I want to put a face to the name. Plus I’m the only one who hasn’t met her, I feel left out.” He pouted.
I laughed at his expression.
“Fine, you can meet her.” I conceded.
“When?” He pressed.
“I don’t know.”
“Soon? Please?”
“Ugh fine. If I ask her now, will you shut up?”
“Gladly.” He answered, a smug smile on his face.
*Regular P.O.V.*
I was having a lazy Sunday. I was wrapped in a blanket on the couch watching re-runs of How
I Met Your Mother when my phone buzzed on the coffee table in front of me.
Hey. How’re you? Listen, my brother Shannon is bugging me to meet you. I think he might hit me if I don’t introduce you. Please save me from brotherly abuse, I bruise like a peach!
I laughed at the last bit, pressing the reply button.
Well we can’t have that pretty face getting bruised now can we? How bout we all do an early dinner on Wednesday?
Should I have said pretty face? What if he thought I was taking it too far? Fuck I hope not.
My self doubts were quickly interrupted by my phone vibrating in my hand.
Sounds like a plan. Should I pick you up from school or your place?
Not this time. I’ve got a place in mind and I’m driving. If you guys could get to mine for about 5,
I should be back from school and ready by then.
Fair enough. OK, we’ll be at yours for 5. See you then :)
I smiled to myself; pretty soon, I will have met all three of the members of 30 Seconds To Mars. I let myself become re-immersed in How I Met Your Mother while I dwelled on that fact.
The next three days went by very slowly. I wasn’t anxious about seeing Jared again, I was completely relaxed around him now. But Shannon I had never met. I was nervous about meeting him for two reasons: one, he was another famous person to meet; and two, he was the brother of a guy that I really really liked, his opinion of me was probably very important.
So when the end of the school day came on Wednesday, I got the kids to their rides and got home in record time. By 4 o’clock I was through my front door and starting to get ready. I had an hour until Jared and Shannon showed up. My phone buzzed on my way into the bathroom.
Hey, is it cool if Tomo joins us?
Of course, more the merrier :)
Cool, we’ll see you in an hour.
Now I was having dinner with the entire band. Yeah, sure...nothing to be nervous about.
I had only just finished getting ready when my doorbell rang.
I automatically pressed the button to buzz them into the building and opened the door slightly so they could come in. I made my way to the kitchen where I left my bag and to get a quick glass of water.
“Hello?” I heard a familiar voice come from the doorway.
“In the kitchen, come on in.” I said, finishing the drink and grabbing my bag.
“Sorry, I was just getting my bag.” I went through into the living room and seeing the three men stood there.
“No problem. It’s good to see you.” Jared smiled, stepping forward and giving me a warm hug which I reciprocated.
“You too.” I smiled.
“So this is my brother Shannon. Shannon this is Riley. And obviously you know Tomo already.” Jared said, stepping aside so I could meet his brother.
“It’s lovely to meet you Shannon.” I said, putting out my hand to shake his.
“And you, Jared is always talking about you.” Shannon took my hand and instead of shaking it he pulled me into a hug.
I was taken aback by the hug, but quickly returned the gesture.
“Always talks about me?” I questioned, looked between the two brothers for confirmation? Shannon just nodded while Jared just smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head.
“Come on Riles. I’m hungry.” Shannon laughed, looping our arms and striding through the door, taking me with him.
“I need to lock the door.” I laughed, taking out my keys.
Shannon took them from my hands and tossed them to Jared.
“Meet us downstairs.” He called to his little brother and Tomo.
Shannon and I made our way down the stairs, him asking me all the basic questions. Where was I from, how old was I, when did I move out here; the usuals.
“So, then, where are we going?” Shannon asked as we arrived at my car.
“You’ll have to wait and see.” I said with a knowing smile.
“Please, c’mon, I won’t tell the others.” He pouted.
“Oh no, the puppy dog face won’t work on me.” I laughed.
