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The Tree House. Tonight. 8pm. Frank x

I read the text I couldn’t help but feel like I was suffering from Deja Vu. Back when I turned 21 this was the first pub that Frank had ever taken me to. It just so happened that the night we went was when fun. was playing. That was when Frank was taking the harder drugs but I wanted to celebrate my big birthday with him so I tried to forget about the bad. They weren’t such a big band back then and they were playing a small pub to try out a few new songs that would be going on the album that propelled them to fame. I spent a few minutes remembering that night before deciding if actually wanted to go back there. You see it wasn’t a birthday I would like to remember. So for all these years I stored the memory in the little black box deep within my mind where it never got open, only the odd occasion usually when Frank is concerned.

Sitting in my home office I noticed my old fashioned grandfather clock charm 7 o’clock. “Best start getting ready before you chicken out Banks.” I grumbled to myself snapping shut the case file I’d spent my day lost in. I’d decided on not responding to Frank because if I did then I’d ask why we were going back to the pub I had avoided for 8 years. Why we were going back to the very place that caused one of our biggest arguments. And I decided it just wasn’t worth knowing until I got there. However, the nervous I felt right now made me doubt mg decision. I reluctantly walked into my now empty bedroom which was finally clear of Nathan’s stuff even though it had been almost 5 months since I told him to leave. Since then Frank and I had been taking our relationship slowly in order for the trust to come back naturally and not forced. We were yet to spend the night together that’s how slow we had been taking it. Flicking through my wardrobe I decided on a black playsuit with bright flowers printed on it and my ankle boots that had the smallest of heels. Usually I would have put a black blazer on to complete the look but instead I opted for the quilted leather jacket I bought the other day. It was one of those types of buys that is not your normal style but you go for it regardless. I did my usual cat like eyeliner and stained my lips with my usual red lipstick before popping in my contacts and leaving.

I made it to the pub in good time, taking a deep breath as I stared at the front of the old fashioned looking bar. The familiar smell of stale beer and smoke filled my sense as I walked the few steps down to get to the main area. I looked everywhere to see if I could see Frank anywhere but with no such luck. “You look lost love. Can I help?” A husky voice came from at the side of me as I stood on the bottom step looking round.
“Oh no sorry I am just waiting for someone I thought they might have been here that’s all.” I looked at the buff guy, who owned that voice, slowly with a sad smile on my lips.
“Well how about I wait with you until they turn up? Pretty girl like you shouldn’t wait by herself.” He shot me a dimpled smile. “I’ll even buy you any drink of your choice.” He tried even harder. “Look 2 seats have just got free, why don’t we go sit down and when your…friend comes they can take my seat.” He smiled more genuinely this time.
“Yeah sure.” I smiled lightly as his smile grew and he led me through the crowd to the two empty seats with ease. I took the seat to his left peering around one last time looking for Frank.
“So what’s your name darling?” the buff guy asked whilst trying to get the bartenders attention.
“Nina.” I smiled at him as he finally got the barman’s attention. “Yourself?” well I can’t keep calling him buff guy.
“Well Nina it is lovely to meet you, I’m James.” He smiled as he took my hand and kissed the back of it causing a slight giggle to escape. “What would you like to drink?” he smiled more as he noticed my smile getting bigger.
“Tonic and lime please.” I smiled as I told him my usual, relaxing more and more around him.
“Oh you’re not a drinker?” he cocked his eyebrow in my direction as he ordered. I took this opportunity to eye him up. He was wearing dark jeans, with a tight band t-shirt –whose I couldn’t see- beat up white converse and a denim jacket and a pair of black Ray Ban sunglasses tucked in his belt loop. “When you finished checking me out here’s your drink.” He chuckled sliding my clear drink my way as I felt my cheeks burn up.
“I wasn’t checking you out. I was… I have an eye for detail.” I laughed out of embarrassment.
“I should try that line next time I’m checking out a girl.” He nudged me as we laughed more. “So if you’re not a drinker why are you at a bar?” He eyed me suspiciously a smile tugging on his lips.
“Told you meeting a friend.” I frowned a little as I stirred my drink with the straw to distract the gnawing feeling inside.
“Yet you don’t seem so happy about being here?” He pushed, sliding his pointing finger under my chin and tilting it to look at him gently as he smiled a caring smile. “Why?”
“It’s a long, boring story.” I looked away from his bright green eyes biting my lip and gave a small shrug.
“Well let’s see how far we can get before your friend turns up or I fall asleep.” I laughed causing him to smile.
“He’s an ex fiancé, who I left because he chose drugs over me.” I shrugged going back to stirring my drink.
“That’s not very long, or boring for that matter.” He smiled as he picked as the label on his bottle of beer.
“We met when we was kids, childhood sweethearts y’know?” I looked up to see him nod. “He’s in a band and the lifestyle caught up on him and when it got bad I left him. On my twenty first he brought me here and we saw fun. play.” I paused thinking back to that day again. “Well I saw fun. play, he saw the monsters in the bathroom.” I looked up at James to see if he got what I meant and the small rub of his nose told me he did. “I guess this place just brings back memories. We had one of the biggest arguments we’d ever had that night. I ended up carrying him home and I could have easily killed him.” I laughed a little as I thought of throttling Frank that night. “He’s been clean for a while now and we’re retesting our relationship so I don’t really understand why he wanted me to come back to this place. I’ve not been here since.” I bit my lip tightly. “I spent my twenty first birthday alone.” I laughed shaking my head as the silence took over us. I decided to take my jacket off as more people had come in to the club and it had started to get stuffy.
“Nice tattoo.” James finally spoke as he nodded towards a smaller version of Frank’s doves on my wrist.
“Oh thanks he has bigger ones on his waist.” I smiled, “we got them when I turned 18 like a friendship thing you know? We were going to get the Green Day heart hand grenade but I was aiming to be a lawyer and a grenade wouldn’t have looked good in court.” I laughed wiping my stray tears that I had just noticed escaping.
“Can I tell you honestly what I think?” He looked at me slowly smiling when I nodded. “I think he might be trying to make up for what he did on your birthday.” He signalled for the barman to get us another round.
“You got that all from what I’ve told you?” I asked him with a raised eyebrow. If the answer is yes then he clearly is some kind of Sherlock Holmes.
“Well, that’s the only reason I can think of. He’s recreating the scene but changing the parts.” He laughed a little looking past my shoulder.
“One problem with that though.” I looked at him smiling, “Fun. was playing that night and I honestly don’t think they’d play back here given their success. Nice theory though.”
“It’s unusually busy.” James stood up with him drink smiling and nodding to someone. It was then I noticed the name of the band on his t-shirt. “Lovely meeting you Nina, Frank told me so much about you.” He smiled walking away leaving me gobsmacked.

“Give me a second I, I need to get my story straight.”