Smoker .Blackbear

6. Cigarettes and cologne

Averie zoned in and out of focus as she watched the heavy rain hitting the large front window of the café. She had 27 minutes left of her shift and she was not looking forward to the trek back home in the wild weather. Averie was now regretting taking the last minute late shift her boss offered her, walking home in the dark was never the easiest for the nervous girl and now to add rain onto it she was dreading the shift ever end.

She heard a large crash from out back and a string of curse words. "That's it I'm done, closing the shop, go home kiddo" Her boss said emerging from the kitchen, his apron a wild mess of flour and raspberry sauce.

"are you sure?" Averie asked hesitant to get up and go without finishing her shift.

"Yeah, you're in the kitchen tomorrow though, I can't stand this place." Averie can admit the kitchen was very small and probably very hard for a larger man like her boss to navigate through, so she agreed.

Averie grabbed her thin jacket and headed out the door being slammed with heavy rain that coated her hair instantly. The girl pulled the hood up on her jacket and hurried through the streets not needing to look up as the path was so familiar. From the corner of her eye she saw a bright glow and began heading towards the inviting shelter that the all so familiar bus stop provided.

The rain hammered down on the thin metal sheeted roof rattling in Averie's ears. She scanned the area envious of the people in houses tucked away safe from the storm. A strike of lightning emitted light in the dark street but it wasn't enough for the girl to focus. She began to think of people around she knew that could help her. She didn't know many people, her parents were instantly a no, her older cousin had gone away for the week, her boss was in the opposite direction, she was stranded.

Suddenly a thought crossed her mind, Matthew lived close, he had to, he always walked to the bus stop, but she really didn't want to have to call him.

Deciding that standing in the cold completely soaked with water was not an option she decided to text her now found friend.

To: Mat

Hey, where do you live?

Almost instantly she got a reply.

From: Mat

Hitchcock street, why? Are you okay?

To: Mat

Im fine

From: Mat

Where are you? What happened?

To: Mat

I just got stuck at the bus stop in the rain, can I come over? You're closer than my place

From: Mat

Stay there I'll come and get you.

Averie thought it was completely unnecessary that he was going to come to her, they were both going to get wet now! Either way, she stayed put and waited for him to get her.

Soon enough she heard frantic footsteps and Mat appeared, water dripping down his face. "fucking hell what are you doing out here?" He asked taking his jacket off and wrapping it around Averie as he huddled her close to him.

"I had work" She mumbled in a staggered mess from how bad she was shivering. She could faintly smell his cologne and it was surprisingly soothing.

"You should have called me earlier I could have gotten you from work" He said holding her tighter.

They began walking quickly through the rain. Averie closed her eyes to shelter them from the rain and just let Matthew lead her down the street and finally at a small house. He quickly pulled her up the small flight of stairs and inside, the warmth she was previously envious about now engulfing her.

Averie looked around at the small hallway she was in. The walls were a dark beige and the coat rack to her right was messily cluttered with too many jackets.

"I live with my brother and a friend, sorry about the mess" Mat said as he made his way down the hall and into a room on his right. Averie cringed at the water trailed down the hallway and into the carpet but followed anyway to find the room was a bedroom, assuming to be Mats bedroom.

"You might need some clean clothes" he said taking out a large black t-shirt and some running shorts.

"Bathrooms next door on the left" He said as he placed the clothes in Averies arms.

After getting dressed and leaving her wet clothes on the rack as instructed by Mat she made her way back into his room. She took in its appearance this time, noticing the faint smell of cigarettes and cologne.

"Have you had a smoke today?" She asked gently sitting down on the bed with him.

He nodded his head which picking up the guitar it seemed he had thrown on the bed in a rush earlier and began strumming gently.

"Which one?"

A/N

Hey sorry this took so long, i went through a couple of uninspiring weeks but never think im abandoning a story, ill always update :)

Sorry if this chapter is messy, i wrote it in a rush once i saw the last one was updated on the 10th of April, ill proof it in the morning.

please vote and comment, seeing feedback and engagement really makes me soooo happy!