Suicide Season

My blood boiled in my veins, and I could feel my face getting red with anger. I knew there was a reason for not wanting to go to work today. And that reason was standing right infront of me.

"Good afternoon, Gents." I said plastering on a fake smile and trying to calm myself down.

"Aye. Afternoon too you too Miss." A guy with amazingly blue eyes, and striking similarities to the brown-eyed terror standing next to him. Thomas Sykes. I was sure he had some doing in this, being the micheivous blue-eyed prat he was.

"My name is Veronica." I said sticking my hand out to the younger Sykes brother for him to shake. I repeated two words in my head as I shook hands and looked into his eyes -- he was definitely up to no good Be professional.

"I'm Tom." He said smiling.

"Matt." The one next to him said, sticking his hand out. Matt Nicholls. I wonder what Natalia was up to these days. I shook his hand, and tried to be as professional as possible.

"Matt, but call me Vegan." Matt Kean. He hadn't changed at all, nor did he shake my hand.

"Curtis." Curtis Ward. I shook his hand as well and noticed he seemed less than interested in whatever was going on.

"I'm Lee." Ah, Lee Malia. He's thinned out since I saw him last, still had a baby face though. His handshake seemed... sincere for lack of a better word.

"Sheep, the manager. I won't be staying though. These chumps wanted to handle this one on their own." The oldest looking man out of the group said shaking my hand. He seemed clueless of whatever Tom was thinking and planning.

I turned to the last one. The one I wanted to avoid all together. The one that made my anxiety go through the roof. I stuck my hand out to him and he took it. I looked at him as if I wasn't sure who he was and he pulled me into a hug. I should have known from the last time I tried that, it doesn't work with this one.

"I missed you Vee." He said holding tight.

"Aye, Oli Sykes." I said rolling my eyes, and pulling away.

"Right then. I'm going to have a drink - or four - and fill my stomach. Gimme a call when you're done." Sheep said, walking away.

"Aye, and if you'll follow me we'll get started." I said, starting to turn away.

"Well, didn't you miss us? Aren't you happy to see us?" Tom asked.

"It's strictly business now, wee Sykes." I said turning fully and walking to my office. I took their file out of the holder on the door, and let them all inside the office. We all sat at the small confrence table, and I opened the file. "So, Bring Me The Horizon want's to play at Noise Theater." I said looking at the file, then up at the six remaining boys.

"Aye, we've gt the money and such. That isn't a problem anymore. All we need to know is when we're playing and with who." Curtis said from the other end of the table.

"Well, I'll fit you on the bill with Mastodon next month. Enough time to get promoted and to get a setlist ready. You'll have rooms booked at the hotel a block away and we'll schedule a meet and greet before the show. You've got people for lights, sound, and to set up the equipment?" I asked.

"You're looking at the best damn drum tech on earth." Tom said smiling.

"Right, well I'm sure I've met better. I'll be contacting you within the week about prices and deposits." I said standing.

"I'll be in town for the next week and a half. Why don't we schedule something for next wednesday?" Oliver suggested, looking up at me.

"Sounds fine. Ten o'clock Wednesday morning." I said. "Sound fine?" I asked.

"It's perfect, love. Mum says hello by the way." Oliver said standing up, still taller than myself, and smiled.

"Tell her I said hello." I walked over to the office door, and held it open. "Good day, gents."

"See you later Vee. Have a good night. We all missed you!" Tom said walking out of the room last and lightly hitting my shoulder.

I looked up at the clock. It was two thirty. I had to do all kinds of booking for these idiots, notify Mastodon about them coming to the show, and I had completely forgot to go over what they wanted backstage. I sat down at my desk and put my head in my hands. I wasn't sure I would handle all this. I needed to find someone else to work on this, but that was going to be impossible. Everything that had to do with the show that night was going to be my responsibility. This show was to let my boss know that I could handle anything. Even people from my past who I would have loved to slap silly when I noticed that they were planning something.

I heard my office door creak open slowly so I looked up, practically on the verge of tears, to see Oliver.

"Erm, Vee, I was wondering if you'd be interested in having dinner with me tonight." Oliver stepped inside the office shyly and shut the door behind him.

"I don't know. Marina and I already have plans." I said leaning back in the plush microsuede office chair.

"Oh, well I was thinking we could go around eight. That is if your plans don't carry on that long."

