Paradise Is Here

Music To My Ears (Scarlett Johansson II)

☁︎

Scarlett's POV

I watched as Eden stood up from her seat and jumped into this guy's arms and if I were to admit it right now, I'd say I'm feeling quite jealous. The guy was tall, had muscles, a good face and I wasn't getting any bad presence from him. She and him looked perfect together.

"Oh my god! Dylan! It's been so long! I've missed you!" Eden exclaimed and I began to notice their hug had tightened. I just looked back at the fries in front of me and bit the inner flesh of my mouth while trying not to show my jealousy.

"It has been so long! You look amazing! God, I have to say, I am a fan of your movies!" he mentioned while letting go of Eden.

"Stoop! You flatter me too much! However, enough of me and look at you! You've grown more muscles!" I glanced over at them and I saw Eden poking the man's firm biceps. "Oh! Is everyone here?" then out of nowhere, we all heard a long high pitch squeal.

"FLORIIIIISSSSS!!!" a blonde guy that was shorter than Eden came running to her, hugging her tight like there was no tomorrow. "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! YOU'RE FINALLY BACK! WE'VE MISSED YOU SOOOOO MUCH!"

"Julian! Please, don't hug me to death!" When Julian lets go of Eden, there were little tears in his blue eyes. "Jesus! Don't cry!"

"I'm sorry! It's just...we haven't seen you for so long! IT'S HARD NOT TO CRY!" I could tell that this Julian guy was a big softy in and out. Julian was wearing mostly pastel coloured clothes and it fitted his personality.

"Is Arlo still in the band?" Eden asked and the guys nodded.

"Yep! He's just outside having a cig-Oh wait, never mind! He's here!" Julian waved his hand up high to another guy in the distance. "Look who we found, Arlo!" Arlo was a freakishly tall, skinny guy! He seems like the type of guy to be very quiet, calm and doesn't show a lot of emotions.

"Flo?"

"Hi, Arlo!" they too braced for a hug, none of them said anything to each other, instead just let the embrace say it all. All of them look like they're the same age and I think it's pretty sweet how all of them appear to be very close even from a long time without any contact.

"Great to see you again, Flo." Arlo uttered quietly with a tender smile on his face.

"You too."

"Well, would you look at that! The whole band is back together again!" Julian chirped as he threw his hands up like a little toddler.

"Except for one." Arnold muttered but we all heard it and tension quickly arise that wasn't there before thickening within seconds. Everyone stood still and quiet as if they had broken the law or something. "Forget that I said that. Have you met Eden's friend, Scarlett?"

"Scarlett? As in THE Scarlett Johansson?!?" Julian was the first to move on the unexpected tension and pretended like he didn't hear anything and just came to me.

"Yeah, the one and only!" I smiled, pulling my hand out and he vigorously began shaking my hand.

"Wow! It's such an honour meeting you!" Julian said while still enthusiastically shaking my hand.

"Julian, keep doing that and you just might snap off her hand." Eden remarked.

"Oops! Sorry about that!"

"So who plays what in the band?" I questioned.

"I'm the guitarist in the band, Arlo is the drummer and Julian the lead singer, but he used to be the bass when Eden was our lead singer." Dylan replied, "There's actually some pictures of her in here somewhere."

"Here's one." Arnold pointed up at the wall beside us. In this photo, Eden was dancing. She had long blonde hair and her dress was long and so were her sleeves in the colour black, gracefully flowing in the air as she danced. "It was Halloween and I remember this being one of my favourite gigs they did, mainly because they dressed up like they were in the 70s and did Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac." Arnold remarked.

"Not to mention, Eden looked like Stevie Nicks in that picture!" I glanced up at the picture again and indeed, Eden did look like Stevie Nicks.

"God, there was a point where I was sooo into Stevie Nicks back then that I used to dress up like her." all of us laughed and Eden was the only one who was grunting.

"Hey! To be fair, you were killing the outfits! By the way, Scarlett, have you heard Eden sing?" he asked me and I shook my head. I've never heard her sing.

"OH! OH! Since we're performing tonight, why don't you sing?!?" Julian excitedly requested Eden.

"Oh, no, no! I can't! I haven't sung in a very long time!" Eden tried making excuses and the others wouldn't believe her.

"Liar, she probably sings in the bathroom. Having her own karaoke moments in her house." Julian snickered to Dylan and Arlo, and they nodded their heads.

"Guys, seriously!"

"But c'mon! This is your first gig since what? 3 years? Please! If not for us, then do it for Scarlett! The poor woman hasn't heard you sing yet! Don't you think she's feeling left out while we talk about you having a great voice?" I began to chuckle as her bandmates started guilt-tripping her.

Eden turned to me, looking frustrated then closed her eyes. "What are we playing?"

"WOOHOO! She's in!" Julian packed another excited cheer. This man keeps a lot of cheerfulness within himself.

"It's up to you, Flo. Whatever you want, we can do." Arlo then finally spoke. Eden got up and began walking behind the stage.

At the last moment, she turned to me and mouthed, "I'll be back." and winked adorably. I scratched the back of my neck and smiled a little because I don't want Arnold to think I'm a crazy fan girl for her.

"So how long have you known Eden?" I looked up at Arnold when he asked a question.

"Oh, about 3 years. We met while filming a movie." I replied and Arnold just hummed. I think he was about to say something when the lights began to dim and our eyes were set on the stage. The spotlight shined over Eden's hair, she glanced from left to right, looking a bit nervous, then her eyes landed on me and I raised 2 thumbs up.

That looked like it worked because she took a deep breath and nodded at her bandmates. Arlo gave a countdown along with clicking his drumsticks. "3, 2, 1!"

"Can't count the years on one hand that we've been together. I need the other one to hold you, make you feel, make you feel better!" I cheered and applauded along with everyone as she sang Still Into You.

Everyone sang and bobbed their heads including me. Eden sang so fucking beautifully and effortlessly. "I should be over all the butterflies, but I'm into you (I'm into you) and baby even on our worst nights I'm into you (I'm into you)!" at this moment, Eden had finally loosen up and letting herself flow with the music, it was great seeing her have fun.

"Let 'em wonder how we got this far 'cause I don't really need to wonder at all. Yeah, after all this time...I'm still into you." my eyes widened and my whole body shuddered. She had that last line while making eye contact with me.

Now, I know many singers make eye contact or interactions with their audience to at least make them feel like they're a part of something and make the performance spicier. Although, when Eden gazed into my eyes and said that line, it honestly looked like she was being genuine, as if she was actually saying she likes me.

I watched her sing and went around the stage while people were getting worked up by the song. I was stuck wondering if she'll do that again to me, but she never did. Sure, she said the line again and made interaction with other people, but she didn't look like she was being serious and laughed it off.

Maybe she only did it because I was the only female she trusted in the whole crowd and she just needed to relax herself and get started...or was she being serious? Probably not, maybe it's just for the show.

"You like her, don't you?"