Stealing Glances

July 2013
New York, New York

John anxiously waited outside as he got a text message from Jamison telling him she would be at the venue within the next half hour. He began smoking a cigarette trying to calm his nerves and also trying to figure out why he was so nervous. John kept repeating to himself it was just Jamison and that they were friends but then would be reminded of moments where it had felt more than friends like their weekend in San Francisco or when Jamison came to visit randomly when the “Happy” single was released and they had road tripped up to LA. He felt a mix bag of emotion rush upon him till he felt a hand tap his shoulder. He turned around to see Jamison standing in front of him holding a suitcase along with wearing an 8123 t-shirt that John had told her she had to wear if she was going to take the “walking billboard” job seriously. He smiled to himself and felt his insides jump a bit before coming back to reality.

Hey…” She said, setting down her bag next to her before embracing John.

“Hi.” He mumbled, hugging her and wondering to himself if he was lingering and making the hug last longer than it should.

“Good to see your face.” She said, mumbling into his shoulder. He took that as a sign to pull back and look at her.

“Yours too.” He smiled, wondering what he should do next a moment of silence dawdled upon them.

“Jam!” Jared yelled, saving the moment as he walked up to the two.

“Jared!” Jamison said happily as she embraced Jared.

“I hear you’ll be with us for awhile…” He said with a smirk before looking over at John giving him a knowing look as John diverted his gaze from Jared.

Jamison shook her head and chuckled, “You heard correctly…”

“Stoked for that… “

“I am too.”

“Jamison!” Garrett yelled, as he got off the best and made his way to the ongoing crowd.

“Garrett!” Jamison said, giving Garrett a high five before hugging him.

“Are you ready to go back to sleeping in a coffin?” Garrett said jokingly, as he slung his arm around Jamison’s shoulder.

Jamison shook her head confidently, “Totally.” She said sarcastically.

“Good to have you.” Jared said to her, giving her a final pat on the shoulder. “Garrett and I are actually going to go record hunting, we’ll see you guys later.” The two gave John and Jamison a wave before walking off.

“I’ll grab your things for you, I was thinking you could show me one of your favorite places to eat around here.” John said, grabbing Jamison’s suitcase for her as he lead her onto the bus.

“I can do that…” She said, following John onto the bus towards the bunks.

“You think you can manage to sleep on the top bunk?” John asked, with a smirk upon his face as he pointed to the top bunk above his middle bunk.

“You give the shortest person on the tour, the top bunk?” She deadpanned, “Yeah… you’re going to have to boost me up every night then.” She laughed, as John stuck her suitcase into her bunk before they started walking back off the bus.

“Can do.” He laughed, “Let’s go, I’m hungry…” He opened the door to the bus and got off with Jamison following behind him.

“You’re the boss applesauce.” Jamison said, as she began walking down the street alongside John on search for food.

“Cute.” John said teasingly, as Jamison faked a scoff in mock offense.

“I’m adorable.” She said, flipping her hair jokingly causing John to stifle a laugh.

“Sure.” He rolled his eyes.

“Admit it O’Callaghan, I am so cute you just want to link arms with me and skip along this sidewalk with me.”

“I totally do… totally.” John said in a high-pitched voice along with a lisp. “What are we getting Jamie?” He asked pretending to flip his hair as he linked his arms with hers strolling to the crosswalk.

“We’re getting sandwiches…” She said, playing along with him. They got to a crowded intersection before Jamison grabbing his hand caught John off guard. “We can’t lose you…” Jamison smiled before weaving through the crowd of people and not letting go of John’s hand.

Jamison had finally let go of John’s hand once they had made it to the other side of the sidewalk. John was a bit sad by the lack of psychical intimacy that seemed to end to soon. As it had been a bit rare between them, but had always caused him to feel like he was 14 again with his insides flipping around—it seemed so new even though there had been many before Jamison.

The two got to a small bistro on an off-beaten path on a side street and sat out on the patio drinking beer and talking about everything and nothing like they always had while waiting for their food. John had always been so grateful he had been able to talk to Jamison the way they did. Even if they did run out of things to talk about somehow silence seemed just as comfortable for them as well and he knew that spoke volumes about their friendship.

“Do you ever wonder where you’ll be in 5 years?” John asked, ponderingly as Jamison took a sip of her beer.

“I sometimes wonder where I’ll be next year, the thought of 5 years is daunting.” She chuckled sheepishly, looking at John with a smile.

“I wonder where we’ll be in 5 years—would we still be friends?” John mused, as he continued to think out loud.

“We might not even be friends in like 3 years—life is weird. Who knows what’ll happen.” Jamison shrugged nonchalantly causing John to chuckle.

“Now Jamie, aren’t we being a little pessimistic. Us not friends in 3 years—I’m a bit hurt.” John said, teased as he pretended to clutch his chest in mock pain from her words.

“I’m being a bit realistic here.” She said, laughing at his response. “I could be like… dead in 3 years.”

“I bet you we’ll be friends in 3 years and beyond.”

“You seem so sure.” Jamison took a sip of her beer. “What if I like did something horrible to you that you couldn’t forgive me? Are you going to remember this conversation?” She challenged with a weak smirk as John took a sip of his own beer.

“In 3 years we could be married to each other—you never know.” He countered, with a smile but the actual thought of that had his insides smiling wider.

John was glad his light-hearted words and responses could be masked.

“Exactly, you never know.” She said, pointing her finger square at his face with another smile.

“I do know we’ll still be friends…” He smiled, causing her roll her eyes while chuckling.

“You want to put your money where your mouth is O’Callaghan?”

“I should be offended you thinking we might not be friends… but I so want to prove you wrong. So I’ll put my money where my mouth is.” He agreed. “We’ll meet here in 3 years at this exact spot, in this exact place, at this time—which is now, 3:13PM.” He challenged, looking at his phone to check the time.

Jamison shook her head and laughed at his proposal. “So on July 2nd 2016? We’re going to meet here and what?”

“If we’re friends, we’ll have a drink, maybe share a meal, and you pay while I rub it in your face.” He teased, “And you know… just be us” His expression changing into a honest and sincere one causing her to take in his words and look at him with an almost worried-like expression.

“What if we’re not friends and there is no us?”

“Let’s still meet here and see how the other is doing… maybe even try and mend things depending on whatever might have happened.” He offered, giving her a hopeful look. “I don’t think I’ll stop caring about you.” He said, quietly as his voice went a bit lower and softer.

“Me either.”

“So, either way we meet here on July 2nd, 2016 and have a drink no matter where we are in life?” John said, settling the arrangement and began raising his glass of beer.

Jamison grabbed her glass and clinked it with John’s to seal the deal. “Deal.”

“I can’t wait to rub this one in your face.” He smirked, as he took a sip of his beer while stifling a chuckle.

“We’ll see about that…” Jamison said, with a chuckle looking away from John’s gaze. His eyes that made her always feel like he was looking at her and that no one else was around them.

John had always been so attentive when they were both around each other—always focusing his attention solely on her whenever she was talking, like the most interest thing was being said.

“Hey Jamie Song?”

Jamison turned her head to look at John who seemed like he hadn’t averted his gaze once since she looked away. “Yeah?”

“I like your face… it’s going to be around in my life for awhile. I’m sure of it… and welcome it.” John said with a smile.

He wondered and worried about if she could tell the underlying feelings he had whenever he would say things like that to her. But it had been true and it was how he had felt—his insides had been a bit out of whack recently because of her existence.

“I’m going to make you regret those words.” She joked, causing the both of them to laugh.