The Black Swan

My mind was at a dreadful unease, I was closing in on the deadline, pacing with big steps toward it when everything I wanted to do was to run away from it. It was nowhere near of being ready for the grand opening. I had even put up an advertisement at jobsgalore.com, but the response was very little. I slid my fingers in my hair desperately wanting to pull on them and scream my lunges out. Nothing was going according to the plan, so I decided to ditch the plan. I called up every person I knew who was in the past or in the present (it didn’t really matter) caught up with a job of bartender like. Most of them had moved away from OC and the one who said who could consider the whole thing lived in Long Beach, it was a significant drive to consider. But then again Roy got Nikki, Will and Andrew to move a couple of thousand miles across the country to come and work for me. I had not a slightest clue of what the hell he had to offer for them to agree, but I decided not to put any more weight on my stringed nerves.

At least I had recruited all the waiters I needed, they were easier to come by, I didn’t need them to have any experience, with bartenders it was way different. I also had one chef and four cooks. I decided to make the place where people could not only party like there was no tomorrow, but also go there and refill their tummies in the daylight. I wanted to make something in between, not fully a nightclub and not fully a cafe. Maybe I had made the task too difficult for myself, but what the heck. If he allowed to make it whatever I wanted it to be, then I’ll do it. I just hoped I could relax after the opening.

I wasn’t doing all the work completely on my own, I would be insane if I would, I let Jenna take over the furnishing, Matt and Jimmy were taking care of the drink’s menu, Zacky and Johnny (the bass player) were creating the food’s menu alongside the chef- Ben. As for Nikki, Andrew and Will? Hell, I would be damned if I asked for their help. Even Mark- the owner of 25 degrees- was helping. He didn’t have too hard feelings when me and Jenna left, of course he cried and all, but even he admitted it was bound to happen. He should’ve fired Jenna a long time ago and I was too good to be forever by his side. Mark was taking care of all the licenses and Brian? He came up with the most wonderful name for the place- The Black Swan.

”I really don’t know about this, J...” Jenna had leaned over to put a cd in the dvd player. We were at Matt’s waiting for the guys to get finished on their new song. I’d better be with them, listening to what they were making instead of watching some cheesy movie, but Johnny got very distracted every time I went to see them, so I decided to be a no-show. Brian laughed saying he had a crush on me, I hoped to god he was wrong.

„Why the fuck not?” She pressed the ‘close’ button, looking at me over her shoulder.

„I’m not the biggest fan of Natalie Portman,” I looked over the cap the disk had been in, and yup, it said Portman was starring the movie. I didn’t even know why I didn’t like her, I mean it wasn’t like she was a bad actress or anything, I just... couldn’t enjoy any movie she starred in.

„That’s ridiculous.” She waved me off, coming back to take her place on the white faux-leather couch next to me. „It’s stupid to think you can’t enjoy a good movie just because someone you don’t like is acting in it, and this doesn’t even have a good ending!” If she thought spoiling the movie by saying Portman doesn’t live happily ever after was going to change my mind to the good, she was wrong, she made things worse. She spoiled the movie to the worse. Now I knew the ending. Thanks a lot.

„If you have seen it, then why in the hell do we have to watch it again?”I retorted

„Because it’s a fucking good movie. Matt bought me the DVD because he grew tired already after the third time we hit the movie theater to see it.”She took the remote control and hit ‘play’.

„You could’ve gone with somebody else, you know...” I said matter of factly, placing my arm on the armrest and resting my head in my palm. I knew these were going to be long two hours.

„Nobody else wanted to go,”

„And Matt wanted? Three times in a row?”I checked my wrist watch, the movie was barely starting, I mean it was showing just the titers, but I was already bored to hell and back.

„He liked the movie.” She shrugged fixing her gaze on the big sixty-five inch tv.

„Don’t you think he went just to get some?” I looked everywhere beside the screen. The clock, the coffee table, the top of the magazines that were scattered on it, even outside the window.

