Us: The Novel Of Friends

Napa O' Napa

Karlee POV

There are so many people in this world, billions of strangers, the average person knows about 20 maybe 30 people, who aren't directly related to us. I had seen about maybe a million or two of the population, but I hadn't met them. Maybe of those million I had met about 20,000. I was a performer, I sang in front of millions of people, that's on average when I go on tour, and it could be even more depending on how many shows I go in America, and how many I do outside the U.S. It was just crazy to think there were so many people that actually attended, and I didn't even see, but I heard them yelling and clapping.  

Tonight was my show in Napa Valley, it was a huge wine festival, with artists like Kelsea Ballerini, Scotty McCrery, etc. I listened to them when I was in my teens, those teen years felt like decades ago. I was only 25.

I prepped for my show, by spending the morning sipping on coffee in the back of my tour bus, and attempting to write songs about the people I saw pass by. I guess you could say I was sort of in a rut when it came to writing songs. I hadn't written a solid song in about a month. I had put out my most recent album about 4-5 months ago, and have only written one song since, and it was over summer or something. My studio needed to release a single while my album was so high on the charts.

My most recent and also the name of my tour is "Run to You", it consisted of mainly songs about my own confidence and stuff like that. My next album, I really wanted it to be super personal, this would be my third album. I was getting older, and I wanted it to be sort of different from my last two albums because I am older.

I, then spent the afternoon getting ready for lunch with Joseph, he had come down to Napa for the weekend, so after my concert tonight we were staying at some bed & breakfast  by the vineyard, and just spending two nights together and catching up.

**

I finished the last song, at this time sweat was unreasonably all over, including under my arms, leaving a sweat stain on my plain grey top. My outfit tonight was picked out by Ads herself, she was attending some kind of big party in San Francisco tonight for something, I really wasn't quite sure on the details. She dressed me in "mom" jeans, a plain grey top, some heeled boots, and a scarf. It was the beginning of December.

I went back to the dressing room to pack up my stuff, and to change into something else. Joseph was a hotshot lawyer, I was some slightly country and indie singer. He didn't grow up in a small town of Texas. I had everything picked out already, I had my silky pajamas picked out, I had a black leggings, a pink sweater, and my eggs to wear tonight, and then for tomorrow I had my daytime outfit, and then my evening outfit. My evening outfit was a tight silver dress, with tights, and then heels, and a big comfy jacket.

**

I stood by the steps of the venue that I was playing at, and waited for Joseph and his stretch limo, he didn't go anywhere with it, or his chauffeur Mr. Hanes, who was quite honestly the sweetest man I've ever met.

I saw headlights pull around, and park right in front of me, Joseph stepped out, in casual attire, which for him was some jeans, a button down flannel, and some hiking boots. He never went out in sweatpants or joggers, or god forbid shorts.

"Hey beautiful, how was your show?" He asked, grabbing me by the hip.

"It was good, per usual" I said, getting into the car.

"Still in a rut huh?" He said. Joseph had a way of reading me, It scared me honestly.

"Yeah, how could you tell?"

"I know you Kay." He always called me Kay.

"I know."

**

We got to this adorable cottage, that was like a exclusive log cabin for us two, we took our stuff inside, changed into some pajamas, and even built a fire, well he built a fire, I'm not trusted with matches.

"Here you go" He said holding a cup of steaming coffee, since I wasn't a fan of hot chocolate.

"Thank you" I said readjusting on the bench so he could sit and share the blanket.

"I am so glad we got to spend this weekend together" I said snuggling up next to him.

"Me too."

**

The morning came too quickly, we stayed up till about 4 just talking. I was awoken by him opening the blinds, and then shaking me to wake me up, after I had buried my head under the pillow.

"Hey bug, you got to get up. We have big plans this morning" He said.

"Can those big plans consist of me getting up at a time that wasn't at sunrise"

"Nope, now get up and dress in something warm, it's chilly"

**

"Where are we going" I had asked about a million and one times, with the same answer,

"You'll see" I rolled my eyes every time.

We had been walking down a path behind the bed &breakfast, through rolling fields of grapes. We turned, and went into a small cottage.

"Hi, I'm checking in, Cintago."

"Joseph?" The lady asked.

"Yes Ma'am."

"Alright follow me to the back, can I interest you guys in a glass of our finest" She asked.

"It's 8 am" I said.

"I'll have people drinking at 6"

"Wow, well then I guess I will take a glass." I said.

"Yeah, me too" Joseph said.

"Okay, I'll be right back with that, if you guys want to go down the hall there's a waiting room, your instructor should be here soon"

"Our Instructor?" I said.

"Don't ask questions."

A few minutes passed, and she came back with two glasses of white wine, that was absolutely divine. Then our "instructor" came, and little did I know, we were going on a hot air balloon ride, which was something I had told Joseph I had wanted to do for a long time, but I had only mentioned it once, so it was weird he remembered something like that. I was so lucky.