It was now the middle of September. Fall time in Seattle consisted of a lot of drizzly days, overcast skies, and cooler weather. I was loving it.
My job at Easy Street Records was going great and we were busier than ever. In 3 weeks we would have a grand opening for the cafe section, and I promised Jennifer that I would ask the guys of MLB if they'd be up for performing there in the shop on that day.
Things and I between Jeff were going good as well, although he still hadn't asked me to be his girlfriend. Not that
I was in any rush, but my patience wasn't the greatest. Still, almost every night that he wasn't working late with the band, I'd come over to his place and we'd watch a movie or cook dinner together. On weekends, we'd usually crash on his couch.
Chris and I still saw each other often, and though at times it could still feel tense between us, over all things were cooling off. He hadn't come over to my apartment in the middle of the night or anything like that in awhile, so that was good...
I met Stone's girlfriend last week, and that was a slightly awkward experience. Melanie was a pretty girl with dark brown hair and small brown eyes. She was nice enough, but when we all met up at Sambo's one night, her and Jeff exchanged a hug that was just long enough to go from acceptable to okay let each other go now. Stone and I had both exchanged an annoyed and slightly worried glance.
Today, as Jen and I were closing up the shop, she casually asked me
"What are you doing tonight?"
I thought for a moment.
"Nothing that I know of."
Jen set down a stack of records and dusted her hands off on her jeans.
"I have to make a run down to Olympia this evening. I'm doing a trade off on some records, so I'm meeting the guy there. You're welcome to tag along."
"Sure, I'd love to. I haven't been to Olympia yet," I said.
She smiled. "Great. It's only an hour drive, but I'd like to let some of the rush hour traffic clear out. How bout I pick you up at your place around 6:30?"
I nodded. "Sounds great. I'll be ready!"
At exactly 6:30 Jennifer pulled up to the apartment building, where I had just come down and was sitting on the bench, smoking a cigarette.
I put it out and hopped in her old Volkswagen. "You know," Jen said as she carefully pulled back out into traffic. "You shouldn't be smoking those things. Especially at your age."
I made a face at her.
"At twenty four? Everyone my age does." She just shook her head, then smiled at me.
I didn't want to ask, but I guessed Jen to be somewhere around her early to mid thirties. She wasn't married, didn't have kids... but she loved her music and her little record shop.
The drive to Olympia was very pleasant and went by quickly. To my surprise, we pulled into what appeared to be a college campus. "What are we doing here?" I wondered aloud. We circled around to the backside where there were a bunch of other cars parked. Jen unbuckled her seatbelt as we whipped into a spot.
"This is where we're meeting the guy with the records. He said theres some up and coming band playing here tonight- so we can stay and watch them for a little bit, too."
"Oh cool," I said with a nod. We walked inside and saw a pretty large group of kids- mostly my age group, some maybe a little younger- all talking, hanging out, and waiting for the band to start.
Jen easily found her guy, a man named Jonathan, who was waiting to exchange the records. She introduced me to him.
Just then cheers and hollers began to erupt, and I looked up to see three guys taking their place on stage. A Drummer, a bassist, and the frontman who had a cheap looking left handed guitar.
Jen continued to talk to Jonathan, but I could not avert my attention from what I saw up there.
The guitars were loud, the sound was hectic, and the lead singers voice was scratchy, raw, and amazing. After their first song ended, I asked Jonathan- more like yelled, it was so loud in there- what the name of the band was. "Nirvana," he answered proudly. I noticed then he wore a shirt with a small symbol in the upper corner that read
Sub Pop.
I recognized that name from Jeff and Stone discussing it, I wondered if they'd heard of this band.
We ended up staying for the rest of the show.
When it was over and the crowd was slowly filing out, Jonathan asked if we'd like to meet them. We of course said yes.
He led Jen and I to the back of the large room. The band was already packing up their instruments when we approached them.
"Jonathan!" The bassist greeted.
He was super tall.
