Made Up Stories.
Heartbeats.
John sighed, the redhead looking over, ‘are you alright?’ ‘Just bored, I’m in the middle of things, in between things’ she smiled, ‘are you any good at instruments?’ ‘I am, yes’ ‘I run a charity teaching kids instruments for free who can’t afford to, always looking for teachers, if you could do that’ John looked at her, ‘you do that?’ ‘I do, yeah, I teach piano and drums’ ‘I can play both of those and guitar’ ‘oh, awesome, would you consider it?’ ‘Definitely, I’m John’ ‘Lucy’ he grinned shaking hands, ‘so, where do I go to help?’ ‘I will give you my card, are you busy tomorrow?’ ‘No, I’m free’ ‘there’s a town hall in Surprise, I teach there tomorrow, for piano I use keyboard’ ‘okay’ he smiled, ‘and then Friday I teach here in Phoenix at a room in the Marketplace’ ‘awesome and can I do both sessions, and help’ ‘absolutely, if you have equipment, bring it, I’ll help’ ‘ok’.
Lucy smiled seeing him come in, ‘I have a drum set and a piano and a guitar with me, I didn’t know what you wanted, and you have a trumpet’ ‘I do indeed, whenever a kid comes in and asks I want to play this, I learn to play it’ he grinned talking together, ‘so you just pick up instruments’ ‘hmm, yeah, I do, it’s good it’s a charity cos I can just go train to be a tutor in it and then get their grades for them’ John smiled, ‘of course’ talking. ‘Hey Lucy, whose the man?’ ‘Oh, hey Laura, this is John, he’s the other tutor’ ‘is he your boyfriend?’ ‘No, Laura, come on, to the piano, sorry, John’ ‘no need’. John grinned, ‘hello, is Lucy not here?’ ‘I’m John, I’m assisting her in tuition’ ‘oh, cool, this is Luke, he wants to play drums’ ‘follow me, I can teach you the basics’ he grinned showing him the drum kit, telling him each thing.
‘You seem like a natural’ ‘I have nephews and things, I’ve done this a few times’ he grinned, ‘thank you for asking me’ ‘no need at all, glad I can keep you busy, do you want an expenses form for your lunch and gas’ ‘no, no, it’s fine, I am doing alright’ ‘okay then’ she smiled, ‘thank you for helping’ ‘no need at all, glad I could, they gave me donations’ ‘oh, right, okay, I’ll just make a note of that, go by the bank tonight’ ‘what made you do it?’ ‘I am a trained music teacher, but I hated it, you’re not teaching them anything original, just robots churning out covers of Beethoven, I wanted to help make the next one’ he grinned, ‘I like that’ she smiled, ‘I just wanted satisfaction from my work so I begun Heartbeats and sort of gone from there’ ‘how many days do you teach?’ ‘four’ ‘wow’.
-x-
John itched seeing the clock, ‘I need to go’ ‘where are you going?’ ‘I volunteer with a charity called Heartbeats, teach kids who can’t afford lessons for instruments for free, I have to go now to be there on time’ John murmured, Jared smiled, ‘that’s an amazing idea, can I come and help?’ ‘Sure, but you do have to share instruments’ ‘I’ll bring a couple of acoustics’ ‘awesome’. ‘Where are we going?’ ‘Surprise, I volunteer here and in Tempe’ Jared nodded, ‘okay’. Lucy smiled seeing him arrive as she set up, John grinned, ‘hey, this is my friend Jared, can he help?’ ‘I brought a bass guitar and an acoustic with me, two of each’ ‘actually, give me a second, bass, there was a kid who wanted to learn the basics of bass, let me call her parent, see if she can make it’ John grinned. Lucy smiled as she got into teaching instruments, John glad he could help.
Lucy smiled passing around coffee, ‘thank you, both of you for coming to help, it was a great help’ ‘no problem at all’ Jared smiled, ‘are you dating?’ ‘No, no, we’re not’ John murmured, ‘why do people keep asking that?’ ‘I don’t know, you have a zing’ Lucy laughed, ‘well, thank you’ ‘are you single?’ ‘Yeah, yeah, with my job being based on meagre donations, I’m not exactly a catch, I coupon’ laughing. John smiled catching a ride back with her instead, ‘I admire you and your dedication’ ‘thank you’ ‘do you wanna go out sometime?’ ‘Are you sure?’ ‘I’m sure’ he grinned, ‘okay then’ she smiled, ‘thank you’ ‘no need, I know what I’m getting into and I still wanna buy you pizza’ ‘you are so my kind of man’ John laughing. Lucy smiled, ‘here’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ he grinned, ‘can I kiss your cheek?’ ‘Yeah, yeah you can do that’ kissing her quickly leaving.
