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

Noah

Loud noises downstairs woke Sammy up.
It took her some time to remember what was going on.
Johnny was still asleep, snoring slightly.
His arms were tied around her waist.
She didn't want to move, causing him to wake up but she could hear laughter from downstairs and there was definitely the smell of pancakes.
Trying to move as carful as possible she put his arm away and climbed over him out of the bed.
He moved a bit but he didn't wake up.
Downstairs everyone was already awake.
Well it was almost 2.30pm.
"Hey, Smallie. Want pancakes?", Archie asked as she entered the kitchen.
"Oh yes please."
The others greeted her too but looked a bit uncertain probably wondering where Johnny is.
"So are you already feeling the spirit of 18?", asked Jordan.
"What spirit am I supposed to feel? I still feel the same."
"Well you are free now. For example from Archie annoying you about Johnny."
Archie shot Jordan a glare but didn't reply to his comment.
"Speaking of Johnny, where is he actually?", he asked instead.
"Still asleep I guess."
"You guess? Or you know?"
"Neither. I'm actually awake."
Speaking of the devil he just trotted into the kitchen too.
The conversations somehow stopped and everyone watched him filling his cup with coffee.
He looked around confused as he noticed.
"What? Have I done anything?"
"No take a seat.", Sammy gestured him to sit down.
"You know Sammy we wanted to take you out to the Bloody Heels gig tonight.", said Jordan.
Sammy saw Johnny looking up from his coffee immediately from to corner of her eye.
"Really? I didn't even know that they're on tour at the moment."
"Neither did I.", agreed Johnny.
"Well they are. So you in? Johnny, you wanna come too?"
Of course she was in.
Bloody Heels is an amazing band.
And she'd never miss a out a night with her friends.
But Jordan and Johnny being friends is not the best thing.
Well sure it's better that they're friends instead of fighting all the time.
But still.
Jordan will drag Johnny to every night-out now and Johnny will pleasingly join them.
"I'm in of course.", she said though.
"Me too. Are there still tickets at the venue left?", Johnny asked and sipped his coffee.
Sammy noticed that he hasn't eaten anything since he's gotten up.
"Yeah I guess. They're not that famous yet I hardly believe it's sold out."
After this discussing everyone finished 'breakfast' and everyone - except for Archie - left.
Sammy and the others would meet in a few hours to head to the venue together.
Until that she'd have a nice chill out day with Archie.
They just watched TV together and Archie told stories of his 18th birthday.

When the four friends plus Johnny entered the venue it was already full with people.
But they came to enjoy the night not to fangirl all night in the front row.
Jordan bought drinks for all of them and cheered for Sammy's 18th.
It wasn't even midnight when the band finished the show so they decided to go have another drink at the next bar.
This time Johnny bought the drinks.
Later Anne and Jordan disappeared somewhere on the dancefloor as well as Sarah with some random dude.
Johnny just went to the toilet when a dark haired guy started talking to Sammy out of nowhere.
"Hey I saw you at the Bloody Heels show earlier. Was great, wasn't it?", he said and leaned against the bar booth next to her.
"Yes, it was.", she answered simply not really in the mood to start a conversation with a stranger.
"Okay you don't wanna talk to me I get it.", he said as he noticed her bored face and turned around disappointed.
"Hey no wait! I didn't mean to disappoint you. I'm sorry.", Sammy called after him to be nice.
"Really? I mean I'm fine if you don't feel like talking. It's okay."
"Nah. It's cool. I'm Sammy."
Maybe it's good to get to know some people.
"Noah."
Noah smiled and sat down next to her.
"Okay, Noah. So were, or are, you alone?"
"Yeah. All my friends aren't fans of music like that so I go out to shows on my own."
"Aw that sucks. Well to be honest I'm here with some friends but it's alright I guess. They're all busy."
"Oh okay. So Sammy tell me something about you."
"Ahh there's not that much to tell actually. I just turned 18 yesterday, I play piano and I just recorded my first EP. I'm still searching for a band though but yeah that's it pretty much."
"Wow impressive. An own EP? I'm searching for a band too! I play guitar. Let me know if you're interested.", he grinned and winked.
So he plays guitar, sounds good.
"That would be amazing! I could show you my EP and if you like the style and the music you could definitely join my, yet not existing, band."
"Sure. I'll give you my number and we could meet some time so you could show it to me. I'd be very pleased to make a band with you."
He took her phone and tabbed in his number.
Can this night be any more amazing?
"Hey Sams found company?", just now Jordan appeared next to them and ordered another drink.
"Yes, Jordan this is Noah. Noah this is my friend Jordan."
They shook each others hand exchanged a few words.
"Have you seen Johnny?", asked Jordan after a while of looking around.
"Ah no actually. I completely forgot about him to be honest. He went to the toilet but I haven't seen him since."
"Ehh he might have gotten jealous and left."
"Why'd he get jealous?"
"Because you pay more attention to a stranger than to him in the last 3 years."
"Haha. He's not like that."
"I bet he is."
Sammy sighed and turned her attention back to Noah.
"I'm sorry but I have to look for a friend. I'll call you tomorrow so we can make up a time to meet. It was nice to meet you. Have a nice night."
Noah smiled and nodded, telling her that he enjoyed the time.
Looking for Johnny in the whole bar she found him a few minutes later in the last corner she'd expect him.
He sat there with a cigarette between his lips and a bottle of beer in his hands.
"Hey, Johnny. We've been wondering where you've been.", Sammy said and say down next to him.
"Really? Didn't seem like you cared for where I am.", he answered, not looking at her.
"Are you mad? Or are you jealous?"
"Neither. I just don't know why I still go to bars with you when you always hang out with other guys then."
"So you are jealous..."
"No I'm not."
"Ugh Johnny we just talked."
"I told you I don't care."
"You do obviously."
"Well I don't know why you're still doing this when you know that I get jealous."
"Because I can't think of a reason why I shouldn't. I don't know why you get jealous and I won't stop until you give me a proper explanation."
Johnny sighed and got up.
"Nevermind. Just keep going."
With that he walked away and disappeared in between the crowd.
He's so stupid.

