Chapter Text
Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac played on a suitable volume where you still could talk without having to shout and the Lemon drop martinis tasted perfect. The co*cktail joint was typically this crowded a Friday night but the three managed to get a table.
"Then she said that it was a good idea to cut my bangs and I don't know if she said that cause she's praying on my downfall, or cause she just sucks at advice." Ayanna said. "It's gonna be awful to style frickin' curly bangs each morning!"
"I think you'd probably look cute in it." (Y/N) said, tilting her head as she imagined her friend with bangs over her forehead. "I love bangs and layers. If you don't have any, what are you even doing?"
"Exactly! I agree." Brooke nodded. "At least with our hair types. Layers always look good."
(Y/N) sipped on her straw. "It makes a positive difference on most people. At least I believe so."
"Me, too."
Ayanna shrugged. "I mean, it is hair, and it does grow out."
(Y/N) looked down at her phone. The clock was only 9.30PM. She sent Jake a little text asking him what he was up to. It didn't take long for him to reply with,
'yooo i'm still at r bar, you??'
'still at snake pit! i think we might leave soon though'
'come to r bar'
'maybe later!!' She turned her phone off and looked up at the girls to join in on the conversation again and finish the drinks. They all agreed to move on to the next place, a nice pub down the street that was somewhat smaller than Snake Pit but somehow just as crowded. Ayanna saw a dude she knew and wanted to talk to so she did just that while Brooke and (Y/N) slurped on Vodka Red Bulls and watched from afar.
~~
Johnnie sipped on his Jack and co*ke. It was his fourth drink of the evening. The bar was blasting some worn-out pop song that came out last summer and the atmosphere felt thick with the amount of people cramped inside. It was fun, though. Him, Jake and two friends were hanging out tonight.
"Generally boasting about it, too, dude, it was insane." Jake was passionately talking about some internet subject.
"I know, insane." Johnnie agreed as though he had listened to a word his friend had uttered in the past minute. He needed air, just a little breathe break, and that's what was on his mind. "Guys, I'll be back in a second." He decided and got up and left before they could protest or ask further questions.
He dodged drunk people on his way, avoiding unintentionally flailing arms and stumbling feet. A pretty intoxicated woman almost walked into him.
"I'm so sorry!" She said. "Wow, aren't you something? Hey, what's your Snap?"
"I don't have one, sorry." He lied as he quickened his pace, pushing past a guy to finally reach the exit with a 'phew'. He put his hand on the handle and pushed it and realized someone was on the other side just about to open the door, too. Which meant that he almost slammed the door in her face. "sh*t, I'm sorry, I didn't hit you, did I?" He asked.
"No way." Came the delayed response and it made him frown in confusion before his eyes moved up to her face. It was (Y/N)! She was looking gorgeous tonight. "Johnnie, this is a strange habit of ours."
"I don't know, I sort of don't mind it." The alcohol was the only thing letting him respond like that.
"I do." She said with a grin. "Sooner or later this habit will end up in a concussion."
Johnnie gave her another once over. Boy, oh boy, was she a stunner.
"And we'd want to avoid that, right?" (Y/N) added after another second.
This made him realize what he just had so obviously done and he cleared his throat, embarrassment burning his pale cheeks. "Right. Yeah. Seems unnecessary, right?"
"Exactly." She said, still smiling. "Where you going?"
"For some fresh air." He explained, still embarrassed, kind of wanting this interaction to end.
"Hm. Okay. Can I join for a smoke? Or will that... ruin... your fresh... air? Or does fresh air mean smoke?"
"You're welcome to join." Johnnie quickly replied, even if his brain was still begging for him to part ways with her already. They moved from the door to the side of the street, Johnnie with his hands in his pockets meanwhile (Y/N) fished up a pack and a lighter.
"You want one?" She asked.
"No, thanks."
"Okay." (Y/N) lit the cig in her mouth and exhaled loud in satisfaction. "I'm not really a smoker. You know."
"Mhm, only at parties?"
She shrugged. "Isn't that what everyone says. I don't know, I just like always having a pack with me."
"I don't know if you realize this but that's like, the first step to getting addicted. Feeling like you always need a package even if you don't feel like you need to smoke."
"Uh, no. Pfft." She said defensively with a smile on her face. "I swear I couldn't get addicted if I tried."
