"Raindrops (Complete)"
By BoltGreens (https://pastebin.com/u/BoltGreens)

URL: https://pastebin.com/SWdwpK00
Created on: Saturday 12th of January 2019 02:39:11 AM CDT
Retrieved on: Saturday 31 of October 2020 05:39:33 PM UTC


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2lWvtKQAB4
>Why did you let them drag you here?
>You’ve never been big on social gatherings, even if it is a concert.
>Sweaty bodies and copious amounts of drugs isn’t really your scene.
>Nope, you’re a homebody. But alas, you’re here.
>Not only are you here, but you’re being crushed by these fucking high schoolers.
>You recall being told this was a 21 and up event.
>There is no way these people are old enough to drink.
>You slowly move your ass to the edge of the crowd, to the bar.
>The music is still loud, but now you can actually hear yourself think.
>You’re not really sure if you even like this kind of music, but your best friends are big on it.
>”It’ll be a blast, bro. You need to get out of the house anyway, you’re fucking pale.”
>You sigh and look to the bartender.
“Can I get some water?”
>You hear a giggle coming from your port side.
>It’s a chick. A nice looking one at that.
>Wild, unkempt hair; dark and light blue streaks alternating throughout.
>”First time?” She smirks.
>Her eyes are hidden behind a pair of glasses. How the fuck can she even see in here?
“Here, yeah. To a concert, no.”
>The bartender delivers the water and you lean on the bar, sighing and taking a drink.
>She raises an eyebrow.
>”You don’t seem like you’re too excited to be here.”
>You look to her and shrug.
“I guess you could say I was coerced into coming. I don’t even like this band that much.”
>She looks to the stage, just as the bassist takes a dive into the crowd.
“I guess it could be worse. I could be holding up a sweaty bassist.”
>She laughs and kicks herself off the bartop.
>”You smoke?” She asks, bouncing past you.
>You nod, following her outside.
>You both prop up against the wall, listening to the rain and the faint pounding of drums.
>You give her a light and take a puff of your own, putting your pack into your hoodie pocket.
>She nods in thanks and turns to you.
>”So, coerced, huh?”
“Heh, yeah. My friends have been excited for this concert for a while. I just got dragged out here after they bought a ticket without my permission.”
>The flashing lights of the venue didn’t allow you to get a good look at her before.
>She’s slender. That’s not to say she’s skinny; she has curves in the right places, without being chubby.
>She’s short too. Like, 5’3 maybe. You dwarf her in comparison.
>To top it all off, she’s even paler than you, and you haven’t left the house in 2 weeks.
>She laughs, blowing smoke. “Yeah, my roommate’s done the same to me before. She’s an orchestral nut.”
“She do it in high school or something?”
>”Something like that.” She says with a small smirk, tossing her cigarette onto the wet brick.
>”So what’s your name?”
>You take a sideways glance at her before blowing out the last of yours, offering her your hand.
“Anonymous, but most people just call me Anon.”
>She takes it with a smile. “Vinyl Scratch.”
>That name rings a bell, but you can’t quite place it.
“So, what’re you doing here? You didn’t seem too enthused with the music either.”
>She looks a bit shocked.
>”I uh, I opened for the band.”
>Oh shit, really?
“Oh shit, really?”
>She giggles. “Yeah. I’m not too surprised you didn’t recognise me. I was behind my booth and all that. You’re not the first.”
>DamageControl.exe
You smile and take out your water, offering her a drink. “Well, I thought you were good, for what it’s worth.” 
>She shakes her head. “I’m fine. And thanks.”
>You shrug and take a swig, putting it back in your hoodie pocket.
>They’re so convenient.
>You hear the band stop playing and a couple of people shuffle out of the venue. One of which is your best friend, Shining.
>You met playing football, but you stopped Sophomore year, becoming more of a creative type.
>He slaps you on the back. You can tell that he’s more than a fair bit tipsy by the way he leans on you.
