The Beating of Our Hearts

Another seven weeks had passed, slowing, agonisingly. I was beginning to feel a bit stir crazy. I was going from home to school to home, seeing nothing else and not going anywhere else. The days had gotten shorter and even though we were in LA, I could feel a chill in the air.
It was now the beginning of December, and I had begun the countdown. It was a matter of days until the guys finished their tour and came home, and I couldn’t wait. I had talked to Shannon a few days ago and they said they were expecting to be home on the 15th.
But I still hadn’t heard from Jared, there was a reply to my thank you email for the locket but nothing else. I think this lack of communication was a big factor in making me so crazy in the past couple of months.

A week before they were due home, I decided that it was time to do my Christmas shopping. I wasn’t sure what was going to be going on. Most likely they had their own traditions, I would probably see them on Boxing Day or something. But either way I wanted to get them some nice gifts, after the lovely ones they got me for my birthday. As I walked around the shopping centre, fingering the locket around my neck, I thought about what they might want.

Three hours and fourteen different shops later, I had my gifts for the guys sorted. I had bought Shannon a Shiatsu massage cushion and Tomo a toy Blackhawk Helicopter which flew. Jared took the longest to buy for. I couldn’t think of anything he would want, it seemed like he had everything. It was the last shop that I stopped in, merely on a whim, that I found his present. It was a Slow Watch. It was a watch that had 24 hours on it and only one hand. It was pretty hard to read, but also like nothing Jared already had.

As I was leaving the shopping centre, I quickly stopped in a newsagent to pick up some food, I was starving. At the till I happened to glance at the magazine rack, and saw a familiar face on the cover of one of the tabloids. Unthinkingly, I grabbed it and placed it on top of my sandwich to buy.
I had to wait until I got home until I could read it, but as soon as I got there and opened the magazine to the relevant page, I immediately wished I hadn’t.

Secret Liaisons Between Rock Star Jared Leto and AnnaLynne McCord!

The article continued on about how she was cheating on long term boyfriend Kellan Lutz with Jared Leto while in New York for his tour. Following were several pictures of the two looking pretty cosy. I read through the entire article twice before throwing the magazine on the coffee table and walking away, picking up the guys gifts and taking them into my room.

I began to mindlessly wrap the gifts, not noticing what I was doing. I was done quickly and so automatically moved into the kitchen to begin cleaning, to do anything to try and take my mind off that article. So that was why he hadn’t gotten in touch, I should have realised. It made sense; but would he really go for a woman who was already taken. I never thought of him as that type of guy.
I shook my head, trying to get rid of my thoughts, and concentrated on washing the dishes in the sink, immersing myself in the work.

When school finally broke up for the Christmas holidays, it was two days until the guys returned home. I had a constant attack of butterflies in my stomach, I couldn’t wait to see them again. Tomo had called me the night before to assure me that they were on time and were definitely coming home on the 15th. We talked for a little longer; I was dying to bring up this so-called affair of Jared’s but I was too scared to in case it was true.

*Knock knock*
I opened my eyes slowly on the morning of the 15th. The sun was weak through the curtains and I was warm in bed.
“Go away.” I moaned tiredly, turning over and burying my face in my pillow.
*Knock knock*
“Nooo, too early.” I continued to mumble.
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
“Ugh, fine! I’m coming!” I lurched myself out of my comfortable duvet and stumbled through my apartment until I got to the door. I threw it open while rubbing my still closed eyes.
“Well if that’s how you always open the door first thing in the morning I’ll definitely be coming over at 9am more often.” A deep, recognisable voice chuckled.

My eyes immediately shot open, all traces of sleepiness chased away by the voice.
“Shannon!” I screamed, jumping on the man in my doorway, I didn’t care that I was in just my underwear and an oversized shirt.
“I missed you!” I continued to yell, keeping my arms wrapped around him tightly.
“I missed you too doll!”
“Come in, come in! I’ll make some breakfast!” I said giddily, dragging him into the kitchen.
“Oh that’s OK, don’t worry about it.”
“Nonsense, I’m making waffles!”
“Well, if its waffles, then I might just stick around.” Shannon smiled, making himself at home.
We spent the next hour sitting in the kitchen, catching up and eating waffles until we were sick. I knew I wouldn’t be able to wait any longer, so I decided that now would be the best time to ask.
“Hey Shannon, can I ask you something.” I began.
“Ask away sweetie.”

Instead of asking the words, I made my way into the living room where the magazine was lying in the exact same place that I threw it a few days ago. I picked it up and took it back to Shannon, showing him the article.
“Ah, that.” He knew exactly what I wanted to know.
“Yeah he went pretty wild while we were in New York. Drinking every day, partying every night after shows. He met AnnaLynne on the first night, and then every night after. But she was always with that beefy boyfriend of hers. They must’ve just gotten some pictures of the two of them alone. My guess is he was letting out some pent up, uh, frustration after being away from you for so long.”
“And what does that mean?” I questioned, temporarily satisfied with the article, but confused about his last comment.

“Well, he’d not seen you for almost four months, he had hardly even talked to another woman, I think he was missing being close to a member of the opposite sex.”
“Yeah well, it’s his fault he hasn’t gotten in touch. I emailed; I didn’t call cause I didn’t know when you were busy, cause it seemed to be all the time. I don’t get why he acted that way.”
“He would have missed you too much.” Shannon said wisely.
“Meaning?”

“OK, please trust me when I say Jared was almost unbearable during tour. He was always looking at that picture of you he brought along. And he said he always going off to call you, he must’ve just chickened out. He probably thought he would miss you even more if he spoke to you, reminding him that you weren’t anywhere near.”
I blushed at his flattering words, not knowing what to say or how to reject what he was saying. I stood up and made to clear up the breakfast dishes.
“He wants to see you, a lot. He would have come round when we got back at 3am if I let him.” Shannon rested his hand on top of my own.

I continued to avert my gaze from his, not wanting to get my hopes up.
“I’ll bet he’ll be round here in the next couple of hours.” He continued.
“OK.” I whispered, still mulling over his previous words.
“Look, I better get going, I really need some more sleep. But I wanted to see you first.”
“OK.” I repeated, louder. “I’m glad you’re back, I was going kinda crazy.” I finally looked back up at him.
“I’m glad to be back. And have my own bed again.” He smiled, before getting up and leaving the apartment.