𝔅𝔞𝔟𝔶, 𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢 || 𝔨. 𝔥𝔞𝔪𝔪𝔢𝔱𝔱

.11.

A few days have now passed since the incident. I don't know if Kirk has calmed down. I haven't spoken to any of the four since then. But that was more because they were planning a tour and I would only disturb the whole rhythm.

Since today was Tuesday and I had to work, I also had to cancel the meeting with Stacy. I was really looking forward to it but as always, Mr. Willow gave me each other's shifts when they couldn't. I hate it.

So I stood in front of the cassette shelf and put the new acquisitions into it. A metal band was playing in the background.

I had to grin.

Just the fact that I would recognize James' voice even in a war made me chuckle. So that was Metallica. I think I need to listen to their songs. It's just not possible that I have no idea about my best friend's band. I'm too embarrassed to ask him. Besides, my ego doesn't take it.

"Liv!", exclaimed someone from across the store.

Speaking of the devil. I looked from the tapes to the entrance area and sure enough, James and Kirk were just entering the store. As always, the blond haired greeted me with his usual grin on his face.

"What the fuck are you doing here?! I have to work!", I might sound rude but it wasn't a really good moment.

Mr. Willow had been keeping a close eye on me for a few days. I didn't know why but I couldn't risk losing my job. Especially not by James and Kirk. Both came to a stand still next to me and watched me as I put the cassettes on the shelf.

It was kind of uncomfortable that the two were watching me.

"Don't you have to do some recording or something? Like the usual band stuff?", I therefore asked the two of them.

Kirk just shrugged and looked around. Wow. The way I saw it, he didn't even want to be here. James probably talked him into it. James is a damn good reasoner. He's never lost an argument against me. It kind of annoyed me but that's the way it is. James is good at arguing and I'm good at putting things on the shelf.

"We're done with that. The boys and I want you to go to a bar with us. Now.", he said and looked at me invitingly.

What was that look for now? Does he seriously think that I'll just drop everything and get drunk with four hooligans? No. And apart from that, I had had enough of going to the bar.

The last time didn't end really well.

"Do I have to explain how work works? And besides, have you forgotten what happened the last time I had a drink with you?", I gave him a punishing look.

It's been a few years since I last got drunk with James. We just graduated from high school. And even though it's been a while, it still sticks in my head.
James and I found a bar in a quiet area close to my apartment. Everything was normal. We had our drinks, telling embarrassing stories from our school days, the usual thing you do when you're drunk. After a lot, really a lot of shots, we made our way to my apartment. I had to support him otherwise he would have fallen over. When we got there I gave him water which he drank.
Stupidly, I lost my innocence that night.

I don't really regret it. Still, I would have gladly lost my innocence to someone I loved at the time.

"That only happened once. In addition, Lars, Cliff and Kirk are there too. Come on-"

"Park! You're supposed to be working and not having coffee chat!", James was interrupted by my boss who walked up angrily.

I just sighed and started putting the tapes away. It annoyed me that the old man treated me, Lola and Sam so badly. I mean we didn't do anything to him.

....

But maybe we should.

Without saying a word, I put the cassettes in my hand back in the box that was on a cart. Then I turned to Mr. Willow and grinned at him.

"That's for the many times I've had to fill in when I've been off.", I said and winked at James.

Faster than he could have reacted, I pulled my work shirt over my head and threw it in his face. I didn't have anything underneath but at the moment it didn't bother me a bit. You didn't see much anyway because I was wearing a sports bra.

"Come on!", I said to James and Kirk and ran towards the exit.

The two followed me relatively quickly and soon we had left the music store behind us. I could still hear Mr. Willow shouting something but I couldn't make out what. But I didn't care anyway. The streets of San Francisco weren't too crowded so we could walk up to a block without any problems.

We stopped in an alley and caught our breath. Most had turned to us, or rather to me. You don't see a woman in a sports bra every day. Nevertheless, these looks annoyed me somehow. As if they had never seen a woman half naked before. Idiots.

Only now did I notice that James and Kirk were also staring at my torso. Even though both guys had already seen that, they couldn't tear their eyes away. Were they serious? I mean I get it that it's attractive but don't look so obvious!

Their looks made me nervous.

"May I put your leather jacket on, Kirk?", I asked him.

That made them both stop staring at me. Still a bit hazy, he simply nodded and took off his leather jacket. He then held it out to me and I quickly put it on. It was a bit cold without a shirt. I zipped it all the way up so that neither James nor Kirk nor anyone else would dare to stare. I didn't like it at all when people stared at me.

"That was a great action from you Liv.", James tried to change the subject but it didn't really work.

Kirk had found himself again in the meantime. So the three of us started heading towards the bar the two boys had been talking about. Or rather they walked ahead and I ran after them.

Meanwhile nobody said a word but that wasn't necessary. Everyone was stuck in their own thoughts. We enjoyed each other's company. Although I had to admit that I really would have liked to have spoken to Kirk. Maybe we could have clarified the incident in the studio without further drama.

I'll just talk to him about it again later.

After a fifteen minute walk, Kirk and James pulled up in front of a bar I knew all too well. These idiots must have really wanted to resurrect old demons.

"Are you kidding me? A kind of deja vu or what is this supposed to be?", I asked James almost annoyed.

He just shrugged casually at that. This blonde haired guy will be my downfall. I looked at Kirk. He didn't look too thrilled that we went here of all places but apparently it wasn't nearly as bad for him as it was for me.

It wasn't his fault. I liked the night even if I would never admit it. However, this was no longer my favorite bar.

"What? Like it's the worst thing in the world. Don't be such a bitch, Olivia.", James said calmly.

I turned to him. As always when he was teasing me, he had that typical grin on his face like he'd won the lottery. But what he can do, I can do for a long time.

"Well, you both have seen me without clothes and still you stared like it was the first time.", With that, I smiled at James and walked into the bar.

I could see their confused and at the same time shocked looks in front of me. It was perfect.