„Also besides it, he’s getting some...”

„Details,” I raised my palm to keep her quiet. I really didn’t need to know the details of her sex life.

„Fine, keep quiet, I’m trying to watch the movie!” Like you haven’t seen it a good hundred times already.

I tried to watch Portman breaking her fingers just to do a perfect pilé with some turns and twists, I really did, but I started to drift away somewhere along the way. I think I fell asleep right after she had gone full lesbian over Mila Kunis. I mean, that probably was the best part of the movie. And I wondered why mom thought I was lesbian. Yeah, beats me.

„Hey, no sleeping, you’ll miss all the good parts!” I felt her pointy fingers digging in my side. I jumped a couple of times.

„yeah, yeah... Wake me up when the best part comes.”

„The one where,-„ She got all enthusiastic, but I cut her short,

„I meant the end.”

„You suck.”

„Yeah, yeah...” I took one of the dark cushions and put it between my arms and my head. I hoped she got the point, I didn’t like Portman, and if I don’t like the main actor, I can’t like the movie. Period.

„What are you watching?” I heard a low voice question. My eyes slowly opened to see Brian leaning over the couch back, a bottle of bud light loosely hanging from his fingers. He took a swig.

„The Black Swan, now shhh!” Jenna hissed.

„Okay, okay...” Brian put his arms up in defense before he saw me sleepily looking at him. „Mornin’, princess.”The corners of his lips raised a bit as he took a mouthful.

„Help...” I mouthed to which he chuckled.

„Okay, you both lame asses are starting to get on my nerves. Either keep quiet or go the fuck away!” She had even paused the movie. Me and Brian glanced at one and other and I quickly stood up from the couch and moved towards the kitchen zone, Brian hot on my heels. „Traitor!” I heard Jenna yell. So this was this reverse psychology thing, huh? She should’ve known better not to try it on me in this case, cause she damn well knew I didn’t like the movie. I knew she was mad, but she’ll get over it.

„So how’s it going with the name?” Brian referred to the club as soon as I sat down on the stool next to the kitchen island.

„It’s not going...” I took his bottle and downed the beer later returning it back to him. And to think about it, I hated the guy in the beginning and ran from him like from plague. He wasn’t that bad. Actually he was one of the sweetest guys I happened to know.

„How come?”

„I don’t know... They all just seem too cheesy.” I shrugged seeing him lean against the side of the island. „Too... stupid.”

„Why don’t you take that as a name?” He pointed out to the living room where Jenna was siting.

„What, Jenna?” My eyes grew wide.

„No, god, no...” He laughed, I guess I was still sleepy and understood very little of this world. „The Black Swan. I mean it’s fucking cheesy, but there’s a bit of glam and a bit of hardcore in it. A place for the unusual hipsters.” He smirked that adorable smirk of his.

„Honestly?” I was pleasantly shocked, „The thought didn’t even occur to me. You’re a genius.”

„If you say so, princess...” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder, letting me inhale the magnificent mix of his cologne and cigarettes. I’d quit smoking a long time ago, but right now I craved a smoke. I was surprised not even trough this nerve wrecking travel I had given in to the temptation and returned to smoking. I was a though girl. Oh and why was he calling me a princess? Beats me, but I liked it, I liked how it rolled down his tongue. He pulled me closer and kissed my hair.

And I said I was though. Yeah, didn’t seem like it when I bought that pack of Marlboro red and didn’t seem like it when I smoked those five cigarettes throughout the last hour. This was supposed to be my calm day, no thoughts about The Black Swan or about job in general, but I just couldn’t, the club was the only thing I thought about lately.

My phone vibrated on the opaque glass coffee table, nearly causing the whole room to tremble in earthquake.

„Please, please, don’t be one of the architects, I can’t deal with your shit right now,” They’d put me through a lot of trouble lately. One of them told me they couldn’t make the elevation which was needed for the dj, because the space was too little, but when I decided to raise his salary, everything was a-okay. It seemed like you couldn't get a decent work force lately, just some money sucking leaches.