Seeing her in the supermarket with a very tight couple of trollies, ‘oh, hey’ she blushed, ‘need a hand’ ‘erm, please’ he smiled walking with her, taking one of the trollies to the tills, ‘why do you do this?’ ‘I run a charity, all the money goes into that’ ‘then I forgive you’ John laughed. Lucy smiled as John packed her car, ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ she rubbed her eyes, ‘let me drive you’ ‘no, no, I’ll be fine really’ laughing a little, ‘I don’t mind’ ‘you can’t, we’ve used the passenger seat’ ‘fine’ laughing together, ‘take care’. Lucy got everything packed away in her cupboard, thinking she had everything she needed if the world ended, rubbing her face and heading for a new box of tea and making herself up a cup, glad she had some coupons on makeup right now, as she was going to look good, no matter what for her date, ‘pop by some thrift stores’ heading for bed.
-x-
John smiled, ‘are you alright?’ ‘I’m fine’ she smiled, ‘really?’ ‘You give everything to this Lucy, what do you get?’ ‘I do some private tuition on the day I don’t teach for free, and the weekends’ John nodded, ‘I’m glad’ she nodded, ‘I also make youtube videos, I’ve only just begun but I do covers of popular stuff and do some teaching stuff, I found a digital camera for filming on Craigslist and started’ ‘that’s awesome’ ‘thank you’ he smiled, ‘been doing a couple of videos a week for three weeks its building, I’m scared but editing works’ laughing together, ‘I love you Lucy, I just wanna take care of you’ ‘well, I’m doing okay alone, I love you, but I don’t need a carer, I need a boyfriend’ he grinned, ‘you’re also a badass who doesn’t need my romantic bullshit, I know’ ‘ha, you could buy me flowers, that would be nice’ he grinned ‘okay then’.
Lucy laughed seeing the bouquet, ‘wow’ ‘yeah, I made this, I was stunned’ Lucy taking it, ‘thank you, it looks beautiful’ taking it and putting it in a vase, she took a picture, ‘when your boyfriend really takes you seriously about buying you flowers.’ John grinned seeing her picture showing Jared, ‘glad she liked them’ ‘she’s some lady’ ‘she is, I can’t wait to get back and help her after this stuff’ ‘I know, you really are good at it’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ ‘whats this?’. Pat grinned, ‘that’s such an awesome thing to do’ ‘my girlfriend runs it’ ‘you have a girlfriend’ ‘I do’ he beamed, ‘that’s what happens when I get bored’ Jared laughing, ‘you did good’ ‘I did amazing’ ‘so, can we all go and help her, see what we can do for her, or, we could donate some money for her’ ‘both’ ‘okay, does she use it on the charity’ ‘all of it, she extreme coupons’ ‘fuck’ laughing.
Getting class prepared, Lucy smiled seeing them all come in, ‘hello’ Lucy smiled, ‘hey, this is the band I’m in, you know Jared’ I do, good to see you again, Chelsea asked if you would be coming back’ laughing, ‘this is Pat the drummer, Garrett, he’s our lead guitarist and Kennedy our other guitarist’ laughing, ‘it’s nice to meet you all’ she smiled, ‘it’s going to be busy you know, it’s spring break’ ‘that’s fine by me’ laughing. Lucy smiled seeing them and passing coffee around ‘here guys’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ ‘how do you do it?’ ‘Cos I love to do it, I think that’s the only way’ laughing, John smiled, ‘I’ll help you pack up’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ he grinned, ‘can you stay tonight?’ ‘I’d love to’ kissing her, getting a cheer, she giggled, ‘sorry, John’s not had a girlfriend for years’ ‘I had that impression’ laughing together.