>”What the fuck is up, ‘Non!?”
>You grimace a bit and rub your ear.
>Vinyl smirks. “Who’s this?”
“My captor,” you say, turning to Shining. “Where’s Soarin?”
>He thinks for a minute. “Uh, I think he left a bit ago with some chick with rainbow hair.”
>Great.
>You try to contain your anger.
>Shining looks at you and shrinks a bit.
“He was our fucking ride,” you say, running your hand through your hair.
>Vinyl clears her throat.
>”I can take you guys home, if you need. I’m not allowed to drink on a gig-night. Roommate’s orders.”
>Your eyes shoot open
“Really!? That’d be great!” You look to Shining.
>He’s a bit occupied vomiting on the wall.
>You and Vinyl look on in mixed shock and disgust.
“We should leave soon.”
>”Yeah.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>You hold Shining’s hair back as he pukes into your toilet.
>The things you do for friends.
>Vinyl had no trouble taking you home.
>Shining kept you two entertained on the trip, and for your trouble you exchanged numbers.
>She seemed nice. Maybe going to that concert was what you needed to get out the house.
>Shining eventually passes out on the couch and you head to bed yourself.
>Not before browsing your favorite Uzbeki Horse Wrangling website, of course.

>Your alarm wakes you just before Shining could.
>He moans and shambles his way into the room, through it, and into the bathroom.
>You sit up, checking the time.
>8 am. Gotta get ready for work.
>You let Shining figure out where he is and that he’s alive before kicking him out and taking a shower.
>You dry off and check your phone.
>You have a text from Vinyl.
>[u wanna get coffee]
>You glance at the clock
>You probably don’t have time for it.
[How about lunch?]
>[sure :)]
[I’ll send you the address of my job.]
>You finish dressing and grab your keys, heading out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk
>The drive to work isn’t too bad. The roads are a tad bit flooded, but that’s expected.
>Shitty local government and their inability to finish any job.
>You jam to the music as you run some stop signs to get to work.
>You pull into your usual spot and hop out, looking up at the storefront
>Working in a record shop isn’t as cracked up as it used to be, but hey, it’s home away from home.
>Your boss is rarely ever there, and Soarin is your only other co-worker, so most of the time you just fuck around with him.
>You unlock the doors right as Soarin pulls up in his pristine sky blue 84’ Chevy Caprice.
>Took him years to save up for it, and you gotta admit, it looks good.
>You smirk at his squint from the sunlight as you open the doors and prop it open.
>You head to the back and start unboxing the new records.
“Hey Soarin, fuck you for ditching us last night. The pussy better have been worth it.”
>He just grunts in response, taking his place behind the register.
>You pull out all the new releases and put them in the rack, moving older releases along the way.
>By the time you’re finished, a couple people have stopped by to say hi to either you or Soarin.
>Most of them are either regulars or Soarin’s old track buddies.
>As is tradition, you put on the first record of the day
>Today it’s a Hip-Hop classic: one that Shining probably wishes he was there for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVk6n-212Pw

>Time passes by slowly as you and Soarin fuck around.
>You look to your friend as he wraps up a sale.
“So who was the chick?”
>He flushes a bit.
>”She’s uh, actually a regular here. Her name is Rainbow Dash. She was on our track team, too.”
“So you two just happen to bump into each other or what?”
>He smiles fondly, getting more change for the register.
>”Like I said, she comes in pretty often. Part of the reason I asked you to go was, uh,” he pauses, unsure of how to finish. “Well I needed you to take care of Shining.”
>You raise an eyebrow.
“So you had it planned the whole time, huh? You mother fucker,” you say, punching him in the shoulder a bit harder than playful.
>He grimaces and rubs his shoulder. “Yeah, sorry bro. It all worked out though, right? I mean, Shining said that you and some chick hooked up too.”
“When did he tell you this?”
>He smirks. “C’mon man, you know him. Word gets around when he knows about it. I’m sure half of the old football team knows by now. Especially since it’s you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” You ask, incredulous.