I’ve been stressing out about this shit since I came back to Huntington, I didn’t have time for parties or for relaxing. As soon as I got off that plane from Miami it’s been work, work, work.

I looked at the caller’s ID, to see Brian’s photo illuminating.

„Thank god it’s you...” I breathed out, instantly feeling calmer.

„Missed me?” he teased.

„You have no idea.” I placed the phone between the shoulder and my ear to pick up my laptop and put it on the coffee table next to all the, in my opinion, unnecessary paperwork and three empty mugs. I was too lazy to wash them, instead every time I picked out a new one. „What’s up?”

„Not much. Just standing outside your apartment building, hoped you’d at least have a smoke with me.”

„How’d you know I smoke?” I stood on my feet and went to the kitchen to make myself yet another coffee, this time bringing all the empty mugs with me. Well that was an achievement.

„You were with me when you bought that pack of Marlboro.” He said matter of factly. Oh right, I think for the past two weeks I’ve been living, no not living, existing in a fully different world. But every now and then when I got out of my apartment, Brian was to blame for it. I believed the majority of time I didn’t spend trying to come up with something that would work for the club, I spent with him. We happened to grow very fond of each other.

„Right. Be with you in a sec,” I filled the electric teapot and turned it on, glancing throughout the kitchen window as I did so. And there he was. Dressed too fancy. He had a black button up shirt with his sleeves rolled up to show his monster tattoos, he was wearing pants, that were not jeans, it seemed like they were made for a suit and then there were these shoes in whom I could see my own reflection. That was how well they were polished. And he was holding something in his hand. A paper bag of some kind.

And then I looked at myself. Black shorts and a t-shirt on which used to be a Ryan Gosling, well... not anymore. I went through the living room to the small hallway space in search for some shoes to put on. I had the option between flip-flops and stilettos. I guess I was going to go with the flops.

I took the pack of Marlboro and in a fast pace jogged down the stairs, not bothering to lock the door. As soon as I got outside, the sun blinded my eyes. It was hot, I couldn’t breath and I think I was dying.

„Turn on the air conditioning, will you?” Brian laughed seeing me shielding my eyes from the sun with my palm. He had already lit up his cigarette.

„I see you haven’t been outside today...” He raised an eyebrow as he went to hug me.

„What makes you think that?” I took out a smoke from the pack and lit it up rather quick. I had already forgotten how it felt. Too darn good. Why did I quit in the first place? Oh was it because it wasn’t healthy? No, that couldn’t be it.

„Your hair’s a mess and you’re wearing your pajamas...” He scanned me, staying a bit too long gazing on my chest, but I decided to let it slide. Just this time.

„Hey, jokes aside about my hair. They’re perfect either they’re done or not,” I blew out a gush of gray smoke.

„You have no idea, why I’m here, do you?” He let the paper bag, which I noticed to be Prada, slide until his wrist as he put that same hand in his pocket. As long as it wasn’t the opening day, I really didn’t care.

„To have a smoke?” I questioned innocently. He sighed.

„No. Olive Garden?” Should it ring a bell cause it really doesn’t. I know the place, yeah, we’ve been there, Jenna really likes the Caesar salad there, but other than that? No. „Matt... Jenna? Al, fuck, I swear that club is making you crazy.”

„Oh shit, the dinner thing!” I think I went three times paler, and I couldn’t say I wasn’t pale enough in the beginning. Matt and Jenna wanted for us all to be there, dress all fancy, beats me why, and I forgot about it. „Fucking hell, I don’t even have anything to wear.” Brian rolled his eyes, throwing the cigarette butt away.

„You think I’m holding this bag just for fun?” I literally loved the man, but I swear to god, he hated The Black Swan with a passion, cause he out of all people spotted the madness forming in me the best. He was the only one to get me out of the house if I wasn’t at that damned construction site. I promised him it will be different once the club opens, but I wasn’t so sure myself and it didn’t seem like he believed my words.