It's been a while (Johnny Cruz/Joonas Parkkonen) - Santa Cruz -

to care or not care

"You have to go home sooner or later, Sams."
Jordan sat down next to her on the bed she was laying in.
"But I don't want to.", she groaned and pulled the blanket over her head.
"Come on Sams. It's gonna be okay. Archie just wants the best for you. He's been gone for so long I think he just doesn't realize that he's a little overprotective."
"He's not overprotective. He acts like he can determine about everything in my life."
"I'm sure he feels bad about this whole situation now. Go home and talk to him. He just tries to protect you. You know what happened last time."
He got up from the bed and started packing her stuff.
"Are you kicking me out? You cannot do that, Jord."
She looked at him with a fake-disappointed face.
He was right about the point that she couldn't stay forever.
Not once she left Jordan's house for the last 4 days.
Not even for school.
"I don't want to kick you out but Anne is coming over tonight and I don't need any company then.", he laughed.
"Oh dear. You are so lucky with her."
"I know.. but don't worry one day Archie will find the right guy for you too."
"Oh god get out of my sight, Jordan!!!", she screamed as he ran off the room laughing like a crazy monkey.

"Smallie is that you?", Archie called for her when she entered the house.
She didn't answer, not sure how to react when he suddenly stood in front of her.
"Oh my god where have you been I was so worried.", he exhaled like he had been stopping the air and attacked her with a very tight hug.
"About what? That I might be with the 'wrong' guy?", she asked raising her brows.
"Aw, Smallie, let's just forget about this shit okay. I'm sorry I was drunk and all..."
"No you did mean it. I know you did.", she stated, not believing any of his words.
He probably meant it but she was so mad at him.
"Well you know I just want to make sure that nobody breaks your heart. I.. I don't know why I'm trying to protect you like this but I love you and you know that.", he grabbed her hands and weakly smiled at her, hope in his eyes.
"Archie, I know you do but please just let me do what I think is best for me. It's cute that you want to protect me but this is something I want to... experience on my own. I don't need you to pick out my boyfriends."
He sighed and thought for a while.
"Yeah I know. I'm sorry. Just introduce me to him and I'll give my best."
Wait what?
What the shit is he talking about?
"Uhm.. who exactly are you talking about?", she couldn't help but laugh at that.
"Your boyfriend...?", he was clearly as confused now.
"What boyfriend? You know more than I do", now she was laughing pretty hard.
"Didn't Jordan say something like that?"
"oh. ohhhh. No. No. Don't ever listen to anything Jordan says. He just wants to bring me into awkward situations. Just like this one. I don't have a boyfriend.", she explained still smirking that he actually believed it.
"Oh you don't? Oh gosh I'm sorry. I actually thought you had one. Well. To be honest I thought there's something going on between you and Johnny.", he said and rubbed his neck.
He always did that when he said something that he thought would be awkward.
Dear god please don't let him notice my blush.
"Uhm no there's nothing going on between us."
"Yeah eh whatever you know let's not stand here in the doorway all the time. I made spaghetti so if you'd like..."
"Yes, amazing!", she interrupted him happily.
Nothing better than Archie's spaghetti.
They both got their plates full and sat down on the couch in silence.
"You know... I'm very proud of you. Like... you want to finish school. That's really cool. I wouldn't say no to touring so that I could go to school..", Archie mumbled in between bites.
"Oh why's that all of the sudden?", Sammy was very surprised about the change of his mind.
"As I said. I was kinda drunk and I wasn't expecting you to say no at all. But I'm glad that you want to finish school. I really am!"
She just smiled at that.
And she thought this conversation is going to be horrible and end in an even worse way than the night in the bar.
"Archie..?"
"Yeah?", he stopped eating to look at her.
"You said.. uhm.. that Johnny wouldn't be the right guy for me.."
Archie already raised an eyebrow at her probably thinking she was going to admit that she liked him.
"oh no don't think something wrong now! I'm just curious to know why you think so."
"Well... Look, it's not that I think that Johnny himself would be the wrong guy. No, he's actually super nice and all but he's my bandmate and I wouldn't want to see him making out with you all the time and also we're always on tour and that's not the best way to be in a relationship.", he explained.
"But on the other hand you know him. You can trust him. You've known him all your life."
"That's it. I know him and I also know that he's not always the innocent nice boy he seems to be. I mean he isn't in this band for nothing.", he laughed at the last sentence, "and also I can't even remember last time he had a girlfriend.. Like a real girlfriend."
"Maybe he's just waiting for the right one."
She smiled and got up to bring the plates back into the kitchen.

*meanwhile at the drinks market*
Jordan was just about to buy some drinks for the night with Anne when he noticed a familiar looking guy walking through the store.
"Hey Johnny-boi!", he half screamed when it hit him who he was.
The guy looked around to see who called for him.
When he spotted Jordan he seemed like he tried to memorize where he knew him from.
"Jordan right?", he asked as he stood in front of him.
Johnny was a few inches taller than Jordan.
"Yes. So.. how's it going?", Jordan asked not really interested in a conversation though.
"I'm good. Why'd you care? We don't know each other, do we?"
"Well we've met a few times. But whatever. You're right, I don't really care about how you're feeling. But I do care about how Sammy's feeling. And from what I saw last days she isn't feeling that good.", he said, sounding like he blames Johnny for what happend at the bar.
"Uhm just to clear this up. None of this is in any way my fault. I have no idea what she told you but I'm the one you should say thank you to for defending her."
Johnny seemed to be pissed that Jordan even dared to blame him.
"Well yeah. Maybe you defended her in this situation. But what about the party, huh? I'm not mad at you for what you've done dude, I'm mad because you don't have the balls to tell her!"
Sammy never told Jordan that she liked Johnny or that Johnny liked her but as an outside one he can tell that they definitely do have something for each other.
"To tell her exactly what?"
"That you like her..?!! Dude what the fuck are you waiting for? Do you want her to make the first step? Well good luck finding someone else then because 's never gonna happen."
"What do you care if I like her or not? I Don't think 's any of your business."
"Gawd I care because I am the one who's trying to make her happy again. I'm the one who's been taking care of her since primary school. I definitely care if people like you don't have the balls to tell her that they like her."
"Okay if that's all you can leave me alone now.", Johnny said and turned around.
"Well at least she's right with the fact that you are an ignorant asshole."
Jordan wanted to punch this guy for being so stupid.
Suddenly he turned around again.
"Did she say that?", Johnny asked not wanting to believe what Jordan just said.
"So you do care what she thinks about you?"
Jordan raised an eyebrow, questioning.
Johnny didn't answer, giving Jordan what he wanted.
He does care.
"Okay look, buddy. I'd never do that because I don't know you at all but I just trust her now cuz she thinks you are a cool guy. I'll give you her number. I'm not gonna tell her about this. Get some balls and text her."
Jordan looked at Johnny waiting for him to realize.
"Dude I need your phone to put in the number.", he stated like it has been obvious.
Unsurely Johnny passed his phone to Jordan.
"And don't tell her that I gave her number to you.", he laughed and gave the phone back.
Johnny still didn't really know how to react.
Jordan put a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't fuck it up okay."
With that he turned around and walked away.