~ Astrid ~

It never stops raining in Seattle. Everyday when my alarm goes off at 8am, it's usually a dim grey overcast. Depending on how heavy the rain is you can get away with just wearing a jacket. Sometimes I just liked walking in the rain, I guess. There was something about it washing over me, beyond my control. Other than that I didn't like many things. Really, I was just numb to everything else.

"Those will kill you, y'know?" Wade said to me as we picked up cans and stacked them on shelves.

"Shut the fuck up Wade." I sighed and tucked my cigarettes further into my shirt pocket, out of sight.

He looked at me with his mouth in a straight line for a few seconds before he began to once again stack cans. This was the menial, and incredibly sad life of a grocery store employee. It wasn't glamorous, but it paid five hundred dollars a week. It also kept me out of bed five days a week, bonus.

"Did that gallery in Spokane ever write you back?" Wade asked.

I rolled my eyes and stopped stacking. "No Wade. They didn't. Of course not." I mumbled the last part.

"It's their opinion, I'm sure someone else will love the photos."  He said.

I sighed. He put up with my negativity incredibly well. "Thanks Wade, do you wanna get a drink later?"

"There's the softie I know!" Wade smirked before I punched his shoulder. "Ow! I love you too!" He laughed.

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. I didn't like my job, and my boss could go fuck himself, but Wade made things bearable. He was the only person that ever put up with my blunt nihilism and responded with kindness. I wasn't ever going to let him get to know me, I couldn't do that. This version of me that he knew, was good enough. Besides, he'd only been working here a month, he could leave any day.

"Yeah we can get drinks." Wade chuckled "We can go down to Revolver, my friend's band booked a gig there. Could use a photographer..."

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "Thanks asshole, I'll be there."

Wade smiled and picked up the empty boxes that were once full of cans. "Good, you need to get out of your cave for once."

I rolled my eyes and dug in my shirt pocket. "Fuck you, I'm taking a smoke break." I said before stepping out the back door.

~ Eden ~

"At this point I think I'm getting  sick of the Macarena." Jay said as he wound brand new strings on his bass. He was referring to my ringtone, and the nine times in the last hour that it had played.

"She'll drop it eventually." I sighed and shrugged, continuing to tune my guitar.

"I don't know E, you had this one on the hook for a while before you ghosted her, you might've fucked up this time." Olivia laughed as she packed up her drums.

I shook my head. "They all get over it, after a week or so she'll get the message."

Jay put his bass down and looked over at me. "Are you gonna tell us what this one did? Did she organize your closet? Or buy you a Christmas present?"

I shook my head. "I don't have to explain anything to you guys. We didn't work out, that's it that's the end."

Olivia and Jay both nodded and went back to silently preparing for the show. It wasn't their  business what happened, even though I knew they were going to say something about it. I guess I did have a pattern...but again, it was no one's business.

"At least you'll be able to pick up some fresh meat tonight at the show." Jay chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and picked up my case "I'll meet you guys at the bar later."

I carried my case outside and put it in the back of my car, running my fingers through my lilac hair. I hadn't slept yet today, and I knew I needed to go home and take a nap before the drive up to Seattle. I got in the car, rolling my window down and plugging my phone in. I sat it in my cup holder, unfortunately seeing Molly's cigarettes still there. I rolled my eyes and grabbed them, tossing them out the window. I know littering is wrong, but I really didn't wanna see anything related to her right now or ever again.

Everyone could have their opinions, but I knew that I did the right thing. She was trying to move way too fast. We'd only been together for six months and she was trying to move in to my studio apartment. We didn't know each other that well, and besides there wasn't enough space.

I rolled my eyes as my phone rang for the millionth time today. Part of me knew this was the wrong thing to do, but I also kind of wanted her to leave me alone.

"Hello?" I sighed.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!" Molly yelled. "You've been ignoring me for two days what the fuck!?"

"I think we need to break up..."

"That's it? That's all you have to say! What did I even do?" She questioned.

I sighed deeply. "It's not you...it's me, I'm not ready for such a serious relationship."

"Okay....maybe you could've said that a fucking month ago before you said you loved me!" She screamed.

"Look, this is better for both of us, you clearly want someone who moves faster than I do." I said before hanging up and blocking her number.  She'd be fine. She'll find some other girl who proposes on the first date and they'll live happily ever after.

I tossed my phone in the passenger seat and pulled out of the parking lot of the practice space. Hopefully the show tonight would take my mind off this shit.

~~~
We'll see where this goes, I'm just kind of going through it right now guys lol.

- K