Call it Fate, Call it Karma

Spaghetti

"I've been smoking to much weed lately." I said to Nick as I cuddled up to a couch cushion.

Nick shook his head as he turned on the stove. "I blame Fab."

"I blame myself." I laughed, sipping on the soda Nick had bought me that I'd shit-talked earlier. "What are you making?"

"Spaghetti."

"Spaghetti?!"

He nodded. "It's been ages since we've had a home cooked meal!"

"Fair enough." I shrugged. "This better be good."

"Oh, it will be." he said sassily with his hands on his hips.

"Well, you better get cooking then," I laughed. "...the guys will be back soon."

"What's that?" Nick placed a hand by his ear. "You said I should put weed in the pasta sauce?"

I threw my empty soda bottle at him. "I'll kill you!"

Nick laughed heartily to himself as he tossed it into the trashcan. "So, you and Albert have had a lot more free time than usual..."

"Oh, yeah. Colin's visiting family or some shit. We have like, two weeks off." I explained. "Albert still goes into the studio sometimes to do stuff, though."

"What about Jules?"

"I don't know about him." I sighed. "I don't like to ask because I don't wanna bug him."

"I heard he went for a bartender job."

"What? Who told you that?"

"Nikolai."

"Why haven't I heard anything about this?" I groaned frustratingly. "Why doesn't he tell me things anymore?!"

Nick shrugged as he placed a saucepan full of water on the stove. I watched him fiddle with the knobs on the oven and then smile to himself once he figured out how to turn it on.

"Go get yours and Albert's guitars and I'll teach you how to play Come As You Are?" he said with a smirk.

I raised a fist in the air as I jumped off the couch. "Yessssss!" I pranced into Albert's room and gently grabbed his guitar, then running into my room to grab mine. I walked back into the living room to see Nick on the couch smoking a cigarette. I handed him Albert's guitar as we sat across from each other.

"Please be patient with me," I laughed, positioning my fingers on the strings to match Nick's. "...Julian always gets frustrated after the twentieth attempt."

"He must be a hopeless teacher then." he said after plucking a few strings. "I bet I can teach you the chorus before I finish with dinner."

I pursed my lips slightly. "You're in over your head, but okay. If you don't succeed, though, you'll be making my bed tonight."

"Deal." He shook my hand firmly like a businessman and we both laughed.

An hour later, I watched Nick annoyedly as he plated the spaghetti. I'd only learnt to play the intro and half the chorus. It was progress, but I was still disappointed in myself.

I put the guitars away and joined him in the kitchen. "Looks like someone's making my bed." I cooed.

"It's not my fault you're so difficult to teach!" 

"You were all cocky before -- saying you were pretty confident you could t-"

"I know what I said!" he yelped. "But I...I was wrong."

"What's this?!" I gasped. "Is Nick Valensi admitting that he's...wrong?!"

"I'm two seconds away from spitting in your dinner." he said with his signature smirk.

I huffed and walked back into the living room. "How do you think the meetings going?"

"Probably not too good because I'm not there. They all lack my charm." Nick winked and blew me a kiss.

I shook my head and laughed. "Get over yourself."

The sound of a key being jammed into the door made me smile.

"Just in time!" Nick called out as the door opened.

In walked Albert, Nikolai, Fab and Julian, all looking quite confused.

"Nick suddenly decided he's a good cook." I told them. "Did you get the gig?"

"He's gonna call us later tonight to tell us." said Albert.

I nodded. "I guess you're all staying over then."

"Sweet!" Fab exclaimed, diving onto the couch beside me. Fab always loved staying over, because we usually got up to something fun and/or mischievous.

"Have you recovered from your near death experience?" asked Nikolai with a soft smile.

"Don't be mean!" I huffed, crossing my arms.

Julian stepped into view with a bag from the laundromat. "I've got your sheets and shit."

"Thanks, Jules! Give 'em to Nick." I pointed with my thumb. "The idiot lost a bet."

"Typical." Julian laughed, tossing the bag on the floor by Nick, who was busy plating the spaghetti.

"What's on the menu tonight?" Fab asked, sparking up a joint.

"Poisoned spaghetti." I said.

Nick turned around, pointing a spoon at me. "Tone down the attitude or I'll poison yours for real."

"Is that a threat, Valensi?"

"Can you two shut up so we can eat already?" Julian laughed, rubbing his hands together as he walked into the kitchen. He grabbed a plate and a fork and kissed Nick on the cheek before he squeezed in between Fab and I on the couch.

"Come and get it!" Nick called out, resulting in everyone except Julian rushing into the kitchen.

"This better be good." Albert said with a raised eyebrow.

Everyone got their plates and we crowded around the TV -- half of us on the floor and half of us on the couch. After arguing over what movie to watch for a good 20 minutes, we finally settled on something and all the bickering quietened down as we all ate our food contently.

Once we were finished, there was a childish game of 'Not It' to see who would end up clearing the plates. Fab lost because he was so stoned his reaction time was quite delayed. He trudged his way into the kitchen with a stack of plates, and I sent Nick into the bedroom to make my bed. But being the softy that I am, I soon ran in to assist him.

"I'm sleeping in here tonight." Nick said, rubbing a sheet on the left side of his face. "Everything's so soft and clean."

I stared at him, my hands on my hips. "I take it you barely wash your linen?"

"Don't make me answer that." Nick chuckled, falling onto the freshly made bed.

"Time for bed?"

"Yeah, I'm knackered." he yawned. "They can tell us the results of the dreaded call from Ryan tomorrow."

"Sure thing. I'll go get Jules. He can sleep here too 'cos I feel bad for making him go to the laundromat." I laughed to myself at the thought. "Must've been traumatising for him."

"While you're at it," Nick said, making me stop and turn around. "...can you make those assholes turn the fucking TV down?"

I gave him a two finger salute with a cheesy grin. "Yes sir!"