>”It’s just,” he pauses again, looking for the right words. “It’s big news when you even leave the house nowadays, man; let alone talk to a chick.”
>You consider this for a minute, shuffling through records to take home.
>As much as you hate to admit it, Soarin is right. It’s kinda hard to think that you even made contact with a woman. Hell, it’s a miracle you even left the house since all the shit went down.
>Soarin speaks up again, looking away from the football game on the wall TV. “No offense man, but you’ve been more than antisocial lately. You used up all of your vacation time for no reason, and avoided Shining and I the whole time.”
“One, I used it to take a vacation, and two, you guys get on my nerves sometimes, alright?” You say, setting aside some old R&B records nobody wanted.
>He looks a bit hurt. “Yeah man, I get it. But you’re done with all that shit now, right?”
>You sigh. 
“Yeah. I’ll be around more. Just,” you stop short, a new voice interrupting you.
>”Hiya! I heard you guys have K-pop records here!”
>You turn and are immediately bombarded by pink.
>You’ve never seen so much pink.
>Soarin shakes off the stun before you do, “Y-Yeah, they’re in the Pop section on the right. It’s marked with a Subgenre tag. Can’t m-miss it,” he stammers, looking to you in disbelief.
>You shake your head and avert your eyes from the assault, sparing your retinas any further abuse.
>She claps and bounces her way to the Pop section.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>You take your time sorting through the rest of the old records, and soon enough, it’s lunch time. 
“Hey Soarin, I’ll be taking a long lunch, can you handle things here?”
>He glances at you and waves you off, focusing more on the game than you. “Yeah, just be back before 2:30.”
>You nod, knowing how busy it gets after school lets out.
>You head outside and take out a smoke, checking your phone
>New message!
>[b there soon]
[Take your time.]
>You grin and blow smoke.
>Soon you see a white Chrysler 300 pull into the lot
>Upon further examination, it’s your target.
>You wave her down and she parks next to your car.
>You throw out your cigarette as she steps out.
>”You work at a record store?” She asks 
>You glance at the storefront, unsure of what to say
“Uh, yeah. Why?”
>She smiles. “Because that’s fucking awesome dude!”
>That little comment fills you with a couple of emotions: a little bit of pride, some joy, and a fuckload of relief 
>You look back at her and grin
“Yeah, it’s a lot of fun. Plus, I get free records.”
>She seems stunned. “You get FREE records? What about the owner, shouldn’t he hate that?”
“He should, but I only take records that nobody will ever buy. Plus, he’s a massive stoner, so he doesn’t give a shit.”
>You walk to the passenger side of her car as she hops in.
“This is a nice car. Gigs paying well?” You ask, getting comfy and buckling up. [spoiler]Safety first :)[/spoiler]
>She shrugs. “It’s a living. I enjoy it, but some gigs are better than others, y’know?”
>You don’t, but you pretend to. She pulls out onto the road.
“Yeah. When’s your next one?”
>She thinks for a bit. “It’s in September. I’m planning on doing something special for it.”
“I’ll have to go then.”
>She shifts in her seat a bit. “I mean, you don’t have to.”
>Does she not want you to?
>You decide to remain silent, not wanting to push too hard. This chick is too good for you to let her get away that quickly.
>She looks at you after a bit. “I’m just driving, I don’t know where I’m going.”
“I could go for some mexican.”
>She smiles. “I was thinking the same.”
>She suddenly makes a right.
“You have a place in mind, I take it?”
>She gives you a look you can’t decipher.
>Oh boy.

>After about 10 minutes, you pull into a really shitty looking strip mall in a not so good part of town.
>Fuck dude, you didn’t bring your gun.
>She pulls into a parking spot in front of an unmarked storefront.
>She looks at you. “You good? You look like you shit yourself.”
“I, uh, yeah. Yeah.”
>She smirks and shakes her head, getting out of the car.
