Call it Fate, Call it Karma

I Like This

After my useless argument with Julian, I thought about just going home, but I decided I wasn't going to let the whole thing bother me, even though deep down, it really did. To see Julian so angry and hurt toward me was truly heart breaking, but I couldn't run to Albert and spill to him all of my problems like always because, firstly, today was surely a moment in history for The Strokes—they scored a studio and were due for an album very soon, so everyone was extremely happy and I wasn't going to dampen the mood for them.

Secondly, Albert isn't my damn psychiatrist or anything so I should probably just stop running to him about my problems in general.

I took a deep breath in as I brought myself to my feet. I plastered on my best fake smile and strode back into the studio, glad to see Julian was occupied, in deep conversation with Gordon behind the mixing tables. I walked over to an empty space in the room, picked up some cool Epiphone guitar and began tuning it to take my mind off him.

"Hey, I heard yelling out there." Nikolai's hushed voice interrupted me. I didn't even notice him approach. "Is everything okay?" He rested his bass against a wall and sat on an amp across from me.

I frustratingly rolled my eyes, laying the guitar across my lap. "Did anyone else hear anything?"

"I don't think so. It's been pretty loud in here." With a weak point of his index finger, he motioned to Albert and Nick, who were having some sort of childish riff-off in the corner of the room. Fab looked to be refereeing the event.

"Everything's fine, thanks Niko." I said with a soft smile. 

Nikolai looked at me with a knowing frown. It was obvious he didn't believe me. "I don't wanna pry, but Jules sounded pretty angry, man."

"Okay, we had a little argument. I was just telling him how he works too hard and things got a little out of hand and I may have offended him with some things I said." I explained, a remorseful look on my face. "Just don't worry about it though. It's my problem—I'll sort it out. Don't tell anyone about it and you guys just enjoy yourselves, okay?"

He took a breath in. "Alright...but are you sure you're okay?"

"Positive, thanks again Niko." I leaned in to give him a friendly peck on the cheek. "Now let's go help little Fabrizio judge this competition, huh?"

After we spent another hour at the studio, The Strokes and I ended up squeezed into a booth in a diner, just as the sun was setting. Fab and Nick were playing a rather aggressive game of footsies under the table, Albert was scolding me for eating his fries after I insisted I wasn't hungry, Nikolai was just outside on a payphone speaking to his girlfriend, and Julian was sat quietly, slowly sipping a coke as his eyes shifted around the room, mostly to avoid contact with me.

I was surprised no one had asked Julian what was up yet. He was clearly brooding and in a terrible mood. I thought about taking him aside to apologise, but figured I'd wait a while to see if he'd change his mind about what I said earlier.

"Should we head home now?" asked Albert.

I glanced at our empty plates. "I guess so."

We all put in some money for the bill and left for our short walk back to the apartment, Julian following slowly behind us. It was already decided somehow that everyone would stay the night at our place, which Albert wasn't too keen on because he had work early in the morning, but everyone agreed to be quiet past 9 o'clock, so he reluctantly agreed the idea.

Nikolai ended up spending the night with his girlfriend though, so that left Fab, Nick, Julian and I to sit and watch TV for most of the night.

Julian made sure to keep his distance from me. He sat on one end of the sofa, as did I, Fab and Nick in the middle, separating us.

I rested my head on Nick's shoulder with a yawn. "This movie suuuuuucks!" I whined, closing my eyes.

"What?!" Nick snapped. "Who the hell doesn't like Indiana Jones?"

"Me. It's too predictable." I mumbled into his shoulder, then letting out another yawn.

"I'm goin' to bed." Fab announced, standing up and stretching. "'Night, guys." He kissed us all on our heads.

"Me too." Julian said and quickly disappeared, Fab following behind. They both went into Albert's room. Yep...Julian was definitely avoiding me.

"Should I change the movie, Jade?" Nick asked in a hushed voice.

Being half asleep, I hadn't paid attention to what he'd just said, so I let out a soft groan in response as I leant more into him.

He nudged me. "Jade?" Once he realised he wasn't getting a viable response anytime soon, he let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Let's get you to bed." He tried to lift me off him, but I groaned again and ended up falling onto his lap. It was really quite comfortable for some reason, so I let myself fall into a deeper sleep.

"I guess we're sleeping here tonight then..?" he whispered. His hand somehow made it's way to my head and he began playing with my hair. I hadn't felt this relaxed in quite a long time. Although, at one point I did wish it could be Julian and I in this blissful moment, I was kinda happy it was Nick. He smelt really good...like, really good. It was almost hypnotising.

I let out a content sigh. "Nicky?"

"Hm?"

"I like this."

"Me too."