Keep Calm and Hug Me

Chapter Four

“Not a problem,” Chris said and I agreed, sporting smiles on our faces.

“Hey!  So you make your dad take the risk?” he teased the girl, “Mmm, you know, that’s exactly what Jonny does with me,” he shook his head.

“Hey!” I uttered and the girl and her dad laughed.

“What’s your name?” he asked her.

“I’m Liz,” she said started to overcome her initial shyness.

“Well, nice to meet you Liz,” he said, “I’m Chris and this is Jonny,” he joked.

“I know,” she giggled, “I love your music guys, you have no idea how much it means to me, I have all you albums and they’re my most cherished possessions,” she told us making us feel content and humble and really, really grateful.

“Oh, thank you, Liz,” he sincerely told her.

“Thank you,” I repeated.

 “And thank you sir, who I guess, you are the one contributing so she can get the albums,” he chuckled.

“That I am!” the man said, “But I like your music and your gigs too.”

“He’s been with me to your concert the other night in Melbourne,” she said.

“Really?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Oh, thank you,” Chris said. “Did you have a good time?

“It was fantastic guys, thank you so much!” she was beaming.

We laughed and thanked her, it turned out she obviously wasn’t carrying an album or anything for us to sign, as she wasn’t expecting to run into us at the sanctuary, so Chris suggested we sign her map of the place so she had it as a memento of where we had met her, I signed while Chris asked them about their favourite animals and what they had seen so far. Then, he signed and made a cute doodle for her and even one for her dad, then we took a picture with her and they thanked us and wished us a nice day and we did the same before continuing on our way.

“She has a crush on the dark-haired one in your band,” her dad shouted when they were a few feet away and we both cracked up but Liz was mortified, “Dad!”

“That means she’s got incredibly good taste, sir!” Chris said, “See you around!”

“See you guys, thank you for everything!”

We walked towards the reptile house in a contented mood and with smiles on our faces, “You see, Jay? That’s a fan, a real fan,” he told me, “That other woman was just a....a…”

“I know,” I interrupted.

“She was flirting carelessly and it was so crass and…,” he had started getting frustrated again.

“Shh, relax, she’s gone,” I said placing my arm around his shoulders and hugging him to me, “Better?”

“Yes, thank you babe.”

As we made our way to our next stop, we noticed no other than Amanda, the creepy one, looming outside with the group of girls that accompanied her. She had taken the denim jacket off and was sporting a really revealing pink top. They were eating some ice-cream cones and chatting distractedly but, as if she had a sixth sense, as soon as we came near she spotted us and started staring our way, trying to catch our eyes. I did my best to avoid her.  I could feel her gaze on us, but since she was with her friends she thankfully did not come over.

“Did she wink?” Chris asked.

“I don’t know.”

“Ugh. What’s wrong with that woman?”

“Don’t mind her, Chris. Come on let’s go see those reptiles,” I gently guided him in the direction of the building.

The group of girls did not follow us inside, at least not initially; they had still been eating their ice-creams.

“Wow, Jay, look at that snake, you wouldn’t even see it if you came across it in the forest!” he marveled at one of the animals and got closer to the glass.

“Amazing, huh?”

“It looks really happy,” he chuckled.

“How can a snake have a facial expression?” I questioned, “How do they express happiness?”

“I don’t know, they just do,” he shrugged.

I shook my head and moved on to see another kind of snakes, these ones were a bit bigger and a bit more colourful. Chris poked my side before continuing on his way to where the green tree pythons were, I took my time to examine the other snakes before joining him.

“Wow,” I breathed out, amazed at the incredibly bright colour of the snake.

“Pretty cool, eh?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, fuck,” Chris said and I tore my eyes away from the extraordinary snake and searched his face. “She’s here,” he stated.

I turned my head and saw her, while her friends were watching some animals on the other side of the room, she scanned the place. I turned around before our eyes could meet. Who cared if she saw us anyways? “Ignore her,” I said and we brought our attention back to the green tree pythons.