Far Away From Here

Trying Times

In the afternoon, the transit station just outside the campus was a seething mass of humanity. Everyone from every walk of life was shoulder to shoulder, in each other's faces, no personal space, no exceptions. There is space between the people and somehow that makes it all the more awkward. When it's crowded you take in no information about anyone, they are just things in your way. Moving, smelling, awkward, rude things. I lived in a mainly constant state of silence. My classes dull with the only chatter coming from my professors lecturing, I sat by myself in the library between classes and Jonas and I had opposite schedules so the flat was static. As I saw my bus approaching, I clipped in my headphones into my cracked iPhone, flipping it on I noticed a text from Jonas.

Fancy going to Queen's Head tonight?

Queen's head was a local pub known for cheap drinks, cheap girls and cheap shows. Right up Jonas' alley. It also was one of the few places in the area that stayed open past two a.m. Usually, I wasn't one to go out, but Jonas' living with me and knowing the extent of my social life was going to work a few times a week I didn't have any other option but saying;

Sure. I get off at 11, meet me at work.

Flopping myself into my swivel chair, I began looking at my list to do I wrote on a blue stick-it note. Deciding against all six tasks, I started to peel my banana.

"Please love, spare me." A voice chuckled behind me, I fleetingly spun around to see the main character of my dreams for the past couple weeks.

I took a second to compose myself, Louis must be used to that. The sudden pause in a person's natural expression when they looked his way followed by overcompensating with a nonchalant gaze and a weak smile. He had his hands shoved in his pockets, once again and was licking his lips. Oh, spare me instead.

"Hello, Louis. " I said as coolly as I could.

"Hello, Ms. James."

"Mrs.."

"Excuse me." His demeanor switched in a second, his eyes darkening, jaw glitches. "Jokes." I said smoothly before turning back around.

"Funny." He said, walking around to stand in front of me; I peered up at him, banana wedged in my mouth. Before I took it out quickly, probably itching with a nasty image. He leaned casually against the front counter, glancing around the space lazily.

"Shouldn't you be, I don't know- working." I joked.

"I could say the same about you, love." Louis shot back.

"I am working, look." I said sassily before picking up the phone and waving the stapler in the air.

"A lot of jokes to someone who pays you." I swallowed a chunk of the banana whole.

"Wait what? You own this place."

"Well myself, Bush and my buddy Liam do. You'll probably meet Liam sometime soon. He's just our investor essentially, he's got a "real job" in finance." As he continued to slightly babble about Liam, my mind went blank for a half a second before I stupidly spat out.

"Whoa, I guess I never thought about who owns this place. But whoa, a business owner, that's hot." I gasped audibly at my slip-up "Jokes." I tried to say but his entire demeanor changed.

"Just like I said, a lot of jokes for someone who pays you." He concluded making his way to the back room.

Jonas arrived approximately at eleven, he only seemed to be on time when it involved drinks and sex. Which I am sure he was after both tonight. As I packed up and dressed myself to battle the cold, he sat and chatted with Louis and Joe. Who I avoided any contact with for the last few hours post our incredibly awkward conversation.