Dear Liz

The music was loud inside the house. Too loud.

I know it's odd coming from someone like me –I should be used to it– but I really wasn't in the mood.
After weeks of touring I needed some silence and time to relax –or, at least, to have someone lower the volume of the damn stereo.

And a cigarette. I could also go for a cigarette.

"Hey, man. You wouldn't happen to have a cig, would you?" I said to my friend Rex, trying to raise my voice over the music.

"You know I don't smoke, JohnO," he answered, shrugging his shoulders. It was worth a try.

Too bad Austin wasn't there; he would usually provide me the cancer when I forgot to buy a pack.

Surely, someone outside would be smoking, though. I decided to try my luck and, after letting Rex know I would be right back, I stepped outside the house.
I looked left and right and concluded that the front yard was deserted. I was already going to make my way to the back yard when I spotted a figure across the street, sitting on a bench.

It was a young lady and she was looking at me. I noticed first that she was holding a cigarette between her fingers. Then, I realized I recognized her.

Elizabeth Rhodes.

Junior in High school when I was a senior, best friends with Jackie Samuel –host of the party and a young lady with a strong temper– and Kennedy's second cousin…or something like that.

I made my way towards her with a small smile. She never took her eyes away from me as she inhaled and exhaled the smoke. I stopped in front of her.

"Liz, right?"

"Yeah." I let my smile grow the slightest bit; she seemed pleased that I knew her name. Now to drop the question.

"Mind if I bum one?" She looked at the object I was referring to but didn't answer. Instead, she reached for her pack of American Spirit and held it in front of me. I could tell she had recently opened it. I took one of the cancer sticks and placed it between my lips as I waited for her to search for the lighter.

Once she found it, she held it as close to me as she could. I leaned down when I heard the "click" of the lighter and a small flame erupted, lighting the tobacco.
I closed my eyes and took a long drag.

'It's been a while, my friend.'

I took a seat next to her, hoping she didn't mind, as I exhaled the smoke.

Then I heard her laugh.

Actually, it was more of a giggle. It was nice, it was cute, but it was also confusing. Was she laughing at me?

"The lead singer of The Maine smoking…what would your fans say if they saw you?" I laughed, though imagining the situation made me cringe a bit. They would take pictures and post them on Tumblr or whatever and never leave me alone again. Thankfully, I was good at keeping secrets .

"What they don't know won't hurt 'em," I said, sort of giving her a hint to not tell anyone. She seemed to notice as she nodded with a smile. Then we both stayed silent for a while.
The music could still be heard and some godforsaken crickets wouldn't shut up but, still, I enjoyed the situation. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable. It was nice.

I sometimes looked at her from the corner of my eye and, I don't know if she noticed but, a couple of times I caught her looking as well. Truth be told, I didn't mind. She was cute and, so far, she seemed to be a good kid too.

I finished my cigarette and let it hit the ground, crushing it with my boot when it did. I turned to look at her.

"So…I don't think we've been properly introduced." I said. We'd seen each other's face every day for…what? Four years? Not to mention all the times we had probably run into each other at parties, at the Marketplace or whatever and I still only really knew her name, who her friends where and…I sort of knew where she lived. Maybe once we had said hello to each other and that's it.

"Not really." I smiled and reached my right hand towards her.

"John Cornelius O'Callaghan the Fifth." She stared at my hand for a while and then smiled, looking back up at me. She changed her cigarette to her left hand and gave me her right.

"Elizabeth Rhodes, the one and only," my smile grew with her introduction and we shook hands. Her hand was really small, I noticed. Soft too. I loosened my grip, fearing I could break her hand. It seemed pretty delicate. "Sorry my name isn't as fancy as yours." I laughed at her comment.

"Nice to finally meet you."

"You too." I hesitatingly let go of her hand. I watched her take one last puff before imitating my previous actions of crushing the cigarette.

Again we didn't speak for a while, until I figured I had already been outside long enough. Now, I could go for a beer.

"Well…I'm heading back. You coming?" I said as I got up –truthfully– hoping she would follow. She nodded slightly and I smiled.

"Yeah," Liz said as she also got up, walking next to me back into the house.

For the rest of the night, we hung out. We drank a coupe of beers and I introduced her to a couple of my friends and she introduced me to a couple of hers. Nothing eventful.

Yet, when we said our goodbyes, I left hoping I could see her again.