-x-
6 months later:-
John smiled, ‘what can I get you, you know I get you a little care package too?’ Lucy laughed a little, ‘if you would like hmm, maybe some lush bath bombs, ermm, chocolate is nice, Reese’s for example, flowers’ ‘you’re getting some weekly anyway’ ‘oh, really’ ‘it’s my tradition, I like doing it’ she smiled kissing him softly, ‘I am in love with you’ ‘I’m in love with you too’ she smiled, ‘I don’t know, twenty dollars for pizza?’ John laughing ‘fine, let me do that’ giggling together, ‘I’ll go make some pizza’ he beamed kissing her softly, ‘okay then’ heading for the kitchen, ‘glad we found this place’ ‘yeah, I am’ he beamed ‘you don’t have to coupon now’ ‘I’m going to keep going until I run out, and then I’m done, just cos I don’t want them hanging around’ ‘fine by me, you can keep doing it if you want, the alcohol deals’ ‘good idea’ laughing.
Lucy sat up in bed, ‘stay there, sweetheart, I have our breakfast’ he grinned getting in bed with her, ‘Sunday is your only day off, wanna make it good’ ‘thank you’ she smiled sitting with him ‘you’re beautiful’ ‘I have toast crumbs all over my face’ ‘I don’t care’ ‘I wish there was male equivalent, you’re very handsome today’ he beamed, ‘thank you’ holding her in bed, talking all morning, kissing her neck gently ‘I admire the hell out of you, is there anything I can do for you today?’ ‘I did a harp version of a new All Time Low song, was going to record that today’ ‘let me help you’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’. John grinned, ‘how did you get a harp?’ ‘I found one on ebay, I had to get it restringed, but that was nothing and yeah, I have a harp’ he grinned ‘okay, right, we’re ready’ filming her play, he grinned, ‘you are beautiful though’ laughing.
‘Are you done?’ ‘I’m done, I’ve uploaded it’ he grinned, ‘you should make some of your own compositions’ Lucy smiled, ‘I have a few, I’ve put a couple on there actually, and people say I should make an EP, but I don’t wanna seem like, I don’t wanna look like I’m using you or anything’ he smiled, ‘I’d never think that’ she smiled sitting with him, ‘I’ll see what I can do’ talking together, ‘I’ll help you record it’ ‘I’d rather you didn’t, no offence to you, but it’s just, I’d rather someone else ask me, you’re invested in me’ ‘I know, but so are you’ ‘it’s weird’ laughing together, ‘fine, fuck it, but I do care what people think’ ‘I know you do’ he smiled, ‘but nobody knows we date’ ‘that’s true’ ‘we could meet doing this’ she smirked, ‘something tells me you’re in this situation not taking no for an answer’ ‘you know I’m a stubborn ass’ ‘yeah, but it’s a fine ass’ laughing.
Pat grinned, ‘John convinced you?!’ ‘Sorry?’ ‘I’ve been hoping you’d come in and record some things, you hit 50k right?’ ‘I did, yeah’ she smiled, ‘people donate to the charity and I give them reports monthly for the money and stuff, do some of my own, covers’ ‘I know you do’ talking, ‘you need to be managed by us, All Time Low are looking for you, Tim got in touch for you’ ‘really?’ ‘Want you to play’ ‘dear God’ laughing. John laughed, ‘you love that band’ ‘not always sure why, but yeah I do’ she murmured, ‘you don’t like them, what?’ I’ve heard stories and stuff about the singer’s wife, who have no reason to lie’ he smiled, ‘damn, that’s shitty, I’d trust you around fans’ ‘thank you’ she smiled, ‘just, I also don’t think compared to you, deserve some of the success they have, paying hundred dollars to meet someone is despicable’ ‘agreed’.
Lucy smiled doing a video, ‘hey’ she smiled, ‘I’m back, I have a little update, some of you have been asking me to do some recordings of the songs I make and 8123 have been kind enough to do that with me, all the money will go into Heartbeats and me having somewhere to sleep, though that’s not so bad with a boyfriend, but you get what I mean, I work alone here, but yeah, I’ve begun recording, and here’s some video from recording, enjoy’ she grinned. John pulled her close, ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ he beamed kissing her saoftly, ‘I love you’ ‘I love you too’ she smiled, ‘so, what’s the plan?’ ‘You need sleep, Surprise tomorrow, I’ll come help’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need, I like doing it, and I have nothing better to do at the moment, I like doing as much as I can, especially now you let me do the tutor course’ ‘I know’.
