Hang Me Up To Dry

-Two Days Later-

It was John’s birthday today and also the day of the show and the day I get to pick up my car. It was an important day. I knocked on John’s door at 10 o’clock that morning and he readily opened it and we went down to his car. I have never seen inside of his apartment…weird…

“Finally you get to get your car. I’m tired of driving you around,” he said with a smile and I shoved him lightly.

“You know you enjoy my company.”

“Ah, I guess so.”

I sat on his leather seat and it scorched my leg and he apologized, but laughed. “This isn’t funny!” I said pointing out the redness accumulating on the back of my thigh.

Once we were on the highway, I rolled down the window and surfed my arm outside the car as the wind blew through my hair.

“You know, I thought you were this ‘I hate life’ type of girl, now I just don’t know.”

“I’m a cake.”

“A cake?”

“There’s more to me than just the icing.” He nodded. “You, however. I’ve had you pegged from the start.”

“Oh yeah? How so?”

“Let’s see…where do I begin… You used to be insecure about yourself but now since all these girls love you, you just think you are the shit. Aaand you think you can get anything you want.”

“But I can get anything I want.”

“So you think.”

The two hour drive was over sooner than I would have expected and we both got out to check out my car.

“So I’ll see you tonight?”

“Yeah. I guess I’ll be there.”

“Meet us backstage before the show,” he said and slipped me a backstage pass.

“What, am I your groupie or something?”

“Only if you want to be.”

The grease ball was pulling my car out of the garage and John gave me a hug. It felt nice. But so what…maybe he was just a good hugger. And he smelled so good. Mmm.

“I don’t know how I’m going to get to work without you,” I said pseudo-sentimentally.

“It’ll be tough. But I believe in you.”

“Thank you.” I put my hand over my heart and got into my car and drove away, leaving him behind in the dust.

Let me tell you something…it is a lot of work to look like you didn’t put any effort into what you look like…because you put so much effort into it! I went through outfit after outfit to try and find the perfect thing to wear, but I couldn’t. Maybe I’ll just go nude. But seriously, I didn’t want to look too casual, but I didn’t want to look like I’m going to the club either. I decided the best of both worlds. I had a crop top on with higher-waist shorts and worn out high tops. And I don’t mind if I do say so myself, I was pretty damn adorable.

It was five thirty and the show started at seven and I thought I would go ahead and go over to the Marquee, considering I had no idea where it was even located. I surprisingly found myself there quickly and there was already a line to get into the place. I used to be you.

I parked near the bus then I realized that they wouldn’t even be backstage… So I just sat in my car. Five minutes later, this guy with shoulder-length blonde hair and hipster glasses walks to my car and knocks on my window, so I cautiously roll it down.

“You’re Rianne?”

“Yes?”

“Come with me.”

Confused, I walked with him and he brought me on the bus and all five of them were sitting there, looking beautiful. Embarrassingly, I became star struck. I couldn’t find my legs would move.

“You look nice!” John said and motioned for me to sit next to him as everyone else awkwardly stared at me. “Guys, this is Rianne.”

They all smiled at me but Kennedy and Jared seemed suspicious for some reason…like I was a part of a pie in the face prank. But Kennedy…you are you beautiful.

The guy with the hipster glasses brought around a six pack of beer bottles and each of them took one and he offered me the last one and I warily took it and John popped the cap for me.

“You don’t have to drink it if you don’t want to,” he said and took a drink and everyone else was drinking too. Garrett! Pat! You’re not old enough! What the hell, I’m not either. I took a drink anyway.

Pretty soon my bottle was empty. I didn’t feel any different. And it tasted terrible…why do people drink so much? Then I was handed another bottle, and another, and another. Maybe I started to feel something then. And then it was time for them to play.

I walked with them through the side door as this other band I think was called This Century was pulling off their equipment and John held my hand and intertwined his fingers with mine. I was so buzzed I didn’t even care. It was his birthday…let him have his fun.