>You unbuckle and step out, immediately getting hit by an enticing hispanic scent
>You look to Vinyl with wide eyes
>She has the smuggest look
“You planned this.”
>”Of course. I wanted to see your reaction, and I have to say the look on your face was worth it.”
>You both walk in and your ears are filled with mariachi music and the yelling of mexican cooks in the back.
>You can’t imagine how this place stays in business. Must be a passion project, like the record store.
>But you guys sell a lot of records. This place is literally unmarked. It looks abandoned from outside.
>Boy does it smell good though. You’re led to a small booth and take a seat.
>Your waitress arrives a minute later.
>”Howdy. Ah’m AJ, and ah’ll be your server today. We have Pepsi products.”
>You take a closer look at her as Vinyl orders a Mountain Dew.
>Christ, she’s actually wearing a cowboy hat. A nice one at that.
“I’ll have water, thanks.”
>She nods, smiles, and takes her leave. You notice she also has fucking boots on.
“So, you’ve been here before. What do you recommend?”
>Vinyl looks over the menu.
>”I’m partial to a big fat burrito, but you do you.”
>You look over the menu as well, taking sneaky glances at Vinyl.
>Why does she keep those glasses on indoors?
>Eventually she catches on.
>”Whatcha lookin-”
>AJ comes back to your table with your drinks, chips, and salsa.
>”Here ya’ go! So whatcha thinkin’?”
>Vinyl pauses for a minute before answering with a smile. “I’ll have the Rio Grande burrito. No beans, double rice.”
>AJ nods and takes her menu, looking to you.
“I’ll have the Enchilada platter, please,” you say, taking a sip of your water and handing over your menu.
>AJ takes it and smiles. “Ah’ll have that right out for ya,” she says, turning on a bootheel.
“So,” you start, turning to Vinyl. “What’re the glasses about?”
>She pauses, taken aback.
>”It’s my eyes. People are weirded out by ‘em, so I hide them.”
“Weirded out?”
>”Yeah, they’re different. Maybe you’ll find out one day.”
>If you could see it, you think she’d probably wink.
>You chuckle.
“Yeah, maybe. I like the glasses though, very stylish.”
>She giggles.
>”Well even so, I didn’t get to pick them. My roommate insisted that they match me perfectly.”
“You close with your roommate?”
>”Very. She’s like my sister in a lot of ways. She’s always been there for me.”
>You can understand that one. Shining is basically your dumber, stronger little brother.
“Yeah, Shining and I are a lot like that. Just more separated. He lives across the hall instead of with me.”
>Vinyl grins
>”I can’t blame him for sticking close, the way you took care of him last night.”
>She’s got a point. You’re not giving him enough room to leave the nest.
“Well, he helps me as much as I help him. How else am I gonna move in new furniture?”
>Soon enough AJ returns with your food.
>It smells like bean-based heaven.
>AJ sets your plate down. “Enjoy Sug’.”
>You take a bite and holy shit.
>It’s fucking incredible.
>This enchilada is making a helluva case for food being both a drug and art.
>You look at Vinyl, dumbfounded.
“How the fuck did you find this place?”
>She gets that smug look.
>”I learned as a little girl that the best places for mexican food are family run holes-in-the-wall.”
>You wish you’d known that earlier, god damn.

>After a successful lunch, you pay for both meals and head out.
“Vinyl, that was fucking good.”
>She’s never been more smug.
>”I know,” she says, getting into her pimp-mobile.
>After a short drive back, you look to Vinyl.
“Thanks for showing me that place. I’ll have to go again with Soarin and Shining.”
>She smiles. “Of course.”
>Just as you’re about to get out, Vinyl puts a hand on your arm. 
>”I had a good time Anon. Thanks.”
>Run diabetus.exe
“Anytime, Vinyl. See you soon.”
>You step out and wave as she leaves, breathing a sigh of relief that it went well.
>You turn around and see Soarin leaning in the doorway; eyebrow raised, grin shiteating.