Jared and Tomo finally caught up with us and we clambered into my car, Shannon calling shotgun. We made our way to a little diner that I had found a few weeks ago while I was exploring, it only took about fifteen minutes to get there. The boys had me in stitches the whole way there, which probably wasn’t a good thing seeing as I was driving.
“Here we are. I found this place a little while ago and they do the best chicken soup.” I said, switching the engine off and climbing out of the car.
The guys followed my lead and stepped out of the car and we entered the diner, choosing a booth at the far end. Picking up our menus, we began choosing our food.
“Hmm, I might get the grilled cheese.” Tomo mentioned.
“Ooo, that sounds good.” Shannon quipped.
“I like the sound of the Monster Veggie Burger.” Jared added.
I sat there listening to these three men discussing the choices on the menu. It was too surreal, here I was, a school teacher from North Carolina, moved to LA, sitting in a diner with three extremely famous musicians.
“What about you Riley?” Tomo asked.
“Hmm?” I snapped out of my daze.
“What you gunna have?” He asked again, a smile on his face.
“Uhhh, I think I’ll have the blueberry pancakes.” I said, glancing quickly at the menu in front of me.
“Blueberry pancakes? For dinner?” Shannon asked from across the table.
“Yeah. Whoever said that pancakes for breakfast is a rule?” I laughed.
“Fair point.”
We ordered our desired dinners and sat back to wait for them to appear. I was extremely conscious of the fact that Jared’s leg was inches away from my own. I could feel the heat radiating off him. All talk ceased when our food arrived. The only noises to be heard were those of cutlery on plates.
The rest of our dinner went by amazingly. Shannon and Tomo were so easy to get along with, funny and carefree. For the first time since I moved to LA, I felt like I had friends outside the school. I felt like I was accepted into a very select group. I felt welcomed.
I couldn’t get enough of her. I couldn’t stop thinking of her. My stomach did a back flip every time my phone buzzed with a message from her. I hadn’t felt like this since my first girlfriend when I was in middle school.
“So when are we gunna get to meet this girl?” Shannon asked over breakfast the next day.
“Why do you want to meet her so badly?” I evaded answering his question.
“Because you talk about her all the time, I want to put a face to the name. Plus I’m the only one who hasn’t met her, I feel left out.” He pouted.
I laughed at his expression.
“Fine, you can meet her.” I conceded.
“When?” He pressed.
“I don’t know.”
“Soon? Please?”
“Ugh fine. If I ask her now, will you shut up?”
“Gladly.” He answered, a smug smile on his face.
*Regular P.O.V.*
I was having a lazy Sunday. I was wrapped in a blanket on the couch watching re-runs of How
I Met Your Mother when my phone buzzed on the coffee table in front of me.
Hey. How’re you? Listen, my brother Shannon is bugging me to meet you. I think he might hit me if I don’t introduce you. Please save me from brotherly abuse, I bruise like a peach!
I laughed at the last bit, pressing the reply button.
Well we can’t have that pretty face getting bruised now can we? How bout we all do an early dinner on Wednesday?
Should I have said pretty face? What if he thought I was taking it too far? Fuck I hope not.
My self doubts were quickly interrupted by my phone vibrating in my hand.
Sounds like a plan. Should I pick you up from school or your place?
Not this time. I’ve got a place in mind and I’m driving. If you guys could get to mine for about 5,
I should be back from school and ready by then.
Fair enough. OK, we’ll be at yours for 5. See you then :)
I smiled to myself; pretty soon, I will have met all three of the members of 30 Seconds To Mars. I let myself become re-immersed in How I Met Your Mother while I dwelled on that fact.
The next three days went by very slowly. I wasn’t anxious about seeing Jared again, I was completely relaxed around him now. But Shannon I had never met. I was nervous about meeting him for two reasons: one, he was another famous person to meet; and two, he was the brother of a guy that I really really liked, his opinion of me was probably very important.
