1 – First sight

Thumping beats and music filled the small bar as they mixed with silent chatter from few guests that sat on their places. Few of them were standing near the stage, willing to make eye-contact with the band or just grab their attention. The clinking of the glasses and liquor bottles came from the overcrowded bartender section; it was perfect Friday night. The bar was dark, dim and without unnecessary lights; only few of lamps, candles and illumination from street was making reflections on the people inside.

His hands were glued to the microphone in front of him. His eyes were closed and his face was covered in sweat. Hair already stuck to his temples and there were first sweat-marks on his white shirt that clung to his lean yet muscular body. The breathing was hard by now; the set was finishing and was the longest one in a while. But he didn't want to stop; he wanted to carry on with his music. Music was making him going; almost like some girl would do and he loved that feeling.

The song finished and the singer stepped a little and closed microphone even more to his mouth. "Thank you. We're 100 Monkey and I hope you enjoyed in our set." He said in his low, husky, southern accent with his masculine and deep voice. The cheers erupted, few girls screamed, and he just gave a slight smirk to his mates behind him before walking behind the curtain in their lounge backroom.

It looked like every other backroom. It had white walls, fake green carpet, rotten couch and one small cooler for the drinks. He walked immediately to the cooler and took out a beer for his mates before taking one for himself. "It was a good show." Jerad said as he looked towards the singer, Jackson.

Jackson merely nodded as he chugged the sips from his bottle. "Yes." He then replied as he placed the bottle on the window sill and turned around to face his band-mates. "I think I'm heading home when I finish the beer." he said and his mates turned around, looking at him utterly shocked.

"What?" Ben G asked with smirk. "You're not staying here. I saw few hot girls that are feisty to meet you." he added while rubbing his chin.

Jackson just shook his head. "I'm not in mood." His friends groaned silently. They knew what was wrong with Jackson immediately. He is again in bad mood because he remembered his past girlfriend. Though it's been more then year since they broke up and she ran off with some other wealthy guy and left Jackson heartbroken. He was over her, they knew it, only sometimes he remembers her and he gets moody and diluted.

"Okay." Other Ben in group said while sticking his hand in his jeans pocket and pulling the keys out. "Take the Van with you. No instruments tonight." Jackson smiled and took the keys before taking his jacket in hands.

"And you guys?" Jerad was now to reply to Jackson

"You don't have to worry about us. We're big boys." He grinned at the end and Jackson nodded before taking the backdoor that led outside in the alley.

He sat in the rotten van and before starting the engine he tugged the spare shirt from the backseat. Dressing it over his head and making comfortable in his seat he lit up a cigarette and woke the Van to life. His mind was set on Elena. His ex-girlfriend, hell his ex-fiance that left him about year ago. He was over her, for now longer period but the girl in audience terribly looked like Elena so his mood was gone soon he laid his eyes on that poor girl in bar.

Lorena Williams or just Lola, for the majority of people, drove through the familiar street on her bicycle, feeling the rush of air hitting her face. Her long red-orange hair was pinned in pony tail as her bangs rushed all over the head. She loved the rush, adrenaline and she most of everything loved the feeling of freedom. She felt so free while driving her black cruiser through the streets.

Her heart pounded a bit faster as she stopped to roll the pedals and just enjoyed in view around. The streets were illuminated by the yellow lights and the familiar part of the town came in her view. The small house that was perched on the other flat, over the small bookstore came into her view. She smirked, it was her home. Eagerly to get there fast she pushed the pedals few times more and tried to cross the street. But not before the sound of brakes screech pierced her ears. She stopped and felt her heart beating wildly as the Van stood in front of her, just half of meter away.

Jackson fast stopped the Van and hurried outside. He almost killed someone only because he was moody and thinking too much about his past. He slammed the doors of Van and rounded it before stopping next the person that held hand over the chest. "Jesus Christ! I'm sorry." he muttered as he placed his hand over the shoulder of person. "Are you fine?" he then asked.

"Yeah," the girl's voice replied, "I'm fine. Just scared a bit, no harm done." She added softly. Jackson nodded to himself as he as well let out a breath. He still couldn't believe how reckless he was. The girl sensed that and looked up at Jackson. "It's okay. Don't worry." She said with small smile as she came down from bicycle.

Jackson widened his eyes for a second before smiling at girl. He couldn't decipher too well but he could see her pretty face under the illumination of the street. He again smiled, now something wider before extending his hand to hers. "Jackson."

The girl smiled back and took his large and calloused hand. "Lorena or just Lola for friends."

The silence fell upon them and Lola looked confusedly on the wheel of her bicycle. Jackson didn't want to just go like that and leave this pretty stranger. It would be shame to leave now and never see her again. He didn't believe in destiny but this smelled strangely to him. "So," he started as the girl looked up on the small house above the bookstore, "I hope I didn't scare you too much. I was just in my thoughts and you were pretty fast on your cruiser."

Lola smirked hearing his voice. She loved it; it was deep and so different. "Yeah I like to do that quite often. This street is usually silent all the time." she then looked up again on her house before smiling as she started to push her bike across the street. "Are you staying here or are you coming in for cup of coffee?" she asked with smirk as she looked at Jackson over her shoulder.

He felt the strange knot form in his stomach but he smirked widely. He liked her self-confidence. "Black and without sugar." He smirked as he sat in Van to pull it on the side of the street.

