Listen to Your Heart

It’s been three weeks since John and I had made up. Everything has been great; it feels like I never left and things were going smoothly. Well beside Raquel and Angela, you could have called them sisters and it would have fooled me. Never heard two people bitch so much in my life.

It was four in the morning and I was finally about to dart off to sleep when my phone rang.

Not bothering to look at the collar ID, I threatened. “Whoever you are, better have a good reason for waking me up or I’m going to hunt you down and cut your balls off!”

“Whoa there no need for violence!” From the voice I could tell it was John.

I groaned, “What the hell do you want John?”

“Well, I need a favor.”

“And the favor would be?” I questioned.

He took a deep breathe in. “Just come open the front door and you’ll see.”

“John” I whined dragging the ‘n’

“Annieeeeee” He mocked

“John it’s too early for me to be dealing with you, go ask your devil of a girlfriend to help you.”

He scoffed. “Hah, you’re funny, now go open the front door!”

“And what if I don’t?”

“You don’t want to find out trust me, just please Annie help me out for just this once.”

I duh my head deeper into the pillow, “No”

“Annie!” Now it was his turn to whine.

“John, why can’t this wait till morning? And when I say morning I mean when the sun’s actually up.”

“Well let’s pretend the sun is up.”

“But—“ I started to retort.

“Annie get your ass down here before I climb your bedroom window!”

“Yeah like you’d do that, I’m on the second floor.”

He scoffed. “I’ve done it before and not afraid to do it again!”

“Don’t threaten me!”

“Annie just shut up and open the damn door! I’m not in the mood for this!” His voice started to rise.

“Fine, but this better be good.” I gave in and stormed down stairs.

I swung the door open to see John holding a baby with one arm and baby bag in the other.

“Thank god!” He walked inside dropping the bag to the ground.

“Why the hell do you have a baby with you at this time of day?” I questioned. “Don’t tell me when I left you knocked up Raquel.”

“Here” He said hold out the baby for me. “And what the fuck, I didn’t knock her up! This is my baby cousin Daisy. I was stuck babysitting her and she wouldn’t stop crying so a brought her here.”

“And what am I supposed to do with her?” I asked bouncing the crying baby.

“I don’t know, just help me please!” He said walking up the stairs to my bedroom.

I started to follow him up the stairs “John where are you going?”

“To sleep, that’s where I’m going!”

“But what am I supposed to do with her! I don’t know how to take care of a baby!” I protested.

“I don’t either but somehow I got stuck with her!” He said getting under the covers. “Please Annie, help me! I just need a good solid hour of sleep.”

“No! John we’re both not going to sleep till this baby does!” I said taking a seat on the bed.

“Annie!” He groaned.

“Quit the whining and do something about it! And why did you come here for help?”

“Because I didn’t know anywhere to go, and you know the guys and Raquel won’t be much help.” He yawned.

“Sure as hell she isn’t, how are you planning on starting a family with someone who doesn’t even want children?”

“Let’s not bring this up please?”

“Fine, but how are we going to get this baby to sleep?” I asked laying her down between the both of us.

We sat there in silence while Daisy flailed her arms around.

“John, don’t fall asleep on me!” I threw a pillow at his face.

“Ouch what the fuck!?!”

“Oh like that really hurt, you puss! Now stay focused!” I said “How about you sing her a song.”

“Ugh fine, where’s your guitar?” I pointed to my closet. “Okay so what song?”

I tapped my finger on my chin. “I don’t know, surprise us.”

“All rightly than”

“i picked you up and lifted your wilted frame into the sun.
i was taken back, yeah i was taken back,
and by the time i caught my breath,
you had blossomed into something that i did not expect.

and if it takes all night,
i swear i'll wait,
for you,
forever.

sunlight, sunshine,
all for you my daisy.
we're getting this before you leave,
all for you my daisy.

you're a wreck and you know,
you've got me wrapped around your finger,
like a boy tangled in vines,
but i've figured you out.
and now we're here,
we're so confused,
and i wish that there was some way that i could tell you.

all for, all for, all for you my daisy”

“Whoa it worked, she’s fast asleep!” I said impressed. “And how cliché for you to play ‘Daisy’.”

“Pfft don’t hate!” He placed the guitar and the ground. “I probably should take her home now.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? You might wake her up.” I laid down facing him and Daisy.

“Touché my friend— so what do we do now?”

