⇾ 𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐈'𝐕𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔 | 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐦

| F I V E |

"Do we have to stay here today?"

John and I were laying on the couch in our living room. Jonah and Calvin had gone to Jonahs house for the night and my parents were at work.

"Where could you possibly want to go?" I asked him. "I've got band practice at five."

"Can I come? They know about me, don't they?"

"Uh—yeah, they do, and I really can't just leave you here, so you'll have to."

"I better hear some mean drumming," he told me. "Last night was fantastic, but those songs were easy. I hope you can do better with your other band."

"Oh, believe me. We play a lot more than 'Silver Moon' and 'Oh! Darling.'" I laughed.

His lips spread in a wide grin. "Brilliant."

"So, what do you want to do?" I asked him.

"I'll tell you what. I want some damn food. Some good, hot, food."

"Right. Uh—I haven't got much money, so it'll have to be something cheap. We can go to the mall and walk around if you want."

"The mall? What the hell is that?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's a huge building with a bunch of stores in it. You'll love it. And, of course, they have food. You know, it's a shopping centre."

"Brilliant." He stood up. "Let's go."

I looked at his clothes. "Maybe we should find you something else to wear," I told him.

"Why? Don't I look alright?"

"Well—yeah, of course you do. Just a little...outdated? Come here, I've probably got a shirt that'll fit you."

"You're like half my size," he said as he followed me towards the basement door. "How do you reckon you'll have anything?"

"I dress like a homeless person. Most of my stuff is twice my size."

"I don't think you look like a homeless person. You're far too pretty for that label."

I blushed deeply and tried to find something to say that would hide it. "What does that mean? You think all homeless people are ugly?"

"Well, generally they're not the prettiest," he responded. "Can't you just accept my compliment? I poured my whole heart out to you."

"Right." I led him back into my bedroom and went over to my dresser. I got in the bottom drawer because that's where all the stuff that was too big for me always ended up and began to dig around. Coincidentally, I found a Led Zeppelin shirt right on top.

"Hey, that's some cool shit. Let me wear that," John said and I had to fight the urge to laugh. I turned around and held it up.

"You're scrawny enough that it looks like it'll work. Have at it." I handed it to him. "As for pants...there might be something left from my older brother. We can go see. Come on."

John nodded and followed me as I travelled back upstairs, and then continued to the second floor of the house, somewhere where he hadn't been yet. He studied all of the decorations as we walked. "Why'd you get stuck in the basement?" he asked. "Couldn't you have been up here?"

"If I'd wanted to," I replied with a shrug. "I like it down there. No one ever wants to go down there to bother me."

"What a little genius you are. I'm always told the red-heads aren't smart."

I turned around and cocked an eyebrow. "How judgmental of you," I said.

"Well, clearly you've proved me wrong. You play every fucking instrument ever. That's about as smart as anyone I've ever met."