Love's Requiem

“Luka!” I screeched running and tackling him to the floor.

“I missed you too?” He chuckled in Croatian hugging me tightly.

“You actually missed me?” I asked still laughing and hugging him.

“I won’t anymore if you don’t let me up.” He told me sternly as I helped him up and dragged him to the dressing room where everyone now probably was.

“So how’d practice go?” I asked Luka as we walked, down the hallway.

“Long, and freezing.” He laughed.

“Don’t tell me you actually practice in the shorts?” I smirked.

“For the record I couldn’t find my sweatpants this morning.” He defended making me laugh.

“Oh how I missed you.” I said shaking my head as I opened the door and we walked in.

“Speak American!” Jack shouted to me while he was changing his shirt.

“Jack, Rian, Zack this is Luka.” I began introducing them.

“Nice to meet you.” Luka mumbled with his horrible English, as I introduced everyone to him in Croatian.

“And you two know each other.” I sighed motioning between Luka and Alex.

“Hello Alex.” Luka smirked, as Alex nodded.

“This doesn’t sound like the normal stuff you listen to.” Luka commented as we watched the guys from the side of the stage after they went on that night.

“Which is why I work for them.” I laughed, shaking my head as I only watched Alex.

“What’s the deal with you and him?” He asked noticing it.

“There is no deal, not anymore at least.” I sighed.

“What happened?”

“It’s long, and complicated.”

“And yet you stare at him like a love sick puppy, Isabella why don’t you just go for it?”

“I have and every time I do, something interferes. Let him come to me now, I’m over getting burned.” I told him dismissing it.

Luka came back to our hotel, where we went to the hotel lounge and bar to have a few drinks and talk more.

“I should be getting back, I have a game tomorrow I shouldn’t be throwing beers back with you.” Luka teased as he got up.

“Yeah,” I sighed finishing my beer and looking at my watch, fuck wake up is in 3 hours for me.” I sighed noticing that it was 3 am.

“I’ll see you Friday,” He told me as I walked him through the lobby out the entrance.

“Why not sooner?”

“Away game Thursday.” He told me tapping my nose with his index finger.

“Good luck, you don’t need it though.” I assured him giving him a tight hug.

“It’s good to see you Isabella.” He added kissing my cheek as he headed to his car and I
headed back inside out of the cold.

I headed up to the room where Jack was passed out and actually did me a huge favor and packed up my laptop and paper work since tomorrow we’d be leaving to head to the next city and hotel.

“And what time did you get in?” Jack smirked while we all sat eating breakfast the next morning waiting to check out.

“3, thank you again for packing up my backpack.” I said graciously.

“Don’t mention it, where’d you end up going last night I mean we got back pretty late?” He asked.

“The lounge, I’m kind of afraid to pay my bar bill later.” I told him, making everyone chuckle.

“So is Niko coming tonight?” Alex said sarcastically.

“No, no he’s not. He has a game in Manchester today.” I explained ignoring the bitterness of
his tone.

“What a shame.”

“Yeah, so anyway you guys finish eating and I’m off to take care of my bill.” I said shaking my head and heading to the concierge.

“So I’ve made an observation.” Jack began while we were on the bus making our way to the next venue.

“This ought to be good seeing as you just used up your SAT word.” I mumbled, making Rian laugh.

“Shut up!” He chuckled, “I couldn’t help but notice how you’re wearing black jeans, dunks, and some band I can’t even read’s logo and of course an acacia strain hoodie today.”

“Your point this is what I normally wear,” I said closing the book I was reading.

“Well when we’re on the road, however in New York and when we’re off or going out you dress girly. Is it because you feel you have the need to intimidate the other bands and their crew?” He asked me.

“What are you talking about?”

“I get what you’re saying.” Vinny agreed.

“Good, maybe one of you can fill me in I’m confused.”

“Stop fronting and be girly during shows!” Jack and Vinny shouted.

“I am girly, see look how nicely the black and gold dunks match my black and tan shirt and hoodie.” I smiled.

“I’ll make a deal with you.” Jack smirked sitting on my legs that I had up on the couch.

“What deal? What for? I still don’t understand.”

“Ugh do I have to get your friend on the phone to translate or your brother?”

“You know I just realized you never met my brother.” I pointed out.

“Come to think of it you’re right.” He paused to think, “But getting back! If you can dress all girly tonight, when we go to Niko’s game I’ll buy you whatever you’d like from the team store.” He proposed.