>”Fuck you for ditching me. The pussy had better been wor-”
“Fuck off,” you say, shoving him back into the store, getting back to work.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>Your alarm wakes you up at 10 AM.
>It’s been 2 weeks since your first little date with Vinyl, and you couldn’t be happier with how things are going.
>You hear a banging on your door.
>You throw on a shirt and crawl out of bed.
>It’s not usual that you get a visiter on your day off.
>You open the door and see a very disheveled Shining.
>He pushes past you before you can say anything.
“Woah, dude, what the fuck?”
>He turns to you in a panic
>”You gotta fucking help me dude.”
>Shit, this must be pretty important. He’s never been this bad before. You turn and calmly walk to him, grabbing him by the shoulders.
“Alright, bro. Just relax, get some water, and meet me on the couch when you’re ready to tell me what’s going on.”
>He nods a bit and moves to your kitchen.
>You shake your head and move back to the door, peeking your head out for eavesdroppers before closing and locking it.
>You turn back around to see Shining holding his head in his hands, glass of water empty.
>You go to sit across from him in your favorite chair.
“Alright, man. Tell me what’s going on.”
>He gives you the most pitiful look you’ve ever seen.
>”I got kicked out.”
“What do you mean, kicked out?”
>”They told me to hand in my badge and gun, Anon. I’m out of a job.”
>Oh fuck.
“Shit dude, that’s horrible,” you say, moving to the edge of your seat. “What do you need from me? I’m here.”
>He looks at you and pauses, swallowing his pride.
>”I need you to help me find a new job. You know I’m not that smart, but I can do other stuff. Whatever you can get me, I’ll take.”
>Shit. Okay.
“Alright, Shining. I can do that. Sit here while I make some calls.”
>You leave him and take out your phone.
>You dial your cousin, Incognito, to see if he has any work in his warehouse.
>It doesn’t even ring before going to voicemail.
>Fuck, okay.
>You call Soarin.
“Yo, Soarin, do you know anyone who has a job available?”
>”Uh, not off the top of my head, but I can look around, why? You quitting?”
“No, just uh,” you pause, peeking out to the living room at Shining. “Just asking around for a friend.”
>”Well, I’ll look and get back to you.”
“Thanks, Soarin. See you tomorrow.”
>”Later.”
>You hang up and look through your contacts.
>You land on Vinyl.
>Might as well.
>It rings for a bit before she answers.
>”Hey, Anon. What’s up?”
“Do you need any help with your gigs? Like, setup or security?”
>”Uh, gimme a minute,” she says. You hear some rustling and eventually she returns.
>”I need a guard and someone to help set-up my equipment, but I can only afford one person.”
“What’s the pay?”
>”A living wage, it’s negotiable depending on skills, but it starts at 40K.”
>You think for a bit.
“Alright, lemme get back to you. Keep your phone close by.”
>”Sounds good.”
>You hang up and open the door to the living room.
“I’ve got something.”
>He looks to you, and you can see that little glint of hope in his eyes.

>You and Shining stand together behind a van, a month later, unloading electronic equipment.
>Vinyl steps out from the backstage area.
>”You know you didn’t have to do this, right?” She asks you, taking a small keyboard from the van.
“Yeah, but I figure if I’m gonna show up anyway, I might as well help out.”
>She shakes her head, opening the door for you.
>You and Shining walk past her and backstage, setting down the last of the equipment and wiping your brows.
>He gives you a pat on the back. “Thanks bro. I owe you one.”
>You smile at him.
“It’s no big deal man. Of course I’m gonna help you out.”
>You glance over to Vinyl talking to the manager of the establishment.
>Fuck she has a nice ass.
>You don’t quite know how to feel about her. Sure, she’s hot, but you feel like if you both get too close, you’d be holding her back from her dreams.
>She’d have to spend more time with you, which is time she could be using for writing music.
>And what about you?
>You’re a bit more focused on doing SOMETHING with your life.
