The Golden Boys

Chapter 33

With grocery bags in hand, I walked through the lobby of my apartment, heading for the elevator.
I was about to set a couple bags down to press the button, but another hand beat me to it.

I looked to the right and to my surprise, saw Stone.

"Hello, Heather," he said with a smirk.

"Hi... what brings you to my neck of the woods?"

We stepped on the elevator and he pressed the number 3.

"Going to Jeff's," he explained, leaning against the wall. "We got another tape back from-" Suddenly he stopped mid sentence.

"What..?" I asked.

"I just noticed your hair is like, really dark!"

I sighed. "Yes, I know."

"No it's good, it's cool! It's like, the new Heather. Dark and mysterious..." he trailed off ominously, eyes narrowed.

"Mhm..... Now anyway, you were saying? You got a tape back?"

"Oh yeah! From another possible singer. Jeff says this one's good."

"Are you excited?"

Stone shrugged. "Honestly, I just hope this one is... unique. We've had quite a few other decent options, but they were all sort of Andy tribute things. We need something different. New."

"Well, maybe this will be what you're looking for."

"Maybe so," he agreed.

The elevator came to a creaky stop on the third floor. I gathered my bags again and stepped off first.

"Well, thanks for being my button presser," I said, smiling over my shoulder.

Stone walked beside me. "Hey if you want, you can come over and listen to the tape with us."

I thought for a second, then I nodded.

"I'd love to. Just let me get rid of all this."

"Sure. I'll wait for you out here," Stone said, pausing outside my door.

I put away all the cold items and set everything else on the counter.

As Stone and I walked the short distance to Jeff's, it occurred to me then that I hadn't stepped foot in his apartment since that day.... Although we'd made peace since then, and you might even call us friends now, every time I looked at his door I was reminded of what I'd last seen inside of it. And here I was, walking through it again.

When Stone opened the unlocked door, I held my breath, but the scene inside was... normal. MTV playing on the television. Jeff sitting on the couch. He was holding a Pepsi, and he smiled when he saw me.

Stone spoke first. "Picked up this one on the elevator. She's going to give it a listen, too."

Jeff chuckled and stood up. "Cool. Hey, Heather."

"Hey."

"You're not blonde anymore."

"Nope, all gone."

"It's the new and mysterious, Heather," Stone called, heading toward Jeff's refrigerator.

"It looks good, you look beautiful," Jeff murmured softly.

I met his eyes almost reluctantly. "Thanks, Jeff."

Stone returned with a beer and a bag of beef jerky.

"All right, let's hear it," he said, plopping on the couch. "I only have an hour before I have to meet Melanie at the gym."

Jeff raised his eyebrows. "That's a real healthy snack, you got there. Great choice before a workout," he snickered.