Chapter 1: Coffee Sunday

"Richie!" I yelled.

He didn't do anything, I guess he didn't hear me. I ran closer to him.

"Richie!" I yelled as I ran toward him.

I ran up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Richie?" I said as I tapped him.

He turned around and smiled at me.

"Hello Darlin',"

I felt like I was gonna melt but instead I blushed and got goosebumps... I opened my mouth and nothing came out.

"You alright babe?" he asked me with a concerned face.

"Yeah, I, you, just," I sputtered.

He smiled at me.

I let out a deep breath and said, "Hi."

He giggled and wrapped his arm around me.

"It's alright babe, do you wanna drink?" he asked.

"But you're not supposed to drink,"

"I'm gonna drink coffee do you wanna drink?"

"Nah, coffee is good for me too."

He smiled and said, "Alright."

  He kept his arm around me as we walked into a nearby cafe. We sat at a table near a window.

"Ladies first," He said as we reached the table.

I smiled and sat down. He sat across from me. I stared at the floor.

"You did wanna talk to me, right?"

"Yeah, I've just wanted to do this since I was twelve," I said as I continued to look at the floor.

"You do know it's okay to look at me, right?" He said with a smile.

I looked at him.

"Now I see those beautiful brown eyes," he said with a smile. 

I smiled back at him as the waitress brought our coffee. I looked down at the cup and didn't look back at him.

"You do like coffee with cream, right?" he asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"How did you know," I said with a smile as I looked at him. 

He smiled and sat his coffee back on the table. 

"I just figured you wouldn't like it black,"

"Well, you figured right," I said as I took a sip of coffee myself. 

"Well? Do you like it?,"

I sat the cup down on the table and shook my head no but said 'yes'.

He busted out laughing. I smiled.

"That's good," he said with a smile.

"You know, I've never been here,"

"Really?" he said as he took another sip of coffee.

"nope," I said as I took a sip myself.

We both sat our cups down at the same time.

"So, since you were twelve huh," he asked me with a smile.

"yeah," I said looking down at the table.

"can you play?"

I looked at him. He smiled.

"Well? Can you?"

"yeah, since I was twelve,"

He sat back in his seat.

"Okay, you are gonna have to explain here," he said with a giggle.

"Where do I start?'

"The beginning, what's your name by the way?"

"my name is Jessika Pack,"

"where did you come from?"

"Georgia,"

"how did you end up in Los Angeles?"

"I'm going to school here."

"school?"

"college,"

"which one?"

"Musicians Institue,"

"what classes?"

"guitar and vocals,"

"why did you become a guitarist?"

"you,"

"what do you mean?"

"you made me want to play."

"really?"

"yeah! You'rea like, the best!,"

"thank you, do you have a guitar instructor?"

"yes,"

"what's his name?"

"Joel Cagle,"

"He must have been lucky to teach you then."

"actually, he found me,"

"what do you mean?"

"he used to work at a store called Music On The Square as a guitar instructor and one day he heard me playing out in the lobby and he came out there and helped me with a song I was trying to play but was hitting the wrong notes,"

"can I meet him?"

"why?"

"I wanna hear some of his stories,"

"do you wanna go next Friday when school lets out for the weekend?"

"absolutely,"

"how long do you wanna stay?"

"just till Sunday because of school, you do have to be back at school on Monday, right?"

"yeah, guess till Sunday will have to do."

There was silence between the two of us as we drank the rest of our coffee. When we were finished Richie called the waitress over to out table to pay.

"Richie, honey, I can pay,"

"no Jess, I brought you,"

"but Richie, I have the money,"
"I'm not gonna let you pay Jess, forget it,"

He gave the waitress the money and she left.

"you should have let me pay," I said.

"That wouldn't make me a very good gentleman, now would it,"

"no, guess not,"

"you ready to go?"

"If you are I am,"

"I'm ready,"

"well, then let's go," I said as I stood up.

"okay," Richie said as he stood up also.

We walked to the door side by side. He opened the door for me! Then we started walking down the sidewalk.

"would you like me to call a pick up service to take you home? I usually walk, gives me more excercise,"

"no, I'm fine with walking," I said with a smile.

'So, where do you live?"

"not to far from here. I live in that big hotel near Sunset Studios. I've been living in different hotels since I can't afford an apartment yet,"

"are you talking about the Super Eight?"

"yeah! That one! Sorry I couldn't remember the name right off the bat for some reason,"

"don't worry, it's fine,"

  We didn't talk the rest of the way to the hotel. He opened the door for me again! Then he followed me up to my room. We stopped out in the hallway in front of my room.

"okay so, room two hundred and nine?"

"yeah,"

There was a silence between the two of us again, but just for a moment.

"So, uh, me and the guys were going to go see a movie tomorrow night, do you wanna come? It's just gonna be Jon, David, Tico, and I,"

"movie? With you? I dunno Rich,"

"I don't mean like a date. Just go and have fun and meet the guys, hang out for a while,"

"You're positive it's not a date?"

"I'm sure Jess,"

"Okay I'll come,"

"cool! Me and the guys will pick you up around seven-ish tomorrow evening, okay?"

"okay, we are gonna walk, right?"

"yeah we always walk to the movies,"

"okay, I know what to wear now,"

He giggled.

"What is so funny? I'm a girl aren't I?" I said as I crossed my arms.

"Yeah, it's just you don't have to worry about what you're going to wear around us guys. We like you to be yourself, come in an old t-shirt and jeans tomorrow, okay?"

"FINE!"

"alright, see you tomorrow," he said with a giggle as he started to walk away.

"hey Richie?" I called out to him.

He turned around and stopped.

"what ya need babe?" he asked with a smile.

I rolled my eyes and gave him a smile back.

"You're not even gonna give me a hug after it took me this long to find you?!"

"are you sure you want a hug from Richie Sambora?" he asked as he slowly walked towards me.

"yes," I said with a smile when he finally reached me.

"Are you sure?" he said moving closer to me.

"Richie, I'm sure, and stop doing that! You're kinda creeping me out!"

"Okay," he said with a giggle as he gave me a hug.

The hug was NOT a short one I can tell you that. I buried my face into his shoulder as he wrapped his arms tighter around me, hugging me.

"have you really been waiting for this day to come since you were twelve?" he asked as he continued to hold me in his arms.

I didn't say anything and he let go.

"yes," I said as I looked him in the eyes.

He pulled me up close to him and kissed me on the forehead and said, "thank you, goodnight."

"Goodnight Richie," I said as I layed my hand on his shoulder as he was walking away.

He kept his eyes on me as he walked. My hands slid down his arm as he walked further away. It finally reached his hand. He looked down at his hand, smiled, and turned away and kept walking. I watched him until he was gone. Then I walked into my room, shut the door behind me, and got ready for bed.