a story for me & my friend's enjoyment while in quarantine

1

"Claire!"

"How many times have I said to stop slamming the door when you come in?"

Ernie just rolled her eyes as she stormed into Claire's bedroom.

"Have you heard of knocking?" Claire asked in a joking manner.

Ernie didn't say anything in return, just handed Claire the piece of paper in her hands while giving the best puppy dog eyes she could muster.

"What's this?" Claire asked.

"Can you read? It's a flier for a show tonight!" Ernie exclaimed, sitting down next to Claire. "It's that band, Pencey Prep, I've been telling you about, remember?"

"Oh, right, right," Claire said absentmindedly, her eyes still scanning the flier. "So, what, you wanna go to it?"

"No, I'm just showing you the flier for the good of my health," Ernie said sarcastically. "Of course I want to go."

"So, go."

"Well, I don't wanna go alone!"

"You're an independent woman. What's the big deal?"

"I know I am, thank you, but I can't drive...and it's in Jersey."

"It's in Jersey?!"

"Yeah, see, you don't want me going to Jersey alone at night!" Ernie said triumphantly. "Please, Claire, I've been wanting to see them for a while, but I always have something going on when they have a gig."

"I don't even really listen to that kind of music anyways."

"I don't care, you can just sit at the bar or something. Pleeeease!"

Claire knew that regardless of what she said, she'd be going to that show tonight. Not only because she was a good friend, but because she knew how persuasive Ernie could be when she wanted.

She didn't even have to say anything for Ernie to know she was about to agree.

"Ah, yes!! Thank you! Hey, if we leave early we can go get some coffee - my treat?" Ernie offered.

"That's an easy yes," Claire laughed before Ernie made her way to her own room to get ready for the show.

A few hours later, the two of them were in Claire's car, coffees in hand and making their way from their Brooklyn apartment to the club in Belleville.

It wasn't a huge place, but there was still quite a lot of people. Or maybe it just seemed that way because the room was so small. Either way, it felt very crowded and stuffy as soon as they walked in.

After paying the entrance fee, the girls found a place to sit at the small bar, and Ernie was off into the crowd as soon as the band came on and began playing.

Claire felt a little bit awkward at first, it wasn't really her scene, but seeing her friend's long hair jump out of the crowd every once in a while was quite entertaining for her.

"You're not gonna join her?" Claire heard someone ask her, turning to see the guy that had been checking people's IDs at the door.

"Sorry?" She asked.

"Your friend - not gonna join her?" He repeated, speaking a little louder and closer for her to hopefully hear better.