Call it Fate, Call it Karma

Big News

"Guys, guys, guys!" Fab shrieked from the kitchen. "Get in here now! Holy fuck!" He sounded absolutely frantic.

I dropped my shoes and hurdled into the kitchen, completely at a loss of breath when I arrived. "What is it?! Are you okay?!" I asked, panicky and shaken.

Nick and Julian ran in behind me, also looking quite the same.

Then, a big grin appeared on Fab's face. "I've got spectacular news!"

"For fucks sake, Fabrizio!" I walked over to slap him. "I thought someone might've died with the way you were screaming!"

Fab looked too happy to bother acknowledging the fact that I'd slapped him and he clasped his hands together in delight.

"Well...what the fuck is it, dude?!" Nick snapped.

"Big news from Ryan!" Fab exclaimed. "Turns out, when he first signed us, he sent our demos around to a couple of friends in the business. Somehow, they made their way over to the UK and stuff," he took a breath because he was talking so fast. "...long story short, we're kinda blowing up in Europe."

"W-What?" Julian's eyebrows knitted together.

"They're playing our shit on the fucking radio over there!" Fab announced. "They want us to take pictures for their magazines and they want interviews! From us!"

Nick gasped. "You're kidding!"

"Cross my heart, I'm not!" Fab did the whole crossing his index finger over his heart charade with an adorable smile. "Ryan's handling it all. We'll be doing interviews over the phone soon, and he's gonna arrange a photoshoot!"

"A photoshoot?" Nick gawked, then pretending to lick his hand and slick his hair back. "My time to shine."

I elbowed him, giggling. "You're unbelievable." Then I turned back to Fab with a squeal of delight. "I told you guys you were gonna be the next big thing! Maybe not here just yet...but elsewhere is still fucking amazing!"

Julian began frantically pacing back and forth. He looked too deep in thought to be able to enjoy anything.

"You alright, Jules?" I asked.

"Yes." he replied bluntly.

I rolled my eyes and let out a frustrated breath as I roughly grabbed his arm and dragged him into Albert's bedroom, which was further away from the kitchen where the other two were.

I slammed the door behind us. "I'm fucking sorry, okay?!" I snapped, pushing him down onto the bed. "The thing I said about you and your dad was insensitive, I know." My eyes narrowed on him as he sat himself up and looked up at me, still frowning. "I know you're working hard so everything's easy for everyone and everything works out. You don't do it for nothing." I sat beside him. "I just want you to fucking take it easy. You can now. You've done your part, Julian. Especially now, with your newfound fame. The cash is gonna come rolling in! Why can't you see that?!"

I looked to him and waited for him to speak. The most that had happened was his scowl had turned into a forlorn looking frown.

I groaned, stamping my foot down as I stood up. "Why won't you talk to me, Julian?!"

He weakly shrugged, avoiding eye contact with me.

"Okay, if you're gonna be like this then I want no part. Talk to me when you've gotten over yourself. I'm sick of being so passive and letting people walk all over me all the time, so I'm finished. I apologised and admitted my mistake—I did my part, and so should you!" I raised my voice. "If you wanna be a miserable fuck during a time like this and ruin it for yourself and everyone else over something stupid I said, then go right ahead!" And with that, I stormed out of the room and back into the kitchen, interrupting whatever Fab and Nick were talking about.

"You okay?" Nick asked.

"Julian's really fucking annoying sometimes." I snatched a cigarette from Nick and took a long drag. "You gonna call the other two to see if they know already?" I asked no one in particular.

Fab picked up the phone and began dialling. "On it."

Nick followed me over to the couch and we sat down. I kicked my feet up on the coffee table and started to laugh.

Nick glanced at me confusedly. "You're crazy."

"You're kinda famous, man!" I grabbed his shoulders and shook him a little. "Is it sinking in yet?!"

Nick went silent for a few seconds with almost quite a concerned look on his face. "I won't believe it 'till I see it for myself."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, shut up. You know it's real."

"We can't really be famous yet, technically. No one over there would even know our names or anything about us."

"After your interviews they will!" I squealed, still grabbing his shoulders. "I'm so excited for you guys!" I tried to pull him into a hug, but somehow I yanked him forward too hard and he ended up falling on top of me. We laughed for a few seconds until we intensely locked eyes. Everything was silent apart from Fab laughing into the phone in the background.

Nick's face was merely inches away from mine. I could feel his breath on my face. He glanced down at my lips for a second while licking his, and I didn't know what to think until I caught a glimpse of Julian standing a few feet away, with the most distraught looking expression I'd ever seen.

Once I'd snapped back into reality, I roughly pushed Nick off me and onto the floor as I scrambled to get up. "Julian, wait!" But as soon as my feet hit the floor, Julian had left through the front door in a matter of seconds.