Heaven // Ryan Tedder

Chapter Eight; All These Things

That same night, when Janelle went home, she was dirty, tired, and sore, but at least not as bad as she was used to. She took out her phone and began playing an album by The Wallflowers, before sitting down on the couch, laying her head back and sighing as she shut her eyes.

She couldn't help but think of how nice Ryan was to drop off a cup of coffee for her. Not to mention that he paid attention to the kind she liked, since he had ordered her another mocha. She began to wonder if he just really felt bad for her. No man had ever treated her so kindly before. Much less a celebrity musician. Did he feel as if she was a charity case that he needed to provide for just to clear his conscience? Surely that had to be why he was doing this. Otherwise she would just think that he's a crazy stalker, or, heaven forbid it ever come to this, Abby was right.

She sighed to herself, before beginning to feel curious as to what this man's music sounded like. She had of course heard OneRepublic before, just like everyone else, but she had only ever heard their most popular songs. She found that the more underrated ones were always the best.

She held her phone in her hands, pausing the song that was playing and typing in 'OneRepublic.' She noticed that they had just put out an album that year, called 'Oh My My.'

She scrolled through the album, seeing the names of all the different songs, before coming across one called 'A.I,' which featured Peter Gabriel. Being that she loved old and classic music, she of course knew who Peter Gabriel was, and she would've never guessed that he'd do a song with these guys.

She began playing the song, listening as an unfamiliar singing voice filled her ears. She assumed that it was Ryan's voice, considering that it didn't sound at all like Peter Gabriel.

"Remember when we met, we fell in love on a Sunday. Yeah, I'll never forget the way that you spelled my name."

Janelle furrowed her eyebrows.

Yeah, cause Ryan's a really hard name to spell, she thought to herself, before continuing to listen to the song.

As she listened, she began to really like their vibe. She wasn't really used to music like this, since she was mostly into 80s and 90s bands. She liked that this was, well, different.

That night, she ended up listening to all four of their albums. She loved the lyrics, and the sound, and most of all, Ryan's voice. Meeting him, she would've never guessed that he was such an amazing singer.

After she went and brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas, she got in bed, placing her phone on the nightstand and beginning to play their latest album, 'Oh My My,' again.

She ended up falling asleep to it, but not without thinking about seeing Ryan once more.

Maybe, just maybe, she could.

The next afternoon, Ryan walked back down to the coffee shop, quickly running inside and getting in line. Once he made it to the counter, he ordered another mocha.

"Name?" The lady at the counter asked.

"Ryan," Ryan answered. "But just do my initials, R.T, please."

He felt weird giving Janelle a coffee with his full name on it, which was why he had them do the same thing yesterday. At least if there were only initials, she might not Immediately guess that it was him. He didn't want to come off as desperate. He just wanted to do something kind, so perhaps he could get to know her better.

He made his way over to a table, sitting down as he waited for the coffee. He hoped she had gotten her coffee yesterday. Did that teenage boy actually give it to her?

He shook off the worry. Surely he wasn't that rude that he'd keep it for himself, right? Besides, he had no need to be worrying about something like that. He would be taking her this coffee, today, too, so even if she didn't get the one from yesterday, she'd have this one.

Eventually, the barista called his name, and he stood, going over and getting the coffee with a small smile and a quiet "Thank you."

He made his way out of the coffee shop, beginning to walk with the coffee in his hand. That was the downside of this. The coffee could be cold by the time he got to the restaurant, and he couldn't run with it, or it would spill. However, he'd managed to get it there yesterday, so he could only hope he'd have the same luck today.

When he did Finally make it to the restaurant, he began to worry, wondering if she has the lunch shift today. He wasn't sure if she always had the lunch shift, considering she has been there for the dinner shift only two nights ago. He could only hope that she was there, otherwise he'd have to drink this mocha himself.

He opened the door, stepping inside and up to the front desk.

The teenager from yesterday was there again, and he looked up, seeing the coffee in his hand.

"Hi," Ryan smiled at the teenage waiter. "Would you mind giving this to Janelle, please?" He bit his lip, before adding, "If she's here?"

The boy nodded, taking the coffee. Ryan sighed, relieved to know that she was there, before he waved at the waiter, beginning to head out the door.

"Thank you." He said, smiling at him.

"No problem." The teenager said, before leaving for the next room.

Janelle was on cleaning duty again, but this time, she had to clean the kitchen, which looked like it should be a health code violation, really.

She was wiping off the counters with disinfectant, when the teenage waiter entered the room, another cup of coffee in his hands.

"The man from yesterday dropped this off." he stated, setting in on the freshest counter beside Janelle.

Janelle picked it up, looking at it to see the initials again.

Suddenly, something sparked inside of her. She wasn't quite sure what she was feeling, but she was going for it.

"Did he just give this to you?" She Asked the boy, and he nodded.

"He just left." He said.

She quickly ran out of the kitchen, jogging through the crowded dining room and making way over to the door. She left the restaurant, looking around for Ryan.

However, she had just missed him.

The surge of energy began to fade away, and she sighed, attempting to catch her breath after running out of there like that.

She wasn't sure what had overcome her. Perhaps she was hoping to say thank you, at least, but she'd have to just do it another time.

She stepped back inside of the restaurant, heading back to the kitchen to get back to work, but not without downing her mocha from Ryan, first.