LA Baby ♡ Manhattan Dreams Sequel

3. The Problem with Clubbing

Waking up in my own apartment was an amazing feeling. I loved living in the dorms last year but having my own space was fantastic. I could sleep in without having to worry about people stumbling in from parties, I could shower in my own, private bathroom and I could hang out with Josh without it becoming the talk of the hall. 

Of course, living in the dorms was a bit different because there both Josh and I were in school so we both had classes to attend. Here, in our apartment I was up before the sun while Josh stayed soundly asleep. 

I climb out of bed and decide to skip a shower since I'd just end up taking one after ballet class. Instead, I slide slippers onto my feet and head into our kitchen to brew up some coffee and have a light breakfast which after scouring the cupboards I decide will be Pop-Tarts. 

I place the pastry into the toaster and lean against the counter waiting for them to pop up when my phone dings on the countertop beside me. Sometimes I forgot the thing was with me but I suppose a part of being a young adult in New York was that you were attached to your phone like it was part of you. 

I glance at the screen and find a text from Farkle. 

FARKLE: Open mic tomorrow night. I know you've given up singing and that Josh is a little big for our small bar but it could be fun 

I smile. A night out with Josh and my friends was exactly what I needed. It would feel like we were going back in time to when things were much less complicated, when my biggest problem was that Josh had a girlfriend...who was now oddly one of my best friends. 

MAYA: I think I could sing a little something ;) Count me in but I'll have to check to see if Josh is interested 

I put my phone back down as my Pop-Tart jumps out of the toaster. I retrieve a mug from the cabinet and pour a decent sized cup of coffee, grabbing my pastry and heading to the living room. I relax onto our couch and turn on the morning news, feeling at peace as I enjoy my simple breakfast. 

"How old are you?" Josh laughs as he wanders in, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Morning news and coffee" he observes, taking a seat beside me. 

"I like to stay informed" I reply honestly. "You're up early" I add, glancing over at him. 

"You left" he smiles, resting his hand on my thigh. My heart swells as I lay a gentle kiss against his cheek. "Anything interesting?" he asks, turning his attention to the television. 

"Not really" I shrug, taking a bite of my breakfast. "The world is still a mess."

"Hm" he hums. "I suppose it won't be fixed overnight" he sighs. "What about you? How are you this morning my love?"

I swear he was the sweetest human on the planet. My heart multiples in size every time he came up with a new nickname for me and honestly I couldn't fathom my chest could handle it if my heart continued to grow with love for him. "Farkle invited us out tomorrow night" I tell him excitedly. I hope he'll share my enthusiasm for the evening out but instead his peaceful facade cracks and his smile falters. 

"Oh. Where to?" he inquiries and my heart drops. I knew where this was heading. 

"The club. There's an open mic-."

"Penelope" he sighs. "I can't sing at things like that. I could lose my record deal if they found out I did an unapproved show."

I shrug. "Fine then don't sing. Don't you think it could be fun to go out, we haven't had a chance to be together outside these four walls since we moved in" I complain. 

"Babe we can't" he argues. "It's just not a good idea. We could go somewhere else" he suggests but I shake my head. I missed my friends and furthermore I missed going out on Friday nights. Those nights were my escape last year and oddly enough if it weren't for Josh I wouldn't have ever gone to a single one. 

"I'm going" I reply dismissively as I stand up, placing my now empty mug on the end table beside our couch. "You can sit here by yourself or go out with your band" I pause. "I really don't care Josh" I exclaim, heading back to the bedroom to get ready for class. 

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"Rough morning" Riley comments as I barge into the studio, slamming the door behind me and tossing my bag onto the floor before striding towards the barre. 

"Just once I wish my boyfriend would think of someone other than himself" I seethe. Riley's eyes widen and I immediately regret the words. Josh stayed in New York for me. He was completely selfless in that decision; I was just angry because he refused to do anything I wanted him to do as of late. "I shouldn't have said that" I murmur, getting into second position. 

"Maya this is me you're talking to" Riley reminds me. "You never have to have a filter around me" she adds sweetly. "What did he do?"

I sigh. "Farkle invited us to the club tomorrow night and I thought it would be fun but Josh got all weird and started on about how if he sung he could lose his record deal" I shake my head. It made sense why he couldn't sing but I couldn't understand how stepping foot inside the establishment would harm anything. 

"Maybe he's afraid that he'll be pressured into performing" Riley tries. "I mean, Josh is a sweet guy, if he's asked to perform he'll have a hard time saying no."

I quirk my lips to the side in thought. It wasn't too far of a stretch but I refused to admit that Josh was being sensible in this argument. "What about you?" I ask, changing the subject. "You want to go?"

Adamantly she begins shaking her head. "Maya, you know I was planning on Skyping Lucas-."

"Honey he's in Texas and he'll be there for a while. I doubt he wants you spending your time here in New York attached to your phone. He'd want you to go out and have some fun and besides, I'm sure he'd be amused to recieve a drunk text from you at two in the morning."

Riley chuckles. "I would never drink that much."

I smile. "I know" I concede. My best friend wasn't a drinker by any means of the word. I think I'd seen her drink a handful of time throughout our friendship. "Come on Riles, I could really use a night out and I know you could too."

She sighs. "Fine" she concedes. "But we aren't staying out all night. I want to be able to at least call Lucas before I go to sleep."

"Deal" I agree easily. At least I could convince someone to spend some time with me. 

***********************************************************************************************

Classes drag on and my math professor announces that we're already having a test at the end of next week. I honestly hated the scholastic part of school, I wish that all my classes were ballet instead of the dance classes balancing out with academics. 

By the time I get home my feet are aching as well as my back from the bricks my professors called textbooks. I drop my bag beside the door and think that the place is empty until the sound seemingly draws my boyfriend out of the bedroom. "Hey" he greets me. 

"Hi" I reply shortly, heading towards the kitchen to get a bottle of water. "What are you doing home?" I ask, leaning against the fridge as I look towards him. 

"I moved around some things in my schedule" he explains, walking towards me. "How was school?" I shrug, my eyes locked onto his as he moves closer. "Penelope I don't like fighting with you, in fact it drives me insane."

"You could've just agreed to go" I suggest but he sighs, shaking his head. 

"I can't risk it Maya. If I lose this record deal-."

"I won't let them pull you on stage. I understand you don't like letting people down and luckily, you have a girlfriend that will do that happily. Everyone can be pissed at the girl who wouldn't let her boyfriend perform and we can have a night out together with all our friends. I'm used to getting death glares at the club anyway."

He chuckles, grabbing my waist in one hand and resting the other above my head against the fridge door. "Does it mean that much to you?" I smile. 

"It does" I confirm. He sighs, bowing his head and resting his forehead against mine. 

"You're lucky I love you" he murmurs and my heart swells as my lips find his.