There's A Light On In Chicago ( .001 )

I'd just finished up another article and laid my head on my desk tiredly as it printed. It was only several more days until I was out of this office, or should I say coop. It's boring as hell. All I wanted was to be on the road again, see bands, take photos, and make money. I noticed the article was done printing and lying lifelessly inside the printer. I felt too lazy to go get it. The phone rang.

It was an annoying ring and I scrunched my nose every time it sounded. I picked it up. "Yes?"

"Hi!"

"Justin, I'm working. Plus, I'm too tired to talk to you right now."

"What's that mean?"

"It means you tend to enjoy holding enthusiastic conversations and having had only two hours of sleep last night does not qualify as preparation for a conversation with you."

"I'm hurt. You dont think I can have a subtle, intelligent conversation?" he said in a shock, which I knew was mock. Justin Pierre was my best friend. Since we were in high school. And you could say we both got each other into this business.

"Yes, that is what I'm saying."

"Fine, bitch." I stifled a laugh. "Do you wanna come party with the cool kids tonight?"

"Mmm, sounds fun but no." I closed my eyes, trying to rid of the tiredness.

"Why not?!"

"I need to sleep, Justin! And my boss is right outside, I love you, goodbye." I quickly hung up the phone and rounded my desk, taking the article out of the printer to make it look as if I was busy at work. Then I felt my cell phone vibrate. I rolled my eyes and saw Justins number. "What?!" I hissed at him.

"We don't have to party! I'll come over and well watch movies all night! I bought House of Yes and Peyton Place yesterday."

"Ugh, I hate that movie."

"We can always watch The Craft."

I grinned. He knew how I loved that movie. "Okay, fine, come over around eight." I hung up.

My boss said I could go home when I finished the article so I was grateful for that. Unfortunately it still took me about half an hour to clean up my office which Id promised myself I'd do. It was difficult, but when I finished I threw my bag over my shoulder, grabbed my keys, and headed out, saying goodbye to a couple of loose friends I worked with. I wasnt extremely fond of anyone I worked with but they were nice to me, ever since I joined them a couple years ago. I walked outside and looked at my watch. Just about 5:00. I looked up and around the parking lot, trying to remember where I parked my car. I scratched my head. It was a habit I did when I was confused. I looked around some more and my eyes were then distracted by a head of brown and blond hair. "Justin!" I yelled, spotting him next to his car parked next to mine.

I ran toward him and hugged him, smelling his unwashed hair. It was a smell I grew to love. He was wearing his off-white "cowboy" shirt I liked to call it. It had been several weeks since I'd seen him. "I told you to come over around eight!"

"Well I have nothing better to do for three hours. More time to spend with you, my love."

I laughed. "Come on, follow me to my place."

Upon arrival, Justin crashed on my couch and grabbed a random bag of chips from the coffee table that I hadnt bothered to put away. "I like what youve done with the place."

"What are you talking about? I haven't changed it since you've been here."

"Well I remember clearly that one time I was here there were people puking in every corner and kids getting high in every spare room."

I laughed. "Shut up."

"What? That happened."

"A long ass time ago."

"It wasn't that long ago, was it?"

"Yeah it was. That was like, college, Justin."

"Whaaa?"

"No one even comes to my house anymore except you. And I definitely don't think Id wanna puke or get high with you. Sorry to break it to you, dear." I sat down next to him.

"Why don't you have people come over? It's such a nice place."

"I know..." I shrugged. Justin laid his head and mass of hair on my shoulder and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Come on tour with us, Lacie."

"Justin, no. I have work-"

"But don't you miss everyone? Matt, Tony, Patrick-"

"Justin, I'll see you guys when I see you. I'm only up for the Warped Tour thing this year for work and only work."

He sighed, nuzzling his nose into my shirt. "We miss you, kid."

I sat, uncomfortable for a moment. I thought about all the bands I'd made friends with by going to Warped Tour with Justin in past years. I met and made friends with pretty much all of Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, and The All-American Rejects. I had a short fling with Nick Wheeler, which I now utterly regret. "Let's watch a movie," I said quietly and Justin got up to put in a DVD. He and I did this a lot, watching movies but really only thinking about each other. We'd been friends for around ten years and our relationship was just so goddamn confusing.

I felt him fall asleep on my shoulder before the beginning credits were over.
Featured in this part:
Justin Pierre [ Motion City Soundtrack ]
more to come -->
So there's part one for ya. Yay? Nay? Let me know.