Take It All Away

My alarm went off at six again and I sighed, trying to stand up. I stumbled and looked down. I was still in the outfit from last night. I tried to remember what happened but I figured I drank myself stupid. It was only the second time I had been to a club.

I changed into my work uniform, yawning widely, and stepped out just as Adam was walking back to his room.

“Are you all right?” he asked, looking at me sharply as if searching for something.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

He didn’t answer. “Headed for work?”

I nodded. “Never before have I needed coffee so badly.”

I waved goodbye and walked across the street. Gina was already there looking like I was about to jump down her throat.

“First Adam, now you,” I said with a frown. “What’s going on?”

Gina toyed with the blinds while I put my apron on. “I shouldn’t have made you go last night. You were drugged.”

I stared. “Some dude spiked my drink?” I yelled.

She nodded. “I’m really sorry,” she said quickly. “God, if Adam hadn’t been there….”

“Well that explains the weirdness,” I shrugged. I pulled her into a tight hug. “Hey, it’s not your fault. He didn’t do anything did he?”

She shook her head, gulping. “No. We got you out of there before he could.”

“Let’s get some coffee before opening up,” I said with a smile to show her I wasn’t mad.

She returned it and made my usual iced mocha and I went into the back. Mark was back there, putting a pan into the oven.

“Dude,” I complained and he smiled sheepishly. I waved him off. “Shoo. Let me do my job.”

“Just thought I’d help,” he shrugged. “Hey, I’m going to the football game tomorrow night. Wanna come with?”

“No thank you,” I said, irritated.

“Come on, give me a chance,” he pressed, putting a hand on my elbow.

“Remove the hand,” I said and he did. “How many times do I have to tell you Mark? We’re coworkers.”

“So if we weren’t you’d go out with me?”

I looked at him, putting the mixing spoon down. “I’m going to be blunt. No. I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but I don’t like you like that.”

He flashed me a smile. “You will.”

I glared at his retreating back and went back to mixing the batter for our cupcakes angrily. I don’t know why he can’t take a hint and leave me alone.

Gina came to the back around lunchtime with a chicken salad sandwich that I took eagerly.

“How’s the hangover?” I asked with a sly grin.

She laughed. “Well, the coffee this morning helped. Mark is out there sulking.”

I rolled my eyes and took a bite of my sandwich. “I’m about to report him to Jack.”

“When’s the last time you went on a date?” she asked and I avoided her eyes.

“Not long,” I lied.

She didn’t know about my ex and I preferred to keep it that way. The only person who knew was my father; he was the one that made sure Nick was in jail for at least a year.

I finished my sandwich, wiping the crumbs off my lap, and reflecting. After everything that happened with Nick, I was lucky to come out of it still a virgin.

“You all right?” she asked.

I hitched a smile on my face. “I’m fine. Thanks for the sandwich. I’m going to work on the croissants now.”

“Ooh, make one for me.”

I laughed and nodded, turning my back on her. When she left I shook my head as tears stung my eyes. It had been eight years but the memory still haunted me.

-

I had finished my book already and sat in the lobby with just my tea and my phone. I was looking through some stupid articles when I caught a whiff of familiar cologne.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d see you out here,” Adam said, sitting in his usual spot.

“My room got boring,” I shrugged. “Look, about last night…. Gina told me what happened. Thanks for helping.”

He looked down shyly. “It’s what any decent guy would have done.”

“Why were you at the club? You don’t seem like the type.”

He cleared his throat. “Do you just make the drinks over at the shop?” he changed the subject.

“No. Usually I make the pastries. I always wanted to be a pastry chef.”

“Then why are you all the way out here?”

“For the same reason you are,” I said simply, putting my feet up on the coffee table that separated us. “To get away. When were you going to tell me who you were?” I added.

“What do you mean?”

“Gina told me,” I answered and he bit his lip. I laughed. “It’s all right. I’m not the fangirling type. I like your music, though.”

“Thanks.”

“How’d you start?” I asked, putting my phone down and was surprised when he did the same.

“I had a job loading and unloading delivery trucks,” he explained. “I’ve suffered from insomnia for a while now. I would come up with music ideas while I tried to sleep and eventually started posting them on MySpace.”

I gave a fake gasp. “You mean, you actually used MySpace for what it was made for?”

He laughed. “Yeah, I did. Anyway, I got a pretty decent fan base going and, well, here I am.”

“How long are you off tour?”

He grimaced. “Indefinitely.”

I wasn’t expecting that. “But I thought that’s what musicians lived for.”

“I’m not really big on everything that goes with it,” he answered, taking a sip of water. I just now realized he didn’t have his normal bottle with him. “I enjoy playing music but I’m kind of socially awkward, to be honest. I’d rather play and then go back to my hotel. My manager insisted bringing those girls back with me but it didn’t take long for them to realize I wasn’t interested.”

I nodded thoughtfully and took a sip of my tea. “Are you from Oklahoma?”

He shook his head. “Nah. I’m from Minnesota.”

I laughed. “My dad has family up there. I’ve never been to a colder state. We went during the winter. I’m used to ice but I guess they don’t get it up there.”

“Not nearly as much as you guys do,” he agreed.

We fell into silence. I could feel his eyes on me and it was making me a little uncomfortable.

“Why are you in Oklahoma, then?”

“It was the site of my last show. Why blue?” he asked suddenly.

“Huh?”

“Your hair; why did you pick blue?” he clarified.

“Oh! I always change up the color,” I said simply. “I’ve done blue, purple, orange, and green.”

“Wow.”

Suddenly, my phone rang and I groaned.

“Hello,” I said monotonously.

“Hi sweetheart!” my mom shouted and I winced holding the phone away from my ear.

“What’s going on?”

“Your father and I are coming down tomorrow!”

My eyes widened and Adam looked at me, confused.

“Why?”

“To see you, of course!”

I frowned, suspicious. “Okay,” I said slowly.

“Oh, and we’re bringing John with us.”

I groaned and tossed my head back. “How many times, Mom? I’m not interested.”

My mother huffed. “Everyone needs someone, Violet. Even you.”

“How do you know I don’t already have a boyfriend?” I challenged and I saw Adam smirk.

Silence. “Who is he?”

“Bye, Mom,” I said and hung up, glaring at the phone.

“Over reaching mother?” he asked.

“You have no idea,” I sighed. “She’s ‘coming to visit’ with my dad. God this will be miserable.”

“Why?”

I arched a brow at him. “I’m 24 and single. Why do you think she’s coming with my old neighbor?”

“Ouch,” he said sympathetically. “What?” he added, looking at me warily. I was looking at him with narrowed eyes. He seemed to get it and he laughed. “You’re joking, right?”

“Aw, come on,” I begged. “You could be my knight in shining armor again!”

He rolled his eyes and pondered. “Well, it does get pretty boring around here.”

I grinned. “They’ll probably be here in the morning,” I said and glanced at the clock on my phone.

It was one in the morning.

“Well, if dear old mommy is coming, you should probably get some sleep,” he chuckled.

I snorted. “I’ll definitely owe you one,” I warned him and he smiled.

“We’ll see.”