it starts and ends with the jordan's

Chapter 8

[Hero's POV]

The second that question left Jo's mouth all I can think about is Diesel and how guilty I feel that I wasn't there for my family. So much has happened in the past couple of days and so I haven't had time to break down and feel the loss. Which I liked. I can't handle this pain... not right now at least.

Jo takes my hand and I realize what I was doing. Whenever I'm holding in thoughts and feelings I grab at my nose and try to shake the thoughts out. I don't even notice it anymore, it's just become a habit at this point.

"You don't have to act strong for me. It's supposed to hurt. That's the only way you'll ever get through this, and don't for one second think I'm gonna let you do it alone." Jo says still holding onto my hand.

She's looking deep into my eyes and I can't help but tear up. She's allowing me to feel this grief I've been carrying. Hearing her say that really lifted a thousand pounds off my chest.

I can't get the words I want to say out so I just look at her with teary eyes and run my fingers through her long blonde hair. Her hair smells like coconut and it falls in front of her face blocking her eyes sometimes. I've been waiting for the moment where I can push her hair behind her ear and stare into her eyes. This is that moment.

I push back the front strands of her hair and run my thumb along her ear.

Jo stays silent just like me and rests her head on my bare chest. She ignores how fast my heart is pounding, but I know she can hear it. She tries to calm me by pulling me closer to her and drawing small objects with her finger on my chest. It works almost instantly and I get a rush through my spine from her simple touch. I play with Jo's hair and before I notice the tears running down my cheek I hear her breathing fall heavier, she's asleep. Jo is asleep on my chest, mine, Hero Fiennes Tiffin's bare chest! I can't help but smile.

I have too many emotions running wild right now that my brain shuts down on me and I fall asleep, wrapping my arms around her so she stays close.

________________________________________     In the morning...

[Josephine's POV]

I feel the heat of Atlanta burn against my skin. I've ignored it for the past twenty minutes that I've been half asleep but I'm all sweaty and I think my bed is now full of sweat too. When I open my eyes to see if I got my sweat all over my covers I widen my eyes in shock. This isn't my bed.

I fell asleep. That's not even bad compared to the details I left out.

I fell asleep in the woods, on a dock beside a lake, and to top that off I was sleeping on top of Hero's chest. My head was probably hurting him. My earring left an indent near his collarbone.

I am not going to hide the fact that that was the best sleep I've had since I landed in Atlanta even though I'm sleeping on a wooden dock. Like I always say, Hero never fails to make me comfortable. Mentally and I guess now physically. 

I savour this moment. The birds chirping in the trees around us. The sound of the wind hit the water. Hero's soft breathing. The way his lips are slightly parted. The sound of his heart beat underneath my head. I could really get used to this.

Just as I'm seconds away from falling back asleep my phone starts ringing from my backpack. I jump and remove my body from hero.

I stand up and quickly grab my bag, shuffling through everything in it in hopes of reaching my phone before the call ends. Luckily I grab it and pick up just in time.

I see the caller name. Anna. Shit! We are supposed to meet the cast in the lobby for breakfast.

"Hey Anna how was your sleep?"

"It was great Jo what about yours?"

I look down at Hero's sleeping body and smile before answering Anna.

"It was perfect." I chuckle at my own cheesy words.

"Are you with Hero, your both late for breakfast?"

"Um I- well ya I am with him right now." I say stumbling over every word I try to say i to the phone.

"Are you guys coming or should I-"

"No no we're coming we just may be a bit late so you guys can leave without us."

"Okay sounds good see you there!"

I hang up the phone and shake Hero's shoulder.

He doesn't wake up so i straddle him and grip both shoulders lightly shaking his sleeping body until his eyes shoot open and he jolts up.

"W-what is everything ok? Are you okay?!" He asks more nervous than confused.

"Yes relax I'm okay. We fell asleep out here. I just got off the phone with Anna, she was reminding me about the breakfast and I told her we were on our way but we'd be late so we gotta go!"

I realize I'm still straddling him and quickly get off not breaking eye contact.

I grab our towels off the dock and pull Hero's half conscious body to the car.

"Keys." I say holding out my hand before Hero can get into the passenger seat.

He drops the keys in my hand and practically falls into the car passing out as soon as his head hits the head rest.

I walk over the the drivers seat and start the engine.

Wow this car is nice!

I back out of the forest and start driving back to our hotel listening to Hero peacefully snore.

I can't help but keep glancing over at him.

I wonder how he felt after yesterday. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit his chest. I didn't even get to see if he was feeling better by them time he fell asleep too. What if he started crying and I wasn't awake to help him?

I shake the thoughts out and notice we're in the parking lot of the hotel.

I wake Hero up and we both run up to our hotel rooms and quickly get ready.

We meet back in the lobby and head over to breakfast.

I still don't know how the night went from me going out for dinner to me being asleep on top of Hero on a dock but it was definitely a memorable moment for me. It felt like a scene from a movie and Hero was the boy who looked deep into my eyes making my stomach fill with anxious butterflies.