Cigarettes [Bennoda] ✔

Chapter 3

Most people got in their cars and left but a small group of about twenty people hung around the building. I assumed they were staying to see if they could meet Mike, which was the reason I was staying out there.

Ryan and Amir got tired of standing so I gave them the keys so they could go sit in the car.

After a while more and more people started to leave and it was just me and a few other people. I sighed, leaned up against the venue wall and lit up a cigarette. Just then a guy walked out of the alley way. It was Mike.

He said hi and talked to the other people waiting and signed their CDs. Then walked over to me, who was the last person.

"Hey, man!" Mike said, walking over and shaking my hand. "H-Hi." I said nervously.

He chuckled and lifted up his hat a bit; revealing his beautiful eyes. "You don't have to be nervous. I don't bite." He said. I smiled and took a drag off of my cigarette. "You want me to sign anything for you?" He asked. "I-Uh I don't have anything for you to sign..." I said awkwardly. "That's alright. We can just talk until my bus driver comes and gets me." He said with a chuckle. "Okay." I said with a smile. "Can I bum one of those off of you?" He asked, pointing to my cigarette.

"The Mike Shinoda wants one of my cigarettes?" I thought to myself.

He could totally buy his own but I wanted to spend as much time with him as I possibly could. Also I didn't think he actually smoked. I thought it was just for the song so it was weird to me.

"Oh, yeah, sure." I said. I took one out of the pack and gave it to him. He stuck it between his lips. "You got a light?" "Yeah here." I said, lighting the cigarette for him. He took a long drag and exhaled the smoke into the chilly air. "I didn't know you smoked." I said. He shrugged and then smirked. "It's something that I do once and a while just between me and you." He said with a little chuckle. I giggled.

"So, did you enjoy the show?" He asked. "Yeah! I did. It's my birthday, actually." "Oh really? Happy birthday, dude! How old are you?" "Thank you. I'm 17 and my name's Chester by the way. I mean you probably don't care but yeah..." I said. He chuckled.

"I do care actually. I like that name. I've never met a Chester before." "Really?" He nodded. "How do you buy cigs if you're only 17?" He asked. "My dad buys them for me behind my mom's back when I make good grades." "Ah. Cool dad." "Yeah, I guess." I said.

I wasn't really sure what else to say. I can't even count the number of times I've rehearsed what I'd say to Mike if I ever met him but when I actually met him my mind went blank.

He was so perfect and looked so beautiful under the street lights. I just wanted to stand there and stare at him for forever.

We just stood there in a comfortable silence while we smoked. It started to get really cold and I started to shiver. "Here." He said, unzipping his black DC jacket. "Oh no, Mike. I-I'm okay." I said, waving him off. "Just take it." He said, handing it out to me. I took it. "I have like 10 of those. That's the perks of getting sponsored. You get free shit all the time." He said with a little laugh. I put it on and zipped it up. It was pretty big on me but I didn't care. I couldn't believe that I just had a normal conversation with Mike Shinoda and now I was wearing his jacket.

I tried to stay calm but on the inside I was freaking out. It felt like my heart was going to give out or I was going to faint..

He was about to say something else but was cut off by a big guy walking over. "Hey, Mike. It's time to go. Say goodbye and get on the bus. We are waiting." He said, kind of rudely and then walked away. Mike sighed, tossed his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it then looked up at me.

"It was very nice meeting you, Chester. You are by far one of my favorite fans that I've met. Um... I hope you come to another show in the future." He said. I smiled. "Thank you for taking the time just to talk to me and thank you for all your music... oh and here's your jacket." I said unzipping the jacket. He waved me off. "No. No it's okay. You can keep it." He said. I smiled again. "Thank you. I guess you better go before they leave you." He chuckled. "Yeah I guess so. See you around Chester." He left and walked across the street and got in his tour bus.

I smiled and ran to my car. By the time I got there both Ryan and Amir were asleep.

"GUYS YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT JUST FUCKING HAPPENED." I yelled as I opened the door. They both jumped. "Jesus, what is it." Ryan asked, rubbing his eyes. "I just had a conversation with Mike Shinoda for like 10 minutes and he gave me his fucking jacket."

"Woah." Ryan said, shocked. Amir was still half asleep. "Yeah. And he said I was one of his favorite fans... and it seemed like he really meant it." "Well that's awesome. So, when are you two getting married?" He asked with a smirk. "Ha. Ha. Very funny. He's not gay." "You never know, Ches... Maybe he is." "I doubt it but one can dream." I said with a sigh.

The whole way home I couldn't shut up about Mike. The guys were so annoyed with me but I didn't care. I just kept rambling on.

"Mike is even more beautiful in person than on TV and in magazines."

"He is such a sweetheart."

"He asked me for a cigarette."

"He has the best smile. Every time he smiled, I swear my heart stopped."

"He said I was one of his favorite fans that he had met and that he'd never met a Chester before."

"He gave me his jacket. God, it smells so fucking good."

Eventually we got back to our neighborhood and I dropped them off at their houses and then I went back to mine.