If We Ever Get an Hour Together (A Van McCann fanfiction)

Bring You Home

Lucia:

I raced back to the table where Gabi and Hannah were, sliding down on my stool. I should've really kept meeting Van to myself, but the minute Gabi glanced at me I blurted out, "I just met the lead singer Van."

"What?" Gabi looked at me. Hannah studied me as well.

" I just met Van. He's...very nice." I struggled to articulate my thoughts. Gabi and Hannah glanced at each other.

"Lucky." Gabi finally said, taking a sip of her drink. I drummed my fingers against the table, glancing towards the hall where the restrooms were. "Lucia, he's not going to come looking for you," Gabi mocked.

"Well, you never know."

"Don't you have a boyfriend already?" Hannah asked, grinning.

"I'm obviously not expecting Van to be my boyfriend, he just seemed like a nice guy is all. I'm going to get a glass of water because someone couldn't have bothered to get me a drink." I glared at Gabi and stood up, walking towards the bar.

"A water." Even the bartender looked at me oddly. Yes, people drink water too, it's not like once they're at a bar the only liquid allowed in their system is alcohol. I took a seat on the stool, waiting.

"Hey Lucia, right?" I heard a nicely accented voice to my left. I glanced up, into the bright blue eyes and wide grin of Van. His hair hung over his forehead, which he pushed back while taking a seat next to me. The bartender handed me my glass of water. Van looked at it, raising his eyebrows. "Water at a bar? Come off, let's get some alcohol in ya." He raised two fingers, motioning towards the bartenders.

"I'm actually not old enough to drink," I spoke quickly.

Van looked at me, eyebrows raised again. "You're kidding. How old are you?"

"Twenty," I said in a small voice.

"Oh, that's not too shabby. Just one more year right?"

"It's not like I've never had it before," I replied, disgruntled. "Thought you'd be getting the five-star treatment in some nice VIP room. Not dealing with us common folk."

Van laughed a nice deep laugh that made my stomach curl. "Funny story about that. Turns out if you're not that well known, bars will only pay you in a couple free drinks. No VIP room included."

"How unfortunate," I struggled for a moment, thinking of something to say, "So you and your friends are just trying to schmooze off a couple of drinks before going back to your five-star hotel?"

"What is with you and five-star places?" Van laughed again.

"I just assume that's what the rockstar life is all about."

"I'm sure it is, once you're actually a rockstar. I'd say I'm a good ten spaces before that."

Now I laughed, setting the glass of water down. I look over to the table Gabi and Hannah were at. Gabi was looking at me, mouth open. Ha.

"So Lucia, who'd you come with tonight? Your boyfriend?" Van glanced at me, face serious now.

"Just my sister and her friend," I looked over, "Who are motioning for me to go back to their table. And probably bring you with me. They didn't believe it when I said I ran into you outside the restrooms."

"Ran into me? Nearly did me in is more like it."

"Same difference." I smiled cheekily at Van. Looking into his eyes was like taking a breath of fresh air. I was stupidly captivated.