Getting to Baltimore, she saw the Harp they had booked, ‘wow’ ‘hello!’ Alex grinned, ‘you’re Lucy’ ‘I am yes, nice to meet you, I’m a huge fan’ ‘oh, God, she’s a fangirl’ hearing his wife, ‘I erm, I’ve heard a lot of stories about you, none pleasant, you shouldn’t prove them right’ Lucy murmured, ‘I’m not a kid, Mrs Trunchbull, I can fight back’ Lucy smiled, ‘let’s get started’. Alex smiled, ‘you were beautiful out there’ ‘thank you for inviting me, I’m sorry about earlier with your wife, but I think it did need to be said’ ‘can you show me the stories’ ‘I can send you a link, sure’ she smiled sending him, ‘I was at this show, cos I went to your DVD show, I saved for that’ laughing a little, ‘oh my God, there’s video’ she sighed, ‘just I admired intelligence as a kid, now I admire kindness, I don’t have any admiration for her right now’ ‘no, me neither’.
-x-
3 years later:-
‘I am Lucy O’Callaghan, I ermm, run a charity in Phoenix called Heartbeats’ ‘I’m John her husband’ Lucy poked him, ‘he leads an amazing band called The Maine’ the crowd laughing, ‘so, we’re here to present the philanthropy award’. John smirked, ‘does she always do that?’ ‘Oh, all the time, when we won an award in Phoenix for the work we did in some of the poorer areas and she had to do all the work’ laughing together, ‘you’re married how did you meet, when you recorded?’ ‘We were living together, I made her do it’ ‘that is true’ laughing, ‘ermm, well, I was sitting on a bench and he made this massive sigh and I was like is he okay?’ ‘I was trying to avoid people but I was bored’ ‘I made him volunteer’ ‘and everyone kept asking us if we were dating, so I asked her out’ ‘so embarrassing back then some of the stuff, he caught me extreme couponing’ ‘you lie’ ‘I don’t’ laughing together.
John grinned holding her hand ‘I love you’ ‘I love you too’ he beamed walking with her, ‘Lucy, John’ ‘oh, Alex’. Alex grinned, ‘you two are amazing, just, is it true’ ‘what true?’ ‘You’re having a baby’ Lucy looked at him, ‘how do you know that?’ John looked at her, ‘what?’ ‘Oh, no’ ‘how do you know?’ ‘It was a rumour from the hotel’ ‘I did the test there, maybe the cleaner, Christ’ John looking at her, ‘are you pregnant?’ ‘Yes, I am, but this is not how I wanted to tell anyone’ ‘I’m so sorry’ ‘no need, Alex, you weren’t to know, wow’ laughing together ‘thank you, can you ermm, Alex slow down the rumours’ ‘of course I can’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ laughing together. John looked at her, ‘you’re pregnant’ ‘about eight weeks’ she murmured, ‘wow’ giggling together, ‘I love you’ ‘I love you too’ he beamed, she smiled too’ ‘we’ll be okay’ ‘I know’.
they lived happily.
Lucy smiled seeing him come in, ‘I have a drum set and a piano and a guitar with me, I didn’t know what you wanted, and you have a trumpet’ ‘I do indeed, whenever a kid comes in and asks I want to play this, I learn to play it’ he grinned talking together, ‘so you just pick up instruments’ ‘hmm, yeah, I do, it’s good it’s a charity cos I can just go train to be a tutor in it and then get their grades for them’ John smiled, ‘of course’ talking. ‘Hey Lucy, whose the man?’ ‘Oh, hey Laura, this is John, he’s the other tutor’ ‘is he your boyfriend?’ ‘No, Laura, come on, to the piano, sorry, John’ ‘no need’. John grinned, ‘hello, is Lucy not here?’ ‘I’m John, I’m assisting her in tuition’ ‘oh, cool, this is Luke, he wants to play drums’ ‘follow me, I can teach you the basics’ he grinned showing him the drum kit, telling him each thing.
‘You seem like a natural’ ‘I have nephews and things, I’ve done this a few times’ he grinned, ‘thank you for asking me’ ‘no need at all, glad I can keep you busy, do you want an expenses form for your lunch and gas’ ‘no, no, it’s fine, I am doing alright’ ‘okay then’ she smiled, ‘thank you for helping’ ‘no need at all, glad I could, they gave me donations’ ‘oh, right, okay, I’ll just make a note of that, go by the bank tonight’ ‘what made you do it?’ ‘I am a trained music teacher, but I hated it, you’re not teaching them anything original, just robots churning out covers of Beethoven, I wanted to help make the next one’ he grinned, ‘I like that’ she smiled, ‘I just wanted satisfaction from my work so I begun Heartbeats and sort of gone from there’ ‘how many days do you teach?’ ‘four’ ‘wow’.
