The Etiquette of Smoking

Modus Vivendi

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Niki pulled her seatbelt off, letting it fly back before she stepped out of the car. I followed suit, getting out of the passenger side swiftly and shutting the door behind me. I looked up at the three-story brownstone in front of us and squinted.

"Of course I am." I nodded confidently, walking up the small stoop to the door and buzzing for the only apartment on the top floor. The tenant was quick to reply, sending a buzz back down that opened the front door of the building.

Niki and I made our way inside, climbing the stairs until we met a door on the third floor and knocked. A pause and two heartbeats later and the door swung open. The kid moved smoothly, immediately leaning all of his weight against one side of the doorframe and slapping on a slick smirk.

"I've gotta be honest, honey. I'm not surprised to see you here tryna get you some more Rich Ch--"

I sighed, pushing on his tank top covered chest and forcing his eyes open. I moved past him and Niki followed, grinning wickedly. Brian looked confused to see me there as he was only expecting Niki but his shocked expression smoothed over easily.

"Oh hey. Joji's girlfriend, right? What are you doing here?" He spoke normally, dropping that fake hood accent he was trying to appropriate. I visibly cringed, clamping my teeth together but nodded. I looked around at his apartment, unable to make direct eye contact anymore. It was large, certainly larger than the boys' or Niki's. I doubted Sean was already making any headway with his record label so I wondered why Brian was already so well off.... unless it was daddy's money.

"Sorry to ambush you like this, Brian, but I need to get in touch with Sean." I watched him shut the door of his apartment and scratch at his scrawny, pale chest as he listened to me.

"Sean Miyashiro? Oh shit... uh... hm, I haven't heard from that dude in a couple weeks. I think he might be in Japan." Brian's eyes left mine to wander Niki's body beside me and his serious expression was taken over by a slight smirk.

"Do you have his phone number? Or an address for his office? Anything?" I urged his attention back and he looked back up dumbly.

"Oh yeah, for sure. Let me go find my phone." He turned around and disappeared around the corner. I looked at Niki who rose an eyebrow at me. She wasn't very confident but I was.

A minute or two later he returned with his phone and stopped in front of us again.

"Yeah so here it is, ready?" He asked. I actually didn't have my phone since Niki took it after the doctor suggested keeping me away from any way of communicating with George or being able to listen to or see him in any of his 'mediums'. AKA YouTube or Soundcloud. I looked at Niki expectantly and she rolled her eyes but pulled her phone out anyway.

Brian relayed Sean's phone number and address to us and thanked him for his help as we made our way out the door.

"Wait! Uh..." Brian called, looking longingly at Niki. I glanced between the both of them and decided to keep walking down the steps to give them some privacy. I heard quiet whispers and a sigh that was undoubtedly Niki before she eventually joined me downstairs.

"What was that about?"

"I have a date on Friday." She hissed, furrowing her brows as she grumpily pushed open the doors to the outside world but I knew she was secretly excited when her mouth twitched in the corner, struggling to form a smile.

"I'm gonna go in alone." I told her outside of Sean's office building. I looked up at the red brick building that looked like any other apartment and then back at Niki. She pursed her lips.