Johnnie scoffed and snickered. "That's what everyone says."
"But in this situation it's actually true." (Y/N) flicked her cig before taking another drag. "Nah. I'm kidding."
"I hope you are."
She giggled, arms crossed as she started to kick the edge of the concrete a little. "You ever been addicted to anything?"
"Me?" He shrugged. "I used to smoke."
"Ooh, so you're talking from experience." (Y/N) nodded her head.
"Riiight." He smiled back at her. "Wouldn't want you following in my footsteps."
"What, do you turn emo if you smoke too much?"
He let out a snort and a short snicker. "Yeah, so like, stay away from those little cancer sticks, dude."
"You've got such a Californian accent. You've gotta come from around here."
Johnnie nodded. "That's correct, dude, and in the summer and stuff, I like, love to go surfing, bro, I love the beach and riding the waves. I feel like I'm one with nature, dude."
(Y/N) giggled at his exaggarated Californian accent. "I'd love to see you on a surfing board."
"You don't think I could do it?"
"Honestly, no." She giggled again. "I don't feel like you're the kind of person to go surfing."
"Wow, you're so judgemental, you know that?"
"Pffttt." (Y/N) took another drag of her cigarette. "You got a picture or something? Proof that you're a real California guy?"
"A picture of me surfing?"
"Yeah."
"Is this really about the California thing, or do you just want to see me shirtless?"
(Y/N) scoffed, a bit surprised by the bold joke. "Ah, you got me." She said with a giggle, rolling her eyes and shrugging in defeat. "No but, where are you from, originally?"
"I am from California, you were right."
"Yeah, but like, where?"
"You want the exact coordinates where I was born?" He said with a snort.
"Yes, and the numbers on the back of your credit card, while you're at it."
Johnnie laughed before he said, "I'm from San Jose."
(Y/N) gestured with a hand for him to go on. "I want to know who you are."
He sort of hesitated again, but then realized that he really liked that sentence, especially coming out of her mouth. "I grew up there with my parents and a brother and sister. Dropped out of high school and moved to LA when I was 17."
"A high school drop-out, huh?"
"There you go judging me again."
"Literally not!" (Y/N) shook her head. "I'm the last person to judge anyone, I swear. You could come and confess to murder and I'd listen to your explanation without bias. Kind of."
Johnnie snickered lightly and looked out over the street and then back at her again. "I struggled a lot with dyslexia and what not."
"I see." (Y/N) nodded, something a bit more serious in her eyes as she went on, "Man, I was struggling so bad in high school. Family issues and what not. " Then she smiled again, "I was very emo. Emotionally I mean. I had so much absence, dude, I was never in school."
Johnnie hummed softly, happy that she answered his vulnerability with a dash of her own.
"The thought of getting away from home motivated me to really fight hard to fix my grades and I managed to get my sh*t together, and I got into a good Uni here and moved." (Y/N) explained. (hope it's somewhat relatable, if not, sorry!)
"I'm glad to hear that it worked out."
"Sort of." She shrugged and then sang dramatically with a hand on her chest, "It's never over!" Then she grinned, took one last drag of her cigarette and dropped it. "Jeff Buckley. If you didn't get the reference."
Johnnie laughed. "Lover, You Should've Come Over."
"See, you got it, with that banger music taste." She grinned.
He was fighting back a grin himself, trying to keep it at a smile. "You're here to find Jake, aren't you?"
"That's right."
"Wanna head in and find him?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll just order a beer on the way." She said and slipped inside as Johnnie held the door open.
"Disgusting." He followed her through the crowd of people, kind of finding it hard to keep up with her quick pace.
"You're disgusting." Came the comeback.
"Can't argue with that."
(Y/N) gave him a quick glare over her shoulder as she continued her way over to the bar and leaned forward on the sticky counter until she got the attention of one of the bartenders. "Hi! I'd like a (type of beer) and a strawberry daquiri, please."
"Coming right up."
"Are you here alone?" Johnnie asked, mainly to get a conversation going again.
"No, my friends are at the bar next door. I was just gonna come by and say hi to Jake when I got stuck with you." She said with a playful smile.
"What a bummer. You might never get away."
"That's what I'm scared of."
Johnnie snickered. "Why does everyone always say that?"
