"Yeah, yeah. Yes- alright, bye." I hung up on Elsie.

She was all about telling me not to drink too much, bla bla. The first recordings to Heroes are about to start tomorrow and the rest of the album will slowly go next. Right now I was heading to a little party Johnny's throwing to celebrate it. It's more like a gathering actually.

Oh, right. It's been a month since he started teaching me how to play the guitar. I have no idea how many days or nights I had spent in the studio, I just know it was absolutely hell of a lot. Honestly, I wouldn't make it without Johnny. He was always coming up with sweet or funny things to say, to not let me fall apart right there and right that time when I couldn't remember some chords or just wasn't keeping up. We also ate almost every lunch or dinner together.

I have every right to say that he is the funniest fucking person I've ever met. He could always cheer me up and help me if I had any problem. I reassured him that I can help him as well if he needed it, but I don't think he's that kind of person to open up often or complain.

There were a few situations like the one back then at my house or numerous eye contacts but.. I just don't want to make any hopes, especially if it's all in my head. Or even if it was somehow real, then still, I don't feel like having my heart broken again. And definitely not by Hollywood's biggest star and dearest friend.

Back to the reality, Jack has almost arrived to his house. It wasn't a problem, because he has once already driven here. I, however, haven't. Weird, given how much time we've spent together, but I've never really had a chance to go there.

I shut the car door close, and soon after so did Jack. Since he is my fella as well, Johnny said that he's also welcome. We started walking towards the door, the gravel crunching under my black high-top converses.

The October already started and it wasn't so warm anymore. In fact, I saw some very dark clouds on the horizon and the wind blew mercilessly. Shit, I never know when to take a jacket.

We were almost at the door of this giant house, hidden somewhere between trees. However, as the leaves gradually began falling off the brunches, it wasn't as elusive.

Moments after I rang the doorbell, Johnny opened up. He smiled and his eyes somewhat lit up when he saw me.

"Guess who decided to show up," Were his first words. Yeeah, we got a little late to the thing.

"Oh hey, it's nice to see you too." I replied ironically. He offered me a glance and motioned us to get in.

"Come in guys." He added with a warm smile.

We took off our shoes and he led us inside the house. We talked a little of how's everything and then about the celebration itself. Somewhere in the distance, probably where the guys were, I could hear soft sounds of music and people talking.

Every thing on our way reminded me of Johnny, they were like a reflection of his soul. I always admired the way he can express and leave a piece of himself wherever he goes. The whole place seemed very cozy and just comfortable. It's also a loot more warm inside than it's outside. There was a faint smell of cigarettes in the air, but it was more pleasurable than disturbing.

----

"E minor, I'm going - D minor, back to 505, and so on. Did you get the rhythm yet?" I asked as I watched Johnny's eyebrows furrow in focus. He wanted me to teach him a song I once showed him, 505 by Arctic Monkeys. It's always been a national life anthem for me, in my opinion one of the best song existing. I wanted to learn it as soon as I could play the guitar fairly.

He nodded, replaying the chords perfectly. I just can't get over this man's talent.

"How does the whole chorus go?" he turned his head towards me, curiosity in his eyes. My belly answered with sending anxious butterflies, like the part where I have to sing the lyrics wasn't enough. I mean, not exactly sing because I really don't wanna be responsible for any sort of trauma.

"All right, but I won't sing. I'd probably sound like a dying cat."

He chuckled, "I feel you." Yeah, right, says literally the guy who'll sing David Bowie's greatest song tomorrow.

Anyway, I started with chords, then adding a little bit of melody into words. I really felt it, although I hoped that not too much.

"If it's a seven hour flight or a forty-five minute drive,"

"In my imagination you're waiting layin' on your side,"

"With your hands between your thighs."

I ended with a soft strum, stopping the actual song in my head. When I looked up, I noticed Johnny's gaze focused on my hands that still rested on the strings.

His lips curved out a bright smile and he looked at me. He opened his mouth to speak when suddenly Jack interrupted us, standing in the door frame with his arms crossed and confused look on his face.

"Who's hands between who's thighs?" he asked. Normally, as you do, you'd answer 'oh it's just a song'. However my brain for some reason couldn't form one. Instead of saying, I ended up waiting him to read my mind or something.

"All right, forget it." he said and stopped going from Johnny's eyes to mine, finally staying on mine. "Elektra, I think we gotta go already. There's going to be a pretty bad storm in a while."

I looked at the clock in Johnny's giant guitar room. 4 minutes 'till midnight.

