Burn

John flopped on the air mattress heavily, jolting me awake and scaring me half to death. He smiled cheekily as he propped himself up on his elbows, waiting for me to get myself together.

"What do you want, O'Callaghan?" I croaked, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hands.

"Wake up, rehearsal is in an hour."

"I'm not even in the band!" I whined, pulling the covers over my head. He snatched them back down quickly, making me frown.

"Shower. Now." he demanded, frowning right back at me. My eyes widened in surprise and I sat up, crossing my arms in defiance. "Don't tell me what to do!"

He switched positions, rolling over so that he was on his back. My eyes traveled down his outfit, stopping at the mid-drift showing where his black t-shirt had risen up a little, exposing his pale stomach. His skinny jean clad legs went all the way down the air mattress, where his feet hung off the edge a little because of his height.

"You checking me out, Viola Grey?" he smirked. "I know I'm hot, but geez--"

I reached behind me, grabbing my pillow and clocking him right over the head, stopping him mid-sentence. He sat stunned for a few seconds before he reacted, grabbing the other one and coming back at me full-force. We battled on our knees on the air mattress, dodging and landing blows before he stopped suddenly, panting.

"Oh my god, is that your tattoo?" he asked, pointing at my side where my tank top had ridden up a little. I glanced down at it quickly, moving to cover it before he lunged at me, snatching my pillow away and throwing it to the other side of the room. He pinned me to the mattress, hovering over me until I stopped squirming and gave in. Our chests heaved in and out, both of us out of breath from putting everything we had into that pillow fight.

"I win, Viola Grey." he smiled, showing both rows of his beautifully white teeth. I sighed, trying once again to move my wrists from his grip. "Admit it."

"Forget it, O'Callaghan." I mumbled, trying to focus on everything besides how close he was to me. Although he was holding his upper body over me, one of his legs was thrown between mine, eliciting so much body heat it was hard to concentrate.

"I'm not letting you go until you say it." he murmured lowly, dipping his head down even close to me so that my breath caught in my throat. He skimmed his nose along my jaw line, making rows of goose bumps erupt all over my neck. I felt his breath in warm puffs on my collarbone, making me close my eyes and dip my head back so he could get better access.

John had turned the whole situation around in a matter of seconds. What had been before a lively atmosphere was now something completely different. His entire demeanor had changed, and now there was no playful spark in his eye--it was replaced by something lustier that made my insides feel like jello.

He traced his way down my jaw and back again, driving me insane. "How about those words, Viola Grey?"

He moved down, taking his time so that every breath sent a new wave of goose bumps cascading over my neck. He got down to my collarbone when I caved, whispering breathlessly, "Okay, you win."

He pressed his lips softly at the base of my throat before releasing me and standing up to his full height beside the air mattress. The kiss, soft as a feather, left me speechless and I laid there as I felt the familiar hotness wash over my face and cheeks. He left the room silently, leaving me to deal with the feeling of his lips on my throat and relishing in the tingling sensation left behind.



I jogged down the stairs, tightening up my ponytail and fixing my scarf so that it settled nicely on my neck. I'd decided on a periwinkle sweater and some black skinny jeans and boots, because it was starting to be really chilly outside, even in the middle of the afternoon when the sun was still high in the sky.

I grabbed a bowl and the milk out of the refrigerator then walked over to the pantry only to see that the cereal I waned was on the top shelf. I sighed, reaching up on my tip toes and grazing my fingers across the shelf, only to push the box further away from myself.

"Need help?" John asked, reaching over me to grab the box off the top. I caught a whiff of all his normal scents, mint toothpaste, and a clean, soapy smell like he'd just stepped out of the shower. He handed it to me, grinning as he back up to do a once-over of my outfit. "You look nice."

"So do you." He'd changed from a black short sleeved shirt to a white, long-sleeved one, and thrown a jean vest over it. Every time he moved, my nose was filled with his mouthwatering scent. It was overwhelming.

"Do you always smell so good?" I asked as I poured cereal into my bowl. He walked over to the cabinet, chuckling as he pulled out a bowl for himself. "I could ask the same about you, Viola Grey."

I raised an eyebrow at him. He was being extra flirtatious today. First the scene in his bedroom this morning--the spot his kissed on my throat tingles at the memory--and now this? I was beginning to get suspicious. A few days ago I couldn't even tell if he liked me and now I was confused as ever.

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked cautiously.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just wondering."

"Hey, what would you say if I told you I had a surprise for you tonight?" he asked, standing on the other side of the counter in front of me. I raised my eyebrows at him, taking in his playful expression.

"What kind of surprise?"

