About Time

“H-hi, John.” I stupidly stammer. I wait the entire show. Wait to be the last person to meet him. After four and a half years and the best I have is, hi. What the fuck is wrong with me?

“Zoey.” It’s not a question, but not exactly a statement. He sounds relieved almost.

Unsure of how to respond I just shrug my shoulders and nod, “That’s me.” Ingenious response Zoey; a degree in English from Columbia and you can’t even form words. Great job.

John clears his throat and I look everywhere but the man in front of me. I crack my knuckles one after the other and John barks out a laugh, “Fuck, Zoe. Do I make you that nervous?”

I slowly put my hands down and smile up at him. It was easy to forget just how well he knew me; probably better than myself, if I was being honest. I shuffle my weight from my left foot to my right, “Jared said you guys have an off day tomorrow. So no bus call? There’s this awesome diner around the corner that I got to on late nights. I mean if you want to?”

John smiles, “Lead the way.”

Walking away from the Best Buy Theater, an odd tension settles over the two of us. John and I had always been close even when him and Jared went through the phase where they hated girls. John would still share his fruit snacks with me and walk with me home from school.

He absentmindedly tugs at the beanie cover his hair, “So you still talk to, Jared?” I didn’t have to look at him; the slight bitterness to his words and resentment in his tone was enough for me.

I scoff my heel against the sidewalk as we continue walking, “Yeah, I mean. He is dating my sister. It’s usually just a text here or there nothing serious.”

“Couldn’t go one more name to check up on me or anything?” His words stung as I shove my hands in my pockets.

“Well you know phones work both ways. Here’s the place.” I reply in a weak voice. Real intimidating, Zoey.

John grabs my wrist gently before I can walk into the diner, “Zoe, hey. I’m sorry.”

I shrug it off with a smile, “It’s okay, Johnny. Let’s go eat.”

~~

“Don’t deny it, Zoey. Ladies love me. You were at the show. They want me.” He finishes his sentences by shoveling in a mouth full of fries.

I roll my eyes laughing, “I’m so glad none of the attention has gone to your head, John. May I ask how you got that big head of yours through the door?”

After the icy beginning, things had gotten better. The warmth of the diner and the overall nice feeling of talking to John again took effect.

He takes a sip of his glass of beer and pushes his empty plate away from him, “Have you come to any other New York shows?”

Only every single one and every time trying to find the courage to spill my guts to about how you’re the hottest thing since the sun. That’s not too much, right? I swirl my chocolate shake, “A few.”

The waitress lays the check and before I could grab money from my pockets, John was handing the woman his credit card, “John!”

He shakes his head; “You already had to put up with my terrible singing voice tonight. The least I could do is buy you dinner.”

I smile, “Whatever, Johnny.”

John slides his arm around my shoulders as we exit the little restaurant. I hook my arm around his waist. I sigh and John looks down at me, “I really missed you, Zoey.”

My cheeks heat by their self, “I missed you too, Johnny.”

We reach the fork in our destinations. He needs to go right for the tour bus and my apartment is left. I head left and looking over my shoulder I see John standing frozen. I drop my head, another tour, and another failure.

“Zoe! Hey, Zoey!” I turn to see John jogging to catch up with me. I stop and wait for him to reach me. It was just like every romantic comedy I loved to watch and cry over. Just like every romance novel. In the light of the moonlight, John would reach me and grab me in his arms then passionately kiss me and we’d live happily ever after.

“Let me walk you home. I’d feel terrible if something bad happened to you.” Wow, that was incredibly underwhelming. Let me just go kill my self now.

“Alright. Thanks!”

We walk in silence and I can’t wait to get upstairs change clothes and wallow in my misery. I stop in front of the brownstone apartment that I call home. John wraps me in a hug, “It was really nice seeing you again, Zoe.”

I squeeze back, “Yeah totally! If you want to hang tomorrow or if you’re in New York again just call.”

He nods then scratches the back of his head, “For sure. Bye Zoey.”

I curl my fingers around my keys watching as he turns to walk away and before my judgment can stop me I call out his name, “John, wait!”

He stops and I take a deep breath, “I like you, a lot. I’ve liked you since freshman year when went to homecoming together as ‘just friends.’ I’ve been in love with you since we lost our virginities to one another senior year after graduation. I’ve been to every show in New York and every time I chicken out to tell you. But there I said it.”

“Oh thank Christ.” What. John crosses the distance between us in two strides. He grabs my face between his palms and crushes his lips to mind. I grasp his back and kiss him back.

John pulls away and rests his forehead against mine, “I’ve been wanting to hear you say that for years.”

I pull him back down for another kiss. His hands slide down to my waist and he groans into my mouth as my hands tug at the hair sticking out of his beanies. He whispers against my lips, “Can I come inside?”

I nibble on his bottom lip, “Are you trying to seduce me, Johnny?”

His cheeks flush, “Maybe, is it working?”

~~

John grabs my legs and wraps them around his waist. I dig my nails into his back, “Fuck. Faster, Johnny.”

He kisses my lips as his pace increases. John’s teeth dig into my collarbone as I moan his name loudly.

John pulls away from my lips looking directly into my eyes, as we get closer to our peeks. I pant as my pleasure goes higher and higher. John groans, “I’m close, Zoe.”

My eyes roll back as the wave of pleasure rolls through my body. John thrusts once, then twice before shuddering as he releases into me. John collapses next to me and I sigh then giggle to myself, “You’ve definitely gotten better since last time.”

He laughs and buries his face into the pillows, “Oh god, I was so bad.” I giggle at his reaction.

I smile and trail my fingers along his side, “I love you, Johnny.”

John takes his head from beneath the pillows, “I love you, too.”