-x-
John itched seeing the clock, ‘I need to go’ ‘where are you going?’ ‘I volunteer with a charity called Heartbeats, teach kids who can’t afford lessons for instruments for free, I have to go now to be there on time’ John murmured, Jared smiled, ‘that’s an amazing idea, can I come and help?’ ‘Sure, but you do have to share instruments’ ‘I’ll bring a couple of acoustics’ ‘awesome’. ‘Where are we going?’ ‘Surprise, I volunteer here and in Tempe’ Jared nodded, ‘okay’. Lucy smiled seeing him arrive as she set up, John grinned, ‘hey, this is my friend Jared, can he help?’ ‘I brought a bass guitar and an acoustic with me, two of each’ ‘actually, give me a second, bass, there was a kid who wanted to learn the basics of bass, let me call her parent, see if she can make it’ John grinned. Lucy smiled as she got into teaching instruments, John glad he could help.
Lucy smiled passing around coffee, ‘thank you, both of you for coming to help, it was a great help’ ‘no problem at all’ Jared smiled, ‘are you dating?’ ‘No, no, we’re not’ John murmured, ‘why do people keep asking that?’ ‘I don’t know, you have a zing’ Lucy laughed, ‘well, thank you’ ‘are you single?’ ‘Yeah, yeah, with my job being based on meagre donations, I’m not exactly a catch, I coupon’ laughing. John smiled catching a ride back with her instead, ‘I admire you and your dedication’ ‘thank you’ ‘do you wanna go out sometime?’ ‘Are you sure?’ ‘I’m sure’ he grinned, ‘okay then’ she smiled, ‘thank you’ ‘no need, I know what I’m getting into and I still wanna buy you pizza’ ‘you are so my kind of man’ John laughing. Lucy smiled, ‘here’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ he grinned, ‘can I kiss your cheek?’ ‘Yeah, yeah you can do that’ kissing her quickly leaving.
Seeing her in the supermarket with a very tight couple of trollies, ‘oh, hey’ she blushed, ‘need a hand’ ‘erm, please’ he smiled walking with her, taking one of the trollies to the tills, ‘why do you do this?’ ‘I run a charity, all the money goes into that’ ‘then I forgive you’ John laughed. Lucy smiled as John packed her car, ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ she rubbed her eyes, ‘let me drive you’ ‘no, no, I’ll be fine really’ laughing a little, ‘I don’t mind’ ‘you can’t, we’ve used the passenger seat’ ‘fine’ laughing together, ‘take care’. Lucy got everything packed away in her cupboard, thinking she had everything she needed if the world ended, rubbing her face and heading for a new box of tea and making herself up a cup, glad she had some coupons on makeup right now, as she was going to look good, no matter what for her date, ‘pop by some thrift stores’ heading for bed.
-x-
John smiled, ‘are you alright?’ ‘I’m fine’ she smiled, ‘really?’ ‘You give everything to this Lucy, what do you get?’ ‘I do some private tuition on the day I don’t teach for free, and the weekends’ John nodded, ‘I’m glad’ she nodded, ‘I also make youtube videos, I’ve only just begun but I do covers of popular stuff and do some teaching stuff, I found a digital camera for filming on Craigslist and started’ ‘that’s awesome’ ‘thank you’ he smiled, ‘been doing a couple of videos a week for three weeks its building, I’m scared but editing works’ laughing together, ‘I love you Lucy, I just wanna take care of you’ ‘well, I’m doing okay alone, I love you, but I don’t need a carer, I need a boyfriend’ he grinned, ‘you’re also a badass who doesn’t need my romantic bullshit, I know’ ‘ha, you could buy me flowers, that would be nice’ he grinned ‘okay then’.
Lucy laughed seeing the bouquet, ‘wow’ ‘yeah, I made this, I was stunned’ Lucy taking it, ‘thank you, it looks beautiful’ taking it and putting it in a vase, she took a picture, ‘when your boyfriend really takes you seriously about buying you flowers.’ John grinned seeing her picture showing Jared, ‘glad she liked them’ ‘she’s some lady’ ‘she is, I can’t wait to get back and help her after this stuff’ ‘I know, you really are good at it’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ ‘whats this?’. Pat grinned, ‘that’s such an awesome thing to do’ ‘my girlfriend runs it’ ‘you have a girlfriend’ ‘I do’ he beamed, ‘that’s what happens when I get bored’ Jared laughing, ‘you did good’ ‘I did amazing’ ‘so, can we all go and help her, see what we can do for her, or, we could donate some money for her’ ‘both’ ‘okay, does she use it on the charity’ ‘all of it, she extreme coupons’ ‘fuck’ laughing.
