Ketchum, ID

ch 15 - jo

 After we all ate our food, we sat around for a little bit before Lucy, Phoebe, and Julien went back to recording, Alex and I sat and listened as they pieced together different instruments to make the background tracks for a few more songs, then they decided that they were at a good stopping point for the evening. We were all pretty tired, so we decided to head our separate ways, but promised to hang out again soon. That was five days ago.

While it had only been five days, it felt like a lifetime. Alex and I had worked every day since then, and I missed Julien. We texted every day, but with the three of them in the studio for long hours, and Alex and I at the bar for even longer hours, we didn't have much time to chat. As I handed Nick his drink I felt my phone buzzing in my back pocket. I turned around at the bar to check it, and as I did I heard a voice yelling at me from the end of the bar.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" the voice called. "What do you think you're doing on your phone when there are thirsty customers down here sitting at your bar? Have you no manners?"

I quickly turned my head to make a snappy comment when I locked eyes with none other than Phoebe herself with the biggest smile on her face. On either side of her sat Lucy and Julien, just the people I wanted to see.

"Phoebe! Don't scare me like that!" I said, breathing out a sigh of relief that it was just her and not an actually angry customer.

"I just wanted to cause problems. It was me that texted you anyway."

I walked down to the end of the bar they were sitting at, and I pulled my phone out as I approached them. Sure enough, I had a text from Phoebe that just said, "read me."

"You are insane," I said to her with a laugh. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We decided we needed a break from the studio, and you guys are the only people we know here besides each other. We figured this was the easiest place to try to find you guys," Lucy said.

"Besides, Julien said you texted her that you were working tonight," Phoebe said.

"Well, I'm glad you guys are here," I said, locking eyes with Julien and smiling. "Can I get you guys something to drink?"

"Our usual please," Lucy said in a fake posh voice.

"Coming right up, m'lady," I said, bowing down into a curtsey.

I walked over and made their drinks, making sure to text Alex that they were here. After I picked all three up, I walked back down to them to see Alex already there sitting at the bar with them.

"I just can't believe he canceled on you so last minute like that," I heard Lucy say as I walked up to them.

"I know, it's a shame," Alex said while looking down and shaking their head. "If only we knew someone who could sing and put on a show for our live music Thursdays we promise our guests."

"I mean, our instruments are in the car right now," Lucy said, trailing off.

"I mean, if it's not too much trouble," Alex said.

As the three women stood up and walked out to their car, Alex turned to me with a smirk on their face.

"I thought we had live music last Thursday," I said to Alex in a confused tone. I was confused because we usually did Live Music Thursdays every other Thursday.

"Oh, we did," Alex said with the same smirk on their face. "I just wanted them to get up there and sing again."

I laughed at them, but ultimately, I wanted to hear them sing again too. Julien had been keeping me updated on the new songs they were finishing in the studio every day, and she would send me videos of them goofing off, but I hadn't actually heard any of the songs. The bell above the door sounded, letting me know someone was walking in the doors. I turned my head away from Alex with excitement to see them coming back in already, only to see Jess walking in the door.

"What is she doing here?" Alex asked, visibly angry.

"I'm not sure," I said, suddenly feeling very exposed in the silly little outfit I picked out for tonight.

We made eye contact as she walked through the doors, and she started walking over to the bar.

"I need you to walk away," I said, quickly turning to Alex.

"Hell no," they said, angrily.

"Please," I pleaded with them. "For me?"

"Only because you know I can't resist that stupid puppy dog face. I will be watching from over there though, and I'm sure Julien won't be too thrilled about this either," they said as they shook their head in disapproval.

Alex walked away from the bar, and I watched them as they walked outside, assumingly to go tell Lucy, Julien, and Phoebe what was going on inside. Just as the door shut behind them, Jess walked up to the bar. She stood in front of me, awkwardly for a few seconds before she could even make eye contact with me again.

"Hey," she said, holding on to her arm.

"Hey," I said back, annoyance becoming evident in my tone.

"I'm sorry for just showing up here, but I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since I saw you the other day," she said as she ran her hand over her face.

"What exactly did you think you would get out of coming here?" I asked honestly.

"I just needed to see you. Seeing you come in with that girl broke me, Jo. I don't know what I thought I would get out of coming here. I just needed to see you."

"Now really isn't a good time," I said, making sure to keep an eye on the door so I wasn't still talking to Jess when the other four came back inside. "I really think you should go," I said, turning to give her my full attention.

"Please just give me one more chance. I won't waste it, I promise," she begged as she reached up to put her hand on my arm.

"I really don't think that's a good idea," I replied. "I really think you should leave."

"I think you should leave too," I heard another voice say.

I immediately recognized the voice as Alex's, and I know Jess did too because I watched all of the color drain from her face as her hand dropped from my shoulder. She turned around so fast I was worried she was going to give herself whiplash. As she turned around, I looked over to Julien to see she was looking down at her phone with a pained expression on her face.

"I need you to get out of my bar right now," Alex continued. "I made a mistake when I threatened you at your job, but this is my turf and I know no one here would be upset if I kicked your ass right here, right now."

"It's true," said a voice at the bar. I turned my head to see Nick, one of our regulars, who I was unaware was listening in. "Everyone here loves Jo, and if you're here begging for another chance, you obviously fucked up. If Alex says you need to leave, you need to leave," he said as he took a swig from his glass.

With this, Jess looked down at the floor, looking like a puppy with its tail between its legs. Right before she pushed the door open, she stopped in her tracks and turned around.

"Please just consider. I love you, Jo," she said in a voice that sounded like she was about to cry. And with that, she was gone.