So Close (a James Hetfield story)

Chapter 13

"Yeah, but hold on first." His face had turned serious. "I don't want this weekend to go by without tellin' ya thank you."

"Jamie, you don't hafta—"

"I do...I really do. You set things in motion for us to be up here playin' our first gig in the Bay Area and yer lettin' us stay here...so thank you."

Looking away quickly, I could feel the blush spread slowly across my cheeks. He took my chin and forced me to look up at him as his lips twisted into the crooked smile that was my favorite. The one he only used for me.

"Leila!" came from the kitchen.

We both burst out laughing.

"Yeah, we better get out there."

We found three heads poked into the fridge, so I shooed them away and made some grilled cheese sandwiches to tie them over until dinner. Kelly came home, and she and Ron disappeared into her room while Lars and Dave decided to walk over to the campus to check out the college girls. James and I ended up stretched out on opposite ends of the couch talking and listening to music. A mellow Pink Floyd song was playing in the background when suddenly I could hear the unmistakable sounds of sex coming from the back of the apartment. A headboard banging against the wall was mixed with low moans and grunts. I looked wide-eyed at Jamie, but he just smirked back at me.

"Is that what I think...?"

"Yep." He nodded. "I got to hear more than enough of that over the summer, I'm an expert by now."

I wasn't sure whether to be horrified or laugh. "An expert?"

"Oh yeah. It starts off kinda quiet, but then it builds. Just wait."

Sure enough, the moans were turning to louder groans, and the grunting was happening with more frequency. Suddenly there came a kind of high pitched chirping. I looked to James and he just shook his head in amusement. 

"That'd be Kelly," he filled in for me.

I knew I was blushing, and part of me thought that perhaps we should leave, but it was a car crash I couldn't look away from.

"I didn't realize they were already doin'...I mean... havin'..." I looked down at my lap, suddenly overwhelmed with embarrassment.

"Didn't you notice the giant smile on Ron's face from pretty much August on? Boy's gettin' his pen dipped on a regular basis with yer roommate."

My blush deepened and then the vocalization in the other room intensified.

"Here comes the screaming." Jamie was snickering.

"Screaming?"

Sure enough, shouts of "yes Ron" and "harder, faster" echoed through the apartment. James was shaking his head and chuckling, but then he caught my eye and must have finally noticed how mortified I was. Swinging his long legs up and over mine, he climbed off the sofa to make his way to the stereo. Turning up the volume until it drowned out our friends, he nodded in satisfaction before coming back over and resuming his spot. Yawning wide, he stretched his arms over his head before scooching down so that his head rested on the throw pillow, putting his feet up close to my face.

"Hey!" Playfully I swatted them away. "Put these giant things somewhere else."

"Not enough room." He closed his eyes and rolled onto his side, pretending to fall asleep.

"Jamie, you can't leave yer stinky feet in my face." I gave him a death stare but his eyes were still closed. "Fine, I'll go sit in the chair."

I made to stand up, but suddenly he was grabbing me around the waist and pulling be back to spoon up against his chest, my head coming to rest on his shoulder. I got the sneaking suspicion that he'd planned it all out, but I didn't speculate on his motivation.