Sunsets to Sunrises

“Damn it, Jake!” I partially scolded and laughed at my techie. “Can’t you get anything right!”

It was about 2 in the afternoon and we were just finishing the teching for tonight’s show at a local club. I’d been playing shows locally for a couple of years now. I am nearing the end of my senior year in high school and now shows were starting to get bigger and bigger.

“I’m trying there, love!” Jake hollered back to me from where he stood at he techie booth, at the opposite end of the room. He smiled back at me his cute yet crooked smile. Jake ran a hand through his tousled hair while fiddling with the board. Jake and I had been dating forever. One year, actually, not that I’m counting. I met him at the beginning of sophomore year, when he first moved to Scottsdale. “Alright,” Jake called to me when he was done fiddling with some switches, “Now give it a try.”

I gave him a quick smiled before singing into the mic. “Sounds awesome!” I yelled back, “Now, do you know how to change gels? I’m not really liking the colour of these lights.”

“Picky, picky,” Jake teased me whilst he walked towards the ladder balanced underneath the row of stage lights. He pulled off an orange gel and replaced it with a clear one before turning to me, “Better?” he asked.

“Much.” Now we were all set. “Let’s go and get some eats!”

Jake stepped down from the ladder and laced his fingers through mine. We walked out of the empty club to the In ‘N Out Burger a few minutes away.

“So, how many people do you think will be there tonight?” Jake casually asked me as we munched on our well-done fries.

“I...” I started to reply but was cut of by the person who walked in the restaurant.

Kennedy Brock had just walked in. He and his friend, Pat, came here sometimes when they came from Tempe to Scottsdale to visit their friend Garrett. I didn’t understand why they still came to In ‘N Out, especially since Kennedy very well knew that I would be there.

Now, I wasn’t one of those bitches who just chose someone to hate. No, I had a reason. And a good one at that.

Jake turned around to see who’d come in when I’d stopped talking.
“Hmph,” was all he said before taking my arm and quickly leading me out.

“Oh, hey Maddie,” Kennedy shyly said to me when he noticed I was there. “Just leaving?”

“Yea,” I replied back, sounding a bit more rude than I had intended. Turning my back, Jake and I left the restaurant without saying another word to Kennedy.

Just before Jake and I reached his car I looked back at In ‘N Out. Kennedy was still standing where I had left him, rubbing the back of his neck, staring at me. I got in Jake’s car and took in a big breath.

“Don’t worry,” Jake comforted me, seeing as I was on the verge of tears, “I won’t let that bastard get anywhere near you.”

I looked down and nodded, secretly wishing he would.