Business

/three/

WHEN I SAID I wanted them to play for me now, I didn't mean it literally. Yet here I am in the garage of Bob's house sitting on a tattered sofa as the boys set up. I don't know if it was the few beers I had or what but I was pretty buzzed to hear these guys play. I had a feeling that they'd either be really shit, or really fucking amazing. I was hoping for the latter.

Eventually they were ready and I was bouncing my knee in anticipation. "Good evening Llandudno, how are you feeling tonight?" Van half yelled into his mic causing me to laugh. I decided to play along and let out a little cheer.

"Llandudno, I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful audience," he pauses sending a wink my way and I curse myself as I feel my cheeks heat up, "this song is called Fallout."

The beat begins immediately and Van jumps in straight away. "I pissed you off again, so that you'd leave me alone in Leeds again...." He was amazing and I was so glad that I was right about them being fucking great. His voice was so unique and I loved it.

Once the song ended I started clapping. "So before I beg you to hear another song, I have a question for you."

"Go ahead love," Van set his guitar down and took out a cigarette.

"In the last verse, are you singing about being a test tube baby?" I ask, Van nods his head. "So what does that mean?"

"Well," he begins, "when me Ma was younger she had a bad accident and she lost the ability to have kids." He took another drag from his cigarette before continuing. "So my parents tried IVF and all that kind of stuff but nothing seemed to work. They decided to try it one more time, and I was born."

"Wow, that's so poetic." I say, "If that's what you want to call it. It's genius."

"Why thank you Jess." Van smiled, I liked the way he said my name. I liked him. Is it possible to grow feelings for someone in the space of mere hours? Because if you can, it's happening to me right now.

"Okay," I clapped my hands together, "play me another song." I demand playfully. They play me a song called Cocoon and I really like it. I really like them. I never want to forget this moment, ever. When I'm ninety I want to close my eyes and think about the first time I heard Catfish and The Bottlemen play.

     "You guys are amazing!" I exclaim. "Just don't forget me when you're rich and famous!" I fake sob holding a hand to my heart.

     "Never love," Van replies taking my arms and spinning us around. I begin laughing loudly and he starts singing, what I'm assuming is, a song of theirs. "I wanna make you my business, I wanna tolerate drunk you honey."

     After a few minutes of our weird spinning I pull away taking deep breaths. "Okay," I sigh, "if I don't stop I'm going to puke all over the floor and I really don't think Bob would appreciate that." I look over to Bob, who was shaking his head whilst letting out a laugh. I check the time and decide it's time for me to head off. "Well lads, I'm afraid it's time for me to go."

     As I'm picking up my bag from the sofa and turning to say goodbye, Van speaks up. "I'll walk you love," he grabs his jacket shrugging it on, "I couldn't let a pretty girl walk the streets all alone." He winks.

     I gently shove him out the garage waving goodbye to the rest of the boys promising to see them soon. "You're such a flirt Ryan." I laugh as we begin our walk back to the hotel.

     "Only around beautiful girls." He replies grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

     "Oh where is she?" I feign, stopping in the middle of the street pretending to search.

     "Right here." He whispers and the next thing I know we're kissing. I haven't the slightest fucking clue how it happened but whatever. It was nice I suppose, although I haven't really got much to compare it to.

     I pull away and decide to have a little fun. "Van," I exclaim. "What in the world made you think that I-"

    He cut me off by saying: "I don't know what came over me, I-"

     I then cut him off by saying: "let me finish. What I was going to say was; what in the world made you think that I kiss on the first date boy?" I let out a howl of laughter as I watch Van soak up what I've just said.

     "You'd consider this a date?" He raises an eyebrow unsure if I'm telling the truth.

     "Mate, I don't go on dates so I honestly wouldn't know." I reply linking my arm with his.

     "You don't go on dates?" He asked after a moment or two of silence.

     "Not really no. I've only had one proper boyfriend and when we went out places I never considered it a date, ya know? I mean you're supposed to go out with each other when you're in a relationship."

     We walk in silence after that. A comfortable one. I can feel my eyes growing tired so I lean my head on Van's shoulder as we walk. Eventually we reached the hotel and Van was the first one to break the silence. "So what happened with you and you're boyfriend?"

     "Oh it's nothing bad if that's what you're thinking." I shake my head before continuing. "We went out for a year, and maybe I loved him and maybe I didn't. He was a great guy, he really was. But towards the end I just wasn't feeling the same way about him as I did at the start. So I broke up with him." I shrug not really knowing what else to say.

    "Ooh, we have a heartbreaker here, do we?" He laughed.

     I shove him playfully, "shut up." I say causing him to laugh harder. "I'll see you around Van." I turn to go.

     "We're playing that pub tomorrow night, I'd love if you'd come." He hollers as I open the door sending a small nod his way.