"Hey boys, great show. Listen, I want to introduce you to these ladies. This is Jennifer, she's the owner of Easy Street Records in Seattle. Which I believe will become famous one day," Jonathan said.
Jennifer beamed at that. All three guys came forward and shook her hand. Jonathan then said "And this is her assistant, Heather. She's new to the area."
"Hi," it was the lead singer who spoke to me first. He had long, dirty blond hair and very pretty blue eyes.
"I'm Kurt, nice to meet you. Hope we didn't scare you off back there," he said in a calm voice that stood out in contrast from his singing.
"No way. I loved it."
"Cool," he said with a nod. "This is Krist and Chad."
Each of the guys came up and shook my hand as well.
We all exchanged some small talk for a few minutes.
"What was your favorite song?" the lead singer, Kurt, asked me.
I thought for just a second before answering.
"The last one you did."
"Oh yeah? We don't have a name for that one yet, actually," Kurt said with a frown, then continued: "And it's funny you chose that one. It's not like the rest of our songs at all."
"It's not," I agreed. "I guess I was just fond of it because I could tell it was about a girl."
Kurt's expression became thoughtful for a moment.
"That's it. That'll be the name of it."
My smile mirrored Kurt's. Did I just help name a Nirvana song?
I could've stayed and talked with them for a long time, they were just so interesting, but Jen was ready to go and the guys were about to leave as well. In fact, we all walked out to the parking lot together. The three guys loaded up into an old rusty van, with Krist driving.
They were behind us as we drove off. We headed west for Seattle, and they headed east towards downtown Olympia.
When we got back into Seattle, Jennifer wanted to get a bite to eat so we stopped at the same deli shop I'd gone to by myself, my first full day in Seattle several weeks ago. After that, Jennifer dropped me off at the apartment and wished me a good weekend.
"Thank you so much for taking me along tonight. I had a great time," I told her sincerely as I hopped out of the car. She smiled and waved her hand casually.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'll start bringing you every time I go on a record run!" I laughed.
"Please do. Bye Jen!"
I got in the elevator and pressed number 3. Just as the door closed, I heard a ding and it opened right back up. It was Jeff. He stood there, laughing as if it was the funniest thing in the world. Then he saw me.
"Heather!" He exclaimed, more or less stumbling onto the elevator. "Jeff..." I said cautiously. I was 99% sure he was not sober at the moment. As the doors re closed, He came forward and kissed me sloppily on my lips.
"You're drunk," I said, smelling the alcohol on his breath.
"Just a little bit maybe," he agreed.
"Greg dropped me off just now."
"Greg as in your drummer?" I asked. He nodded with a grin. The doors opened onto our floor and we stepped out.
"Will you come inside my place?" He asked as he dug in his pocket for his key.
I didn't answer right away, I was more interested in his search for his keys. Jeff suddenly busted out laughing again, making me jump.
"Uh oh!" He began. "I think I left my key in Greg's car!" More laughter. I couldn't help but laugh along with him.
I rolled my eyes. "Come on," I said as I grabbed his hand. "Where are we going?" Jeff asked. "You're coming inside my apartment with me before you wake the whole floor up."
Once we were inside, I slipped out of my shoes and hung my purse and jacket on the coat rack.
Jeff was watching me with an amused expression- everything was funny to him right now.
"Come over here," I said, patting the couch.
He did as told.
I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. Suddenly I felt Jeff's arms wrap around me from behind and he pulled me down onto his lap.
"Hey," I protested, keeping my eyes on the tv screen.
"You fit just perfectly right here," he mumbled.
I laughed breathlessly. "Mhm." Then I stood up quickly from his grasp. "Okay, here's the remote. You just watch whatever you want to watch, and I'm going to go take a quick shower. I'll be right out."
Jeff sighed but nodded.
"Y-yes ma'am."
I undressed, threw my hair up into a sloppy bun and got in the shower, trying to be quick as possible. I was scrubbing my face with cleanser when I heard a knock at the bathroom door.
