Into the Storm

Chapter 3 | Kaleidoscope

HIERO

Jade. Jade has been running around this building like a chicken without a head. She stops on no condition. One of the few times I've walked past her and overheard Jonah talking to her and telling her to relax for a moment to take a break. The look she gave him the moment the words came out of his poor soul of a mouth, was almost as if she was the Red Queen and she was ready to "Off with his head". Defeated with the most hilarious look of fear in his eyes, he passed her back the clipboard and walked away running his hand through his hair. I laughed at him as I walked toward him. He smiled at me and flipped me off as made my way to the bar. I sat on the barstool and ordered a drink. Not because I wanted to, but because I have to. I decided to babysit the drink for the night, giving the illusion I've been having drinks all night.
"Jade okay?" I asked.
"Yeah." He said loudly over the music. He turned to look at me, "Why? What's up?" He asked with a smirk.
"Nothing, man. Just seemed like she wanted to end the male race with the look she just gave you." I laugh and he smirks at me taking a drink of his beverage. He rolls his eyes but I laugh more at him.
"You can't give a woman orders, man." I say to him. He gives me a cold stare with a smile.
"I wasn't giving orders, RT. I was suggesting. Look at her." He gestures his hand out in her direction. I lock my gaze to her and she such a boss. Making sure the dj's arent over riding their time against one another. She's behind the bar making sure her bartenders have everthing in order. She's scary and amazing at the same time, floating around the venue like it's a simple task and I know it's not. But she does look like she needs a break. A few moments after Jonah walked away, Jade brushed passed me in focus of wherever she was headed to. Nowhere far since this building is only a large coffee shop and there are only so many places she can go.
"Hey." I try to halt her from her madness and she stops with her eyes locking to me. I'm surprised, but she turns to me with a raised brow but still in focus of her destination.
She smiles, "Hey. Oh, I'm sorry, Hiero. I know I'm supposed to be shadowing with you tonight, but it's- "
"Hey, don't worry about it. I've been shadowing Jonah for a while." I reasure her. She sits down on the stool beside me and smiles with a small nod in relief. Her lips are hard not to look at and I remind myself to stop looking at them. My eyes shift to her eyes and that doesn't help. The green in her eyes capture my entire being and I notice the long lashes they are residing under. No one has ever grabbed my attention this much before in mass to the little hours we've been around eachother. The last time we met, I was drunk and I didn't pay any attention to these kind of details. I've never paid this much attention to any girl this way before. She's beautiful and yet, she's a rock with her guard up so high. I only know this little fact about her by word of Phil and the others. They never say anything more behind it.
"You okay?" I ask. She looks up at me in surprise as if no one has ever asked her that question before. Maybe no one ever has. I turn my head away only to notice Maia and Vince who are looking over at us as if I've just set the bloody place on fire. I'm guessing it's the fact that I've gotten Jade to actually sit for a moment and do absolutely nothing. I ignore them and put my attention back to Jade.
She shrugs, "I'm ok. Some of the talent flaked and now I have to re-schedule everybody. I'll be alright."
"So, who's the talent tonight?" I ask and she passes me the clipboard.
"Well, right now there's that guy who dj'ing. Once he is finished with his set- " she points at another name on the clipboard, "These three ladies are from Bristol. They're a trio tag team of dj's. They're amazing and they are opening for this guy, tonight." she points at the last name on the clipboard. "This guy, is our main event. He's from - "
"Manchester." I answer along with her at the same time.
"You know him?" she asks.
"Yeah. I know him. I used to live in Manchester. He's a good guy." I grew up with him and some of the guys of our mutual friends. Philly and Jonah to be exact.
She smiles at me in embarrasment, "I forget you guys know eachother. I just don't know how I never knew who you were or met you." She laughs and I laugh too. I want to tell her that we did meet once upon a douche bag Arthur party, but right now right now might not be the time for me to bring up something like that.
"Yeah, I'm a little upset that we never got introduced before." I say, "I guess you're alright." and I shrug playfully and nudge her with my elbow.
"I'm alright?" she laughs.
"Yeah." I smile staring away at the dj playing and take a fake sip of my drink.
"So, what made you move to London?" She asks.
I set my glass down on the counter and the bartender takes it away. "It's a long story. I won't bore you." It's not the kind of story I would tell a girl straight away on my first day of work. Not here, at least.
She smiles and it hypnotizes me. "Maybe another time, then?" I lock my eyes away from hers and snap out of it.
"Yeah. Another time." I can only hope. Shit. What is wrong with me? I've just met this girl and I can't stop paying attention her ever since she's picked me up from my home. Maia warned me this might happen, so I can't let myself fall for her, even if I wanted to. At least, this quickly. This is crazy, me barely meeting Jade and I feel like I've known her for years. Our mutual friends are the exact same circle and I've never met her. Not even at any parties. I'm lying to myself. I do know Jade. I have met her at a party once. We were both drunk and taking shots around a table at a party for Art when we were celebrating his music and - and she - And I-
"Well, I'm gonna get back. You need a ride home?" Her eyes are telling me she doesn't want to leave this venue alone. Maybe she shouldn't. Given an incident that happened last week a few blocks from here. I don't hesitate to answer.
"Yeah. Do you mind?" I ask to be sure.
"Given that Maia will be going home with that goider over there, I'll still be driving around the Chupa Pop." She says and I laugh. Hard.
"You really hate Maia's car that much, don't you?" I chuckle the question out.
She gives me that shameful smile with a headshake, "Obviously." Her smile and her eyes are capturing me like no other. I need to not let this, for my sanity. The bartender passes her a glass and she hands it to me and take it from her.
"What is this?" I study the glass.
She laughs, "It's a mock drink, since you like to pretend to drink. Smart." She winks at me with a smirk of her beautiful lips and walks away. I laugh to myself and I get up and continue to work my "audition".
_____
JADE

