4 a.m. // Jeggy

Chapter 17

Oh my god, John is hot.

And back to your regularly scheduled programming:
I can't control myself when I think about him. I think I've really got it bad for this guy. How does he manage to look so good, that good, constantly?

These are my thoughts as we stand in line for concessions at the concert. He's leaned against the wall next to the counter while he waits, talking and laughing with Alex. He runs a hand through his hair which causes a shiver to run through my body. Good god. He just looks so effortless.

"Earth to Peggy!" Eliza says, moving her hand in front of my face. I snap out of my daydream - fantasy? No, no, that sounds bad... but I mean... no Peggy, bad Peggy - and look to her, where she's holding out a large red cup with a straw in it. I take it from her, realizing she's been trying to give me my drink this entire time. Oops!

"Sorry Liza." I mumble with the straw halfway in my mouth, taking a sip of my Coke to try to get my eyes to snap away from John for just a second. Jeez, is he trying to impersonate a solar eclipse today? I can't look away from it!

"Pegs, you're staring." She giggled, following my line of sight to John, who was now taking a cup from the cashier and thanking her. This made me look away from him and blush a little. Did he catch me too?

"What? Noooo, I wasn't looking at him, I was uh," I stumbled over my words, trying to think of an excuse for what I was looking at. I gave up and messed with my hair for a second. Eliza just laughed and bumped my arm with her elbow before going over to Alex and grabbing his hand. He kissed her on the cheek and looked at her with admiration in his eyes. What a cute couple, right?

Before I knew it, Eliza was turning Alex away from John and grabbing his arm, going on her tiptoes to whisper something in his ear. Her eyes darted over to me and she began to smile. Oh no. I held back a groan as Alex began to smile too, looking amused. He whispered something back to her before wrapping his arm around her waist and turning back to John.

"Hey... find the seats... meet you there... check out..." was all I could make out of what Alex was saying. Before I knew it, John was in front of me, holding the tickets and his drink.

"Alex and Eliza want the two of us to go find the seats while they go check out some of the merch and other stuff they're selling here. They said they'd all meet us there once they were done." He said, starting to walk already. I picked up my pace to keep up with him and struggled a bit before I found my footing. He was really throwing me off today...

"Okay. I think we're like, all the way across the venue from where we are. It'll be a little bit of a hike." I said, getting ready for our little walk.

"Yes it is. Should I fire up my Apple Watch and tell it I'm doing a strenuous workout?" He laughed, and I just shook my head, amusement filling my voice.

"Oh, for sure, this is probably about gonna be the most exercise you've done this week!" I laughed. He shook his head in response and flexed his arms.

"Listen Pegs, I don't know if you've noticed, but the gun show actually is in town and it's right here next to you." I couldn't deny what he was saying. He was more muscular than I thought.

"Wow, a bodybuilder, I see you!" I said, grabbing his arm and giving it a little squeeze. He did the same to me.

"Let me see those muscles!" He exclaimed, and I struggled to flex the little arm muscle I had, bursting into giggles instead.

"But for real, what's up with the muscles? Are you just a gym junkie or something?" I asked him, wishing so badly that those strong arms of his could be around me, the way Alex's arm was around Eliza earlier. But apparently this was the wrong question. His tone shifted a bit and some of that amusement faded from his eyes.