Piercing Hearts (Len & John Pearce/Justice Crew Fanfic)

Chapter 1: Love At Nth Sight

* Lenny's POV *

For someone who hated the girl with a passion most of my life, I didn’t think there would come a time I’d actually stand in front of her and mesmerize by her beauty. The way she laughs brings music to my ears, activating my heart with a thump thump. The way she flips her hair makes me feel hypnotized under her spell. The way she was walking down my path feels like an angel was coming to see me.

Wait, she’s walking towards me… What?

“Len!” She greeted, excitedly as if we were long lost friends. To be honest, I didn’t mind, but more of surprised that she would actually talk to me, especially when I’ve been hating on her since the very first time we met.

I was a kid then. Since John and I met her in preschool, the two never separated. Some people even think that they were twins. At some point, Joanna looked like a girl version of John and I, or just John, seeing that they don’t even notice me. I was always following John’s shadow, way, way behind him.

The only time they would know me would notice me was when I’d actually go home later than my curfew. My parents would even party up, not because their kids weren’t around, but because I finally went out of the house. It didn’t even matter if I was just a second late. The fact that I still missed it was what’s more important for them.

It’s not that I don’t like to party because that would be weird, knowing I’m now a DJ, and also a part of the hip hop dance group, Justice Crew, but because every party that was organized, John and Joanna would always be the talk of the town.

It came to a point that even their future have been talked about. This happened when we all stepped into high school and the two started dating. Even since then, everyone was so happy that they ended up together, always commenting how happy and cute they both were. Even our parents and Joanna’s parents have been good friends, spending some days together, and I had to tag along, but they would immediately leave me by myself when they notice something new about the two, and that would be their topic the whole day.

Names of their kids have been also brought up. I remember John said that if they were having a girl in the future, her name would be Johanna, an obvious combination of their names. Coming up with boys’ names took some time, but eventually ended up with something like Johan or Jonas, then the two laughed about the Jonas part.

I even remember that part when Joanna exclaimed that she will be a Pearce forever, but just a different spelling as the two laughed even more. John telling her how it suited perfectly, and even then Joanna has been writing her last name as “Pearce”, except in school and other important papers.

“Been a long time, how are you?” Joanna asked.

I’m fine. I thought, mentally slapping myself as my mind kept on popping up questions, mostly wondering where my tongue was. Idiot, it’s inside your mouth. Talk to her. Someone talk for me please! I beg you, someone please!

“I see.” Joanna nodded as if she just solved the biggest mystery on Earth. “You still hate me, don’t you?” She questioned. “Either that or John told you to stop talking to me, not that you do.”

Well, about that. You see Joanna went to America right after high school to visit her dad for a few months, but John sort of got into some mess and broke up with her. When she had gotten the news, she decided to stay in America instead, perhaps wanting to start a new life, and didn’t want to see John happy with another girl.

But that would have been a lie. If she did get back, she’d probably see how much John had suffered since then. From one girl to another, he didn’t have a solid relationship like what he had with Joanna. Every relationship he ended up with some joke.

And in my mind, she would laugh about it because she is Joanna Pierce. She was mean to me – not only stealing my precious gold fish, but also my twin brother John. All she had to do was smile and act pretty, and then viola – there goes my twin brother happy galloping around her.

Everyone who loved the John-Joanna tandem was all heartbroken with the news of them separating. Some even thought that the two would turn around and fight for their relationship, but days, weeks, months, years came… and nothing.

No, I don’t think I hate you anymore. No please, don’t leave me.

“Well, I better go now. It was nice seeing you though. At least you’re one person I know.” She uttered, turning to the opposite direction, leaving the store.

No, no, no!

“W-Wait.” I stuttered as she turned halfway, checking if it was me who spoke up. When she had confirmed, she went back towards me and smiled. “Do you want to have lunch together?” I asked, and my heart went rocketing high up in the air, unable to breathe properly as I waited for an answer.

Though, I had an idea that she would reject, perhaps thinking I’d attack her with some prank I’ve been planning for years, seeing that this might be the first time she had gone back to Sydney. “You know, just to catch up and stuff.” I uttered as she hasn’t answered my simple question.

“Are you asking me out?” She teased as I stood there frozen, unsure of how to respond to that. It’s just been the first day since we’ve seen each other again, but then it would be weird if I was, considering the hate I’ve been sending her way before.

But Joanna giggled, possibly noticing my lack of speech today. “Aww I’m just kidding. You’re still the same Len.”

What same Len? “What?” I asked, my voice was too soft. “What do you mean?” With my head cocked on one side, I asked again.

“Still adorable and childlike.” She answered, with cute giggles vibrating around us. But then, she used one word I didn’t even think she’d say, I wasn’t childlike. “In a good way.” She nodded as she moved away, to the direction she was going to earlier. “Except for…”

And I was too eager to know what she wanted to say that I sort of interrupted her. “Except for what?”

“Your little blonde streak’s missing now.” She remembered as my hand went over to that spot where it has been blonde for years. I heard her giggle as continued walking away.

In a matter of minutes, she turned halfway again, laughing at me. Her hand went up, sort of like calling me towards her as she spoke. “Come on, Len. Aren’t we going out for lunch together? I’m quite hungry. Show me some new places round here.”

Oh, so that means it’s a yes then. I nodded, marching towards her way.

So tell me… how did I end up falling in love with Joanna Pierce? Even I was curious to know what changed.