FicWad

Twenty minutes later we had our food and were engaged in a conversation at a table near a window. What they were talking about I had no idea, however there was a nice little side store across the street that looked inviting.
Hell, the back ally that crossed along the river next to the store would have set me more at ease than this situation.

"So, for your guys' time off you decided to drive all of the way out here?"
I look up to see the three staring at me expectantly.
"Well when we set out, we didn't plan to come here," I state, "Well at least I didn't plan it," I mumble, turning to continue looking outside.
"Well, you must have had some planning since you did call me right before you left," Reilly states.
I look at him questioningly.
"I called you?" I ask.
"Yeah..." he states hesitantly.
Glancing across the table I see Alicia and Josh stare anywhere but in my general direction.
"I should have known something was up the first night," I bite out.
"Jen, don't be too mad. We wanted to meet him and we thought it would be good for you two to talk," Alicia pleads.
"If we want to talk we have the option of calling each other," I say, my voice rising a little.
"Well you obviously weren't going to anytime soon!" She states louder.
"Maybe because I needed some time off from shit. Unlike you I don't just break up with someone and get back together the next night and have some kind of amazing makeup sex to make it all better!" I said regretting the last part as soon as it came out of my mouth.

It goes quiet for a few second as we all look at our food we are just picking at.
"Maybe I should just go," Reilly states, setting enough money to pay for all four of us.
"No, you don't have to," I quietly say. "It's not your fault...nor mine for that matter, that we ended up meeting this way."
"Well, I understand if you want to turn this offer down, but when you called...or when I though you called, I mean when Alicia called, well when Alicia called pretending to be you-"
"Okay, I get it," I laugh, "continue on."
"It was arranged for you three to stay with me while you were here," he said and quickly added, "But as I said before, I understand if you don't want to."
I looked around at the two sitting across the booth. They really didn't mean any harm, but they just don't know when to stop sometimes. What they have planned as good intentions usually doesn't end that way, especially when they don't know the whole story behind why things are the way they are.
Looking back up at him I feel old feelings come back and find it hard to turn him down. After all, he did set up arrangements to meet us here and take us in. Knowing that that is just going to be my excuse to say yes with out letting Alicia and Josh know that they had won. Damn.
"Sure, why not," I state quietly.
I mean, what's the worst that could happen.

Forty minutes later we wind up parked outside a light beige house located in a little suburb just outside of San Francisco. I had the pleasure of riding in an awkward silence with Reilly, since I felt bad had he have drove all of the way back here alone after everything that had gone on.
"It's not much, but its home," he states climbing out of his beat up Chevy and grabbing my bags out of the back of Alicia's jeep.
"It's okay I've got them," I say taking them from him.
The last thing I need right now is any sign of us being too civil towards one another. Next thing you know we'd be pushed to share a room together.
"So I was thinking, maybe we can bunk together," He suddenly says innocently.
I smile knowingly, he always could tell what was going through my mind. "Depends how drunk you get me."
"Wouldn't be the first time," he banters back.
I let out a little laugh, "Good thing I don't drink anymore, huh."
"Yeah," he breathes, "I'll believe that when I see it."

That night Alicia and I decided to let the guys cook dinner. We later decided that that wasn't the brightest idea we've had. After two altercations with smoke setting off the fire alarm and the mistake of one of them leaving an oven mitt on top of the stove while it was on, we decided it would be better to just order a pizza.
Small talk was made, but traveling had worn us out and we decided to turn in early. At least that was my excuse. Although we were on talking terms, the air still was not clear between us. I had had enough for the day and decided to wait a day or so before I opened that can of worms. That's if I even decided to go down that path at all. It was only about 8:30 and I was restless. I needed fresh air and a place to think where I wouldn't be interrupted by people asking me questions I did not feel like answering. Hell, half of them I couldn't answer. As I got up from bed, I grabbed my coat sitting on a nearby chair and quietly went out the back door, hoping to all hell that no one had heard or seen me.

I decided to take off down the road towards a little corner store I had seen on our way in here. When I got towards the end of the block I heard music coming from one of the garages at the end. I could tell right away that someone was having band practice and I immediately thought back at home when my dad would have band practices. I loved to sit in there and listen to them. Whether they were good or bad it didn't matter. I just loved the sound of loud guitars and drums.
As I got closer I stopped at the house next to it, just to listen a little better. Who ever they were sounded pretty young, but they were good. It sounded as though they had their shit together.
The music died and I seen someone walk out the side door of the garage, so I kept walking. I took another glance at the house as I walked by and seen the guy that had walked out glance in my direction. Too bad it was already dark out. Damn.
Mental note to self; check them out in the daytime.


It's funny how you can be the last one to go to sleep yet the first one to wake up. I never was one to sleep in past nine, especially when I'm at someone else's house. It's weird how something as simple as not having your own pillow that you grew up with can lead to a restless night of sleep. All in all it wasn't too bad though.