>It’s been 4 years since high school, and you’re still working the same job.
>You love your job, but you barely make enough to scrape by.
>Shining breaks your train of thought.
>”You coming?”
>You look up and notice Vinyl looking at you with a smirk, and Shining next to her, confused.
“Y-yeah.”
>You walk over and peek out to the crowd.
>It’s packed.
“How many are there?” You ask, turning to Vinyl.
>”300 something,” she says, smiling.
“That’s a lot,” you say, pausing. “You said you’re doing something special, right?”
>She nods. “Yeah, you’ll see,” she winks.
>You get just a little flustered, but you keep your spaghetti in.
>She smiles one last time and walks on stage as the crowd roars.
>You decide to head to the bar for a drink, patting Shining on the back as you pass by.
>By the time you make it to the bar, Vinyl is finished setting up.
>You flag down the bartender and get a water, turning to look at the pale woman on stage.
>She scans the crowd before her eyes rest on you.
>She smirks before opening her mouth
>”Hey everybody, who here’s ready to party!?”
>She basks in the crowd’s adoration
>You recognize a voice slightly louder, and more piercing, than the rest.
>”I love parties!!”
>Oh boy, the Pink K-Pop stan is here.
>She bought like, 20 records that day.
>You take a sip and shake your head, looking back to Vinyl, who launches into her setlist.
>It’s not bad at all. Certainly not your favorite type of music, but you can relax and enjoy how the beat moves you on its own.
>Looking to the door, you can see Shining take his post, nodding his head to the music.
>You’re glad he’s happy. He’s done much more for you than you’ll ever be able to repay him for.
>You finish the water and nod your thanks to the bartender before weaving your way through the crowd.
>You make it to the front row and stare in awe at what you see.
>Beauty personified, in its natural habitat.
>You let the music take control of your body, but not your eyes.
>You sway rhythmically, unable to look away.
>She looks so…
>So happy.
>Your body snaps back to reality, as a wave of emotion crashes into you.
>You can’t ruin this for her. No way. It wouldn’t be fair.
>You sigh and make your way to the front door.
>Shining stops you as you’re about to open it.
>”Where you going?”
“Smoke break.”
>He smirks. “I’m under strict orders to not let you leave.”
>You pause and look back at Vinyl, lost in her art.
>You nod to Shining to follow you outside.
“You’ll have to keep an eye on me then,” you smile. “‘Might run off for all you know.”
>He follows you out.
>You take out your cigarettes and offer him one.
>”You know I don’t smoke. Shit’ll kill you,” he says, dismissing your offer.
>You nod and light it up, taking a long drag before blowing it into the sky.
“Did I ever tell you why I moved here?” You ask, staring into the night sky.
>”Y’know, I don’t think you ever did.” He responds, propping himself against the wall, arms crossed.
>You chuckle.
“My parents moved us here all the way from California because of me,” you pause to take another long drag.
>He stands a bit straighter.
“I told them, ‘I hate how it never rains here,’ and a couple weeks later our house was sold, and we were on our way here. The rainiest city in America.”
>He looks to the ground and smiles a bit. “They did all that because of some silly comment?”
>You finally look at him and nod.
“Yeah. Crazy, right?” You toss the cigarette on the ground and stomp it out.
>He nods. It looks like he wants to say something, but he stops himself.
“You don’t have to say anything, Shining. They loved you like their own son. Hell, they might’ve done the same for you, if you asked them.” You put a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for everything you did.”
>You know if he could suck back that tear, he would. He’s a tough guy, and tough guys don’t cry.
>You hug him with all of the pent up emotion you’ve got.
>After you break the hug, he nods to you and walks back into the venue.
>You take another look into the sky before it starts to rain.
>You smile and wipe your face, following Shining into the venue.
>You hear the track fade out, and are suddenly blinded by light.
>You hold up your arms to block it out and you see everyone in the venue staring at you in confusion.
>Except for one girl.
