Cranked - Prologue and Ch. 01

"It's okay, Johnny," she said as she collapsed down next to me. "If I wanted you to, I would have made sure you did."

"I'm sorry I didn't last too long," I told her, getting her shirt and underwear for her.

"It's okay, honestly," she said while I put on a pair of basketball shorts. "I just gotta ask...was that your first time?"

"I mean..." I said as she got dressed. "Was it that obvious?"

"You're joking," she said. "That was your first time? Damn, you are good. Well, I think I'm ready to get some sleep now. Goodnight, Johnny."

"Goodnight, Lola," I said, kissing her twice.

The next morning, I woke up later than I was planning to. Lola was still sleeping, hidden under my blankets next to me. My arm was still underneath her, more numb than I've ever felt, but I didn't have the heart to try pulling it out from under her. I brushed the hair out of her face with my other hand, and she slowly fluttered her eyes open and smiled at me.

"Hey there, rock star," she said to me.

"Hey yourself, sleepy head," I replied, kissing her cheek.

"Last night was perfect, Johnny..." she told me.

"I know, Lola... We should probably get up now," I yawned.

"What time is it?" she asked me. I checked the time on the alarm clock and it was already nine thirty in the morning.

"Fuck... I don't think mom works today," I said, jumping out of bed. "I don't think I can get you out of here without anyone noticing." I threw on my shirt from the night before and walked over to the door.

"Johnny?" Lola asked me from the bed, still laying down.

"Shh, one second babe," I whispered to her. I slowly started to peak and see if anyone was awake yet. "Okay, I think we can get out quickly once your jeans are on." As soon as I walked away from the door, it burst open and there was Jamie.

"Johnny, mom made breakfast," she said loudly. I grabbed Jamie's arm and pulled her inside and closed the door as Lola sat up in the bed, keeping the blanket over her.

"Just be quiet, I can explain everything okay?" I said to her.

"You don't have to explain anything to me, Johnny, you know that," Jamie said. "Mom, on the other hand..."

"Look, just play along okay?" I replied. "Lola was at the party I went to, some guys were giving her shit, and I didn't want her to try walking home on her own. Sound good?"

"Sure, cool with me. Hey, I'm Jamie," she agreed easily and started talking to Lola.

"Hi, I'm Lola," Lola responded.

"I'll see you lovebirds at breakfast," Jamie smirked and winked at us, sliding out of my room.

"I am so sorry, Lola. She never does that, I didn't even think to lock the door... God I'm such an idiot," I said, sitting down on the bed.

"Johnny, it's okay. She's a sweet girl. Why don't we just try and get through breakfast, okay?" Lola replied, kissing my cheek.

I opened the door and led Lola into the dining room, where my mom and sister were already sitting at the table.

"Mom, this is Lola," I said, joining my mom and sister and dishing up food for Lola and I. "She uh, she was at the party I played at last night and some guys were harassing her. I didn't want her to try and walk home, so I let her stay here for the night."

"Oh... Well, hello Lola," Mom said. "It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry the place is a bit of a mess, I wasn't expecting any company."

"It's nice to meet you, too. And that's alright, you have a lovely home," Lola responded, sitting down at the table.

"And Lola, this is my sister Jamie," I said, making it look like they hadn't met yet.

"Hey, welcome Lola," Jamie said smiling.

"Thank you, Jamie," Lola smiled back.

"So, how do you and Johnny know each other?" my mom asked her. I immediately started choking on the orange juice I just drank. "Johnny, what's wrong?"

"Just... Juice down the wrong pipe... I'm all good," I answered.

"Okay... Well, go on Lola," my mom asked again.

"We just met at the party last night, I was there with a friend who left early. Your son's very talented," Lola said to my mom.

"Yes, he does enjoy his music quite a bit," my mom said while Lola and I ate as fast as we could. "I'm not used to cooking for guests, I hope you like what I made."

"Oh, I really do," Lola said, squeezing my thigh under the table. I felt my face get warm and despite my best efforts to stop it, my cheeks got beet red.

"Why are you blushing, Johnny?" Jamie asked me.

"I'm not blushing, it's just hot in here," I glared at Jamie who was smirking at me.

"You do look a little red, Johnny. Are you sick?" my mom asked me.

"Ya know, I think I just drank too much last night," I answered. "Probably just a hangover. Mom, thanks for breakfast, I should get Lola home now."

"Oh you're right, I should be getting home now," Lola said, getting her shoes on. "Thank you again for breakfast, it was very nice meeting you both. Um, until next time."

"Okay, well I look forward to meeting you again dear," my mom said as I closed the front door behind Lola and me.