Being the first up, I thought it would be a nice peace offering to make a little something for breakfast. Besides that, I hadn't really gotten the incentive to eat much yesterday with everything that had gone on. Rummaging through the cupboards I found some pancake mix with an expiration date that had not passed yet. That's one thing about bachelor pads that ceases to amaze me. They would drink sour milk before they would go to the store.
No more than ten minutes had passed after I had started making food when Josh followed closely by Reilly appeared coming down the stairs. I guess one way to get Alicia and Josh detached is through food, I laugh to myself.
"Mornin'," I say putting an already fixed plate in front of them.
"Uh huh," is all I hear mumbled as they begin to eat.

A minute later Alicia comes down the stairs dressed nicely and wide awake.
"Here, hurry up and eat and get ready," she says, handing me a plate.
"We in a rush?" I ask.
"We're going out," she states.
"Where?" Josh asks.
"You two aren't coming with us," she says, smirking.
I look at her with disbelief. "Are you serious? I mean will you be able to operate without him?" I ask half jokingly half serious.
"We need me and you time," she says.
I know better. I can see she has something on her mind, and I can probably pin exactly what it is.
I glance over at Reilly, "Are you two going to be okay with out us?"
He smirks, "I've managed for the past three years here."
"Smartass."
"Just don't burn anything or disable any limbs," Alicia says as she looks at me to hurry up.
"I'm going, jeeze any other time you'd be late to your own funeral," I joke.


A half an hour later I find myself in a De Ja Voux walking down the street I had walked down last night.
"So," she says breaking the silence that I was contempt with.
"So," I repeat back to her smiling. "I can tell you want to say something."
"Where'd ya go last night?" she asks.
I laugh, "I didn't go anywhere."
"I'm pretty sure I seen you walk out the back door last night."
I sigh, "I needed air."
"I see."
"You know, you threw a lot on me yesterday. And...I know you didn't mean harm but-"
"Jen, I was just trying to help."
"I understand. But I mean, you could have at least told me or hinted or something," I say exasperated.
"Well, we though that it would be a surprise."
"You sure as hell surprised me," I laugh. "But in a way I guess it is somewhat good. In what way I don't know yet. But, I'm sure it will help by the time we leave here."

It's quiet for a moment.
"I'm sorry," she says "I didn't realize just how awkward it was between you two."
"No apologies," I say, turning to look at her, "This is our last spring break, so lets not make it full of regrets."
"No strings," she says.
"No strings."

I look around and realize we coming towards the house I stopped at last night.
"I came this way last night to go to the store," I say.
"Yeah?" she asks
"Yep, and you know what I found out?"
"What?"
"I found out that the store was in the totally opposite direction," I say and we both burst out laughing.
"Well did you ever make it to the store?"
"Yeah, but when I came down here first I heard a band playing."
"Any good?"
"They sounded decent. And I seen one of them," I say, waiting for the question that I knew was coming.
"Hot?" she asks.
"Don't know," I say smiling, "It was dark."
She starts laughing again. "You just had all sorts of problems yesterday, didn't you?"
"Definitely could have been better," I say, glancing at the garage from last night. "It was this house."

As we approached the house we heard music start up.
"Did they even stop playing last night?" I ask rhetorically. "This is the same song I heard them leave off with," I say with a laugh.
"They do sound good though. Better then some that we've come to see in our area," Alicia says.

Just then we hear someone come behind us. We turn around to see two kids about our age walk up, one carrying a guitar case, the other sporting green hair and a pair of drum sticks.
"Well hello," the one carrying the sticks says.
"Hey there," I say looking at the two. "Are you guys in a band?" I ask, realizing it was a stupid question.
"No, we just like go for walks carrying this stuff," the green haired kid says sarcastically.
I smile, "Well then that means that your probably the ones I heard playing last night."
The other boy with dark brown hair speaks up, " And you must be the one I seen out walking last night."
"That would be me."
"You two new here?" he asks.
"Yeah," says Alicia. "We're just trying to find our way around right now.
"Tell ya what," the green haired boy said, "since you think our band is good-"
"I never said that," I said with a smirk.
"Yeah you did, we were right behind you," he said smiling.
"No, I said you were decent."
He looks at me mockingly. "Okay, so because you think we're decent, how about you guys come watch us practice and then we can show you around this place."
"I'm game," I say looking at Alicia.
"Jen, I don't think-" Looking at her expression I could tell she wanted to back out.
"Josh can wait," I say, knowing exactly what she was thinking.
She's quiet for a moment. "Alright," she says grudgingly.
"By the way, I'm Tré, he's Mike, and you are Jen?"
"Yeah," I say in confirmation.
"Alicia," she says, sounding a little pissed off.

Damn, I think to myself.