"How do you know the weather will be bad?" I stood up, hanging the guitar on it's place. Johnny also stood up, but still holding the 'neck' of the instrument in his hand and waiting for the answer as well.

"They said it on the news this morning, besides look," he pointed to the window. Thanks to the lamp near the windowsill we could see little droplets on the glass. By the time there were more and more.

We went back to the living room to say goodbye to everyone. Some guys already left, but the other, to my surprise, also seemed almost ready to go. Johnny suggested to make one last toast and we all agreed. Every person had to add something from heart.

"As always: to our dead, drunk friends." Alice rose his glass.

"To David Bowie, hoping he'll like our version when listening from above." Johnny said.

"To the album itself." Joe added.

Now it's time for me, "To music, for being so great and for all the new opportunities it creates." I looked over to Johnny and he smiled beautifully at me, raising his glass as a mini toast.

"Us too?" Jerry asked pointing to himself and Jack. I chuckled and nodded. He puffed his lips in thought but it didn't take him long to answer. "For you, guys, to be safe on this crazy path you've chosen."

Everyone looked at Jack. He smiled cheerfully, "So that the light would always illuminate your path."

Immediately after he said that we heard a loud crash of thunder and all the power went out, leaving us in darkness. Johnny bursted out laughing.

"I didn't wish to crow anything." Jack stated and mumbled a 'sorry'. Rain started pouring heavily on the roof, so hard we could hear it inside.

After a while of us just standing there, the power came back, although now I could hear thunders almost constantly. Johnny approached the window and pulled back a curtain. A flash of lighting welcomed him and he turned around with a concerned expression.

"Guys, I don't think it's safe to drive in this weather."

"He's right." Alice agreed and I nodded.

"Then what should we do?" I asked and everybody seemed to think about the answer.

"It's obvious you're gonna wait here for a while, but.." he started and locked gazes with Jack. "How long will it last?"

"3 hours or so."

"That's 3 in the morning, shit it's a long time." Johnny mumbled to himself. Suddenly his face brightened up. "You could all stay for the night. I think there's not gonna be a problem with rooms."

That's a good idea. I mean, not like we have a lot of options.

It turned out everyone thought more or less the same as me and we started talking about organizing the space.

"Uh, there might be only one little problem." Johnny started and we all turned towards him. He was caressing his lower lip with his pointing finger. "I forgot that whole east wing is under renovation, we had some problems with the roof. That leaves us with only right wing, and it's definitely not as big."

--

Basically everyone except me and Jack has already slept here at least once, so they knew where to go. Jack got the room near them, and I thought that in the end we had nothing to worry, since the only one left was me, and I could literally sleep anywhere. We all stood in the kitchen (this room in general is always a command center, I think).

"Shit, I think we're out." Johnny said after a while of almost visibly scanning the house in his mind for any available rooms, and looked at me with guilt in his eyes.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll take the living room." I quickly reassured him and he shook his head 'no', but seconds later he had this concern-free smile on his lips. Although I think that's not because of what I've said. He just stood there for a while, without giving me any chance to guess his sudden idea.

He finally spoke. "There's also my room."

I frowned. What does he mea- oh.

I went straight: "No."

"I won't let you sleep in the living room, you're my guest."

"I won't kick you out of your own room." I replied. "Johnny, you can't always be the one sleeping on the couch."

"What do you mean, always?" Alice suddenly asked, puzzled.

"Gonna explain later," Johnny turned towards him, but soon after his eyes landed on mine again. He held this look in them, but didn't say anything. How was he making it so irresistible?

It was clear that neither of us will let go. I blew at my bangs to make them literally leave my eyes.

I looked behind him and saw a Uno card decks. An idea popped into my head and I smiled. He looked at my expression curiously, and a question left my mouth. "How about a round of cards?"

--

Red, 9. - Johnny tossed the card on the table, eyeing me up. Jack, Alice, Joe and Jerry were the judges, all 4 leaning on the counter as we played our game.

(E) Yellow, 9

(J) Yellow, 4 - 'Shit' I thought. He's only got two more cards.

(E) Green, 4

(J) Green, 2 - "Uno!" he exclaimed, and I must say I got a little stressed.

Now, my turn. I hesitantly dropped down a red, 2, hoping red isn't in his last card. He looked down to it, a mischievous smirk forming on his lips.

I'm done.

He looked up, piercing into my soul with these brown eyes, and gracefully put down his last card.

Red, 0.

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