“Well—“ I fluffed up my pillow, “—I don’t know about you but I’m sleeping.”

“Wait no! I can’t sleep yet! Talk to me!” He jutted his bottom lips out.

I giggled. “ You just said you wanted ‘...A good solid hour of sleep’ so sleep!

He just sat there and pouted. “Fine John, what do you want to do?”

“Talk—let’s talk about…uh I have no idea.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, how has tour been?”

“Great, the fans are really supporting and the places we stopped at were incredible.”

I nodded. “Sounds fun, so how’s life been?”

“Eh you know same old, but kinda stressed out and stuff. With the upcoming tour and wedding you know?”

“Ah the wedding, that reminds me—congratulations.”

He chuckled. “Hah, I know you don’t mean it. But thank you anyways.”

“What? Yes I mean it, really I do.” I turned towards him gripping the blanket tighter.

“No you don’t, no one likes Raquel and definitely not you.”

“I really do mean it John, as long as you’re happy that’s all that matters, even if it means marrying the devil.”

There was a drastic silence before either of us spoke up again.

“Thank you, it really means a lot that someone actually cares for my happiness.”

“Sure thing buck-a-roo!”

I leaned over and kissed his cheek, being careful not to bump into Daisy.

“Enough about me, how are you doing? Any plans?”

“Um well, I might go back to Chicago soon but I don’t have a certain date planned out yet, maybe during the beginning of April? But to be truthfully honest I don’t want to go back, as much as I want to see Declan it doesn’t feel like home there. It feels right being here—in Arizona with all my friends and family”

“Then why leave when you’ve got everything here?”

“I don’t have everything here, my jobs in Chicago; also my boyfriend’s there too.”

“Well just know that you’re always welcomed here no matter what.”

I couldn’t help but grin, I loved this John. The one who I can talk to about anything, when he's acting really kind. Also the sober John, not shit faced hooking up with some random chick; this was the real John I knew and love.

“Thanks, you know I really miss this.”

He turned and faced me with a weird expression. “What do you mean ‘you miss this’?”

“This, the way we would be able to talk to each other, open up about things. Not getting to un-necessary arguments and drama, back to being close friends and messing around every day.”

“I know,” He said with a yawn. “I’ve missed this too, everything in the past stays in the past. This is the new beginning of John and Annie, deal?” He stuck out his pinkie.

“Deal but first, why does your name get to go first?”

“Oh my god Annie, just take me pinkie and make it a deal already.”

“Nope, not till you change it.” I said, seeing how far I can push him.

“Fine the new beginnings of Annie and John.” He cheered sarcastically.

I smiled and reached out my pinkie as it intertwined with his my smile grew bigger.

“Night John”

"Good night Annie” He whispered, placing a kiss on the top of my head.

Before I knew it John was completely knocked out in a matter of minutes. I gently cradled Daisy in my arms, humming lightly in hear ear. Before I knew it I also pasted out with her in my arms.
When I woke up John was asleep but Daisy wasn’t. She was lying in between John and me with a smile plastered on her face. I gently lifted her up into the air causing her to giggle.

“How in world did you get stuck with him as a babysitter?” I whispered. “Well isn’t someone all giddy this morning.”

I decided to mess with John for leaving me with the baby last night. Looking around the room I saw ribbons on dresser so I took a few and tied them into his hair. I placed Daisy next to him and pulled out my iPhone taking a picture of him, knowing this would come in hand one day.
Picking up Daisy I went over to John and climbed onto the bed straddling his waist. Carefully holding her I started to bounce her up and down his bare chest.

All he did was groan, digging his head under the pillow.

“Wakey wakey sleeping beauty!” I half screamed.

He mumbled something under the pillow but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.

“John wake your ass up, I have to leave soon and so do you!” I said bouncing Daisy up higher and higher.

“No, ten more minutes!” He pleaded.

“No can do mister, I think her parents would want her back now.”

John threw the pillow off his head scaring me half to death.

“Shit! I have to get her home!”

“Hahaha, calm down.” I climbed off him and handed her over.

I grabbed her and made a dash down stairs. “Thanks Annie I owe you big time!”

“Hell yeah you do! And slow down before you drop the pour kid!”

He only waved his hand at me motioning he got it, which I highly doubted. Making a mental note to myself while walking back into my room, “never let John Cornelius O’Callaghan V babysit my child’.