Save your heart.

*John*

Jessie, Jessie, Jessie. I woke up at 12 am thinking of her. I was nervous. More than I could imagine.

*Jess*

I woke up at 12 am. I didn't remember how good it felt to wake up whenever you want. I put on some clothes and decided I'd go to visit my brother. I bough some biscuits on my way there, and we had breakfast together. I put the biscuits, he put the coffee. I told him I was happier, and showed him the tattoo. He seemed to be proud of me that I was overcoming my problems.

***

Dakota had been all day putting pressure on me. She spent the day asking me questions. "Do you want me to fix your hair? What about make up?" If her aim was to annoy me, she kinda achieved her purpose. I wanted to chill out before leaving, so I decided I'd take a bath. I spent 30-45 minutes thinking about my things, listening to music, and from time to time, singing.
Garrett had come to have lunch with us, but the poor thing couldn't even watch TV because Dakota has been a pain in the ass all day. She didn't shut up, and all you could hear was her voice. She didn't even notice I got a tattoo, which is good. It wouldn't be a present anymore, as she would eventually find out that Garrett got another one. But, seriously, it was like she had snorted a line of speed or something.
Despite all this, I knew she meant well.

After I got out of the bath, Dakota was waiting for in my in room, with the dress on the bed. The dress was kinda short from my point of view (a bit longer than half of my thigh, but Dakota said it was okay. Thank goodness it was loose fitting (the skirt had different layers, just to make it bigger looking).

I was still wearing my bathrobe when Dakota started combing my hair. She tried to convince me to let her straighten it, but I refused. Anyway, she ended up straightening my bangs and putting my hair into a bun. After that, she left, and came back with a box, which she opened, and I could see it was full of make up. I also refused to let her use foundation on me. I hate that, it's like wearing a mask. "There's no need for young people to use that" I thought. She made a cat eye on me, and applied some concealer, I didn't let her do more. Dakota helped me to put on the dress, and she gave a shopping bag.

"What's this?" I said.
"A present for you." She said.
I opened the bag and grabbed the box that was inside it. Opened and saw some black shoes. They were beautiful, but I don't know what was Dakota thinking about when she bought these for me. Their heel was humongous and chunky, and the shoes had platform in the front part. Anyway, I was sure I'd twist my ankle if I wore them.
"Thanks Dakota, but have you seen the heel? Guess where I'd end the night, at the hospital!"
"Woman, shut up and put them on." And I did.

Surprisingly, they were more comfortable than I expected them to be. Seeing everything almost 6 inches above, was a change I wasn't used to. Dakota made me go downstairs (which was kind of a hell with those shoes on, actually).

"Garrett!" Said Dakota. And Garrett turned his head.
"Wow, Jess, you look good!" He smiled.
"Thanks." I said. I hate attention.

*John*

I was ready half an hour before, and I had no idea what to do to kill the time. I watched TV. It didn't work. I switched on my laptop. Didn't work. I grabbed a beer and waited for the time to pass. Sat in the kitchen and put some background music. I was wearing black jeans and a shirt -which was new-. My Chelsea boots were new.
15 minutes.
I turned off the music, left the empty beer can on the kitchen table and got out. I closed the door and walked towards my car without rushing, as I had plenty of time. I started off the engine, and chose a radio station. I started driving, and I arrived at Dakota and Jessie's house 5 minutes earlier.
Garrett opened the house door when he heard my car arrive, and invited me to go in. I got out of the car and walked in.

"Hey, man." He said.
"What's up?"
"Dakota, Jess, John's here!" He said, slightly louder, calling them.

Dakota was coming ahead of Jessie.

"Wow." I said, unconsciously. She was looking beautiful. The black dress she was wearing fit her like a glove, and I noticed she was looking taller, too. I looked down to her feet and saw she was wearing heels, which made her legs look longer.
"Hello." She said. Her eyes were looking even better with that make up on.
"Hi. You look amazing, Jessie." More than amazing, really.
"Thanks." She said, blushing. So beautiful.
We walked arm in arm to my car.
"Bye! Have a good night!" Dakota said, from the door.

*Jess*

John helped me to sit in the car. He told me I was looking beautiful, but the one who was looking good, without a doubt, was him. Everything suited him. I'm sure he would even look good in a tight dress. I loved the boots he was wearing, unlike the cowboy boots he was wearing at the rehearsal. I fastened my seat belt and waiting for him to get in. Dakota didn't let me take a purse with me because "I would ruin the look". What a stupidity.

"How was your day?" John asked.
"Good...Dakota hasn't left alone since I woke up..."
"How come?" He laughed.
"Because of the dinner."

We arrived at a parking lot, and John helped me get out of the car, giving me his hand. We holded hands until we walked in the restaurant. I loved it. In the restaurant, he pulled the chair for me. I died every time he was a gentleman with me. I smiled at him and he smiled back.

We'd have soup and fish for dinner. The restaurant seemed to be expensive, and I wasn't accustomed to having such refined palate.
"I like the boots you're wearing." I told him, while waiting for dinner to come.
"Thanks." He smiled. "You look wonderful."
"Thanks..." I smiled, blushing.
"You look even cuter when you blush." He said giggling.
"Stop it, or I'll look like a tomato, instead." I said opening out my napkin.
"Okay, okay. I'll stop it." He said, and the waitress appeared with the soup.

While we waited for the fish to come, we started talking about facts.
"If I were a girl, my name would have been Alice." John said.
"If I were a boy, mine would have been Jesse."
"How practical of your parents." He laughed.

I found out that when John was a kid, his first pet was a dog named Hero, and that he didn't learn how to swim until he was 9. Some of his facts made me laugh, and some of mine made him laugh, too. Like the one I told him about when I caught my dad disguised as Santa. My parents convinced me that my dad was a helper of Santa, and I told everyone about it.

***

When we finished, we got in the car. John drove to a kind of promenade, but with no sea. There was no one, just an ice cream truck. John bought cotton candy for me and a lemon ice cream for him.

"How do you know such beautiful places?" I asked. Yesterday the park, and today this...wow.
"I'll show you more whenever you want." What the hell did he just say? Whenever I wanted? Show me more places? I had to pinch myself, things like this didn't happen to me.

John ate some of my cotton candy, but I didn't eat his ice cram. I don't like lemon ice cream. When we finished the food, he holded my hand as we were walking, and we walked listening the night sounds until we were back where the car was. We got in to drove to my house.

"The day after tomorrow there's another rehearsal." He said. "You can come with Dakota." I'd like to see them play, again, and I liked the way John sang.
"Okay." I smiled. "I'll be there."
On our way home, he talked to me about the band; he told me they were working on a new CD, and in how many places they had been. I should know where they had been, but I guess I was busy being sad when Garrett talked about it.

We arrived at my house and he walked me to the door, like the other day.

"I've liked spending the night with you." I said.
"Me too." He smiled.

And suddenly, I found myself hugging him. He was skinny, and his body was warm. I felt his hands in my back. "I hate this shoes." I thought. I wish I wasn't wearing them. I would rest my head in John's chest. I had always thought that couples with height difference are cute, and no, we weren't a couple, but the hug would be much cuter if I was wearing flats.

"Goodbye." He said.
"Bye."

I found a note with Dakota's handwriting on it stuck to the fridge. She was having dinner with Garrett.
I walked upstairs and laid on my bed. I was in love with John.