"I'm gonna get her good, I swear... I'm so so sorry, Lola," I said with embarrassment.

"Johnny, it's fine. I like your family. And I like you," she said, kissing me quickly.

"What you did back there, on the other hand... I'm gonna have to get you back for that too," I said to her, sliding my hand into her back pocket. She smirked at me and skipped to my car.

As I drove Lola home, I didn't even realize I was driving slower than usual to try and keep her with me as long as I could.

"You really like my family? They're not too...too annoying?" I asked Lola.

"Not at all. They're so... They're very sweet," she answered. "Your sister loves you and doesn't feel the need for secrets, and I think that's really cute. And I can tell your mom is proud of you." I couldn't help but get choked up when she said that.

"You really think she's proud of me?" I asked, getting a little tense.

"I do," she said, rubbing my thigh. "She should be proud of you. You're sweet, romantic, talented, smart, and damn good at taking care of a woman."

"Well... I don't think she needs to know about that last part," I replied, winking at her.

"What about your family? What are they like?" I asked her.

"Well, we're not really as close as you seem to be with your mom," she admitted. "They're supportive though, and caring enough. All families have some level of dysfunction though."

"Well, I'm sure you'll always be welcome at my place if you ever want to crash or hang out with my sister and mom," I told her. "Also, I haven't asked, but what brought you out here?"

"Well... There were some things that we all needed to get away from back there," she told me. "Things I needed to get away from, really. My parents actually asked me where I thought about moving to, and I remembered you saying you were from here and I just... It felt like the right thing. So, I've met your sister and your mom. What about your dad?"

"I... I have no idea. I don't know how, but I don't have any memories about him," I told her, noticeably shaken up.

"I'm sorry..." she said. "It's okay, we don't have to talk about that. When's your band playing again?" she replied, trying to help me cheer up.

"I don't know when we'll have another gig, but you're welcome to come to practice with me some time," I said to her, rubbing my thumb against her hand. "And hey, we have a bass guitar that Daniel never was able to learn how to play. We'd love to have you join."

"I'd love that, Johnny," she said excitedly. "It's this house here. I'll talk to you soon," she said, kissing me and getting out of the car.

When I pulled up to Daniel's shed at his parent's place, I couldn't help but wonder if they'd know something happened last night. I threw the case with my guitar over my shoulder and walked into the shed.

"Johnny, just the babe we were talkin' about," Ezra chimed as I closed the door.

"Good things, I hope," I said nervously.

"Well, nothing bad really. It's just that, if we recall Lola was living in Detroit just a year ago," Daniel said. "Care to help us out, explain how she just so happened to be at the party last night?"

"Okay... Well, I don't know the specifics yet, but she told me she moved here a while back. Her being at the party was purely coincental though."

"So you didn't know she was here?" Ezra asked me. "And you're sure she lives here, she's not just visiting a certain guitarist or something like that?"

"I didn't know, honestly I didn't think I'd ever see her again," I answered. "But why would she be visiting me? I don't follow."

"Well, doll... We already knew about her and that night in Detroit," Ezra said, smirking.

"What? How?" I asked them.

"Because, our dear friend, what you don't remember about that night is getting so wasted after we woke you up on the lawn," Daniel chuckled. "And that all you kept talking about was 'that sexy punk rock goddess' and how you 'met the person you didn't believed existed and would never see her again', until you passed out in the bathtub."

"And you guys knew the whole time? Fuck you, both," I replied, finding it hard not to start laughing too.

"We just wanted to hear it from you, babe," Ezra said. "The real you, sexy, sober you. Not...that thing from the hotel," Ezra smirked.

"I get it, I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys before," I told them.

"It's all good man, we just like seeing you happy. So... You two like, official?" Daniel asked me.

"Well... I don't know, right now," I admitted. "She's kinda...dating Evan. But I don't know for how much longer. I just know that I... I like her, guys... I really do."

"Hopefully you can be with her soon, man," Ezra said. "But if either of you expect me to stop flirting, y'all can forget it. She's gonna have to share."

"Anyway, if all the sappy shit's out of the way, you up for playing some music?" Daniel asked me.

"Ha... Fuckin' always, bro," I said, plugging my guitar into the amp. "So, you're all cool with her joining the band as our bassist right? Cause I kinda already invited her to."

"Have you heard us without her since that road trip?" Daniel asked. "We need her, she completes us."

"Aww, how romantic Daniel," Ezra laughed. "I'm sure your girlfriend Heather would be thrilled to hear another woman helped you with completion."

"Fuck you, Ezra," Daniel chuckled.