Sammy kept searching for Johnny but gave up after she wouldn't find him anywhere in the club.
He probably went home.
Jordan dragged Sammy to the dancefloor with Anne and Sarah but she didn't stay very long.
She kept thinking about Johnny and about the scene earlier.
He's been jealous - well she assumed it - once in the bar when No Romeo played.
Now he's been jealous again and this time he actually admitted it.
Maybe he was too shy to say anything but on the other hand he wasn't the type of guy who was shy.
"Saaaaaammmyyyyy get your ass up from that fucking bench and have some fun.", Sarah jumped around her to the music and grabbed her arm, pulling her up to her feet.
"Sarah I really don't feel like dancing now."
"Do you want to go home?"
"Actually yes. But you guys stay here and enjoy the rest of the night."
"Aw no you're serious? What's wrong honey?", Sarah stopped dancing and looked at her worried.
"Nothing is wrong. I'm just tired. I'll call you tomorrow."
"And you sure you wanna go alone?"
"Yes I'm fine bye."

To her surprise all the lights were off when she came home.
It was not even 2am, Archie should be awake actually.
He never went to bed before at least 3am.
"Archie? Are you home?"
No answer.
Sammy made her way upstairs to his room.
Quiet guitar noises came from the other side of the room.
"Archie?"
The guitar stopped and she heard footsteps coming towards the door.
"Smallie, you home already?", he asked surprised as he opened the door.
"Uh yeah.. I'm tired."
"Just change and come in then I'll show you something."
Sammy did as he said and returned short after.
Archie sat on the edge of his bed and played something on his guitar.
He kept playing when Sammy hopped onto the bed.
"I wrote a new song. Just lay down and listen."
It was a silent song compared to what he usually writes.
After a while he started singing too.
His voice was calming and so Sammy fell asleep even before the song ended.

Next evening Sammy watched some action film on TV but she didn't pay much attention.
She couldn't stop thinking about the situation at the bar.
It wasn't her fault but she felt kinda guilty and bad because he just disappeared.
He was probably sad or even mad.
"Smalliiee I got something for you."
Archie scared the shit out of her.
Out of the blue he bumped onto the couch next to her, completely interrupting her thoughts.
"Fuck Archie stop scaring me all the time."
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to. Anyways this is for you."
He smiled and stretched out his hand.
It was a book.
Ugly Love
"What? Why... where do you know that I wanted it?"
"Jordan told me. I heard him talking about it so I asked what it was about."
"Okay but my birthday was a few days ago. What's the matter?"
Sammy put the book onto the table and turned off the TV to pay attention to Archie.
"Why? Has there got to be a reason for me to give this to you?"
"No but you don't usually do this.."
"Well... okay there is a reason."
Of course.
It's always the same.
"Keep going."
"Okay. I know you already said no to this but... well our opening act for Saturday just cancelled because two members got sick. Now we can't book anybody on such a short term so you are our last hope."
Eyes full of hope looked at Sammy.
"Saturday?"
"Yep."
Sammy sighed and took her phone.
"I'll call Noah. I need to check if he learned the songs I sent to him. If he's able to play then I'm too."
"What about Johnny?"
"I don't know. Not sure if he's in the mood to play guitar for me."
"Ow no not again please. What's that about you always fighting?"
"We're not always fighting. He's acting weird and when I want to clear it up he just plays innocent and walks away."
"You two get on my nerves. One day you are way too close for me to like it and the other day you fight which I don't like either. Can't you just get along like everyone else?"
Sammy didn't answer.
They'd discussed this way too much already.
Instead she started talking to Noah who'd just answered the phone.
"Hey Noah sorry to annoy you with this already but have you checked the songs I sent?"
"Sure I have why?"
"Do you think you'd be able to play them live? My brother just asked me to open for his band on Saturday and I'd only be able to play with a guitarist"
"Uhm Saturday.. Yes. Yes I think this is manageable. Wow. This is going upwards faaast."
"I know I'm sorry he just told me. I actually said no but now that we're his last hope.."
"It's not a problem at all. How about me meet on Friday so we can discuss some things and rehearsal?"
"Yes we can do that. I'll see you on Friday then."
"Perfect bye."
"Bye."
Archie heard the conversation and grinned happily.
"You are a lucky bastard Archie."
"I love you Smallie."
He hugged her and let go short after.
"I'll tell the boys. They'll be so happy to hear this."