A Writer's Bucket List

Bruises

I woke up with every inch of my body aching. I pulled my legs out of the sheet, not really giving a fuck if I woke up Aur. This is your fault. Three days before we'd been at Warped Tour. It was so amazing. I felt so badass. Headbanging in a messy crowd of synchronized metal-heads and scene kids. Everyone was dripping in sweat, but no one cared because they were having the time of their lives. Two guys had tagged along with us for half of the night and if it wasn't for them I could've ended in a fatal state. Extreme punching into the air started and then a pile of people were on the floor. MOSH PIT yelled a group on the other side.

"Lets go look!" yelled Aur dragging me along. The beer one of the guys gave her had been knocked out her hand and she wasn't pleased. She thought pushing her best friend into the bloody hole would make her feel better. A bloody nose, multiple kicks to my intellectual head, and punches all over my body. After the guys helped pulled me out, they got pulled in and I got thrown into some other mess. I was thrown on peoples' shoulders and tossed around. Apparently that's how they congratulate people that make it out alive. I was so mad. I didn't even cuss her out.

I came out the bathroom licking my teeth, tasting the freshness of mint. I threw a pillow at Aur's head with as much force as I could muster with my bruised arms.

"Get up ass hole. I'm not washing the clothes. I can smell the beer and sweat on what we wore to warped tour, it's not pleasant. Don't ruin my leather jacket!" I yelled at her.

"Nicole. Niki, Nicholas. Darlinggggg. WHY ARE YOU STILL MAD? "

"Oh. Gee, I don't know? BECAUSE MY PRECIOUS LIMBS WANT TO FALL OFF?"

"Okay. Alright. Fine. Is there a laundry room in the Motel, or do I have to drive to one?"

"There's one downstairs."

"I love you Niks." She said sarcastically. I flopped back on the bed.

I awoke to Auriel opening the blinds in the loudest manner possible. Duuuuuudeee. "What? Your clothes are folded my darling divine. Nice thong. I filled the van with gas, lets go get breakfast. Siri take me to Norm's" I brushed my teeth again and popped in the shower. Got in some comfy jeans, a Black Keys tee, and brown high top Chucks.

"Gosh this is amazing." I murmered. Aur rolled her eyes and moaned. Heaven she mouthed, taking a bite of her sausage. My eyes widened. "How drunk was I yesterday?!"

"You were fucking sober compared to me. I remember you laughing at me... and twisting my ankle. And- Nope that's it. That's all I remember- OH! And I remember those two guysss" she winked at me and made a double chin smile. I covered my face with my hair and got low.

"Is that them!?" I whisper yelled. "Look , walking in. Don't make it obvious."

"That's them all right. SHIT. FUCK. Keep it cool dude."

"Why? Why! What's wrong?"

"It's full. The only table available is the one across us."

"What!? No. It's cool. Maybe they're not even eating in."

"Yeah maybe not. I mean, they're only walking this way."

"See. WAIT! What? Are you serious?"

"Shhhh. Act cool. I can see them through the window. They're walking over."

I tried not looking directly at them. They were so good looking. Tall. Both of them. They were wearing knit sweaters that their shoulders filled up so well. The taller one was wearing a mustard one with ripped black jeans. Woah I thought. I was staring at his Doc Martens, then slowly looked up from there. He saw me looking at him. Crap I pretended to look behind him then snuck another look. We made eye contact this time. He had no expression on his face but his eyes twinkled. He looked away, flipping his hair. It was a comb over, really long at the top. Yesterday he looked so different. His hair was perfectly gelled and he was wearing a white dress shirt and slacks. He looked so much taller now. The light really defined his chiseled face. He was gorgeous. Niks. Nikky. NIKS!

"Huh?"

"Drool much? Stop staring! You'll creep him out. .. God they're hot."

"I wasn't staring. I was.. trying to see that sign... Gosh yass. He's bawm."

"I call dibs on the one with grey!"

"Keep him. I want Mister hair flip."

...

The motel we were staying in was creepy. A week here was quite enough. It looked washed out and at night it smelled soggy. We started packing everything back up to get ready for tomorrow. I was excited! The bruises were fading and now I wouldn't worry about wearing those shorts I'd bought. "Coachella baby!", I squealed.