>”So, today is my birthday, and for this show I wanted to do something special,” she says, smiling to you.
>The entire venue is playing tennis with their gazes at this point.
>You continue to block out the light, looking into Vinyl’s eyes.
>”That is Anon, and I like to think he’s my birthday present this year,” she laughs. “He’s helped me find that big guy over there,” she points to Shining. “Not only that, but he’s been the best part of my life for the last couple of weeks. So, to repay him for that, I’d like to show you all a new song I wrote.”
>The audience bursts into ear splitting applause.
>That distinct pink voice appears over everyone again. “OH MY GOD THAT’S SO FUCKING CUUUTE.” 
>If she wasn’t before, she’s a regular now.
>You make your way to the front, completely baffled by what’s happening.
>Vinyl winks at you and spins up a record.
>Music fills the air. Light synthesizers fade in and build up to a dull roar.
>The sounds of a Cello fill the room, soft, almost gentle at first. 
>You once again can’t take your eyes off of Vinyl.
>She masterfully conducts the synthetic orchestra, building and weaving new layers into the passionate sound.
>You honestly can’t tell whether the pounding you feel is your heart or the bass.
>The music comes to a climax and you have to brace yourself against the stage.
>This is actually moving you to tears. [spoiler] You big baby. [/spoiler]
>The music pounds it’s way to a finish, slowly decompressing in a fashion similar to the intro, until nothing but the Cello motif is left. Soft and full of emotion, but not tension.
>And all at once, it ends.

>The crowd fucking loses it.
>Vinyl leans into the microphone. “Thanks for letting me do that, everyone. Goodnight!”
>She walks off stage with a wave.
>You jump up and follow her back.
>When you spot her she’s sitting on a spare amp with a shit eating grin.
>You stop dead in your tracks, and wipe your eyes.
>”Didn’t take you for a cryer, Anon.”
>You laugh.
“Why’d you do that?” you ask, still unable to move.
>She shrugs. “You’re inspiring Anon. There’s something so,” she looks for the right word. “Genuine about you.”
>She stands and embraces you. “It makes me feel like I can make it.”
>You’re taken aback, but you hold her tight.
“I didn’t take you for a hugger,” you whisper.
>She smiles and looks into your eyes.
>Your lips meet in the most passionate kiss you’ve ever had.
>Seconds later, it ends.
“So, I take it we’re official now?” You smirk.
>She raises an eyebrow and matches your smirk. “Ya think?”
>You break the hug as Shining makes his way onstage.
>”They’re mostly gone. Should we pack up?”
>Vinyl nods. Turning to lift the amp she was on. “Yeah. Anon, can you go collect our half of the bar sales while we pack up?”
“No problem,” you say, jumping off-stage and walking to the Bartender.
>He gives you a nod as you approach.
>”You’re a luck man, Anon.”
>You smile, and look back to the stage briefly.
“Yeah. I am,” you mutter before taking the outstretched money.

>You’re sitting with Soarin during lunch, and he won’t shut up about his fucking pie.
“Christ dude, I know you like it, but do you have to tongue fuck it?”
>He pauses with his tongue halfway into the cherry pie, his face a mess.
>”It’s not my fault you don’t know how to please a woman like I do,” he says, doubling his efforts to make the pie cum.
>You roll your eyes and sip your coffee before feeling a vibration in your pocket.
>You pull out your phone and see a text from Vinyl.
>It’s a link to an article.
>You click it and find that it’s the Rolling Stone.
>The headline reads: “Seattle’s Best Kept Secret”
>Another text from Vinyl
>[ANON, WE’RE IN THE FUCKING ROLLING STONE]
>You furrow your brows and read the article
>”Weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a small, local Seattle concert in hopes of uncovering what made the Seattle sound unique.”
>Holy shit, what a fucking coincidence
>”What I found was quite remarkable: A young, passionate musician performing one of the most beautiful pieces of music I’ve ever heard live.”
