Running from the Rain

John quickly slid on a plaid, button up shirt over his white v-neck before sprinting down the stairs cursing at the person who continued to ring the door bell. Although he was certain he knew who it was.

"Was that necessary?!" He asked, flinging the door open to reveal Charlee. They had parted ways for a few in order to get ready for dinner with the guys.

A smile hit her lips and he continued, "You're lucky my parents aren't home. Let me grab my keys so we can go."

"Yes sir." She responded and he rolled his eyes trying to fight back his smile as he jogged to his room grabbing his things before finding his way back to the living room where the girl was now examining pictures on the wall.

"Awe is this you?" She asked pointing to a mere 5 year old John and he rolled his eyes, "Yes."

"Awe. You were so cute." She stated and he raised an eyebrow, "Were?"

"Yeah were. Like in the past." She joked and he grabbed at her wrist, "Smart ass and a jerk. Got it."

She laughed as they left his house and he led her to his truck.

"Are your friends past cute too or..."

"You called them losers so I hope only past cute too."

"Except for the one who called me not."

John laughed, "His name is Garrett."

"Garrett. That's a cute name."

"What is up with everything being cute to you?!"

"What? I can't be a smart ass jerk who thinks everything is cute?"

John's smile widened as he kept his eyes on the road, "I swear..."

She chuckled looking out the window as they drove to the diner she was too familiar with.

"And this is where you guys choose to hang out which is also concerning."

"Hey, it's tradition. You don't ruin tradition." He stated as they climbed from the truck. He led her into the place and once he spotted the guys he pointed her in the direction. He was nervous already simply because they tended to embarrass him and he wasn't looking forward to it.

"If you are wondering why we are late blame your friend. Hi I'm Charlee." She stated sitting at the table like she had been around the boys for years. John chuckled at their expressions and slid in beside her.

"Oh I'm Kennedy, this is Pat, Jared and Garrett." He stated once be found his voice.

The boys all said hi and John couldn't help but be amused by how taken back they were by such a small girl.

"You're Garrett?" She asked the dark haired boy across from her and he looked up immediately shaking his head slowly as if she was now going to kill him for saying so.

John snickered from beside her knowing very well she was going to embarrass the boy which he was amused by simply because Garrett talked such a good game to be so shy all the time.

"So you told John I was hot?" She asked and as suspected, Garrett's face immediately turned red.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed that got you into a very cool list." She said throwing her hands up and John couldn't help but continue to laugh beside her.

"A list?" Kennedy questioned and John jumped in, "She basically said she was now the coolest person I know beside Garrett because he said she was hot."

Garrett groaned wishing he would disappear and Kennedy narrowed his eyes at the girl, "Hey I'm cool."

"Psh." Pat mumbled not bothering to look up from the contraption he was making in order to fling straws from the table.

"I like him." She said and Pat looked up instantly, "Well duh."

John smiled, "Girls like him for some reason. I don't know why. He's weird."

"Cool weird." Pat defended and she giggled, "I believe it."

"So Charlee who we never met before, tell us about yourself." Kennedy spoke with a grin and Charlee smiled, "Well Kennedy who I've never met before, what do you want to know?"

Kennedy shrugged his shoulders, "The basics would be a nice start."

"Mhm, my name is Charlee Keaton, I'm 22, I was in college and I just moved here like three months ago and ironically live three doors down from him." She stated pointing to John who chuckled as he grabbed for his drink.

"Ah and what were you in school for?"

"English major." She stated not really intimidated by his numerous questions.

"Of course." John chuckled out and she shrugged, "hey I like literature, sue me."

He shook his head with a smile as she looked back at Kennedy "And what about you?"

"My last name is Brock, I'm 23, in a band which I'm sure he's told you, and I've lived here my whole life."

"And what do you do in this supposed band?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Guitar."

"Mhm and you?" She asked and Pat looked up at her, "Oh drums of course."

"Of course. Which leaves another guitarist..." She guessed looking at Jared who nodded with a grin, "Yep."

"If this ends with John being the singer I'm going to laugh." She said so serious that everyone started laughing minus John who stared at her with his mouth open, "Hey! Why do you say that?!"

