I Wish

Six

That night, at home, the last couple days really hit October. The job offer, meeting Luke personally, her toxic interactions with other females, and overall the train wreck her life had become. She took off her shoes by the front door and leaned against the closed door behind her, mind spinning erratically.

After a few minutes of just breathing, she properly stood. The couch was welcoming, but her bed was her lover. Though she denied both, deciding to walk carelessly through her beloved apartment to calm her mind. She paused in the kitchen and looked at the box of donuts on her counter. She cautiously steps towards it, like it was going to confront her about her conflicting attitudes towards the man thought brought them here. She puts them in a drawer to hide the guilt attached, but then stops herself-thinking- and leaves them out.

She takes a donut as she wanders farther into her apartment, settling in a crouch as she looks at the bottom of her book shelf. She takes a bite and then cursed when the cream drips out the back onto her leg.

—

Michael, Calum, and Ashton were watching casually from their crystal ball in their office. Their office was a brick building in the middle of town, but- once they finish this assignment- they'll move onto the next town. They never stayed in one place too long, their own lives being nomadic.

But this office was one of their personal favorites. The inside used to be a cubicle farm, but they'd cleared that to renovate it. The inside now was a decent living space for the young men. There was TVs and gaming stations along a wall in front a couch, a treadmill in a corner, and the personal offices in the walls- the one's that were meant for management- became the boy's bedrooms.

As they watched October in her apartment, Calum cringes gently at the cream filling on her pants. "Don't- Don't do it. Don't lick- And she ate it."

Ashton laughs a little and focused more on the situation at hand. "Focus, Cal. We have to figure out a way to connect the two again. We can't just keep getting Luke drunk and sending him her way."

Michael shrugged as he moved closer to the others. "Why don't we just tell her who we are and save a whole lot of trouble?"

Ashton hums. "Because we can't make anyone fall in love."

Michael shrugs and twists the crystal ball in its stand, turning the crack where'd he'd dropped it to the back so they could see the picture better. "But we're not accomplishing anything here."

Calum hums in thought, finally speaking up. "I have an idea."

—

Her phone rang from the counter. Without thinking, she spun on her feet in the crouching position and fell on her butt. Groaning, she stands and picks up her phone. "Hello."

Her boss from the coffee shop answered. "October! Great to hear from you! Care to work a few shifts this weekend?"

October hated that man's voice, but politely accepted before her boss hung up. She knew she could use the money. She looked at her phone before tucking it in her back pocket. The familiar weight to the right side pocket was almost comforting as she tried to decide the best way to spend her Friday night.

Maybe she could hang out with Josh. She hadn't seen in God knows how long. Well, really, it was only a week. She pulled her phone back out and called Josh. It rang through and when she'd just given up hope, he picked up. "October."

She smiled to herself in relief. "Hey Josh! It's been a while."

"Yeah It has. It sounds like you've been busy with your new boss." Said Josh. But his double entendre wasn't missed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked him, frowning on the phone. What would give Josh this kind of idea? Hadn't he always known she didn't just bow down to someone like that?

Josh was quiet for a minute. "I mean, you never called or texted or anything. That's never happened before, so I just assumed..."

As angry as she was at his unfair assumption, he was right. She had been a bad friend recently. "Well that's not the case, but I'm sorry. Working there is... fuvking insane, Josh. I mean really. He's constantly having sex in his office and his visitors aren't ever for business."

"I'm sorry, Octo. If you want, we could meet up at Shane's and I'll listen." He offered.

Alcohol and seeing her best friend? That's just what the doctor ordered. "Sure. I'll see you at... 8?"

He laughs. "Yeah, I'll see you then. Bye Octo."

She put her phone back in her pocket and went to her room to get dressed. She wore army cargo pants that was tight around the skinny part of her waist. She wore an army green crop top that made her top half look great. She put on black combat books and tied a back bandana around her hair. After doing her makeup, she stuck her phone in her new pants pocket.

October walks out of her apartment and down the street. She never drove when she drank because her car was too special to her to ruin it by drinking and driving. Besides, Shane's was only two blocks from her house.

Shane's was a little dive bar that Josh and October used to sneak into in High School. But that was 4 years ago now. It was shady and dirty, but usually no one bothered them. They could sit and drink in peace. But the locals used the loved when October used the old karaoke machine in the corner. It's how They got away with sneaking in. They wouldn't say anything as long October provided entertainment. That's what gave her love for music a jumpstart. To see even a small crowd cheer for her was an Adrenaline rush.

The feeling came back to her... and she thought that she should chase it.