Dialtones

Chapter Eleven: Caught.

Song Of The Chapter: Death Of A Bachelor by Panic! At The Disco.

{Merediths P.O.V}

I'm not shocked that Leah is gone for another job interview. I just wish she didn't. She's taking on another job along with school and she wants to go to college after high school. It's crazy. I know she won't have time for anything though, especially because Jon was talking of tours when they were here. He wants her to be one of the sound techs. I'm sure she would love to but she's gonna over work herself.

I say all that, yet here I am waiting on people in a diner on a ten hour shift. I don't know why we do it to ourselves to be honest.

{End Of P.O.V}

Around 7:15 pm, Chuck strolled into the diner where Meredith worked. He was with his sister, Beth and his mom, Jane. Meredith loved Chucks family. They were all so good to her whenever she seen them.

Meredith smiled as she seen them. "I'll get them." She said to her coworker, Sara. "Yeah, go ahead!! We all know he's ya lover boy anyways." Sara said as she nudged Meredith in the ribs, causing Meredith to go bright red.

Meredith fixed her hair and her apron and she headed over to the booth where Chuck was sat with Jane and Beth. "Hey guys, how ya all doing?" She asked with a smile. Chucks face lit up as he seen her and Jane and Beth smiled.

"Hey Mer!" Beth said. "Hello dear." Jane greeted her.

After a few minutes of talking and Meredith taking everyone's orders, Beth called Meredith back over to the table.

"Everything okay?" Meredith asked. Beth nodded and smiled. "Everything is absolutely perfect, thank you. I just have a quick question for you." She said. Meredith nodded. "Go ahead!" She said.

"Well, I'm gonna be heading to Orlando this Saturday to do some shopping. Chucky here is gonna take Chris for the day and I was wondering if you wanna come to Orlando with me for the day? It can be kinda like a girls day for us!!" She asked. Meredith smiled. "You do know you don't have to invite me anywhere." She said as Chuck glared at his sister for calling him "Chucky" in public.

"Nonsense, I would love it if you could come with me if at all possible. We need to spend more time together." Beth said. Meredith thought for a moment and nodded with a small smile. "I'd like that. What time?" She asked. "I can pick you up around nine am if that's okay??"
Beth said. "That's perfect." Meredith smiled and Jane began to laugh at her son who was still glaring at Beth.

Meredith looked at Chuck and laughed. "Don't get too jealous... Chucky." She said as she poked his Chuck and went back to serving people.

Meanwhile in New Jersey...

"Al, I'm bricking it here. The boss said he would call me this evening to let me know if I got the job or not and he hasn't contacted me yet." Leah said as she made her fourth cup of coffee that day. Alec shook his head. "Stop worrying kid, I'm sure you have it. He should call you. The only thing you should be worrying about is your heart because if you have anymore coffee today, I fear you may actually have a heart attack." He said with a laugh and Leah laughed. "Maybe you're right." She said.

Just as they started to laugh, Leahs phone rang and she ran to answer it. Five minutes later, she ran back into the kitchen to Alec. "I GOT THE FUCKING JOB!!!" She yelled excitedly. "WHO GOT THE FUCKING JOB?!!" Someone yelled from the door of the kitchen as Alec hugged Leah.

Leah recognised Richies thick accent and she turned around, still smiling. "I got a new job!!" She said. "Another one?" Richie said with a laugh and Leah giggled. "Yeah, in Mr. Midnight's bar." She said and Richie smiled. "That's amazing. I'm proud of you. Just please don't overdo yourself. You're already working at Guitar Centre." He said and Leah nodded. "I'll be fine." "Just keep in mind, school starts back in September too." Alec added.

After a while of drinking coffee and laughing together, Richie suggested that the three of them go out for a drive and try find Jon, David and Tico. They found David and Tico just leaving Jon's house. Richie rolled down the window of his car. "Is Jon there, yeah?" He asked. David shook his head.

"Lema and I were just about to go to Leahs to ask her the same thing." Tico said as he waved at Leah who was sitting in Richies backseat. "Huh... you two get in, let's go find this fucker." Richie said.

A Little While Later...

Jon wasn't at his parents place, he wasn't at Obie O'Briens place (his childhood best friend), and he definitely hadn't shown up to any of the guys places in the meantime. "Yanno what, just on the off chance, let's go try Mr. Midnight's. We often used to go for drinks there." Alec said and everyone else agreed.

Just as they pulled up outside the bar, Leah noticed Jon's car. "Look." She said and nodded towards it. The five friends got out of Richies car and everyone headed into Mr. Midnight's.

{Richie's P.O.V}

It's not unlike any of us to go downtown for a spontaneous drink every once in a while when we're bored, but I was not expecting to spend my evening hunting down my bestfriend with his kinda-sorta girlfriend and our bandmates.

Leah had a good eye and spotted Jon's car as we pulled up outside Mr. Midnight's, so it was good to know that he was there or somewhere in the area. We all got out of my car and headed straight into the bar. It was nice enough because the bar was so small, no one was taking IDs at the door unless there was something big on. The bar was fairly quiet this evening though.

I spotted Jon from a mile away when we walked in... and boy did my heart break for Leah.

{End Of P.O.V}

When they walked in, Richie pointed out Jon almost instantly. "How the fuck did he do that?" Leah asked, but Alec shrugged his reply. "It's like a spider-sense sometimes." He said. Richie frowned as he pointed Jon out. There was a girl with him and they seemed to be laughing and talking together.

David and Tico looked at Leah and Alec rested a hand on her shoulder. "You okay chicka?" Tico asked and Leah nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine!" She said cheerily. But Richie heard the slight pain in her voice.

"Come on." He said and grabbed her hand, starting to walk towards Jon. Leah held him back. "Jon doesn't know I work here or anything yet. I don't wanna see him here at the minute." She said. Richie nodded. "Okay, well... I'll tell you what. You four go sit at a table and I'll "pretend" to go up and get drinks and I'll talk to him, okay?" He said and the four nodded before doing as they were told.

Richie confidently made his way up towards the bar and he greeted Jay, who was one of the bartenders and a guy that Richie had previously gone to school with.

"Rich?" He heard and Richie smirked slightly to himself before turning around to face Jon. "Oh.. hi dude, what's up?" He said. "Uhm... not much? What are you doing here??" Jon asked before glancing back to the girl he was with. "I'm with the boys. We did go looking for you to ask you to come here with us but it looks like you're already here." Richie said.

"Yeah... I'm with a friend from high school, that's all." Jon said. Richie glared at him. "Ya sure?" He asked. Jon's gaze at his best friend changed. "Of course I'm sure. Why?" He asked.

"Oh, because I am 99.999% sure that I heard our Leahs heart break as she walked in here with us and seen you with another girl. Now listen to me. I know that that girl you're with is probably a very nice lady, and I have no doubt that she is probably brilliant all-round. But just remember one thing, sunshine. There's a girl sitting at one of those tables with your best friends who is saving all the money she can so she can be here and stay here and perhaps even have a chance at a love life that won't hurt her. Don't fuck it up for anyone, especially not her. Jay, our usuals please." Richie said before walking away and heading down to the table where Leah was sat with the other three boys.

"You talk to him?" Lema asked and Richie nodded. "All good dude." He replied and opened his arms to Leah. Leah hugged him tightly and let out a shaky sigh.