“For real?” I asked.

“For real.” He nodded.

“Fuckin’ a, deal!” I said shaking his hand.

“But I have to approve the outfit first to make sure its girly enough.” He added.

“Fuck I don’t care.” I smirked going back to my book.

“And you have to wear heels.”

“Once again no problem.” I assured him as I read on.

After we reached the our new hotel, I checked us in with the other tour managers, and then handed out the room keys, somehow ended up being shacked up with Alex, which for some reason I didn’t feel the need to complain about. After we all settled in to the rooms, I had to have Jack come to the room and help me find something to wear before we headed to the venue for my walk through, load in, and sound check.

“Perfect!” Jack exclaimed as I came out of the bathroom, in a dark blue plaid tunic, and black winter leggings. “Let me survey the shoes.” He added as Alex sat on his bed watching.

“They’re about 4 inches.” I told him showing the pair of black boots I was planning on wearing.

“Passable.” He nodded as he got up and left while I slipped them on, as well as a black knitted hat.

Of course through out the walk through, and set up I kept getting stares and weird looks from the other bands and their crew. Not to mention getting hit on by a few, mind you we’ve already been on the tour for the past three or four days and a few of the bands we’ve toured with already.

“Has she tripped at all yet?” I heard Jack asking around.

“Not that I’ve seen.” Whoever he was talking too responded.

“Face it my darling Jack, love of my life, fire in my soul I will be taking you to the poor house
Friday.” I smiled walking off to the dressing rooms.

Six hours later, we were on the way back to the hotel and I was gloating how in a matter of minutes I’d be winning the bet.

“T-minus ten minutes!” I shouted in the van as we turned the corner of the hotel.

“Why did I think she couldn’t do this again?” I heard Jack ask Vinny.

“Cause normally she trips in dunks on the regular basis?”

“Voodoo woman, stop using your gypsy magic!” Jack shouted pointing at me as I got out of the van carefully so I wouldn’t slip or fall.

“Great now I have someone else calling me a gypsy.” I mumbled to myself rolling my eyes as we all headed in to the hotel.

As the elevator we all crammed in to reached our floor, I began to rub it in Jack’s face even more.

“Are you ready Jack? Vincent? Cause right now you’re about to witness” I began as the door opened and I walked off to see someone waiting in the hallway, “Što ti radiš ovdje?!” I exclaimed as I saw Niko with a smirk on his face.

“I’m about to witness a what?” Jack asked confused.

“Me running in heels.” I smirked pulling out my room key running to the door, “Give me one
second I have to win a bet.” I told Niko quickly, as I ran in to the room and sat on my bed waiting for Jack who walked in a few seconds later as I heard Alex say hi to Niko.

“Okay, you won.” Jack sighed in defeat, as I got up and jumped on Niko hugging him and wrapping my legs around him.

“I missed you so much!” I giggled to him in Croatian. “I though I wasn’t seeing you till tomorrow?” I asked him as he put me down.

“Luka said you were upset, I figured I’d come and see you.” He shrugged.

“Luka.” I mumbled shaking my head, “How’d the game go?”

“Won,” He smiled, “5 to 2”

“Very nice.” I smiled hugging him again.

“Are you going to stand out there speaking crazy Croat talk or are you going to bring your guest in here and introduce me you glass bitch?” I heard Jack say from inside the room making me laugh.

“Come on you have to meet Jack,” I chuckled as Niko and I came in the room.

“Oh hi.” Jack smiled casually while he opened my laptop, and was spread out on my bed in a full on playgirl pose.

“Like I said you had to meet Jack.” I joked, “Jack this is Niko, Niko this is Mister Jack Barakat, guitarist and resident sex symbol of all time low.”

“You also forgot to mention how we’re soul mates.” Jack mumbled.

“And my long lost soul mate?” I said with a laugh.

“Nice to meet you,” Niko said shaking Jack’s hand, “Isabella told me a lot of about you.”

“Same here, big boy.” Jack said giving him a wink, as I slapped my forehead. “He’s hotter in person.” He added looking at me.

“Jack!” I exclaimed. “You’re being too friendly!”

“Pssh shows what you know, I was merely testing him.”

“For what?”

“You really think that any man that for a living changes in a room with a whole group of other dudes and runs around chasing balls will like women, please 5 out of ten totally want me.” He explained.

“Okay, this is where him and I leave.” I said taking Niko’s hand and my room key as we headed downstairs.