It's All About the Lyrics, Baby

"God damn cat!" Nicole hissed, tripping over the animal in question.

The black cat looked back at her with yellow ,green eyes before heading off to it's food dish in the kitchen of the little apartment.

"You okay?"

Nicole looked over at her roommate and pursed her lips. Jessica was sitting on the couch and reading yet another book. That girl read a lot, granted Nicole did too but no where near to as much as Jessica did.

"What is that the fifth book today?" Nicole asked, arms crossed.

"No, what did Magnus do?"

Magnus would be the cat that had tripped Nicole. He had the habit of trying to kill her often.

"Tried to kill me what else is new. Get up and get dressed."

Jessica looked down at her PJs, she had already gotten ready for bed.

"No excuses!" Nicole added before Jessica could answer.

"Common Nicole, I have class in the morning!"

"You aren't even studying! You are rereading looking for Alaska!" Nicole pursed her lips again.

"You love this book too."

Nicole laughed, it was true but that wasn't going to stop her from getting her way. Jessica watched her friend knowing she was upto something, but not quite what. In the blink of an eye, Nicole had stepped forward and snatched the book from Jessica's lap before she could do anything to stop her.

"I have already hidden your laptop and school books!" Nicole announced, looking quite pleased with herself. "So there is no point, you will just have to come out with me tonight and I'll return your things at seven in the morning and no sooner!"

"You are a shit head sometimes, you know that right?"

Nicole beamed at her friend "I'm adorable and you love me."

"Whatever you tell yourself to make sure you think you're loved."

"You love me!" Nicole yelled down the hall at her friend before, skipping of to her own room to get ready.

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"You'll be fine." Nicole smiled, dragging her friend into the bar with her.

"We just moved to Chicago." Jessica answered "Can't we wait until we've been here at least a month before we get date raped?"

"Nope! Now if you see any cute boys point them out."

Jessica rolled her eyes. Nicole had been single just about as they had lived there and she was already on the prowl for a new guy to breaks heart. Jessica couldn't quite tell if Nicole was doing it because she was happy to be single or because she was trying to out run the pain. Either way Jessica worried for her friend.

"Drinks!" Nicole beamed, sitting down at the bar.

Jessica sat down on the stool next to her as the bartender smiled at them.

"What is your poison?" he asked.

"Irish trash can." Nicole answered instantly and looked at her friend.

Jessica smiled "I'll just have water."

"Like hell you will." Nicole frowned. "Do you want your book back or not?"

Jessica sighed "An ameretto sour."

"That's my girl." Nicole smiled. "Lossen up."

"There are too many things going on to loosen up!" Jessica answered "We haven't even finished unpacking the house and Magnus keeps getting himself locked in boxes."

"At least he isn't clawing you from inside a box." Nicole answered darkly.

"Have you been putting him in the boxes?" Jessica asked shocked, it was Nicole's cat that she insisted couldn't be left behind to live with her ex.

"No!" Nicole answered, pausing from gulping down her drink "He does it to himself! I'm the one who let's him out when I hear the boxes meowing."

"Anything else I can get you ladies?" the bartender asked.

Jessica shook her head before Nicole could order another drink. Nicole turned a light glare on her friend, are you going to be a party pooper all night?"

"Are you going to insist on getting drunk and letting some guy take you home?" Jessica asked, returning the glare.

"Of course not." Nicole smiled, "I came here with you!"

"Better be telling the truth." Jessica took a sip out of her drink.

"We didn't order these." Nicole told the bartender as refills were set down in front of the two girls.

"Gentlemen down the bar sends them." the bartender answered, before walking away.

"Which ones?" Nicole frowned, looking down the bar. There were in fact dozens of guys seated at the bar.

"Doesn't matter." Jessica answered "Send them back."

"Why?" Nicole pouted, tossing her straw from the empty drink to the full one.

"Because drinking that will in courage them to talk to us."

"And?" Nicole smiled. "What if they are cute?"

"What if they aren't?"

Nicole shrugged and went back to drinking her free drink.

"Hello ladies. Like the drinks?" one smiled.

"I'm Jake and this is Mark." the other introduced.

Nicole pouted, Jessica had been right. The two were not cute at all. They looked like the kind of guys who went to bars just to take advantage of drunk girls.

Nicole, still drinking her drink looked over at Jessica as if to tell her to get rid of them. Jessica glared back at her, before looking up at the two men.

"Thank you." she smiled but we already told the bartender we would pay for them."

Jake frowned "Seriously."

"Seriously." Nicole deadpanned "Now hush and good-bye."

"Don't be rude." Jake frowned.

"I consider it rude to hang around two girls who have rejected you twice in five minutes." Nicole glared.

"Listrn you little bitch." Mark growled, grabbing Nicole by the back of her pony tail and ripping her off the bar stool.

Nicole cringed and tried to get Mark to release her. Apparently Jessica had also been right about going out to bars in Chicago.

"Hey!"

The four turned to see two new men standing before them.

"Great two more." Nicole mummbled. Not even pain had the ability to make her think before openning her mouth.

"Shut up." Mark growled, pulling Nicole by her hair again.

"Let her go." the taller of the two new strangers snapped "You are hurting her."

"Mind your own business." Jake snapped back.

"I said let her go." he repeated, stepping closer too Nicole and her capture.

"Make me."

Nicole let out a loud squeak and closed her eyes.

---------------------------

"You really didn't have to do that." Nicole smiled, holding a cold glass of ice to the bruise on the man's face.

He smiled at her from his place on the stool "Those guys were assholes. I'm William by the way and that is Brendon."

"I'm Jessica and the big mouth is Nicole."

Nicole turned to stick her tongue out at Jessica before going back to holding the glass to William's face.

"We had better head home." Jessica added with a sigh.

Nicole pouted at her "Now?"

"You just had a guy grab you by the back of your hair, about to go God knows what and you want to stay in this bar?" Jessica asked her friend, hands on hips.

"No, but I do think we owe these guys dinner or something." she answered, still pouting "William saved my life and Brendon kept the other guy from going after you."

"There is a nice cafe about three blocks away that is open late." William grinned.

Jessica and Brendon looked at each other. Obviously thier two friends were not going to be separated easily.

"Alright." Jessica sighed "Quick dinner, but only because you seem glued to William and he is not coming back to our apartment.

Brendon laughed and Nicole stuck her tongue out at her friend again.