Getting class prepared, Lucy smiled seeing them all come in, ‘hello’ Lucy smiled, ‘hey, this is the band I’m in, you know Jared’ I do, good to see you again, Chelsea asked if you would be coming back’ laughing, ‘this is Pat the drummer, Garrett, he’s our lead guitarist and Kennedy our other guitarist’ laughing, ‘it’s nice to meet you all’ she smiled, ‘it’s going to be busy you know, it’s spring break’ ‘that’s fine by me’ laughing. Lucy smiled seeing them and passing coffee around ‘here guys’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ ‘how do you do it?’ ‘Cos I love to do it, I think that’s the only way’ laughing, John smiled, ‘I’ll help you pack up’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ he grinned, ‘can you stay tonight?’ ‘I’d love to’ kissing her, getting a cheer, she giggled, ‘sorry, John’s not had a girlfriend for years’ ‘I had that impression’ laughing together.
-x-
6 months later:-
John smiled, ‘what can I get you, you know I get you a little care package too?’ Lucy laughed a little, ‘if you would like hmm, maybe some lush bath bombs, ermm, chocolate is nice, Reese’s for example, flowers’ ‘you’re getting some weekly anyway’ ‘oh, really’ ‘it’s my tradition, I like doing it’ she smiled kissing him softly, ‘I am in love with you’ ‘I’m in love with you too’ she smiled, ‘I don’t know, twenty dollars for pizza?’ John laughing ‘fine, let me do that’ giggling together, ‘I’ll go make some pizza’ he beamed kissing her softly, ‘okay then’ heading for the kitchen, ‘glad we found this place’ ‘yeah, I am’ he beamed ‘you don’t have to coupon now’ ‘I’m going to keep going until I run out, and then I’m done, just cos I don’t want them hanging around’ ‘fine by me, you can keep doing it if you want, the alcohol deals’ ‘good idea’ laughing.
Lucy sat up in bed, ‘stay there, sweetheart, I have our breakfast’ he grinned getting in bed with her, ‘Sunday is your only day off, wanna make it good’ ‘thank you’ she smiled sitting with him ‘you’re beautiful’ ‘I have toast crumbs all over my face’ ‘I don’t care’ ‘I wish there was male equivalent, you’re very handsome today’ he beamed, ‘thank you’ holding her in bed, talking all morning, kissing her neck gently ‘I admire the hell out of you, is there anything I can do for you today?’ ‘I did a harp version of a new All Time Low song, was going to record that today’ ‘let me help you’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’. John grinned, ‘how did you get a harp?’ ‘I found one on ebay, I had to get it restringed, but that was nothing and yeah, I have a harp’ he grinned ‘okay, right, we’re ready’ filming her play, he grinned, ‘you are beautiful though’ laughing.
‘Are you done?’ ‘I’m done, I’ve uploaded it’ he grinned, ‘you should make some of your own compositions’ Lucy smiled, ‘I have a few, I’ve put a couple on there actually, and people say I should make an EP, but I don’t wanna seem like, I don’t wanna look like I’m using you or anything’ he smiled, ‘I’d never think that’ she smiled sitting with him, ‘I’ll see what I can do’ talking together, ‘I’ll help you record it’ ‘I’d rather you didn’t, no offence to you, but it’s just, I’d rather someone else ask me, you’re invested in me’ ‘I know, but so are you’ ‘it’s weird’ laughing together, ‘fine, fuck it, but I do care what people think’ ‘I know you do’ he smiled, ‘but nobody knows we date’ ‘that’s true’ ‘we could meet doing this’ she smirked, ‘something tells me you’re in this situation not taking no for an answer’ ‘you know I’m a stubborn ass’ ‘yeah, but it’s a fine ass’ laughing.
