Call it Fate, Call it Karma

Eighteen

"So," said Albert through a mouthful of toast. "...work tomorrow, Jade."

I sighed heavily and fell onto the couch. "I've been thinking recently, and I don't think I'm in the right line of work right now."

"What do you mean?" Albert raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"I know it's work and everything and I'm doing it so we can pay rent, but I really am starting to hate it. Photography is your thing, Albert. Even though I'm just an assistant I still have to do photography related stuff and it just bores me."

"Can't help but to overhear someone's tired of their job!" Adam cooed as he pranced into the room.

"It sucks, man."

"It just so happens my boss is hiring." he said with a little smirk, one that brought a huge smile to my face.

"You're kidding!"

He shook his head. "Nope. Should I put in a good word?"

"Oh Adam, yes please!" I pulled him onto the couch and planted a friendly kiss on his cheek. Albert shook his head and sighed as he changed picked up the TV remote and began flicking through the channels.

"What's going on?" asked Julian as he walked out of the bathroom, messily drying his hair with a towel.

"I might be working at a record store soon!" I said with a huge grin.

"Sounds good." he replied, beginning to search the cupboards for a hangover cure.

"So...anything happening tonight?" I asked.

"Nah. We have a gig tomorrow night though."

"Cool." Adam turned to me. "Wanna come over and jam with Kimya and I?"

Albert looked confused and he elbowed me for an answer.

"I'm in Adam's band, The Moldy Peaches, now apparently." I chuckled. "And yeah Adam, just let me go get changed and we'll head out."

I got up and left the room as conversation between the guys started up. I bumped into Nikolai in the bathroom and we made smalltalk as I brushed my hair and made myself look remotely decent. Then, walking into my room, I quickly grabbed a T-shirt and some jeans off the floor and slipped them on, followed by a pair of Chucks. I pulled on a jacket that probably wasn't mine and I walked back over the group of guys who were now all in the same room.

As everyone else indulged in conversation about something I couldn't care less about, I caught Julian's eye and smiled softly. "You gonna be here when I get back?"

"Probably not." Julian shrugged, rubbing his tired eyes as he took a long drag from a cigarette he'd stolen out of Fab's mouth a few seconds prior.

"You're working too hard, Jules." I frowned. "You could probably quit soon, anyway. You guys are raking in cash!"

He laughed through his nose, exhaling smoke. "We're doing okay, I guess. But, I dunno..."

I placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling as I looked up at him. "Just take some time to relax, okay? You're gonna work yourself so hard you won't be able to play gigs, man! You just look so tired all the time, I don't know how you do it."

Before Julian could reply, there was a shout, "Yo, Jade! Let's ditch this joint!" Adam called from the front door.

"Well, I've gotta go." I stood on my tiptoes and planted a kiss on his forehead. "Don't work too hard."

He said nothing, but smiled with a gentle nod, then placing his cigarette inbetween my parted lips.

"See 'ya, guys!" I waved to everyone else, then jogging out to catch up with Adam.

"So...you guys fuckin' or what?"

I spat out a small mouthful of coffee from the cup that I'd managed to buy a minute before we caught the train as I looked at Adam in shock. "Excuse me?! Who?!"

"You and Jules!" Adam exclaimed. "It's written all over your faces!"

I turned away from him, biting down hard on my bottom lip out of frustration. "That's...that's none of your business."

"Don't be boring. Give me the deets!"

"How old are you? Twelve?" I huffed.

"Eighteen, actually."

I gasped, turning back around. "What the fuck, you're kidding!"

Adam shrugged.

"Wow! How has your age never come up in conversation before..?"

"Is there a problem with it?" he asked, smirking a little.

"No, it's just," I looked at him and giggled. "...no wonder why you look so young!" I pinched his cheek. "Aww!"

A few people around us stared, causing Adam to pull back from me and laugh. "Fuck you! You're only like, two years my senior!"

"Don't say senior, it makes me feel old!" I said with an exaggerated pout.

"Come on, grandma. This is our stop."

A/N: heyy! Sorry for the huuuuge delay on getting this chapter out. I was suffering from writers block again and I apologise for the lack of detail and excitement in this chapter, I need to get back into the gist of writing again and I don't know how long that will take but hopefully I can pick up where I left off. Thanks to those who left lovely comments!
P.S: i've started writing a couple more strokes books which is ridiculous because I don't even have plans to end this one yet! but I had the ideas flowing so I just had to write them down. so let me know if you'd like to read one of those and i'll think about putting out a couple chapters ❤️