Mistakes and Regrets

"So, you guys were sorta awesome. Much, much better than I remembered," I told John as they walked off the stage, and he laughed, closing the distance between us with just a few steps.

"Well, thank you. I gotta say, I've missed you at the shows. It was nice to actually have you there the entire time," he replied, and I felt a surge of guilt, remembering the last show I had been at.

His thin, lanky arm draped around my shoulder and all the thoughts faded with ease. I caught Mia's eye as she talked to Jared, and I could just feel her telepathic messages. I looked away, only to find Garrett's deep blue eyes. And if eyes could laugh, that's exactly what they were doing, at my expense. My own eyes widened in disbelief and I hung my head to avoid the 'I told ya so' look.

"So, I don't know if I can take another encounter with Mia or Gare at the moment, maybe even at all tonight. I promise that I'll explain why later if you get me the hell out of here right now. Please?" I pleaded, looking up at John through my eyelashes. I could see the gears turning in his mind as the wondering took a hold of him.

He raised an eyebrow in curiosity but didn't say a word. Instead, he steered us through the mob of people and out the front door. The cool night air hit me and I expected him to stop for a smoke as the goosebumps rose on my arms.

However, I was incorrect. He kept leading me forward until we reached his car, and it was my turn to ask questions. He opened the passenger side door for me, and I got in, still trying to process. I tilted my head to the side, looking up at him.

"Where are we going, exactly?" I asked, and he gave me a lopsided smirk.

"The hell out of there," he quoted, and I crinkled my nose at him. I slapped him lightly on the arm, but it just made his smirk bigger.

"First, I absolutely do not sound like that," I argued and he chuckled, walking around the hood and sliding behind the wheel. "And second, it's your label's party. Can you just ditch like this?"

"Well," he contemplated, starting the engine. "I think I just did, so yes, I can. Anyways, I'm sure they won't miss me."

I snorted. "John, you're easy to spot at a party. Someone is bound to notice you're gone when they have all that leftover alcohol."

"Eh, 'YOLO,' right?" he shrugged, and I leaned my head back against the seat, laughing.

"God, you're such a dork!"

"But you're stuck with me. I mean, I could turn around and throw you back into the shark tank," he pointed out, pulling onto the street. All remnants of the grin disappeared from my face. "That's what I thought."

"That was not nice," I pouted, crossing my arms.

"Never said I was," he shrugged, his hands gripping the wheel at ten and two. "Speaking of them, why exactly am I being your getaway car away from Mia and Garrett? I mean I know they can be annoying, but really Shay, isn't this a bit extreme?"

"Shut up," I laughed, smacking his arm again. He stuck his tongue out at me, and I rolled my eyes. "You act like you're five."

"At least I'm having fun in life," he countered, giving me a huge grin. "Now stop avoiding the damn question!"

"They were just bugging me about some stuff. I swear, they enjoy watching me squirm," I complained.

"Care to expand on that very vague answer?"

"Well, you see...no. No I would not."

"Well, I can't really blame them. You're funny when you're all embarrassed. I mean, your face turns more red than your hair, and you start chewing on your lip, and go into full blown denial mode."

"Do not!" I protested, feeling the warmth rush to my cheeks. Shit. Stupid pale skin and ridiculous blood flow.

"See! Right there is exactly what I was talking about!" He pointed at me excitedly, and I covered my face with my hands.

"Fuck you," I mumbled, but instead of being offended, he just laughed.

"Oh, don't worry about it. It's cute."

My head shot up and I cocked an eyebrow at him jokingly. "You think I'm cute?"

"That's not what I said!"

"Oh really?"

"Really. I said it's cute when you get all awkward..."

"Which is saying you think I'm cute when I get embarrassed. Which is saying I'm cute. You think I'm cute," I deduced, and he groaned, finally parking the car.

"What I think is that you are is impossible."

"But I'm cute, so it doesn't matter!"

He stared at me for a few moments over the center console, an unreadable expression in his clover eyes. His tawny hair was an unruly mess, and his lips were twitching into the slightest grin. I suddenly felt almost self conscious, and I was dying to know what was going through that mind of his.

"What?" I asked, shifting in my seat so I was completely facing him. I pulled one of my legs up on the seat and under me. "John, you're kinda making me really nervo-"

I was abruptly interrupted by him closing the gap between us and his lips crashing against mine in one beautiful, swift movement. I was too dazed to even process what was happening for a few moments. My head was spinning, there were butterflies doing backflips in my stomach, and I was in complete bliss.

I knew in that moment I would never get used to or tired of kissing John Cornelius O'Callaghan V.

By the time my thoughts refocused, I almost didn't want to protest with whatever potential disasters could be created from this heavenly action. John's lips against mine made a very, very persuasive argument.

"What was that for?" I managed to ask, my forehead resting against his. He looked at me, his breathing shallow.

"You're fucking perfect, Daisy Shayla Royce."

Usually, I would've protested the use of my full name. I wouldn't have been making out with someone in a car like a teenager. I would've had my senses and everything. But something about John, something about his lips and the way my name rolled from his tongue intoxicated me.

My mouth searched for his again, moving against it in some sort of magic. His long fingers tangled in my hair, and mine clasped around the back of his neck. We attempted to rid of all the space between us in the small vehicle.

"We gotta stop doing this," I mumbled against his lips as he hovered over me on the passenger side.

"I know," he answered, his breath tickling my face before his lips reunited with mine.

Everything about this situation was wrong, and we both knew it. And yet time after time, neither of us did anything to stop it. Quite the opposite, really. With our bodies pressed together, we gave in.