Pat grinned, ‘John convinced you?!’ ‘Sorry?’ ‘I’ve been hoping you’d come in and record some things, you hit 50k right?’ ‘I did, yeah’ she smiled, ‘people donate to the charity and I give them reports monthly for the money and stuff, do some of my own, covers’ ‘I know you do’ talking, ‘you need to be managed by us, All Time Low are looking for you, Tim got in touch for you’ ‘really?’ ‘Want you to play’ ‘dear God’ laughing. John laughed, ‘you love that band’ ‘not always sure why, but yeah I do’ she murmured, ‘you don’t like them, what?’ I’ve heard stories and stuff about the singer’s wife, who have no reason to lie’ he smiled, ‘damn, that’s shitty, I’d trust you around fans’ ‘thank you’ she smiled, ‘just, I also don’t think compared to you, deserve some of the success they have, paying hundred dollars to meet someone is despicable’ ‘agreed’.
Lucy smiled doing a video, ‘hey’ she smiled, ‘I’m back, I have a little update, some of you have been asking me to do some recordings of the songs I make and 8123 have been kind enough to do that with me, all the money will go into Heartbeats and me having somewhere to sleep, though that’s not so bad with a boyfriend, but you get what I mean, I work alone here, but yeah, I’ve begun recording, and here’s some video from recording, enjoy’ she grinned. John pulled her close, ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ he beamed kissing her saoftly, ‘I love you’ ‘I love you too’ she smiled, ‘so, what’s the plan?’ ‘You need sleep, Surprise tomorrow, I’ll come help’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need, I like doing it, and I have nothing better to do at the moment, I like doing as much as I can, especially now you let me do the tutor course’ ‘I know’.
Getting to Baltimore, she saw the Harp they had booked, ‘wow’ ‘hello!’ Alex grinned, ‘you’re Lucy’ ‘I am yes, nice to meet you, I’m a huge fan’ ‘oh, God, she’s a fangirl’ hearing his wife, ‘I erm, I’ve heard a lot of stories about you, none pleasant, you shouldn’t prove them right’ Lucy murmured, ‘I’m not a kid, Mrs Trunchbull, I can fight back’ Lucy smiled, ‘let’s get started’. Alex smiled, ‘you were beautiful out there’ ‘thank you for inviting me, I’m sorry about earlier with your wife, but I think it did need to be said’ ‘can you show me the stories’ ‘I can send you a link, sure’ she smiled sending him, ‘I was at this show, cos I went to your DVD show, I saved for that’ laughing a little, ‘oh my God, there’s video’ she sighed, ‘just I admired intelligence as a kid, now I admire kindness, I don’t have any admiration for her right now’ ‘no, me neither’.
-x-
3 years later:-
‘I am Lucy O’Callaghan, I ermm, run a charity in Phoenix called Heartbeats’ ‘I’m John her husband’ Lucy poked him, ‘he leads an amazing band called The Maine’ the crowd laughing, ‘so, we’re here to present the philanthropy award’. John smirked, ‘does she always do that?’ ‘Oh, all the time, when we won an award in Phoenix for the work we did in some of the poorer areas and she had to do all the work’ laughing together, ‘you’re married how did you meet, when you recorded?’ ‘We were living together, I made her do it’ ‘that is true’ laughing, ‘ermm, well, I was sitting on a bench and he made this massive sigh and I was like is he okay?’ ‘I was trying to avoid people but I was bored’ ‘I made him volunteer’ ‘and everyone kept asking us if we were dating, so I asked her out’ ‘so embarrassing back then some of the stuff, he caught me extreme couponing’ ‘you lie’ ‘I don’t’ laughing together.
John grinned holding her hand ‘I love you’ ‘I love you too’ he beamed walking with her, ‘Lucy, John’ ‘oh, Alex’. Alex grinned, ‘you two are amazing, just, is it true’ ‘what true?’ ‘You’re having a baby’ Lucy looked at him, ‘how do you know that?’ John looked at her, ‘what?’ ‘Oh, no’ ‘how do you know?’ ‘It was a rumour from the hotel’ ‘I did the test there, maybe the cleaner, Christ’ John looking at her, ‘are you pregnant?’ ‘Yes, I am, but this is not how I wanted to tell anyone’ ‘I’m so sorry’ ‘no need, Alex, you weren’t to know, wow’ laughing together ‘thank you, can you ermm, Alex slow down the rumours’ ‘of course I can’ ‘thank you’ ‘no need’ laughing together. John looked at her, ‘you’re pregnant’ ‘about eight weeks’ she murmured, ‘wow’ giggling together, ‘I love you’ ‘I love you too’ he beamed, she smiled too’ ‘we’ll be okay’ ‘I know’.
they lived happily.