"Wouldn't me telling you defeat the point of surprise?" he said, smirking. I said nothing, concentrating hard on not dripping milk onto my scarf. "Well whether you want it or not, I have one for you."

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant about it when in reality, my mind was racing. What kind of surprise could John possibly have for me?

"I'm excited." was all he said as he dug into his own cereal, munching happily.



We arrived at the venue about 2 hours before show time so that The Maine could do sound check. I watched from side stage as John ran through microphone checks by saying dumb stuff so that they could measure his sound levels.

"Check 1, 2." he mumbled, then repeated it a little louder. "Check, check. Garrett sleeps with a teddy bear, check!"

I rolled my eyes at him and so did Garrett.

"Check, John O'Callaghan is the man, check check!"

My phone began ringing in my back pocket and I stepped away from the stage and into the hallway as I pulled it out, answering a FaceTime call from Rose. The screen went blank for a moment before Rose appeared, riding in the car and lip syncing to whatever girly song was no the radio. She panned over to Caleb, who was driving while singing and dancing and then to Joel, who was pouting in the back because he was squished between Callie and Alex, who were also singing. I smiled widely as she cut radio down.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, taking her giant sunglasses off and putting them on top of her hair. A chorus of greetings followed her, making me smile even harder. "Where are you?"

"I'm at the venue with The Maine. They're in the middle of sound check right now." I was silent for a few moments so that they could hear them practicing Some Days in the background.

"We're on our way. We're gonna stop and get something to eat and then drive to The Palace."

"Sounds great." I said. "I don' know if I'll see you guys tonight--I'll be on photographer duty."

"That's cool. Maybe we can hang around after to see you."

We said our goodbyes and I ended the phone call just as The Maine was ending Some Days and beginning the next song in their rehearsal set list. I wandered around the venue for a while to busy myself until it was nearing time for them to go on stage. I found a buffet table set out for the boys and helped myself to some carrot sticks and ranch, chatting with the employees of The Palace as I waited. They all seemed impressed that I was documenting The Maine's studio album process and kept me busy with questions until John came looking for me.

"There you are!" he said, motioning for me to follow him. "We wanted to take a group picture before it was show time."

"Oh, okay." I started pulling my camera strap over my head but he stopped me, placing a hand on my arm. "No silly, we want you to be in it, too."

We all stood, arms interlocked around each other's waists in front of the black leather couch as a member of The Palace crew snapped a quick picture of The Maine and I on one of Garrett's cameras.

"Perfect." he smiled, turning the camera around to show us. I frowned at the picture. "Man, I'm always the shortest."

Everyone chuckled as they dispersed, and I went to go sit on the couch bu John grabbed my wrist, pulling me back to him and encircling his arm around my waist. My front smashed against his and I giggled uncontrollably out of nervousness, feeling my cheeks heat up nicely as John spoke to the Palace crew member. "Get one more picture, quick!"

I was straining to get away from him so he grabbed my hand and pulled me closer, laughing down at me as he looked playfully into my eyes. The camera flash went off and he released me, taking the camera out of the man's hands and going to the recent pictures. He smiled down at the photo, turning the screen toward me to show off the latest addition.

"This will be perfect for Instagram." he commented, grinning from ear to ear. I frowned, snatching the camera away from him and examining the picture. I zoomed into where his hand was on my waist, accidentally pulling my sweater well up above my hip and exposing some of the dark purple where my tattoo crept up on my side.

"What?" he asked, peering over my shoulder at it."

"You can't put that on Instagram!" I exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "I look like a groupie, John. I look...trashy."

"You do not, Viola Grey. I think you look amazing." John said lowly, and I felt his breath cascade over my neck from the way he was hovering over me. "And one day, I'm gonna see all of that tattoo."

And he walked away once again, leaving me speechless and my brain drowning in its own thoughts. I sat on a couch in the dressing room, staring at the picture for a while longer while everyone else got ready for the start of the show in ten minutes. I couldn't help but feel ecstatic at the way that John and I looked in the picture pressed up against each other--me in mid-laughter and him smiling down at me in a way that a girl can only wish to be looked at.

I was so head over heels for him it hurt to admit it.

"Viola, can you hand me those in-ear monitors over there?" Pat said, pointing to the table beside me and breaking me out of my trance. I set the camera down then, handing them to him and watching everyone go through their pre-show routines. The Maine did their group chant to get spirits high, and then walked one by one through the doors to side-stage.

"I hope you like the show." John said to me, winking he stepped out onto the stage and in front of the crowd. He grabbed his mic, pulling it to his lips with a smile. "Hello, we are The Maine and this song is called Thinking of You."