“I hope you enjoy the show,” he said and kissed my cheek then sent me on my way. I just felt like partying. Maybe today was not the best day to drink alcohol for the first time in my life.

From my point of view, everything they played was fucking incredible. I was jamming out to every single song, regardless if I forgot the lyrics or not. I was just into it.

Afterwards, I found John outside signing autographs and taking pictures with a million girls and he told me to go on the bus and wait. So I did. Jared and Pat were the first ones back on the bus and we were having a good time just talking, and I of course had some more beer. I was just so happy right now!

John eventually made his way back on the bus and I handed him a beer as he sat next to me. “Did you enjoy the show?”

“Yeah!”

He could tell how happy, I mean drunk, I was. “Maybe I should drive you home.”

“No, no I’m fine. I’m fine. I’ll be okay.”

It wasn’t until well after midnight that I even thought about leaving and I progressively had some heavier alcohol. Who condoned this? John walked me to my car because I could barely stand on my own and I was leaning against my car while we were talking.

“I still haven’t figured you out yet,” he said and lightly held my hand.

“Hey, it’s not your birthday anymore,” I said but didn’t shake off his hand but hinted at it.

“And? Is there something you’re going to do about it?” He was smirking and gradually getting closer to me.

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

He laughed and kissed me. Oh my God if his hug was good, his kiss was a thousand times better. I didn’t want it to end. But it did and he stroked my cheek with his other hand.

“Is Kennedy still your favorite?” He asked with a smile.

“I think so. You’re going to have to do better than that.”

Of course that was my sneaky way of getting him to kiss me again and truth be told, John was my favorite now. But I thought I’d just have some fun right now.

“What about now?”

“Hmm…I don’t know…”

We were just standing there, making out for what felt like hours. I came to my senses after we were finished that I could not drive myself home, so he took my keys from me. And that was the last thing I remember of that night.

I woke up in a strange room and I started freaking out. There were paintings and pictures all over the walls and a pile of dirty clothes in the corner. This was not my apartment. I sat up, which turned out to be a bad idea, and all the blood rushed to my head and I remembered what drinking I had done last night. Great, first hangover.

I walked to the bathroom to check myself and I looked like complete garbage. My eyeliner was all over my face and my hair was crumpled to one side and my clothes looked like they were hung up to dry. As expected, when I walked out the door I saw John.

“Here, drink this,” he said and poured something out of a blender. “It’ll help your headache.”

I drank it and immediately spat it out. “What the hell is in this? This is disgusting.”

“It’s better that you not know. Just drink it.” He walked over to the dryer and took some shoes out.

“Do you regularly wash your shoes?”

“No, but when I opened the car door for you last night, you leaned out and puked on my shoes. Then I had to carry you inside.”

“Oh. Sorry about that.”

“It’s okay. I’ve done it once or twice to somebody.” He threw his shoes in his bedroom.

“Did we…”

“No. I slept on the couch. You have a thousand fucking keys on your keychain and I didn’t know which one was your apartment so I just let you sleep in my bed.”

“That was nice of you.”

“It was the least I could do… So I have some semi-devastating news and some good news.”

“What’s the semi-devastating news?”

“I’m leaving in a couple of hours and we’ll be on the road for the rest of the month.”

“How will I survive?”

“I trust that you won’t burn your apartment down and asphyxiate yourself with the fumes. I think you’ll be okay.”

“But you won’t get to take me to my first day of school!”

“And I’m racked with guilt. But listen, I’m gonna give you my number so we can call each other and stuff.”

“What? Your number? Does such a thing exist?”

“Surprisingly.” I put my number in his phone. “I’ll text you later on today so you have it.”

“It’s going to be weird without you over here all the time.” When I said this, I legitimately meant it. I wasn’t just goofing around like I was earlier. Even though I’d only known him and had him as my neighbor for five days, he already made an impact with me. He could tell that I meant it too.

The hours passed and it was time for him to leave and as he was about to get in his car I said, “John?”

“Rianne.”

“Get over here and kiss me.”