So when the end of the school day came on Wednesday, I got the kids to their rides and got home in record time. By 4 o’clock I was through my front door and starting to get ready. I had an hour until Jared and Shannon showed up. My phone buzzed on my way into the bathroom.
Hey, is it cool if Tomo joins us?
Of course, more the merrier :)
Cool, we’ll see you in an hour.
Now I was having dinner with the entire band. Yeah, sure...nothing to be nervous about.
I had only just finished getting ready when my doorbell rang.
I automatically pressed the button to buzz them into the building and opened the door slightly so they could come in. I made my way to the kitchen where I left my bag and to get a quick glass of water.
“Hello?” I heard a familiar voice come from the doorway.
“In the kitchen, come on in.” I said, finishing the drink and grabbing my bag.
“Sorry, I was just getting my bag.” I went through into the living room and seeing the three men stood there.
“No problem. It’s good to see you.” Jared smiled, stepping forward and giving me a warm hug which I reciprocated.
“You too.” I smiled.
“So this is my brother Shannon. Shannon this is Riley. And obviously you know Tomo already.” Jared said, stepping aside so I could meet his brother.
“It’s lovely to meet you Shannon.” I said, putting out my hand to shake his.
“And you, Jared is always talking about you.” Shannon took my hand and instead of shaking it he pulled me into a hug.
I was taken aback by the hug, but quickly returned the gesture.
“Always talks about me?” I questioned, looked between the two brothers for confirmation? Shannon just nodded while Jared just smiled nervously and scratched the back of his head.
“Come on Riles. I’m hungry.” Shannon laughed, looping our arms and striding through the door, taking me with him.
“I need to lock the door.” I laughed, taking out my keys.
Shannon took them from my hands and tossed them to Jared.
“Meet us downstairs.” He called to his little brother and Tomo.
Shannon and I made our way down the stairs, him asking me all the basic questions. Where was I from, how old was I, when did I move out here; the usuals.
“So, then, where are we going?” Shannon asked as we arrived at my car.
“You’ll have to wait and see.” I said with a knowing smile.
“Please, c’mon, I won’t tell the others.” He pouted.
“Oh no, the puppy dog face won’t work on me.” I laughed.
Jared and Tomo finally caught up with us and we clambered into my car, Shannon calling shotgun. We made our way to a little diner that I had found a few weeks ago while I was exploring, it only took about fifteen minutes to get there. The boys had me in stitches the whole way there, which probably wasn’t a good thing seeing as I was driving.
“Here we are. I found this place a little while ago and they do the best chicken soup.” I said, switching the engine off and climbing out of the car.
The guys followed my lead and stepped out of the car and we entered the diner, choosing a booth at the far end. Picking up our menus, we began choosing our food.
“Hmm, I might get the grilled cheese.” Tomo mentioned.
“Ooo, that sounds good.” Shannon quipped.
“I like the sound of the Monster Veggie Burger.” Jared added.
I sat there listening to these three men discussing the choices on the menu. It was too surreal, here I was, a school teacher from North Carolina, moved to LA, sitting in a diner with three extremely famous musicians.
“What about you Riley?” Tomo asked.
“Hmm?” I snapped out of my daze.
“What you gunna have?” He asked again, a smile on his face.
“Uhhh, I think I’ll have the blueberry pancakes.” I said, glancing quickly at the menu in front of me.
“Blueberry pancakes? For dinner?” Shannon asked from across the table.
“Yeah. Whoever said that pancakes for breakfast is a rule?” I laughed.
“Fair point.”
We ordered our desired dinners and sat back to wait for them to appear. I was extremely conscious of the fact that Jared’s leg was inches away from my own. I could feel the heat radiating off him. All talk ceased when our food arrived. The only noises to be heard were those of cutlery on plates.
The rest of our dinner went by amazingly. Shannon and Tomo were so easy to get along with, funny and carefree. For the first time since I moved to LA, I felt like I had friends outside the school. I felt like I was accepted into a very select group. I felt welcomed.