>OH FUCK
>”This musician not only gave everyone in the audience a special treat with this song, (an awe inspiring 6 minutes of love and emotion, made for a special someone she dedicated it to in the crowd) but played the gig on her birthday.
>Ayy, you’re the crowd guy!
>”Vinyl Scratch allowed me to finally figure out what I’d been missing about the Seattle music scene. Every single musician coming out of Seattle right now is not only influenced by the interesting concrete jungle they live in, but the people around them. That special type of person that lives in the rainiest city in North America. I truly believe Vinyl Scratch, and that song she wrote and performed so beautifully that night, as well as the other hundreds of young musician’s like her, are Seattle’s Best Kept Secret.”
>[ANON R U SEEING THIS SHIT???]
>You look to Soarin, still giving his best rendition of American Pie.
“I’ve gotta go,” you blurt out, throwing on your jacket and leaving a confused Soarin behind.
>You dial Vinyl. It doesn’t even ring.
>”ANON WHERE ARE YOU OH MY GOD!!!” She squeals.
“I just left the pie place Soarin loves. I’m on my way over right now.”
>”Anon, I’ve been getting calls all day since that article went up.”
>You smile, flipping your phone to the other hand.
>You left your umbrella, but who fucking cares. You’re over the moon right now.
“I can’t believe that guy just happened to be there that night.”
>”I know! You seem to be my good luck charm.”
>You can hear the wink through the phone.
“Do you have that song uploaded anywhere online?”
>She pauses for a moment. “No! You’re right! I need to upload it and email the dude so he can put a link in the article.”
“Atta girl,” you say, stopping in front of her apartment complex. “Let me in, babe,” you buzz.
>You hear a click as the door unlocks.
“See you in a sec,” you say, hanging up.
>You don’t get the chance to knock before the door swings open and she tackles you in the hallway.
>Her lips slam themselves into yours and you put up no resistance.
>After a few seconds, you hear someone clear their throat.
>You break the kiss and look to the source of the sound, spotting an old woman with a sour look.
>You and Vinyl scratch your necks awkwardly, moving into her apartment.
>She runs to her laptop and finishes typing something out before hitting send.
>”I just sent that email. The video is at 10k views already.”
>You close the door and lean against it, speechless.
>She looks to you with that smile you love so much.
>”You know, this is all because of you.”
“Vinyl, I wanted to tell you something. It’s gonna sound dumb, so be ready.”
>She tilts her head in confusion.
>You make your way to the window and open it, lighting a cigarette and watching the rain fall for a minute.
>Vinyl turns her phone off, ignoring the calls she’s getting
“When I was backstage, helping Shining with the equipment, did you notice something off?”
>She nods. “Yeah, I caught you staring at my ass.”
>You choke for a second, coughing up a lung.
“Y-you saw that, huh?”
>She smirks.
“Anyway, that’s not what I meant,” you recover, taking another drag.
>She nods again. “Yeah, I know. I remember you spacing out for a bit. Why?”
>You toss the cigarette out the window and onto the damp ground below.
“Well, I was thinking about how you and I couldn’t really work. As a couple.”
>Her expression keeps the confusion, but mixes in some shock.
>”Why not?”
>You take another deep breath of the cold air and close the window.
“I was worried I’d hold you back from your dream. I’m a nobody. I didn’t go to college, I work at an old record store, and before I met you I hadn’t left my house in weeks.”
>She gives you the softest smile.
>”You know how dumb that is, right?” she says, beginning to grin.
>You look at her and find nothing but truth. She really thinks that it’s dumb.
>You begin to grin back.
“Yeah. I guess it is.”
>”Anon, the exact opposite is true. Because of you, I’m on the front page of Rolling fucking Stone. You’ve ADVANCED my career!”
>She moves to you, grabbing you by the back of the head.
>Your lips meet again, gentler this time.
>You break the kiss and stare into her eyes.
“I love you, Vinyl.”
>”I love you too, Anon.”

THE END