Call it Fate, Call it Karma

Jacket

"Jules! I have to go to work!" I giggled uncontrollably as Julian wrapped his arms around my waist to prevent me from getting out of bed. "Seriously!"

"It's cold and you're warm." he mumbled. His eyes remained closed as he pulled me into his side.

"Adam's always late and I bitch on him for it. I can't stoop down to his level after telling him off for it every morning!" I protested, trying to wriggle free from his grip. "Put on a damn jacket or something!"

"Fiiiiiine!" Julian groaned and let go of me with a heavy sigh. "Give him hell." He spoke into his pillow, his husky voice muffled by the fabric.

I gave him a two finger salute once I got to my feet. "I sure will!" He didn't see though, because he was already half asleep.

"See you later, Jules." I whispered to myself as I grabbed some clothes and tiptoed out of the room...not without giving him a gentle kiss on the forehead, though.

After getting dressed, I walked out to see Albert on the couch, flipping through some photos.

"You're up early." I walked up behind him.

"Colin sent us some photos from the shoot!" he said with a grin as he handed me a couple.

"These are so cute!" I beamed as I flicked through them, stopping at the one of all of us together. "I'm framing this!"

"Thought you would." Albert chuckled.

"Anyways...you excited for your birthday?"

"Depends on what you guys are planning." he said with a knowing look. "...I know you guys are planning something."

"What makes you think that?"

"'That time of the month'?" He did air quotes as he spoke. "You would never say something like that."

I groaned. "Okay, you got me. But I swear it had nothing to do with your birthday!"

"Sure, sure." Albert looked unamused. "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Oh, fuck!" I stampeded over to the door and slipped on a jacket that was probably Julian's. "Bye!" I yelped, before opening the door and slamming it behind me as I began to run out of the building.

When I got to work, I was glad to see I was on time. I didn't even need to check the time or anything, because Adam wasn't there yet, so that probably meant I was very early.

Adam approached, 5 minutes later with two cups of coffee and a guilty look on his face.

"Smart move." I said with a smile as he handed me a a cup. "What's the big excuse today?"

"Not gonna lie, I was and still am really stoned and thought it was earlier than it is."

I stepped aside with a roll of my eyes to let him unlock the door. "Sometimes I'm surprised you even make it to work at all."

"Me too, honestly." he said.

We both walked inside the store, sipping our coffees and we both hung around the counter for a while, as it was still a bit early for customers, and we'd already done most of our other required tasks on previous shifts.

"So hows the party planning going?" Adam asked.

"It's going...kinda." I shrugged my shoulders. "So pretty much everyone except Albert knows what we're doing now because I figured I'd need the extra help." I quickly filled him in on the gig idea and he thought it was fantastic.

"He'll never see it coming!" he said with a grin.

"Well...he definitely knows we're up to something, but I highly doubt he'd ever guess exactly what it is." I took a sip of my coffee. "And if you still wanna get your lame ass drugs and explosives, take Nick with you because I don't want you doing that shit alone. You're just a baby!" I leaned forward to pinch his cheeks.

He swatted my hand away with a laugh. "For the last time! I'm only a couple years younger than you!"

After work, I hugged Adam goodbye, decided to pick up a pizza, and then made it back to the apartment. I hoped at least one person would be at home, because I didn't really feel like spending the late afternoon alone.

"Helloooo?" I cooed as I opened the door and stepped inside. "I bought pizza!"

Julian stepped out from the bedroom and leant against a wall with his arms crossed. "So that's where my jacket went."

I smiled at the sight of him and handed him the pizza box. "You snooze you lose, dude." I smirked, buttoning the jacket up. "I think I'll keep it on."

"I was just about to meet the guys at the studio, so you either hand it over now, or I'm raiding your closet." he threatened and tried to keep a straight face, but ended up laughing.

"Do your worst!" I challenged him, stuffing my hands in the jackets pockets.

Julian turned on his heel and disappeared back into the bedroom. I heard shuffling and my closet door open and close, and he walked back out with a gray trench coat on that he couldn't do up because it was clearly too small, and a plum-colored scarf with flower patterns tied around his neck.

Engulfed in laughter as he posed, blowing kisses, I took off his denim jacket and threw it at him. "Get outta here!"

He curtsied. "Thank you!"

"So you're going...now?"

"Yeah." he nodded and removed the coat. "Are you coming?"

"I think I'll leave you guys to it." I said. "I'll just...be here...with pizza."

Julian pulled on his jacket. "Sounds like a fantastic evening to me."

"Yeah..."

He narrowed his eyes on me. "Everything okay?"

"This is embarrassing, but I was kinda hoping I wouldn't be alone today." I glanced down at the box in my hand and sighed. "I mean...I got us this pizza and everything."

Julian's brow furrowed. "Come with us then!"

"I just don't feel like it, sorry." I said, then forcing a smile. "I'll just sort some more things out for the party, don't worry. I'll be okay."

"Aw Jade, I'd stay with you but I really need to get more vocals recorded...I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry! You go do that."

Julian pulled me into a soft, sweet kiss, leaving me a little spacey as we pulled apart.

"Excuse the cheesiness, but Julian, I feel like I'm falling in love with you all over again." I said, looking at my feet as my cheeks heated up.

"Why have you gotta say something like that when I'm about to leave?" he sighed, cupping my face in his hands.

I looked into his eyes and started giggling, leaving him quite confused. "Sorry, I can't take you seriously with that scarf still on!"