(I Can't Live) With Or Without You

Untitled Part 1

(I Can't Live) With Or Without You

The sun was just beginning to set when Nicole finally pulled her car into the parking lot of the bar where she worked. She sighed heavily as she powered off her car, flipping down the visor to check her makeup. After taking one last look at the clock, she opened the door to her car and hopped out, heading into work.

"Look who finally made it in."

Nicole rolled her eyes when she heard the voice of Karin, her best friend and roommate. It looked like Karin was waiting tables tonight, judging by the short, black apron she wore around her waist. Nicole knew how much Karin loved interacting with the customers, but she herself was much more comfortable behind the solidity of the bar.

Karin had worked at this bar for years, and when Nicole moved in with her a few months ago, she offered to put in a good word with her boss to help Nicole get a job. Things had been going smoothly so far, and Nicole was relieved. She'd had reservations about working and living with Karin, but their friendship was strong enough not to become strained through their constant contact. It also helped they didn't work the same hours and they rarely had coinciding days off.

Karin followed Nicole back to the breakroom where Nicole hung up her jacket and her purse. She ran her fingers through her hair, shifting out the loose curls as Karin approached her.

"Hey, I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you."

Nicole turned, cocking her head to the side. "Sure, what is it?"

"Would you mind trading shifts with me tonight?" Karin put on her sweetest smile, batting her eyelashes at her friend.

"Ugh, you want me to wait tables for you?" Nicole asked, trying not to sound childish.

"No, I want to work the bar, and I'm hoping you'll wait tables for me." When Nicole didn't give her an answer she went on. "Oh, come on, please, you know I'm trying to save up so I can get that plane ticket to Memphis. The extra tips will really help me along."

Karin had been dating a guy called Brady for just over a year now, and he wanted to bring her home to meet his family in Tennessee. Nicole loved seeing them together, so she was helpless to deny her friend this request.

"Fine, I'll do it," she sighed, holding her hand out for Karin's apron. "But you owe me."

Karin smiled excitedly, handing the apron over. "Of course I do! You name it, and you got it."

With that, Karin pranced out of the breakroom to claim Nicole's rightful place behind the bar.

The rest of the evening was uneventful until around eight o'clock, when the entertainment arrived. The bar always had live music on Fridays, and while Nicole was a lover of music, she wasn't really looking forward to hearing another sweaty, middle-aged band of bald guys sing Beatles covers.

However, the band that walked in the door looked nothing like she expected they would. The first to walk in, carrying a guitar case, was a guy about her age with bright orange hair. He looked around the bar for a second before walking over to the stage in the corner. Following him was a guy with sandy-colored hair and strong-looking arms, holding a cajon in one hand and an apple in the other. It was a few minutes before the last two came in, the first was dark-haired, but wore a knit cap over his hair and a pair of sunglasses sat on his nose. He carried a case that looked like it could be holding an electric guitar. (Inwardly, she prayed it wasn't. This bar was much too small for that kind of noise.) The second was tall, his blond hair styled into a neat quiff. He was also wearing shades, but he removed them as soon as he stepped into the bar, hooking them on the front of his white tee shirt. He also had a guitar case, and Nicole's eyes followed the lines of his arm to the gleaming silver ring on his pinky finger.