My Reason to Live

Chapter 5

There's music playing when we enter. Sounds to be a cover of a Kings of Leon song.

"That's the band you'll be singing with, The March. Tom over there is the lead singer and guitarist." She nods at a dark-haired guy who's currently singing into the microphone. "You can either sing with him or go solo. Your choice."

"I'll be solo when I start singing because my voice will clear this place out."

Jade snickers. "Come on, let's go see Lenny and get you fed."

The bar is really nice. Modern and trendy with a warm feeling to it. And I'm relieved to see that it's not too busy either. Less people to humiliate myself in front of.

"Lenny," Jade calls to a guy further down the bar.

Smiling, he walks toward us. He's Layla's brother. I can tell immediately. He's as good-looking as she is beautiful. He has the same black hair and dark eyes as she does.

"Hey, Jade." He reaches over the bar to Jade, and they do that handshake-and-half-hug thing I've always thought was weird.

I see Lenny's eyes go to me. I smile at him.

"Lenny, this is Perrie Edwards from Boston."

"Hello, Perrie Edwards from Boston." He reaches over the bar to shake my hand. "Can I get you guys a drink?"

"Beer for me," Jade says.

"I'll have the same," I tell Lenny.

I take a seat on a barstool, and Jade takes the seat beside me.

Lenny puts two beers in front of us.

Jade picks up a menu and hands it to me. I scan it and decide on a burger and fries, or chips as they call them here.

"I'll have the same," Jade tells me. "Lenny, can you have Nancy rustle us up some burger and chips?"

"Will do." Lenny disappears into the back.

"Nancy's the cook here. Makes the best homemade burgers you've ever tasted in your life," Jade tells me.

I take a sip of my beer.

"Hey! Thirlwall's here, and she is not alone."

I turn to the voice approaching. A guy with ginger hair is walking toward us.

Jade gets up from her seat. "Eddie, mate. Where have you been hiding?" Jade says to her. "Feels like ages since I last saw you."

"I've been busy at the hospital. You missed me, you loser?"

"With all my heart." Jade chuckles, slapping a hand to her chest.

Eddie's eyes come to me. "And who is this beauty you've brought with you?"

Jade puts her arm around Eddie's shoulder and looks at me. "Eddie, this is Perrie Edwards from Boston. Pez, this is Eddie, one of my oldest mates. Ugly as hell, but someone's gotta love him."

"Fuck you very much, Thirlwall. And Perrie, eh? What is someone like you doing with this loser?" Eddie flicks his thumb in Jade's direction.

"She sat next to me on the plane, and I haven't been able to get rid of her since." I grin.

"Sounds like Jade. She was like that in school. First day I met her, I just couldn't shake her off. She's like a bad smell. She's been following me around ever since."

"So, you guys met at school?" I ask.

"Yeah, first day at Westminster. I met Eddie and that tosser." Jade nods at Lenny, who's just appeared from behind the bar.