Lightning in a bottle

“Uh are you okay?” He asked me again.
“Uhm yeah. I’m fine. I’m sorry” I forgot the fact that I really need to go to the washroom “Can I ask you a question?”
“Yep. What is it?”
“Can you tell me the way to the washroom? Because I think I’m lost and I really need to pee” I asked him slightly embarrassed.
“Oh! I’ll show you the way. That’s where I’m heading so I don’t mind walking with you.” Then again, he smiled. I trailed after him.
Sandy will be freaked if she found out I encountered John Gomez. I remember the smile he gave me before we exited the backstage. That warm smile. He’s so cute and hot. He’s wearing skinny jeans, black vans, and checkered button-up shirt. His hair is a bit curly and he wore suspenders.
I didn’t notice him stopped. So again, I bump into him. This time into his back.
“We’re here.” He said.
“Thank You” I smiled at him.
“No problem. Anything for a pretty girl like you.” I blushed then head inside the washroom.
I looked at the mirror when I finished peeing.
“I’m a mess.” I muttered to myself. I fixed my hair and re applied lipstick. Then I come out of the washroom. I saw him leaning on the wall. I didn’t know he waited for me.
“Oh hey, I was just waiting for you.” He told me.
“You didn’t have to do that, you know.”
“I figured maybe I can buy you some drink, as sorry gift?” he said hopeful.
“Okay, it’s nothing, besides I’m not hurt” Then we began walking back to the party.
“I’m just wondering why you look bored when you went for signing after the concert?” oh god. Of all the things he could ask.
“No offense, but I’m not a fan. I just discovered pop/rock songs today. I’m actually a classical music fan and my cousin just dragged me here.” He chuckled.
“None taken. Not all people appreciate us. Some people think its just noise.” Yeah. That’s what I think at first. I thought. “So what do you think of our music?”
“Honestly, I liked it. I find your music interesting and I realized it’s not a noise.” Its weird talking to someone I just met earlier.
We entered the hall, he led me to the bar.
“What do you want pretty lady?” He asked me.
“Sparkling water? I’ve had enough alcohol.” He told the bartender.
“I still don’t know your name.” He told me.
“Oh, I’m Cassandra Collins, but you can call me Cassie” We shook hands.
“and I’m John Gomez”
“I know.” We laughed while shaking our hands.
“Friends?” wow. A band member wants me to be his friend. Just wow.
“Yeah.” I smiled.
“This is new, I’ve met someone who doesn’t yell in front of me” he told me, and I laughed.
“sucks to be you”
We talked about small things, getting to know each other until I realized Sandy will be looking for me.
“Oh fuck” I guess I said it loud enough for John to hear.
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“My cousin will be looking for me. I totally forgot about her.” I put my face in my hands. I can’t believe I forgot her.
“It’s okay, let’s just find her okay?” We stand up and look around.
“Where do you guys sit earlier? Maybe she’s still there.” He asked me. He accompanied me to our place earlier. Fortunately she’s still there, unfortunately, she’s knocked-up. She’s drunk.
“Hey guys, what happened to Sandy?” I asked them, Sandy’s friends.
“Well she drank too much. And she passed out.” Jenny said. Great, I’m like a baby sitter.
“Won’t you introduce me to your friend, Cassie?” Marie asked me. Wiggling her eyebrows at me. They’re friends of Sandy, I met them earlier.
“Oh, This is John. You know, the guitarist of The Summer Set”
“Hi Guys!” John greeted them enthusiastically.
“This is Marie, and Jenny.” They grinned.
“I should take Sandy home.” I told them. “What time is it?”
“It’s already 12:30.” Aunt Lerma will be asleep. So she can’t pick us up.
“How are you two going home?” Asked John.
“I’ll just call a cab.”
“I could give you a ride home. We rented a car here because we’ll be staying here for another three days.”
“No, I can handle it, besides I already gave you too much burden. And maybe your band mates are already looking for you”
“I insist, plus I want to see the city in night lights.” This guy isn’t taking no as an answer. I sighed.
“Okay, but don’t you blame me if you get in trouble.”
“Why would I get in trouble?” he didn’t wait for an answer and started punching numbers on his phone, he turned his back to us and began talking to the phone. I tried waking Sandy up.
“Sandy, wake up.” I said. Patting her cheeks. But the only response I got is her groan.
I tried again. This time I’m half-shouting. “Sandy, I swear if you don’t open your eyes I will leave you here and wait for you to rot and die”
“Wow. That’s bad ass.” John told me.
I’m exasperated. My stupid cousin won’t wake up, so I did what I had to do to wake her up. I shouted in her ear.
“SANDY!!!! WAKE UP!!!” her eyes shot open and got up.
“Why are you shouting? Arrrrrgh. Headache. Can we go home now? I’m kinda lightheaded.”
“That’s why I’m waking you up!”
“Uhm, The car is already waiting at the back of the building, we can go now if you want?” John interrupted.
“Oh yeah, okay.” I turned to Sandy, who is still sitting on the couch, massaging her temples with her eyes closed. “Can you walk Sandy?”
“I think so.”
“Right, let’s go.”
I was supporting Sandy while walking, she’s wobbly and lightheaded. She doesn’t even realize that John Gomez is the one taking us home. We reached the car and put Sandy at the backseat.
“Can you ride beside me?” he asked me.
“Sure, I don’t want you feeling like a chauffer.” I smirked.
“Ha ha. Very funny.” he opened the passenger side and let me slide in, he went to the other side of the car and slides in.
“Where to, miss?” He said in a fake British accent.
“Just head downtown and I’ll tell you where to turn.”
“Yah okay. So, are you pure Filipina?”
“Uhm no, ¾ Filipina, ¼ American. I grew up in states.”
“Where in states?”
“Arizona.”
“Really? Where in Arizona? It’s where the band came from, actually.” John said.
“Well, I was born in Phoenix but we moved to Scottsdale two years ago.”
“Oh my god. What a coincidence.”
“Don’t tell me you live in Scottsdale?” He just smiled at me.
“At least there’s still a chance that we might see each other in Arizona after our tour here in Manila.”
“Don’t you have other tours to attend to?”
“We have 3 months break after this, we just have to write songs while on break, then recording after that.”
We fell silent in the car, I just talk when I have to give the directions. After about 20 minutes we reached the house.
“Thanks for the ride John, do you know the way to the hotel?” I asked him, he told me he would go straight to the hotel after he drops us off.
“No problem, I’ll see you when I see you. It’s so nice meeting a person who does not squeal and shout when she sees you, if you know what I mean.” He laughed.
“Yeah, I know. like what a fan does.”
I woke Sandy up and we went to the front porch, I get the key and I saw Sandy sitting on the pavement, fast asleep. I told John to wait for me, I immediately opened the door and took Sandy upstairs, I hurried down the stairs to say goodbye to John.
“Thanks for the ride again, It’s really nice meeting you.” I thanked him before I turned around but he caught my wrist and turned me around so I can face him.
“I really hope we could meet again, can I have your number, so I could you know, call you?” I was caught off guard, I didn’t expect a band member, this famous, to ask for my number. I hesitated but I saw him look at me hopeful, so I gave him my number.
“Good night John.” He smiled. And with that I went inside the house and run upstairs. I changed in my pajamas and lay down on our bed. I was thinking about everything what happened today. Going to a concert of some band that I barely knew, meeting one of them, drinking with one of them and him asking for my number. So much happened in one day, I felt my eyes getting heavier every moment and I slowly closed my eyes, with that I fell asleep with a huge smile on my lips.