no more denial :: halsey (editing)

4 - Comfortable Coffee Dates

I looked in the mirror, satisfied with the outfit I picked out that consisted of a plain white t-shirt, my light wash mom jeans, and my black and white Adidas Superstar sneakers, which were practically my babies.

I had met Ashley about a week ago, and we were finally meeting again for coffee, though we had been texting back and forth non-stop. She felt bad, because she wanted to meet up again sooner, but she had been busy being a 'superstar' and planning things for tour and her upcoming debut album. I always called her superstar as a joke, because it got her going. Though she did have fans, which I discovered on Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr, she was still very modest and I liked that about her. It made her easy to be around, considering I really wasn't anything special.

I checked the time on my phone, seeing it was just past three o'clock, and I was supposed to be meeting her at a cafe that was within a walking distance of both of our apartments around three thirty, considering we didn't live that far from each other. I shoved my phone and keys into the back pocket of my pants, and left my apartment.

I stepped out into the brisk New York November air, and instantly wrapped my arms around myself. I really should have worn a jacket.

A fifteen minute walk later, I was in the small cafe, and no, it wasn't Starbucks. I can't stand it when people call Starbucks a small cafe, because it's not, it's a huge fucking chain of shops around the world.

I looked around the cafe, and Ashley was no where to be seen, which did make me a little nervous. What if this was some cruel joke on me? What if she decided not to come after all? Hastily, I ordered us both some really fucking fancy looking artistic lattes and ham and cheese crescents, then sat down, checking the time on my phone. It was still only three twenty five.

Just as I felt as if I was literally about to throw up, Ashley walked in with a huge smile on her face, melting my worries away.

She made a beeline for the table I had for us, and sat down across from me. My eyes drank in the sight of her. She had a floral backwards snap back perched lazily on the top of her head, and overall, she looked like she was glowing with happiness. Her smile reached her eyes. "Hi," she beamed.

"Hey," I said, with a light chuckle.

"Guess what?" She said, sounding excited, "I got my tour dates all planned out. I'm gonna do a part of the Smoke + Mirrors Tour with Imagine dragons, and then I'm going to embark on my own tour, the Badlands Tour, towards the beginning of October."

"That's so cool," I said, feeling excited for her myself.

She smiled, "it just feels like all of the hard work I've put towards this did turn out to be something, ya know?" She asked.

"I know," I said, "some things are starting to come together for me, too. I've been selling a lot of my paintings recently, and I've been looking at renting a small studio somewhere in this area. I really hope I can, because my parents really wanted me to be a lawyer or a doctor, like my brothers, they told me I wouldn't be able to make a living like this, and I want to prove them wrong."

"I'd love to see your work some day," Ashley said, her eyes sparkling.

For a while, we sipped our coffee, just looking at each other. It wasn't awkward, because I seemed to get lost in her eyes. They were like an ever changing sky.

"So," Ashley said, breaking the silence, "I'd like to know some more about you, I know your an artist, you're twenty, and you've lived here for a large portion of your life, I know you have a brother, anything else?" She asked.

I thought for a moment, and then began, "I actually have two older brothers, they're twenty seven and thirty one, they're names are Cameron and Drew, and they work at my dad's law firm, which is where my parents initially wanted me to work, but that didn't happen," I said with a breathy laugh. "I like to draw aside from paint, and I write occasionally, I'm also a sucker for sunsets. My middle name is Rose, which is my grandmothers name, and you know the rest," I said, "your turn."

"I have a brother, His name is Sevian, and he's seventeen. You obviously know I sing a little, which ties in with writing, obviously. I got my first tattoo when I was fifteen, it was a matching one with my mom. And my middle name is Nicolette," she said.

"Well," I chuckled, "we know each other so much better now."

She looked at me a moment, then spoke up, "it's weird, you know, you feel like someone that I've known my whole life."

I felt my cheeks heat up, "yeah, you're right," I said breathlessly.

***

I walked back into my apartment, kicking off my shoes. The "coffee date" I had with Ashley actually did go better than I expected, and it wasn't awkward. At least I felt like I knew her a but better now.

I went to my bedroom and took of my pants and shirt, then putting on some stretchy shorts, and laying on top of my bed like that. I really had no other plans today, so I decided to watch some American Horror Story.

About fifteen minutes into the first episode, my phone buzzed with a new text message.

From: Bby girl :))

Hey I really enjoyed seeing you again xx

My phone then buzzed with another message.

From: Bby girl :))

Also I'm going to a small party Saturday night, you should come.

I looked at the texts from Ashley, contemplating what to say. Parties with people I didn't know weren't really my thing, through I do find myself at clubs fairly often.

I texted her back.

To: Bby girl :))

I really enjoyed meeting you again too!! Also, I don't know, parties aren't really my thing :/

Almost immediately after, I got a response

From: Bby girl :))

You should come! It's just gonna be my friends Jenna and Lido, Michael, Calum, and Ashton the 5sosers and a guy named Josh Dun who's in a band called Tøp, I don't know if you know them

When I read her text I may or may not have screamed. Josh Dun! I fucking love Twenty One Pilots, I'm such a loser, dammit.

From: Bby girl :))

Pleeease come ://///

To: Bby girl :)

If you insist :P

From: Bby girl :))

Yay :))))))))))))))))

I smiled, putting down my phone. I'd have to find something to wear, but it was only Thursday so I have two days.

I then continued to watch American Horror story. I wanted to watch all the current seasons so I'd be ready when the new one came out this October.

Somewhere between eleven and twelve, I feel asleep for the night, knowing I'd have to work all day tomorrow. I worked in a small space next to a dance studio that I shared with two other artists. There, I painted, tried to sell my work and gave other people tips about art related things.

(A/n)

I feel kinda iffy about this, but I got to 300+ reads so :))

-Hillary