Thought I Had Died

<SFTC: Thought I Had Died by Starting Tuesday (The War)>

Chapter 5

"Oh c'mon, you have to at least admit that Starting Tuesday is better than that band you let open up for you that one time?"

"What? Like recently?"

"Yeah! In London.."

"Oh my god, the Vamps are not bad!" I scold, bumping into his shoulder playfully. He had insisted on taking a walk somewhere once it got later into the day. The sun is at its highest point, towering over us like some kind of guardian in the sky. It's probably three in the afternoon if I had to guess but who knows what time is, I lost track of time as soon as I came face to face with Tanner.

"Not bad but not as good as Starting Tuesday.." He trails, laughing to himself. His hands are pushed into his pockets as he turns, beginning to walk backwards to face me.

"I wouldn't know," I grin at him.

"Oh please don't tell me you haven't-"

"Nope, never heard of them," I say, finishing the thought for him. He shakes his head fervently, as if trying to shake out that I don't know who they are, and pulls me along by my hand. I would've told him earlier but I found it cute how persistent he was about this band. "ok, where are we going?"

"Japota Record Shop. I'm going to teach you about real music, Alison."

"I know good music," i murmur quietly.

He glances back at me, "Iphone." He holds out his other hand. The other hand is wrapped in mine, something I have not let go unnoticed and I'm very aware of the way he's squeezing it. Im actually growing more and more aware of the sensation that's arising from our skin touching.

I sigh and hand him my phone, watching as he keeps walking while scanning through my music. He hands it back after a minute of searching for whatever he's looking for.

"Not bad. And I thought you were the poppy music only type,"

I smirk and walk ahead of him enough that I can side glance enough at him, "You may have done your research but there's a lot you don't know about me."

He quickens back in front of me. So he likes to be in front, masculinity showing most likely. Hm, cute.

"Then tell me." He smiles, reaching to crinkle his eyes. Everything is going perfect so why I'm so on edge is beyond me. I think it must be just the nagging feeling in my gut of what paparazzi might do if they see us, what people might say, what I must look like in his eyes. Just the natural insecurities that's been forgotten as I search Tanners' eyes. Just a glance makes you forget every single thing that you've strived to remember, like breathing correctly.

"You're so persistent!" I laugh. He opens the door for me to the little beige corner store with guard rails nailed to the windows. I thank him quietly and duck in the small door, shuffling in to see file baskets full of records on tables to the wall which are lined with CDs.

"Oh my god," I whisper, trailing my fingers against every rivet in the records as I walk down the nearest aisle.

"Hey Henny," I hear Tanner say to the old man working the register who he starts a conversation with one I don't pay attention too.

All of the records are old, great records. I've always been like this since I was little, obsessed with music and music before my generation. I use to not fit into school so much that at one point, I was just convinced that I was born in the wrong generation. All of my interests are in the music from Carly Simon, Rolling Stones, Led Zep, basically every music before my time. Of course I like some around now, Paramore, Greenday, The Script and The Fray, basically all my friends, and Justin Timberlake. Mostly older music though, definitely.

"I knew you'd like it here," a voice whispers in my ear from behind, making me jump and drop the record back into its place. His laugh brushes strands of free hair to blow slightly.

"You scared me to death," I breathe. I'm very aware of his hands placed comfortably on my hips, which would feel almost normal if I hadn't been in this situation for two years. I turn to face him, still backed up against the record cases. The older man seems to have left which leaves us completely alone in this place.

"Sorry." He blushes. Okay, points for the blush, that's definitely a huge bonus. "I found the album."

He pulls a CD from his pocket and hands it to me, 5 songs marked on the back. The War is sketched in black on the case.

"They only released 5 songs in their career but they are five very amazing songs. They also changed their name to The War but I can never get comfortable calling them that," He laughs, maintaining eye contact until he blushes again. For him to be so passionate about this band says a lot about his character, he acts like he's a bad boy but when he gets to talking about music, he's just a little kid in a candy store.

Our eyes lock again,"I'll listen to them."

His lips finally flicker back into a smile before restraining it by biting down. "Thanks," I barely hear his whisper as he gently pushes me back against the records without too much recognition.

"I work here, that's why Henny left for awhile to pick up dinner. Also how I got your CD so quick," He says.

"I thought you worked doing the thing with the clothing dump?" I say, trying to prod him on so he doesn't start taking in account how close our bodies are pressed and how impulsively I'm staring at his lips.

"One of my moms old friends works there and needed someone for the day.." He says quickly as if trying to get through the sentence fast.

"Oh, what does she do-" He dips his head down to my neck, his breath tickling at my skin. The adrenaline rush comes so fast, I almost trip on my feet as I try to back up instinctively.

"I know you're trying to drag on the conversation so you don't have to kiss me, and that's okay, I can wait." He whispers, sweeping in and pressing his lips once to my neck before grinning widely at me innocently. The imprint of his lips tingles slightly from the contact, my body half-quivering from his touch.

•

He accepted my invitation upstairs to eat in my apartment, saying it was definitely a better option than going home and thinking about me, which I thought was cheesy, to say the least. A cute cheesy though.He makes me extremely happy in ways that I haven't felt in a long time, a giddy bubbling that wants to explode any second and just fall head first into him.

He puts his once-full plate of pizza back on the coffee table before rearing back to stretch. In the process, I find myself, like any girl can nonchalantly do, watching as his shirt rides up as he stretches, the lining of his boxers peaking out from his jeans. I suddenly swallow, my throat going dry.

"Having a good time with that?" He says mid-stretch. I immediately blush, looking around, frantically busying myself with the distraction of finding Meredith, which doesn't take long. She's strewn across the back of the couch sleeping with no sign of waking up until morning. "You're cute when you blush."

"Wha- Thanks, that's sweet of you, Tanner."

"Ok, that sounds so formal, be more free flowing!"

I raise my eyebrow.

"Tell you what, you go out with me again tomorrow and I'll teach you how to be free flowing." The words felt familiar considering John had reworded it into something only temptation reaked of. The only threat in this was what he had planned, I felt okay with Tanner, something relatable, some spark between us.

"Mm, well, I have to pick out a dress for the KCAs tomorrow but after lunch I'm free.." I trail, glancing over at him. His arm had somehow slid over my shoulder without me noticing, not that I would ever dare move it.

He stands and I follow right behind him, "Great, I'll see you then, then." He brings my hand up to his lips and presses to it. "Until then, Alison."

I immediately blush. "Sweet dreams," I reply.

"Only of you," He grins again, the last glimpse I get is his cheeky smile ducking out the door. All my head does is spin, and daydream, and spin some more. I feel like a teenager in highschool again, bubbly over a new guy in my life who interested me. So I do just what I did back then, begin writing away when I realize that I won't be getting any sleep tonight, not with the promises of tomorrow.