I did my photographer duties for the first few songs, snapping pics in the pit while the band jammed out on stage. I headed back to side stage after that, stopping the pictures as I pulled my buzzing phone out of my pocket. Callie had sent me a picture of the whole crew in the audience, throwing up piece signs as they enjoyed the show. I held up my phone, quickly snapping a picture in return of me with my tongue out and sent it back to her.

The Maine was nearing the end of their set list when the band stopped for a few moments to tune their instruments for the next song. John walked back to his microphone, licking his lips and smiling down at the crowd. "So I want to play you guys a song from our new album Forever Halloween, but I want to talk a little before playing it, is that okay?"

Everyone screamed, making him smile harder so he continued. "So I wrote the chorus to this song a long time ago, but I put it aside because I never finished it. It didn't mean much to me until very recently--which is the only reason why I even brought it out again."

"You see, I met this girl..."

My eyebrows shot up on my forehead at this, along with my pulse kick-starting in my veins. The crowd immediately 'awwww'-ed and he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "I met this girl, and since then things have been different--in a good way though..I don't really know how to explain it."

I felt like I was hyperventilating from side-stage. This was it--this was the surprise. But was he really about to do this right here? Right now?

"It's like you meet somebody, you know?--and they just change your whole way of thinking about life and relationships and people in general..."

He trailed off but the crowd screamed and whopped, encouraging him to go on. He looked around at the guys nervously behind him before continuing. "But anyways. The first day that I hung out with her, she said an exact line from the chorus of this song and it blew my mind. I was like, "Dude, is she like a mind reader or something?"

My eyes were welling up with tears by this time and I choked out a laugh at this. I wiped away a tear that escaped furiously, listening intently as he went on.

"No, but it really shocked me. And she always does--she keeps me on my toes. So I'd like to dedicate this song to her."

He turned from the crowd then, looking over to where I was standing--red-faced and on the extreme verge of breaking down into a sob fest--and smiled. Smiled that god damn John O'Callaghan signature grin that made me weak in the knees before saying, "There's something about you, Viola Grey. I wish I knew what it was. Guys, this song is called 'Sad Songs'."

I lost her in 1978

He tells me then looks away

It's simple, he loved her so

A tenderness you can't let go

He said son you don't forget your first true love

She won't forget you too

I only like the sad songs

No one gets me like the sad songs

I put the needle on the record

And if only for a second, it's enough

I stood on side stage, grinning from ear to ear like an idiot and feeling like my heart was about to burst out of my chest. John O'Callaghan dedicated a song to me. I inspired a The Maine song that was going to be part of an album. It was all so surreal.

My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I whipped it out to a group message from Callie and Rose.

OH. MY. GAAAAHHHHDDDDDD!!!!

THAT WAS CRAZY!!!!

I smiled to myself, sliding it back into pocket and watching The Maine finish the rest of Sad Songs on stage.

You only like the sad songs

You say you like the sad songs

Here's a sad song for you my love

For you my, love

I waited rather impatiently for them to tell the crowd goodnight and head off stage. John was grinning at me the entire time he was walking to the back and I rushed to him, wrapping my arms tightly around his middle and burying my face in his chest. "Thank you." I mumbled into his white t-shirt.

He moved his arms to wrap them around my upper body, holding me to him as he buried his face into my hair. "You're welcome, Viola Grey." he said softly, pulling my head back and planting a very tender kiss on my forehead. "I'm glad you liked it."

"I like you." I blurted out, making myself blush. I stared into his eyes as his facial expression softened, and he searched my eyes for a moment before leaning down and finally connecting his lips softly with mine.

It was as if a spark traveled all the way from my lips to the pit of my stomach and lit there, filling my entire body with a warm, relaxing glow.

His hand slid down my back, circling my waist and bringing me closer to him as he deepened the kiss for a moment before pulling away and resting his forehead against mine. I kept my eyes closed to calm the lightheadedness I was feeling suddenly from him. When I opened them, John was grinning down at me, his piercing green eyes penetrating my brown ones.

"It's about damn time!" Garrett yelled at us, clapping his hands together loudly. I turned around, blushing furiously as the rest of The Maine and a few of the members from The Palace joined in the applause.

I shook my head slowly, laughing at their silliness as John put his fingers under my chin, turning my attention back to him. I reached up on my tip toes, pecking his lips softly with mine once more and making him smile.

"I've waited a long time to do that, you know." he murmured, not tearing his eyes from mine.

"I know." I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his face down to mine. "You win, O'Callaghan." I admitted before he laughed too, reconnecting his lips with mine for another wonderful, blissful kiss that sent the sparks all the way down to the tips of my toes.