These Are the Fast Times

Victoria

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“Hey.”

Someone pokes me in the side.

“No…” I groan, not wanting to wake up. “What do you want?”

“Are you awake?” Jack asks.

“No,” I flatly reply, my face in my pillow and my voice muffled.

“Aren’t you late for work?” he continues.

“Shit!” I exclaim, sitting straight up before realizing it’s the weekend. “Ass…” I say, hitting his shoulder in annoyance. He grins.

“Since you’re awake now…” he begins hopefully.

“Are you kidding me?” I groan, putting the pillow back over my head.

“Fine. I see how it is,” he huffs.

I hear the creak of the mattress as he gets out of bed.

I also hear him slip before he falls on the floor with a giant thump.

“Ow!” he groans loudly. “My back! FUCK!”

“I’m still here, you perverts!” Lila shouts from the kitchen.

I roll my eyes as Jack starts making obnoxiously loud moaning noises from where he’s still tangled in the blankets on the floor.

“We’re not even doing anything!”I yell back to Lila. I throw a pillow at him, hitting him in the face. “Shut up, Jack!”

He then starts laughing hysterically.

I roll my eyes, tossing another pillow his way before getting out of bed.

Lila’s almost out the door when I stop her.

“Wait,” I say. “I…”

“I’m going to be late,” she replies.

“Fine, we’ll talk later. What about dinner? How late are you going to work?”

She shrugs, still half in the doorway.

“I don’t know. I’ll text you?” she asks. I sigh inwardly.

“Fine,” I agree. I let her leave and head back for the kitchen, where Jack is searching the cabinets. “What are you doing?”

“Making breakfast,” he replies.

“Pop-Tarts?” I guess, raising an eyebrow. I cross my eyes and lean against the counter.

“Yup,” he replies, finding the box.

I can’t help but smile.

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“Are you driving up next weekend?” I ask Jack hopefully.

“Maybe,” he replies. “We might have a show. I’ll call you either way,” he says, kissing my cheek before getting in his car.

He waves and smiles then drives off.

I go back inside mine and Lila’s apartment, but she’s at work again, and I get bored almost instantly.

I pull up my computer to video-chat with whoever’s online, which happens to be Melly.

“You haven’t been on in ages,” she comments bluntly.

“Nice to see you too, Mel,” I answer.

“Right. Been busy?”

“Yeah. Work on the weekdays and band stuff on weekends. I don’t know what I’m going to do when classes actually start. How about you?”

“Just getting ready for tour,” she sighs. “We leave in a few days.”

“How’s the apartment hunting going?”

“We haven’t been looking. We’re still saving up,” she sighs again, then leans in closer to the screen. “…but seriously, have you ever lived with three boys?” She rolls her eyes.

“Hey!” an indignant shout comes from Mike in the background, and she rolls her eyes again. “Who are you- Hey! Vicky T!” Mike exclaims, appearing behind her with William and Sisky.

“Hey guys,” I smile. “Where’s Michael? And Butcher?” I ask curiously.

“Michael’s at work,” she replies, as the three of them disperse, continuing on their way. “Butcher’s looking for a job.”

“How is he?”

“Uh…you know. Could be worse, I guess? How about Lila?”

“That bad? She’s ok…I don’t know. It’s weird. She’s always working.” I shrug. “I feel like we’re one of those couples who’s been married since forever but don’t ever have time for each other,” I deadpan.

“You mean like my parents?” she jokes back.

“I think she’s avoiding me by working all the time so I don’t question her about missing Butcher.

“Maybe they’ll be happier when Butcher visits after tour?” she says, hopefully. I’m about to reply when her phone abruptly rings and she has to go.

She disconnects, and I’m bored and alone in the apartment with nothing to do until band practice tonight.