I Do What I Do » John Taylor

IV

Days go by. Weeks. No call from John. I start to worry. Some nights I sit by the phone and wait.

I think to myself.

Am I being desperate? Should I cool down and forget about him?

What was I even thinking, suggesting that? And why, for the love of God, am I so hung up on showing one of the biggest up-and-coming celebrities in the world around the city?

It's the night of August 12th. Thursday. I just stepped into my room after showering.

Rrrrrring! Rrrrrrring!

It's the phone.

I walk over and pick it up, putting it to my right ear.

"Hello?" I ask, expecting a hello back from my mother. She'd told me before that she would call me as some point tonight or tomorrow.

"Erin?"

John.

"John?" I ask, surprised. "Hi!"

"Yeah, it's me. I'm sorry I couldn't get to you earlier. We've been really busy lately and I didn't want to call too soon and freak you out."

A smile parts my lips as I continue to speak into the phone.

"It's alright. Didn't worry me at all."

Liar.

"Anyways," he begins, "when am I coming back for this tour you spoke of?"

My smile widens.

He remembered.

"That all depends on you. Whenever you can come back I can manage to free up my time. I'm not really a busy person as you know," I explain.

"Great. Would you be able to do.." he pauses. He clicks his tongue while he thinks. "..the 9th of January? I think it's the second Saturday?"

"Yeah, actually. That would be great. Maybe you could come in on Friday?"

"Uh, yeah. That should work. I'll have to leave on Sunday, though. We've got some party or something to go to on Monday," he tells me.

"Alright. I guess it's settled, then," I say.

"Thank you, by the way," I say to him.

"What for?" he questions.

"For actually agreeing to come. I mean, you really don't even know me and you probably have better things to do with your life instead of hanging out with some random girl in California."

"No worries. I want to get to know you better. And-- you're welcome."

"That made me feel infinitely better," I laugh.

"Good, good," he says. "How have you been since I saw you last?"

"I've been good! Keeping myself busy with some small gigs but I'm doing well. And yourself?"

"Great, actually. We've all been enjoying the tour so far, it's going really well," he tells me.

"I'm glad to hear it," I say. "This is probably a question you get a lot but I don't care. What was your favorite show so far?"

"God, I don't know. We've played so many that I've practically lost count. I really enjoyed the first few shows in Australia. The fans there were really great," he explains. "But one of the most memorable was definitely last month. You know, the night after I met you."

"Oh god. Bring on the sap, why don't you?" I joke.

He laughs and sighs.

"Alright, listen," he starts, "I've got to go now. I'll see you in January?"