Book 1: Echoes Of The Past

Chapter 22 - Pain And Pleasure

Leading him up to her apartment she unlocked her front door and let them both in.

"Here are the coffee beans from my shop." Shannon held out a brown paper bag with a white Black Fuel sticker on it.

"Thank you."

She took it from him and walked into her kitchen.

"You can take a seat in my Sitting Room if you like. I'll bring the coffee over when it's done "

"Sure." Shannon walked over to her Sitting Room and took his shoes off, shedding himself of his jacket and draping it over the back of her couch.

Ivy proceeded to kick off her shoes as well, before carrying them and her bag to her bedroom. When she returned, she found that Shannon had put on some music.

"I didn't see you as a The Weeknd fan?" She padded back into the kitchen and proceeded to put her percolator on to warm up and found Shannon lying on her couch with his arms folded behind his head.

"Like I said Ivy. There's a lot you don't know about me."

"So tell me." She came and sat down on her coffee table, resting her elbows on her thighs and resting her head on the palms of her hands, looking at him.

"I wouldn't know where to start." He smiled at her.

"You're impossible Shannon Leto." She rolled her eyes at him.

Her percolator announced that it was ready so she made to get up to go and add the coffee beans, but Shannon stopped her.

"Ivy. Come and sit down." He told her, sitting up on her couch and removing his feet from it.

She frowned, but got off the coffee table and came to sit next to him on her couch.

"What about-"

"It doesn't matter. We need to talk."

"Oh. Now you want to talk?"

He placed a finger to her lips to silence her.

"OK, so you want to know about me do you?"

"Well...it would be nice to. I feel like I missed out on a lot with the both of you, like the part where you guys became worldwide rockstars."

He smiled and laughed at her. "I'll tell you about that part someday."

"OK. So hit me."

He shook his head at her. "You're impossible." He reached out and picked up her legs, drapping them over his lap.

"I hated the way Jack treated you those years ago. You deserved so much better than that."

"You never did anything about it though?"

"I know. I should have, and I regret that so so much. I hate myself for it. I've thought about it for years afterwards."

"You were such a dick to me Shannon. I don't think you realise how much you hurt me and for how many years afterwards it has affected me."

"Don't Ivy. When Jack cheated on you and you found out and left. I should have told you that wasn't the only time. I fucking beat his ass when you found out what happened to make you leave and move out here."

Ivy looked at him and could see that he looked almost on the verge of tears.

"You wanted to know what happened for me to have a drink and drug problem?"

"Ok."

Shannon took a deep breath, he was about to unravel his darkest most secret to the girl he had loved for most of his life.