"Heather?" Jeff called. I sighed.
"Yes?" I called back. I heard the door crack a little. "Can I come in? There wasn't anything good on the screen, the, the tv I mean." I rolled my eyes. "Sure, Jeff." He came in the steamy bathroom and for a moment I heard no other noises. Then, "Heatherrrr?"
My patience running thin, i set down the soap bar and pulled back the curtain just enough for me to see out. Jeff was right there, and to my surprise all his clothes were off except for some red boxers. I tried very hard to look into his eyes only. "Umm" was all I could say. Jeff laughed again, still in the sloppy drunk way.
"I need a shower, too. I probably smell like all kinds of booze." I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. I considered for a second, then decided to call his bluff.
"Okay, hop in." His eyes widened, then he smiled.
Jeff slipped out of his boxers, well more like stumbled out of them, and then got in the shower. With me.
Again, I tried to keep my eyes up up up!
But it wasn't an easy task.
Regardless of his current state of mind, Jeff was attractive and his shoulders and arms were thick and sculpted.
He was built more like an athlete than "rock star."
I think Jeff was trying to be respectful, but he was beginning to fail on that. "Wow," he said, his bloodshot eyes being very appreciative. "You are something."
I laughed, wiping off my cleanser with a wash cloth. "What does 'something' mean?"
"It means really beautiful and perfect," Jeff said with a big smile.
I rolled my eyes. "Come here," I instructed softly. Obedient as ever, he came forward where he was less than a foot in front of me. I splashed some water on his chest, down his arms, and ran my fingers through his hair.
Then I took shampoo and scrubbed his hair till it was white with suds. I squeezed some body wash into his palm and he lathered his whole body up, as best he could without falling over. I giggled.
"Okay, let's switch places now," I said. We carefully slipped by each other, so that he was under the water.
He rinsed himself off and then said "Your turn?"
I laughed and shook my head. "Nope, I'm already clean. Thanks though."
He frowned.
"Can you turn the water off please?" I asked.
He did. I reached out of the shower and grabbed my towel. I caught him looking at me again and I pretended to scold him.
"Keep your eyes to yourself."
He shrugged. "That's hard work. I'm too tired for work," he complained. I laughed and stepped out of the shower. "Here," I tossed him a clean towel.
"Thanks."
A minute later he stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around his hips. I had mine tucked under my arms. I grabbed his clothes for him and led him into my bedroom.
"Oh I've never been in here," Jeff noted, eyes looking around the room. I ignored that and pushed him gently on my bed.
"Get dressed, then get in bed. You can sleep in here and I'll sleep on my couch," I told him.
Before he could respond, I went back in the bathroom to get my pajamas on and brush my teeth. When I came back in my room, Jeff was in bed under the covers. I looked on the floor and saw all of his clothes there, but the red boxers were gone.
"Heather?" He called out, but this time his voice was softer and more like his usual self. I sighed but smiled. "Yes?"
"Will you please sleep with me?"
"Jeff..."
"Please."
I thought about it for a second before turning the overhead light off and crawling into bed next to him, but faced the opposite way.
"Thanks" he whispered, and he slipped his arms around me loosely.
I grabbed his hand and pulled it to my lips where I kissed it softly.
"Sweet dreams," I whispered back.
Approximately five seconds of sweet silence passed before I heard "Heather?"
I turned over then so I was facing him. "What Jeff?" I asked.
"Do you wanna be my girlfriend?" He asked in a sweet, yet childish tone of voice. I froze for a second.
Then I touched his face with my hand.
"Ask me in the morning, if you remember."
I could see the outline of his lips, which pulled down disappointedly.
"Okay Heather. Goodnight."
I said nothing, but I stayed facing him and snuggled into his chest a little more.
"Heather?" he asked, voice clear enough now that I wasn't even annoyed.
"Yes?" I asked.
"I will remember."