It took Johnny a while before he opened up to his friends about what happened earlier. Stephan and Malcolm sat across from him in the living room. Johnny was surrounded by the guitars he and Shy used to record the song a few moments earlier and he was very obviously distracted by something. Stephan and Malcolm found themselves having to repeat themselves multiple times before Johnny would actually hear them and respond to him.
"So, what were the two of you doing with the guitars, man?" Stephan asked... "Man? Johnny?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. We were just playing the song we covered a little while ago at her dads house. We only recorded an audio version so here we did a video version that she's posted on YouTube."
"Cool."
"So how come you're so quiet and distant now?" Malcolm asked.
"I'm not." He said in barely a whisper.
"You seem sad, if anything. Has she done something to you?"
"No, god no. She and I are fine. It's just that I sort of hugged her and... felt a stupid thing..."
"Felt what? Love?" The boys asked.
"No, well... I just felt a pull. Like an electric pull." He fiddled with the guitar Shy used as it sat across his lap, like he was trying to touch the parts of the guitar her fingers touched. "I don't know how or what, but it just made me feel strange on the inside. I know it doesn't mean anything though, I'm not stupid enough to run after some girl again..."
"You can't deny what the heart wants, man."
"Yeah, but I have to, don't I? I'm not a normal guy, am I? I need to have my guard up more than a regular guy would and not just because of everything that happened before. I should just leave Shy alone and not mess with her anymore and who even says she'd like me back... I'm grumpy and old, no young girl would like that and I doubt somebody like her dad would want her dating a guy like me either." Johnny ranted. "I bet I've already screwed everything up. I'm a horrible person and now she probably hates me..."
"John, it's fine. Don't worry, man."
"I'm a fucking loser..."
"Your fine, man. Don't worry about Shania. She'll be fine in a couple days."
Johnny kept touching the guitar. He felt like he let Shy down and embarrassed her in front of Malcolm and Stephan.
*
Shy spent the next few days just at home alone. Nobody had joined her back in the UK yet so she did literally anything she wanted while she was alone. Shy was sort of in a weird limbo emotion right now. She felt numb. She didn't blame Johnny for how she felt because as far as she knew it meant nothing to him, be she and him being along together felt nice and then having Mr Malcolm and Mr Deuters come barging in on them sort of took the happiness out of her. She felt like she and Johnny were in a bubble and then it popped and then they separated. "If it's not one problem, it's another. I finish my EP and leave Cali to get away from my problems with my dad and now I come back to London and got whisked up with whole new problems... It's not fair." Shy walked to her bedroom and grabbed her electric guitar. Singing was the only thing she knew that would help her. Shy sat down and started strumming along to a song,
"When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No, I won't be afraid
Oh, I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand
Stand by me..."
It didn't help though. She felt just as bad once it was over as she did when she started.
After a few hours of playing guitar and watching TV Shy went to the kitchen to work out what she wanted to eat for dinner. That chicken burger really did fill her up earlier, so she only wanted something light. She decided to grab some rice from the cupboard and some veggies. As she was in the middle of cutting up a tomato, Johnny texted her.
"Can we talk? x"
Shy ignored it. She didn't want to annoy him in front of his friends again. Shy went back to cutting up her tomato and then threw the chunks into the pan. She added a few other things then ate. Johnny kept texting her through out, getting upset like he did the last time Shy wouldn't reply to him.
"Your dad isn't back, is here? He hasn't hurt you again, has he? Did people like the video we made?"
Shy totally forgot about the video. She checked her phone and looked at any potential comments. The video had been up for around 5 hours and it had 80k views already. Shy was shocked, this was the most she got within 24 hours ever. She clicked on the video and scrolled down to see the videos.
Great video with Mr Depp!
Wahooo, Johnny!
We love you, Johnny!
Eww Johnny Depp...
Yay! I love this song.
Why make a song with a dead beat actor?
Ewww
I love Johnny so much. Thanks for making a video with him.
OMG IT'S JOHNNY. I love him, great video.
Good video. I'm going to subscribe...
Most of the comments were positive, but some definitely were not so good. Shy either deleted them or ignored them depending on how harsh they were. Shy finally decided to reply to Johnny, although she wasn't prepared for him to tell her off for embarrassing him in front of Mr Malcolm and Mr Deuters.
S: Most people like the video. Over 80k people have viewed it so far.
Shy didn't add a kiss on the end of the text just in case.
J: Wow, 80 thousand, that's amazing. How are you this evening? x
S: Fine. How are you?
J: Good. I didn't meant to seem cold towards you earlier. I just-
S: It doesn't matter. I've already forgotten about it.
J: Ok. Anyway, I'm going to be busy over the next few weeks so I won't be able to hang out with you again. I'm sorry, but this is just how it is. I hope your family is safe and well and send my love to your grandfather the next time you see him. Don't let your father push you around and if he lays another finger on you then call me straight away. Bye Shania. xxx
Shy didn't reply. She didn't see the point in being kind to somebody who clearly didn't like her company. He even called her Shania when she told him to only call her Shy. This really was a goodbye. This was the end. He clearly didn't want anything to do with her again. He completely hated her.