Lust, Life and Death.

Before she knew it, it had been nearly five weeks since she had seen the strange band boy, she had seen his band almost constantly in magazines.

Grace was working that night; it was a Tuesday so nothing that exiting was going on. Just the regulars in tonight and a few randomers who had popped in to watch the sporting event happening that night on the TV. Grace was practically alone at the bar. The only people missing from the group of large men gathered around the TV on the wall was her and an old alcoholic couple who went be the names of Karen and Gill. They were both lovely.

Grace heard the door to the bar open but didn't bother to look up. She simply continued to clean the bar.

"Long time no see." Grace heard a voice say from in front of her. She looked up to see Tom sitting across from here smiling to himself triumphantly.

"Hello stranger." Grace grinned back "What brings you here?"

"We had a meeting with a company around here." Tom smiled placing his hands on the bar as he looked around at the sparse population of the bar that night. "I thought I would pop in for a while and say hi."
Grace let out a giggle. "Really? You could go anywhere you want and you decide to come to this shitting little hole?"

"Yeah" Tom smiled "Of corse."

"Well, I feel honored. Want a drink?"

"Yes please, love. Get one for yourself too." The majority of the evening was spent with the two of them sitting at the bar discussing mostly everything. From their individual past to their future. Family, friends, past relationships, everything. Grace seemed to be able to open up to Tom so easily.
By around eleven the two seemed to know practically everything about each other.

"So what's it like on tour?" Grace asked taking another small sip of her drink.

"Lonely" Tom replied. "I mean, you've got the band, the crew, and the fans. But it's not like you have someone to cuddle up with. You can't get away either, like, when you're having a bad day, you can't just climb off the bus and take a wonder, you have to be at the venue, do sound check, play a show then you've got bus call. You can't get away." Grace nodded and watched as Tom took a large swig from his bottle.

"Do you have anyone to cuddle up with at home then?" Grace asked before pouring herself another drink and placing her money into the register.

"Nah, not anymore." Tom's face was straight but Grace could hear the sadness in his tone.

"Anymore?"

"Yeah, not for a long time." Grace slowly placed her hand on top of Toms and gave him a sort of comforting smile.

"What about you?" Tom asked snapping his head up and looking deeply into her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Grace asked taking her hand off his and whipping down the bar.

"Have you got someone to cuddle?"

"No" Grace replied.

"Really, a beautiful girl like you?" Tom asked as Grace felt her cheeks heat up and turn a rosy red.

"I'm not really one for relationships." Grace told him honestly. "Relationships are messy and feelings get hurt, I'm more into something casual, no labels, no strings, someone to cuddle, that's all I want. If that goes well, then I start thinking about relationships."

"My god" Tom laughed "You're perfect!"

"No, just rational."

“So how many relationships have you been in?”

“Two.”

“Tell me about them?”
Grace laughed and sat back on her bar stood. “The first somewhat serious relationship was when I was fifteen, he was called George. He lived about 10 minutes away on the train so I only got to see him on the weekends. We lasted just over a month.”

“What happened?” Tom asked curious about her story.

“He told everyone he knew, including my best friend I gave him head in some woods.”

“Why?” Tom asked laughing.

“Because I did” Grace said laughing along with him.

“Okay, next” Tom asked once he had stopped laughing.

“Okay, she was called Eve, she was three years older than I was. It was weird; we started out for the both of us, as an
experiment. Neither of us where sure about it so we just thought ‘fuck it’. We lasted three years. She was perfect, the most perfect girl I’ve ever met. She ended it though; she cheated on me with a boy in her college.”

“I’m sorry.” Tom said placing his hand on top of hers just as she had done for him.

“What about you?” Grace asked with a soft smile.

“Four. Hannah when I was sixteen. The normal thing happened I guess, we grew apart. Charlie when I was eighteen, she was more of a rebound thing. It was a complete dick move really, but it happened and I regret it more than anything. We didn’t last very long, no longer than three weeks. Abbey a few months later and Charlotte after her. The same thing happened both times, the distance of tour got to us. It’s hard, you know? Distance sucks. I’ve learnt to handle it though, they apparently couldn’t.”

Just then one of the other regulars, Grant stumbled up to the bar. “Aright, love?” He asked taking a seat on the bar stool a few down from Tom. Grace stepped away from Tom slowly. “Hello Grant, how are you this fine evening?”

”I’m good thanks babe” He smiled, his thick northern accent never stopped to amuse Grace.

“Good, what are you after tonight?” Grace glanced back at Tom who was still staring at her as he has been doing since she left her previous spot.

“Guinness please m’love” Grace glided away to the other end of the bar to get Grant a glass and to pour his drink.

“Is she your lass?” Grace asked, turning to Tom.

“Mine?” Tom asked holding his hand to his chest.

“Yeah, you two look like a great little pair.” Grant laughed.

“Nah mate, not mine.” Tom laughed.

“Shame, she’s a crackin’ bird.” Grant laughed as Grace walked back over with his pint.

“What are you laughing at?” Grace asked as she took the money.

“Nothin’ love.” Grant laughed again before taking himself and his pint to the TV to join the rest of the pub’s small population.