More Than Manager

chapter three

chapter 3 // Girl Talk

I sat hopelessly on the bench, feeling not only angry, but incredibly embarrassed. It seems as though I never make good first impressions, anyway. I shifted around in my pocket for a cigarette pack and pulled it out. I stuck one between my chapped lips and began to light it. Before I could, a familiar pair of delicate hands swiped the cigarette out of my mouth.

"Hey!" I started to protest. I whipped my head around to see my best friend, Isabel standing before me, the cigarette resting between her fingers. Her arms were crossed and she was not happy.

"I thought I could trust you to dump these, Sammy," she whined.

"What are you doing here?" I gasped. "I thought you hated pubs, Izzy."

She groaned, "I know, I know. But college life is so stressful, you wouldn't understand!" She brought her hand to her eyes and sighed.

I rolled my eyes when she wasn't looking. She can be so goddamn oblivious, sometimes. I longed for further education, but we couldn't afford it. "You're right, I wouldn't," I said sarcastically.

She swung her hand by her side, throwing the cigarette down in the process. "Oh, goodness, I'm so sorry Samantha. I-"

"It's okay, Isabel," I chuckled, "come sit." I patted the empty space beside me.

We sat in silence for a bit until she spoke up, "What are you doing here?"

I hesitated.

"Brian's geeky band was playing here tonight," I rolled my eyes once more. "Did you hear them play?"

"Yeah, and I saw drummer boy's eye on you, Samantha," she teased, waving her finger in my face. I swatted it away.

"No, he did not."

"Why don't you ever hang out with him? I mean, after all, he is your brother's best friend," she said, attempting to meet my eyes which were now looking at my feet.

I shrugged. "I don't know," I mumbled.

Isabel shot her head back up and exclaimed loudly, "Well I think it's the perfect opportunity for a nice, summer fling."

"Isabel!" My head was on her level, now, our eyes meeting.

"What?"

I sighed.

Isabel was way more outgoing then me, that's for sure. I sure as hell would never date a rockstar, let alone my brother's friend. I'm way too quiet, and he's way too obnoxious. Plus, I would for sure catch him with some groupie. It would just never work out. "I've got to get home, now." I patted her back and grabbed my purse. I soon, however, realized that Brian had the keys to his car, and I would have to go back inside to get him.

"Ok bye, I'll call you!" And with that, Isabel drove her car home.

I pulled a damp wipe out of my purse and began to blot under my eyes, collecting all of the running mascara. I took a deep breath and brushed the worry off my forest green dress. My heart racing like car, I stepped into the pub once more and found my way backstage. I knocked on the door, softly at first. With every minute that passed by, a million thoughts popped into my head. What if they had already left? There was no way I was getting into some stranger's taxi. They freak me out, and I'm too shy to get into a cab with a stranger, anyway. I suck at small talk.

Moments passed filled with no response, so I started to walk over to the bar. I was so nervous, shaking in fact. My anxiety was filling up my chest, and it felt like I couldn't breath for days. I can only imagine that I looked like a lost puppy - I was vulnerable. As I approached the bar, my eyes scanned over the stools to see 4 familiar men, all of them drunk as hell, laughing uncontrollably. My fear quickly turned into anger, but I was careful not to project it.