One Thing

Who's Johnny?

Happy Reading!

 "Welcome, Ms. Weldon. We are happy to have you staying here," the hotel worker said. He used a very formal tone, bowing slightly after he finished his spiel. 

"I'm sorry, erm," I paused and looked at his name plate. "Johnny. Please, call me Kadence." I smiled at him warmly, hoping he would relax a bit. 

"Of course ma'am. Is there anything I could get for you, Kadence?" He smiled at me. I noticed that he wasn't much older than me, maybe a year or two. That had to be difficult, serving and taking care of people younger than you who have a better paying job. It must suck. 

"Johnny, I do have one favor to ask of you." I pulled out a container filled with two sandwiches I had stowed away for the ride over here. Unfortunately, Harry had a meeting to attend an hour after we arrived in the U.S. so he left straight from the airport. 

"Would you mind sitting with me and enjoying a sandwich? I wouldn't mind the company and I'm sure you have to be hungry."

"I'm sure there is someone else you'd prefer to ask, ma'am." Johnny held a politeness about him, never a rude tone escaping his lips. But I wanted to get past this show he had to put on and let him relax, maybe talk a little. It was tiring only having the same five boys around, you couldn't learn anything new about them. 

"But I've asked you," I smiled. "Please? I could really use the company." I handed the sandwich to him and after much hesitation, he took it. We walked over to the table that was in my room and sat down. I started to eat while Johnny paused. 

"Johnny, you don't have to pretend you are someone you aren't here. Relax, be yourself." He looked across the table to me and smiled. Finally his shoulders relaxed and he unfolded the plastic wrapping around the sandwich. He started to eat and it seemed as if he hadn't eaten in days. 

"Hungry there?" I laughed while shoving another piece into my mouth.

"I'm sorry. The hotel doesn't seem to understand that I'm a guy, a guy who is still growing, and that I need to eat multiple times a day." He shoved the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and brushed the crumbs off himself. I started to laugh, causing him to laugh. 

"So, how old are you?" I asked, finishing my sandwich.

"I'm 23, how old are you?"

"I'm 19, almost 20." He seemed surprised by my age, but hid the expression quickly. 

"So, what do you do for a living? I mean, you must do something important if you're staying here." 

"I uh-" I didn't want to tell him. What if he changed the way he was acting towards me because of my job? "I'm no one important." I smiled. 

He nodded with a smirk on his face, "Sure you aren't. So, why are you being so nice to me? Most of the people who stay here are pretty stuck up and could careless what I think or do unless it affects them. So, why so nice?" Johnny said as he leaned back in his chair. 

"Why not? Am  I not allowed to be nice?" I smiled at him. 

"I do appreciate it, it's just very unusual around here."

"But isn't it nice for a change?" I got up to walk to the mini fridge that was stocked with drinks and food. I opened up the fridge and grabbed a Dr. Pepper. "Would you like something?" 

"Oh, no thank you. I can't pay for that without questions being asked about why I was here." 

"I'd pay for it, silly." I laughed at his reaction and grabbed another Dr. Pepper. I set it down in front of him and opened my own drink.