I sat to take a moment for myself. I leaned my elbows back against the counter to watch everything. I think I can officialy enjoy myself for the rest of the time. Maia came over to me and sat with me. She's in a better mood now that Art is here. He's all about her and only her whenever he's home here in London. It only seems as if there is no other in the world for him and him for her. They clearly love each other and she's content when he's around.
"What do you think about Hiero? He's pretty good right?" she asks with her friendly smile.
"Yeah he's - "
"- coming over here. He's gonna shadow you for the rest of the night. I'll be over there with Art." she walks away from me.
"But I'm done tonight, Mai. I- " She's gone into the crowd. Freakin Maia.
"I see you finally put the clipboard down. You want to come out with me for a smoke?" he offers and smiles at me with his bunny catching eyes and I sigh trying not to look at them.
"Yeah. I did." I laugh, "And no thank you. I don't smoke." I say.
"I don't smoke ciggarettes." He smiles and shows me the pen he's just pulled out of his pocket and gives it a little shake.
"Oh." I say. I don't oppose to it, "Sure. I'll come." and he smiles at me. He leads the way out to the back patio and I follow. On the way, I look at what he's wearing and I take in his back profile.

Shit. He looks like the guy I-

No.

We sit on one of the benches under the string of lights hanging from the foyer. He pushes the little button on the pen and takes a hit. He passes it to me, and I do the same. When I look up at him, he isn't smiling. He's staring at Art with his head down and narrowed eyes. He takes a drink of what I notice, is a fresh glass of a mock drink. I wonder if Hiero feels the same way most of us do about Art? He's a good friend to have on your side, but he treats Maia like complete shit. I say nothing and let him be. Art puts out his cigarette, shakes a guy's hand, and goes inside.
"So, I recon you know all about what's going on with Maia and Arthur?"
"And then some." I add rolling my eyes. Hiero isn't taking his eyes off of me for some reason and I am actually not uncomfortable by it. I know he has something to say about it or not. We all have our own thoughts and oppinions on that matter.
Hiero is sitting with his hands clasped and his elbows rested on his knees. "I don't know how people can treat others the way he does." Hiero says.
I pass him back his pen, "It's easy. He's away on one of his gigs and can't control his impulses. He's a guy." I say.
Hiero lowers his brows at me and gestures a hand out to the inside of the building. "That's no excuse. You can't just cheat on someone just because you aren't with them. Arthur breaks up with Maia everytime he leaves here and then expects to come home to her when he returns. It's not -" he stops himself and scratches the back of his head. He shakes his head in defeat and runs his fingers through his hair. His grippable dark blonde hair.
Shit. Stop it, Jade.
"I know." I say, relieving him from his fustration. "Well, I'm gonna go in and have a real drink. You want to join me?" I ask.
"But aren't you driving tonight?" He challenges. I pull the keys to the glitter bomb from my purse and hand them to him. He smiles at me in surprise and confusion with his dimple on his right cheek showing. He has to know that I am dead serious and I'm trying not to laugh or swoon over his eyes and smile.
"You're hillarious, you know that?" He laughs and takes the keys from me anyway. I flash him my cheesy million dollar grin that I give to all of my friends when I know I'm being spoiled. His mouth opens in suprise and his smile grows wider at me, which tells me that he knows all about my spoiled princess smile, I see. I turn my heel and start walking before he sees me trying to play it cool from blushing and trying to hide my laugh like a dork.