"It is just surprising is all!"

"Well in fact I am the singer, jerk."

"In his defense he sings well." Garrett finally spoke and she looked at John debating if that was true or not.

"I'm not going to sing for you."

"Why not?"

"We're in a diner!"

"And I'm sure you've sung to more people then this."

"So? They wanted me to sing to them!"

"Well I'll youtube you."

"Do not YouTube me!"

"Why not?"

"Because who knows what the fuck will come up! I'll do it. Jeez." He grumbled snatching the phone from her hand and the boys snickered from their seats.

"Let her listen to these four words." Pat suggested and John rolled his eyes as he scrolled through videos until he finally found it.

"Here." He spoke handing over the phone to the girl. Her eyes focused on the video as it started playing and once he started singing she was actually surprised. He wasn't just good, he was amazing. His raspy voice that she thought would be a problem was actually what made it so perfect.

"Well..." She said sitting the phone down once it was over and John's eyes were immediately on her. Her honesty he knew was waiting to come out.

"I don't want to make you even more conceited but you are pretty good."

John rolled his eyes, "Conceited? Whatever."

"He is." Garrett chimed in and John shot him a look, "Since when?"

"Well, you use to be..."

"Either way, you're good "

"Well thank you."

"You know, I think I like you." Jared said laughing at how she handled John.

"I think I like you guys as well."

John smiled from his seat as he watched them interact. For some reason he really wanted all of them to get along and seeing it happen just made him happy.

By the time they finished eating Pat and her were attached at the hip laughing and talking about pranks they had managed to pull on other people. It didn't take much for them to be friends.

"You have to come to our party tonight." He said excitedly as they reached their cars.

"Yeah you should. It'll be fun. You can meet new people, like Halvo. Dude, how funny would it be if they met each other?! They are like the same type of person!" Jared stated laughing at his own thought and John tried not to get offensive.

He had never mentioned names in his spill of secrets to Charlee but the look on his face must have given some of it away because Charlee was immediately on his side which he hadn't expected.

"I would, and I'm certain this guy wouldn't stand a chance, but I promised John we would go see that new Thor movie and we already got tickets, so we have to do that first." She stated so believable that he questioned if he agreed to that last night or not.

"We'll stop by afterwards. Please." Pat spoke with a pout as if that would help.

She sighed, "I'll text you if we can."

Pat smiled victoriously and John rolled his eyes. No one could say no to him.

The group said goodbye and once they were safely in his truck his eyes diverted to hers, "Why did you lie?" He questioned and she shrugged, "You seemed like you wanted me to."

John narrowed his eyebrows in confusion, yeah, he wanted her to, it was just odd how she seemed to understand him so easily.

Was he that easy to figure out?

"Halvo is the guy in your story, huh?"

John nodded, "His name is Eric but Halvorsen is his last name so yeah..."

She nodded as the truck roared to life.

"You know, I don't have a problem getting you out of a situation, but you do you realize you can't avoid him or her for that matter, forever right?" She spoke and he clinched onto the steering wheel tightly.

"I'm not trying to pressure you into it, I'm just saying, you can't keep yourself from your friends just because of two people. Especially one who in certain would forgive you, aka Eric and one who clearly didn't deserve you in the first place."

"You don't know her..." He defended immediately and she shrugged, "you're right, I don't, but I know you a bit I would say and I just feel like you don't deserve to be treated like that. I know you loved her but don't let it weigh you down because there is someone out there who will love you just as much as you love them and if you keep mopping around you could miss that person."

John stared blankly at the road as his truck grew quiet and he let her words sink in. She always made him rethink things and he appreciated that. Seeing things in a new view made it easier for him.

"So I should go?" He finally asked and she spoke, "Yeah, I think so."

"Will you come with me?"

"If you want me to I will."

"I do."

"Then what time are you picking me up, O'Callaghan?"

A grin hit his lips and he glanced over to her for a split second.

"I don't know darling, when is our Thor movie?"

She laughed, "We can say we returned the tickets."

He laughed as they headed home and he oddly felt ok about going to the party. She would be there to knock off the demons that would try to manipulate his thoughts once he was there and that would be enough, right?

How hard could this really be?