Jackson knocked once at Lola's door. She invited him but he was polite guy so he knocked. "Yeah, come in. First doors left." he heard her voice call out and he pushed the doors open before entering in big hallway. It looked so cramped with stuff but what caught his eye was Lola's bike that hung on the wall. He smirked and walked further before stepping into room that Lola said he should come in. It was empty but nice decorated. A big dark blue couch stood there with three coffee tables in various heights and a love-seat opposite the couch. A small TV stood placed on round table in front of the couch and everything was full with photos of people. "Feel yourself like at home."

Jackson turned around and smiled at Lola that was now dressed in pair of sweatpants and large, man pullover with her cooper hair wrapped up in messy bun. Her bangs covered her astonishing deep blue eyes. "Are you always inviting strangers up at your place for coffee?" Jackson asked as he sat on the couch and watched Lola prepare coffee in the kitchen that was divided from living room with two stone pillars.

She turned around to face him, making grimace on her face before replying. "Just ones that don't seem dangerous. Black and without sugar?" Jackson nodded as Lola walked back into living room and placed his coffee cup on the coffee table.

"How do you know I'm not some dangerous, filthy and psychotic maniac?" Lola laughed before twirling her spoon in her cup. She looked up at Jackson with grin on her face and her heart pumped up faster for a moment from his green eyes.

"I know, come on. You were afraid that I may be injured when you almost killed me. Maniacs don't do that." Jackson proved that she had point and kept staring around her apartment. It was nice decorated and beside photos she had few big paintings along the wall where the TV stood. "Oh yes, I paint a lot." Lola said as she took sip of her coffee.

"Really?" Jackson asked. "So, that's like your vocation?" Jackson slowly sipped his coffee.

"No I'm novelist, I write books but also enjoy in photography. As you can see." She grinned on end. "You? By the fact you are driving Van I'd say you are plumber, but again plumbers don't wear that stuff, they are usually dressed in dirty work-pants and they stare at my breasts." Jackson chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm not plumber. I'm musician." He replied, scared that she might recognize him or something. "But I do acting as well."

Lola's mouth shaped in 'o' and she nodded. "Well you certainly have face for acting." He grinned and took sip of his coffee. "Any movies that I know?"

Jackson shrugged. "Don't know if you heard Twilight Saga?" Lola nodded with her head as he smirked. He liked her reactions. She didn't squealed, hugged him or did anything scary. "But music is my life." Jackson admitted shyly.

Lola nodded before looking up at his green eyes. "It suits you better then acting." She said shyly as she felt her cheeks blush from his intense gaze.

"No, you are not serious?" Lola asked as she laughed and finished her third coffee. Jackson just grinned and nodded. "He didn't jump naked in neighbor's pool for twenty bucks?" she asked once again.

"Yeah he did." Jackson replied calmly. "He needed twenty bucks and he did it. It was hilarious and I still remember Mr. Brown's horror-stricken face as Ben walked out of the pool naked and just strolled to his yard." Jackson chuckled again remembering his teenager days.

Lola laughed as well. Well she was laughing majority of the time that she spent hanging out with Jackson. Jackson liked to spend with Lola time too. She was smart, funny, and laid-back, actually listened and asked questions and beyond everything she was damn pretty. They were talking for who knows how long but in same time neither of them wanted to stop. They had so much in common that was almost sickening.

"Want a piece of cake?" Lola suddenly asked standing up. "I have bought some yesterday and I don't feel like eating alone." She still waited for Jackson to reply. And though Jackson wanted to refuse because it was too late for eating something sweet, the moment Lola bit her full bottom lip, his heart started to beat loudly and he nodded. "Great." She said with smile before walking to the big red fridge in the center of kitchen.

Jackson was halfway through his chocolate cake as his phone rang for text message in his jacket that rested on next him. "Just a sec." he said as he putted the plate on the table and took out his phone. It was Jerad who was as assumed worried:

Where the FUCK are you?

Jackson gulped and quickly looked at his watch. His eyes almost popped out of the head seeing it was near three after midnight. "Holly Crap." He muttered "It is so late?" he looked up at Lola.

She smirked "I think it is." Her voice was shy and Jackson smirked at her blushed face.

"I need to head home. It was my mate, he's worried apparently." Jackson said as he stood up and dressed his jacket. "It was nice to meet you Lola. I enjoyed hanging out with you, and a plus you make great coffee." Lola blushed again and smiled up at him. He wasn't tall too much but Lola was short girl.

"No welcome." She muttered as she led Jackson out. He then stopped abruptly and turned around to face Lola. "Yes?" Lola smirked.

"I'm going for a while on tour with my band. Mind if you give me your email so I can write you. I'd like to keep in touch." Lola smiled and nodded once before pulling out a piece of paper from the drawer in hallway. She quickly wrote her email and handed it to Jackson. "Thanks." He said as they proceed to walk through the hallway. Jackson casually looked at one of the open rooms and his eyes met with few boxes. He chuckled once. "You didn't tell me that you just moved in?" he smirked at Lola.

Lola looked at him confused for a moment before smiling shyly. "Oh I didn't. Actually I'm moving away in two days. I got a publicist in Phoenix." It was like whole world had stopped for Jackson in that moment and the smile that he had on his face faltered quickly. He nodded before walking out the house as fast as possible. That wasn't something that he had expected.