his star ~ b. barnes

chapter seven

☀︎︎☽

72 hours. it's been 72 hours since my date with sir benjamin barnes, and he will not leave my mind. small moments from our meeting have been on repeat for the past three days- conversations ranging from his aspiring music career, to his brother, jack.

jack barnes, the first bartender i had ever met. jack barnes, the 24 year old who caught 16 year old, under-aged me trying to sneak alcohol. jack barnes, the man i would drive from salinas to san francisco every saturday to see.

"you have a brother named jack?" i ask, wide eyed, after taking a sip from my coffee, now watered down from melted ice.

"yes ma'am i do."

memories from my high school weekends come flooding back. i push down a smile, remembering my innocent child self giggling over an over aged bartender, and refocus myself on the actor across from me. they're probably not even related, i reassure myself.

"is he an actor like you?"

"no, but in high school we signed up for the drama club together. he was in charge of the behind-the-scenes action as i, surprisingly, acted on the stage. he would change the lights and switch the music which i sang over, all while wearing a mic headset that was not needed, but he insisted upon. he enjoyed the theatre life, but after his graduation jack moved to san francisco and became a bartender at one of the more popular spots in the city."

jack barnes, my first real crush.

our four hour date did not seem long enough. to be completely honest, i could have stayed in that coffee shop with him until dawn, but he is a busy man and i am not. busy or a man. however, on any day except saturday i am busy. for example, i am very busy on mondays.

the shutters on our shop's windows are all closed, even though it is thirty minutes past opening. as i walk across the busy street, i wonder how george could forget. i grab the round entrance handle, finding it unlocked which is unexpected.

the bell above me rings, and the chilly air is blocked once the door behind me shuts. the lights are all on, yet the warm presence of my friend and boss are nowhere in sight.

"hello?"

i set my bag on the counter, the clink of my keys against the polished wood is the only sound in our building. that is, until i hear a loud bang from the staff only hallway, and out comes nora, her smokey eye makeup from yesterday rubbed onto her puffy under eyes. she grabs the side of the doorway to stable herself, taking a moment to adjust to the lights.

"woah, it's bright."

"are you okay??"

i start walking towards her and try to help her to the couch. before we sit down, she grabs my shoulders and spins me around so I'm facing where I was seconds ago.

"yeah, i'm fine. could you get something from my car for me real quick?"

confused and nervous, i nod.

"what do you need?"

she thinks for a second and responds, "my...justin bieber cd."

"from 2009?"

"yup that's the one!"

she lets go of my arms and i stare at her suspiciously as she hands me her keys from the table next to us.

after running out into the cloudy morning air, i return to find george sitting at the counter filling papers, and nora on the couch, phone in hand.

"uh good morning george. nora, here's the cd you asked for."

"thanks love."

"bieber? really?"

"hey, he was good in 2010. yes he's gotten progressively worse, but his wife is hot so. ha."

_____________________________

[asteria_may] benbarnes ☑ now

Hi Asteria. I had a great time on Saturday! 😊

Would you want to meet again soon?

- Ben

_______________________________

i smile at my lit up phone and stuff it back in my pocket before responding. our first customer walks in and nora rushes to the bathroom to fix her messed up makeup.

"welcome in!"

☀︎︎☽

[asteria_may] benbarnes ☑ now

Hi Asteria. I had a great time on Saturday! 😊

Would you want to meet again soon?

- Ben

________________________________

hey benjamin.

does tomorrow work?

-ry ;)

sent

☀︎︎☽