DRUNKEN KNIGHT - YUNGBLUD

~Home~

Five days.. Five days later I finally heard from him again.

I was all ready to go to the pub with my father when I got a notification from Dominic.
I quickly checked my phone and smiled at the sight of his name, only five days had passed by but I already wanted to spend time with him again. I wasn't planning on letting him know that though. I was too stubborn for that.

Are ya free this afternoon love? Was wonderin if ya would like to join me and some friends, we'll have a small get together, beers, cigarettes, music whatever.
I read his text and I furrowed my brow.

"Is everything alright buddy?" My dad looked at me curious.

"Uuumm.. Yes, aha! Ready to go?" I asked.

"I saw you smiling for a second there! Are you sure you don't have places to go? You should go.. No big deal, it'll be the same costumers once again. It's all under control." he assured me.

"Really?!?" I playfully rolled my eyes.

"Yes really! Go have some fun! You deserve it." 

"I don't know..I don't wanna leave you alone, there'll be a lot of wo-"

"River! Just go! You know I can handle it!" my dad interrupted me.

"Fine.." I groaned. Deep down I was happy that I'd meet him. My anxiety probably hated on me during that time. I was making myself do things that I normally wouldn't do. If my anxiety had legs it would have left me and would have surely gone to hide in my closet.
That was not the case though, and once again I had to bring it with me.

I hugged my dad quickly as we stepped outside and I took a different path than usually. I made it all the way to the bus stop and I sat on the bench.

Okay. What's the address? I took my phone out and texted Dom.
A minute or two later I had all of the information I needed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bus stopped a couple of meters away from the building I was supposed to go to, and I slowly walked there.

The neighborhood didn't seem that expensive or fancy and the building looked old. With only one push, the big wooden door to the lobby was wide open, ready for me to go through it and then straight to the old elevator.
It didn't take me too long to make it to the door of the apartment everyone was at.
I hesitantly knocked and waited.

"Hello, hello! Come inside, welcome!" a guy with Scottish accent excitedly spoke.

"Yoooo! Wassup?" Dom shouted when he spotted me and fastly walked towards me, he rested his arm around my shoulders. He smelled like cigarettes and hair gel.

"Nothing.." I shrugged.

"Don't talk that much Riv..!" he teased me as he made my body follow his in the tiny living room where most of the people were chilling at.
There was a lot of smoke in the atmosphere and Adam was lightly strumming his guitar.

"Sit wherever ya want! Make yoself at home!" Dom said a little too loud to me and I nodded.
I sat on a brown leather armchair and awkwardly looked around. Seconds later Dom was chilling on the arm of my chair and that made me feel better.

The Scottish guy came back and brought me a bottle of beer.
"Thanks!" I exclaimed as I accepted the drink and Dom smiled at me.

"This is Lewis. This right here is my boss, River." he chuckled as he introduced us to each other.

"Your boss? The pub owner? So if you ever succeed you owe it all to her for letting you sing there! Do not forget that man!" Lewis joked.

"I won't!" Dom put his arms up in surrender.

"If he ever messes up.. Just know that I sing too!"

"I'll keep that in mind!" I laughed.

"Not ya tryin to steal my job mate.. What is this?" Dominic acted betrayed.
Suddenly Adam started playing a familiar melody, Talk Tonight by Oasis.
Dom widened his eyes and started signing quietly until later he sang louder and everyone vibed to the sound of the guitar and his voice.
This 'small get together' thing was something I could get used to, it was my definition of fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So are ya having fun?" Dom followed me in the kitchen where I went to get another beer.

"Yes, thanks for inviting me.. I like your friends!"

"They like ya too, I can already tell! It all can get a lil too much sometimes though, ya know? Do ya feel like maybe getting some fresh air or something? I'd like me some." he took a beer himself and I nodded.
"Follow me!"

A minute later we reached an old metal door on the last floor of the building and he kicked it to open widely in front of us. We instantly got hit by the fresh chilly air as we stepped outside on the empty rooftop.
The lights of London at night were everywhere, glimmering in the distance.

"The view is beautiful up here, not gonna lie.. Is that your apartment by the way?" I tried to start the conversation.

"Ya man, nothing fancy I know.. But ya gotta do what ya gotta do! I moved here from Doncaster to follow my dream.. So it doesn't matta! Sacrifices need to be made most of the time! At least I feel a lil more understood here.." he said as he went for the cigarette behind his ear. Seconds later he found his lighter in his black jeans and lit it up.

"Yeah I totally understand and I actually admire that! I didn't ask to make you feel bad for your place or something, I don't exactly live in a palace myself.." I tried to joke.

"Riiiv, chill man! I know! I'm just sayin! After all it's the people and the atmosphere that makes a home, home... It's not just the four walls!
Like, I remember when I was younger my parents used to fight a lot! It was freaking horrible, not being able to find peace in your own home, having to protect my sisters from everything.. Our home didn't really feel like a safe place back then.. So I realize now that a nice villa in the suburbs or whateva is not really what matters!" he smoked and then offered me his cigar.

"That's.. I mean.. You are totally right! After my mom passed it wasn't the same for me and my dad.. It took us a lot of years to turn the page and feel like a normal family again! I used to be so depressed every time I walked in that freaking house.. But it's not like that anymore, now I am just happy for the memories I have in that place! If that makes sense!"
I smoked his cigarette and I gave it back to him.

"I am sorry Riv! I didn't even know about your mom and shit.. It was prolly very hard losing her, but I'm happy that ya keep her memory alive by remembering the good things!"

"Yes... It was really heartbreaking.. Seeing my dad being left behind, and missing her for so long.. It was awful.. But we're in a better place now! We have a really good relationship, the work is going quite well, and yeah.. I don't know, things are getting better!"

"I'm happy for ya! My family is doing so much better as well, so kudos to us man! And by the way, I know I've been giving ya a hard time, but I'll say it, I'm really grateful for singing at ya place! It means the world to me! There aren't a lot of people out there who will to give someone like me a chance!" he smiled at me.

"Please! I know I've been a little tough or whatever.. But I am good at appreciating music! You're talented, and we couldn't find anyone better to entertain our costumers.. You are really good and have a lot of potential for real.." I spoke while avoiding eye contact with him at all cost.

"Aaawww thank ya Riv! I didn't know you were capable of complimenting people, I feel so spoiled!" he teased me and messed up the hair on the top of my head with his hand, I wrinkled my nose and stared at him. He looked even more attractive up there with his hair everywhere, thanks to the wind.