"I'm stull unsure. I've got your number so I'll give you a ring later if I can go." I pulled my chair up to the desk and made it look like I was busy."

"I really hope you can find the time." Oliver said walking out of my office and closing the door behind him.

I sighed and picked up the phone. My fingers hit the keys and dialed Marina's number without even thinking. It rang three times before she picked up.

"Hello darling." She said in a sing-song voice. "Meeting over already?"

"Aye and I've got to talk to you about something super important. I'll be there in about twenty minutes." My words were rushed as my anxiety kicked in and I grabbed all the floders on my desk and shoved the into the barely used black work bag that hung on the wall behind my desk.

"Is everything alright?!" Marina asked, now panicing herself.

"My past has come back to haunt me." I said hanging up and sliding my coat on. I took my red gloves out of the pocket and put them on my hands as I ran out of my office. "I'm working from home tonight. I'll see you lot later!" I yelled running down the hallway and out the doors. I started to walk the way I came, the quickest way to Marina's, when I saw the group of them walking the same way. Damn it all to hell! Now I had to go the long way around. I quickly turned and walked away as fast as I could. I hated the two and a half minute ride in the elevator and the forty-five seconds it took to get to Marina's door because I was alone. And right now I didn't want to be alone.

When Marina opened the door I threw my arms around her and started to hyper ventilate. I thought I may have wanted to see him. I've been thinking about it for three years and now I wasn't so sure thats what I wanted.

"What's gotten into you, girl?" Marina asked. "What happened at work?" Marina let me in and closed the door behind me.

I sat on the couch and set my bag under the coffee table. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to slow my breathing.

"Well?" Marina asked sitting next to me.

"He actually had the balls to come ask me for a gig. Oliver fucking Sykes showed up in London." I said looking up at her.

"That boy from Sheffield?!" Marina asked.

"Yeah! He's got a band now and shoed up to ask for a gig. It's like all his mates knew I worked there and it was a surprise to him." I said, tears welling in my eyes. Not because I was sad about seeing him. Because this is what happened when I got anxious. Everything got too much for me so I just cried.

"Oi! How's that going to work out with Adrien and all? Obiously there's something with the two of you. Meaning you and Oliver." Marina bit her bottom lip. It meant she was thinking.

"Then after they all left, Oliver came back in and wanted to meet for dinner tonight." I added.

"And?!" Marina exclaimed, her eyes practically popping out of her head. "What did you say?!"

"Well I was kind of rude when I told him no. I said I already had plans in a complete bitch tone." I slid my boots off and curled up in a ball on the couch. "I thought I wanted to see him again. I really thought it would be nice. But it wasnt."

"Probably because you were caught off guard. If you would have had time to prepare for him being in town then maybe it would have been easier to see him." Marina suggested.

I simply shrugged and fought off all the tears that flooded my eyes like all the times I tried to forget about in Sheffield flooded back into my brain.

"You're going out to dinner with him." Marina said afer a moment of silence.

"Excuse me?!" I asked. "Since when do you make theses types of decisions for me?"

"Since now. Don't take this the wrong way but you and Adrien seem a little... distant. I know you're not thinking about breaking up with Adrien and this definitely isn't even a date! You're going out to catch up with an old friend. And if Adrien has an issue with it you let me know." Marina crossed her arms and gave me the stare down.

"Why should I go?" I asked.

"Because if you don't you could regret it. Just like you regret not staying in Sheffield when you took that trip." Marina said, knowing she was making a point.

"No way. I don't regret not staying in Sheff! I aboviously was not meant to go back otherwise I would have stayed a while and not come straight home." I said denying everything she was saying, because it was all true.

"Veronica, you're going! And that's the last of it. Now why don't you call and tell him you'll be going. And give him the adress so he can pick you up." Marina smiled. She knew she'd won this time.

"Marina it's only three forty-five. I'm not going to call just yet. He said he was going at eight." I said relaxing a little.

"Call now or I will call for you." She said raising an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes and took my mobile out of my pocket, and Marina grinned. "I should give you a chelsea smile for this." I said, looking at the file and dialing his number. "Then you're face could alway's be like that."

"Don't be so sour. You'll thankme later." Marina huffed walking away to the kitchen to make something to eat or drink. I wasn' quite sure yet.