Hold Your Breath

The next day, Louise and Cole decided to grab coffee at the nearby shop and they were surprised to find the cocky bassist from last night there.
“Hey, you’re from that band last night, right?” Cole immediately talked to the bassist.
“I-uhm yeah.” He nervously replied.
“What’s with you, kid? Why’re you so nervous? We’re not gonna do anything to you. We’re actually just trying to be friendly! Right, Cole?” Lou was trying to break the tension between them. “What’s your name, anyway? I’m Louise and she’s Cole.” She motioned to her friend.
“It’s Stephen. I should probably get going.” He hurriedly went out the shop and down the street. His reaction once again left the girls with confused reactions.
“That is it. I am totally going to find out what the fuck is going on here. “
“Cole, wait. How the hell are you going to do that? You barely know anybody here.” Lou still tried to talk some sense into her friend even though she knew it would be useless.
“Are you serious right now, Louise? We have avoided this topic for the longest time and now it’s blown up in our faces you’re still ignoring it?! I can’t believe you.” Cole was starting to get angry, but so was Louise.
“Don’t you dare turn this around on me, Nicolette. Every time I try to talk to you about Jonathan, you deliberately ignore me. Who’s evading the topic now, huh?!”
“Look, I-I don’t know. Probably me. I don’t know, Lou. I’m just completely weirded out right now. I’m sorry, okay? We shouldn’t fight. We’re all we have.”
“Yeah, I’m sorry, too. Fine, let’s figure this whole Jonathan-Kennedy thing out but please, don’t scare people away?” Lou told Cole with a laugh.
“I promise.” Cole smiled to her best friend.
*****
“Look, isn’t that the Stephen kid?” Lou was pointing to a black hared boy who was sitting inside an ice cream parlor.
“I think it is. Should we go talk to him?”
“But, he’s on a date! Wouldn’t that be awkward?”
“When did I care, Louise?” Cole laughed. They went inside the ice cream parlor and slid in to the booth. Louise sat next to Stephen and Cole sat next to the girl he was on a date with.
“Hey, aren’t you their drummer?” Louise recognized the girl.
“Yeah,” the girl laughed. “My name’s Jess.”
“So you two are dating, huh?” Cole raised her eyebrows at the two. “You look good together. I’m happy for you two.”
Stephen looked uncomfortable and the three girls noticed this. “Stephen, what’s wrong?” Jess asked him.
“It’s nothing, babe.” Stephen forced a smile but it was still obvious that something was bothering him. “I’m just going to the restroom real quick. Uhm, excuse me.” Louise stood up to give way to Stephen but she did not sit back down.
“I’m going to the restroom too.” Louise sent a look down Cole’s way and she immediately understood what it meant. Cole started talking to Jess to keep her occupied.
“Stephen, wait up.”
“Woah, I’m gonna pee. You’re gonna follow me in there?” Stephen’s signature smirk made its way to his face. This made Lou laugh.
“Oh my god, no. I just wanted to ask you stuff.”
“If this is about Kennedy then forget it. I’m sorry.” Stephen started making his way into the men’s room but Louise said, “Yes, it is. But please just hear us out.”
“What is it, then?”
“We’ve known him practically since we were born, Stephen. We know that he used to be Jonathan. Spill it, Stephen. I think we deserve to know what’s going on with him.”
“Why don’t you ask him? You’ll get a better answer!”
“You know he won’t talk to us, Stephen. Please.” Lou pleaded with Stephen until he finally agreed.
“Not here, though. Let’s meet up later tonight at the bar where we played.”
“Wouldn’t people you know be there?”
“Trust me on this.” Stephen winked and left to do his business in the men’s room. Lou made her way back to the booth and as soon as Stephen came back, they said their goodbyes. Louise immediately filled Cole in on the plan for that night.