(Y/N) let out a loud giggle but before she could reply, the bartender gave her the two drinks. "Thank you so much!" She said sweetly before turning back to Johnnie again, handing him the strawberry daquiri with a proud grin. "Here you go, princess."
"Pfft." Johnnie snickered but accepted her offer. "I'll pay your next round. Thanks." Now he was the one to lead her over to the table where Jake and their two friends were sat.
"(Y/N)!!" Jake lit up and he hopped out of his seat to hug her. He smelled like booze and cologne. "How are yaaa?"
"I'm great, you?"
"Just awesome. Sit down!!" Jake introduced her to the other guys, Sloan and Eric, and they all got along nicely. The four friends were close and all had the same humour, and (Y/N) seemed to fit the group as well. Also, the alcohol made everything even funnier, and (Y/N) found herself genuinely laughing from the bottom of her belly several times, which was pretty uncommon. You know how even when things are funny or entertaining, you still gotta force a chuckle? That's what it usually was like. It probably had to do with exhaustion and mental health, she figured, cause why couldn't she genuinely laugh when she found things funny? Anyways, tonight she did.
And time passed a little too fast without (Y/N) checking her phone. 3 missed calls and 7 text messages. Damn. "I just gotta call my friend." (Y/N) excused and got up and out of the bar for some quiet. "I'm so, so sorry. I lost track of time. Where are you guys?"
"It's cool, I'm just happy you're okay, you scared us!" Brooke sounded relieved.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine, (Y/N). We're at Lodge Downtown."
"Either I'll come to you or I can introduce you to my new friends. They're awesome."
"Girls' night..."
"Jesus Christ, you're right! I'll be there in five. I just gotta say goodbye to them." (Y/N) hung up and scurried inside.
The boys had ordered a round of shots, five of them, waiting for her return.
"Guys, I really gotta go. I've had so much fun though." She excused.
"Aw, man, really?" Jake said, his smile dropping.
"Already?" Sloan whined.
"Take the shot at least." Johnnie ordered and picked one up to hand her.
She shrugged and took the glass, fingers brushing. "Thanks, Johnnie." She said.
"One, two, three!" Jake counted and they all swallowed their shots.
Eric gritted his teeth and exclaimed, "Ahh!!" and Sloan coughed a little.
"Thanks, guys." (Y/N) smiled at them. "See you." She gave them a little wave of her hand before she turned around to leave, a bit stressed to return to her friends.
"We gotta hang out again!" Jake called as she disappeared. Then he turned to Johnnie. "Man, she's like, super fun, right?"
"She's cool." Johnnie said half-heartedly. Well. She did stand out from the crowd. A lot. She was like, entertaining and extremely socially competent from what he'd gathered so far. Plus, she was very attractive. She'd probably be great for Jake, he told himself.
~~
Rain was pinging angrily against the glass windows. Despite its force, it gave a soothing calming effect on (Y/N) who was up studying late behind her laptop screen, the blue light reflecting onto her face and making her even more tired. Social-cultural anthropology and all its quirks. (Y/N) was very happy with the classes she was taking. The subjecs were truly interesting and that's what made it okay to sit up at 2AM to study. She sort of had to if she wanted to pass and not fall behind. But her eyelids were oh, so heavy, and her brain oh, so tired. It wouldn't really do her any good to force herself to stay up even longer. She picked up her laptop and blew out a candle on her desk before she stepped over to her bed and cuddled down under the sheets. She put on some movie on a streaming device and stretched her jaws out in a big yawn.
A couple of days had passed since the night out. (Y/N) realized it was her turn to invite Jake to hang out, and she was definitely planning on doing so. Maybe tomorrow after school or something. It was a friendship she'd like to pursue.
Plus, his friend was kinda intriguing. Johnnie. He was funny. Really funny.
Jake beat her to it though. He sent a message the following evening.
'yoo wanna eat sum'
(Y/N) felt a little dumb to not have texted him first. 'I was just about to ask you dude. Read my mind'
'ayeee perfect. what do we feel like'
She thought for a moment. 'Do you like sushi? or would you rather have something more foody idk'
'sushi sounds great. you know some place?'
Okay, great. Yeah, she knew a place. They met up and ordered, hung out for an hour. Like the other times, the vibe was vibing, and they had a lot of fun. And it felt so good to meet a guy who was just out to be friends! Often boys had other intentions whether they knew it or not, but Jake and (Y/N) were platonic.
