3 am; joji miller

0.6

We stepped out of the car and into the warm, evening air. I pocketed my phone and looked ahead at the restaurant that the boys had brought me too.

"I think you'll like it here," George said, catching my gaze. I nodded and softly smiled. The place was called 'The Pit.' Didn't sound very appealing, but they recommended it and I trusted them.

We walked in and got a table for five. We ended up in a booth near the back of the restaurant. There weren't that many people in the back yet, but from the way the boys talked about it, it would be soon.

Max and Chad got in one side as me, George, and Ian crammed into the other side, in that order. "Well damn, put me in the middle," George said and sighed. He looked down at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Watch out," I said. There was just enough room between me and the table to scoot over his lap. Halfway over, he put his arms around my waist and held me on his lap for a second. "Seriously?" I said and rolled my eyes again. He nodded. I pried his arms off and slid into the seat next to Ian as George scooted over to the wall.

"Cunt," I said quietly to George, who just chuckled a little bit. The rest of the boys joined in with him when the waitress came to the table. She was an older woman, maybe mid-fifties.

"Hi boys! I see you've got an addition tonight. Hi, I'm the boys favorite waitress," she said and held her hand out for me to shake. I shook it and smiled back at her.

"Hi, I'm Rose. You better wish me luck with the idiots," I said and smiled. She laughed and nodded. "Tell me about it, now can I get your drink orders?" She said and pulled out a notepad and pen.

We all ordered our drinks, which she brought out and then took our dinner orders. "Rose, do you only own band t-shirts?" Max asked, referring to the Five Finger Death Punch shirt that I had changed into, paired with a pair of black jeans that had rips in the knees.

"Maybe. You gotta problem with it? At least I'm not a basic white bitch who only wears Pink and Simply Southern shirts," I said and stirred my straw in my drink.

"I personally think it's awesome. And kinda hot," George said and nudged my shoulder.

"Okay, did someone spike his drink earlier. He's acting very flirty. And that's not usual," I said and questioned the boys. They all held their hands up in surrender.

"I may have taken a shot or two, or three, after we filmed that video," he said and smiled.

"Well no more drinking, cause you did say you'd help me find a job tomorrow," he said.

"I promise," he said. The lady came out with our food and placed the plates in front of us. We thanked her and she walked off.

"So George, when you gonna head over to Rose's in the morning. Or are you just gonna stay the night?" Max joked.
  
      "Fuck up, Max," Ian said standing up for me.
  
     George shrugged and ate a french fry. "I know she's got a couch that looks pretty comfy," he said.
  
     "What a gentleman," I said and took a bite of the burger that I ordered.
  
     "We all follow the gentlemen's guide. It's a law in the cancer crew," Ian said.
  
     "Well those laws are as cancerous as you guys," I said playfully.
  
     "She sounds like she wants to fight us," Chad cut in and said.
  
     "Chad, she'd beat your ass. And you'd like it," Max said and laughed. We all joined in and continued eating dinner. The banter and jokes with the guys was exactly what I needed to get my mind off of the crazy things in life.
  
     "So, this culinary school, where's it at?" Ian asked, continuing conversation.
  
     "It's about ten miles from my apartment. It's called 'Graystone School of Culinary Arts,' and it's supposed to have a really good program and structure. But, being born in the South, I was raised around good food," I said. As I was talking, I felt George's hand find it's place on my knee. I jumped slightly at the touch, but not enough for any of them to notice. I kept my attention on Ian, not wanting to make a big deal out of things.
  
     "So what sort of things are you going to be doing there, or are you not too sure?" Ian continued.
  
     "Well, I know that there are a few courses," I started. George's hand moved a little higher, but not much. "I'm starting with just the normal cooking class, then I'm going to do a baking course." His hand got higher. "Then I'm thinking about possibly doing some of the extra courses, like on specific ethnic foods, and things like that." A little higher.
  
     "Oh that's interesting that they offer classes like that. What kind's of ethnic food were you thinking about?" Ian asked. George's hand gradually got higher until he made his way to my inner thigh. I squirmed slightly, but remained as calm as I could. On the inside, I was freaking out. I've known this guy for what, three, four days? I don't know wether or not I have feelings like that, but I do like this dude, and I don't wanna screw shit up like I usually do.
  
     "Rose?" Ian asked and rose and eyebrow.
  
     Shit. I zoned out. "Umm, I'm not sure. Maybe Mexican, Indian, Japanese," I said. I stopped myself, and as soon as I did, George cut in.
  
     "My people!" He said in Frank's voice. He threw his hands up in the air, which helped calm my nerves now that his hand was off my thigh. We finished dinner and our waitress came back.
  
     "Is the check all together or separate?" She asked. Ian said all separate, which I was fine with and totally prepared for. I pulled some money out of my back pocket, but George pushed my hand down.
  
     "I got hers," he said and smiled. Our waitress, whose name I finally found out was Cathy, smiled back and brought us our check.
  
     "No George, I got it," I said and looked up at him. He just simply shook his head.
  
     "As much as you've done for us today, as much as you've done for me," he said. They all paid, and we slid out of the booth.
  
     We all walked out. The restaurant wasn't very far from my place, so I was just planning on walking home. Just to make it easier on Ian.
  
     "Thank's guys, for everything. It was a lot of fun," I said to all of them.
  
     "Here, put your number in our group chat. It's almost as bad as our content," Ian said and handed me his phone.
  
     I gave it back to him once I did and told them I'd be walking home. "It's about ten, fifteen minutes a walk. No need for you to drive out of your way," I said.
  
     "You sure?" Ian asked and looked at me, a little concerned.
  
     "I'll walk with her," George said to them. I looked up at him.
  
     "You don't need..." He put a finger up to my lips.
  
     "We'll talk to you loser's later," he said and put his arm around me. He turned and we walked off.
   
     "Bye guys!" I called. I could hear them saying bye.
  
     "Ian doesn't like it when I smoke in his jeep anyways," George said.
  
     "Well, you didn't have to. I would've been fine," I said.
  
     "Well, you weren't fine the night that we met."
  
     "Very funny. But don't remind me. I don't feel like not being able to sleep tonight."
  
     "Well, that's what I'll be there for. To protect you from your dreams."
  
     "So you are staying the night at my house?"
  
     George pulled a cigarette out of his pocket along with a lighter. He pulled me in pretty close so he was able to light it. He took a drag, let the smoke out, and flicked a bit of the ash to the ground.
  
     "My apartment's ten miles in the opposite direction. You gonna make me walk that far in the middle of the night?" He asked and looked down at me.
  
     "Alright fine. But I have one rule," I said and stopped him. I untangled from his grasp and stood in front of him.
  
      "And what's that?" He asked and cocked his head at me.
   
     "So help me god, if you touch the ice cream in the freezer, I'll murder you in your sleep," I said and crossed my arms.
  
     He laughed and put his arm around me again and turned me around.
    
     "No promises, Rose, no promises," he said.