Adora sat at the edge of the front desk. Her front desk. She was restless and kept spinning herself back and forth on the pleather chair she had fought her mother on buying. She had unpacked the last of the books a week ago, but the store still didn't feel real.
After 4 years of double majoring in journalism and fine arts in New York, she had somehow ended up back in Seattle opening a shop rightfully named "The Heart" with her mother, Angella, that described itself as a bookshop/art studio/coffee spot/ whatever else Adora decided along the way.
It was a small place but cozy, with rows and rows of books and plush chairs sporadically placed around the empty spaces. There were art pieces for sale all over the walls that featured mostly Adora and Angella's work, but also the local scene trying to make a few bucks. On the back wall there was a staircase that led up to the art room. Adora planned on using the space to teach and run art workshops but for now it was a holding cell for all of her larger art projects from school that were too big to hold anywhere else.
She sighed and spun herself around again, this time to refill her mug with more coffee from the almost empty pot that had been sitting there all day. Once the shop opened on Monday, someone named Glimmer would be joining their team and making sure the coffee was fresh for customers. Tonight though, Adora could care less if the coffee was stale and sludge-like as long as it kept her awake. She had bled her sweat and tears into this shop, and she'd be damned if opening day didn't go as planned. Everything had to be perfect.
She took another glance around the place and frowned. There really was no more to be done tonight. Plus, she had tomorrow and the weekend to prepare. Still, she couldn't bring herself to close up yet. She sipped on the coffee.
Her phone buzzed. Adora looked down to see her mother's text coming through under the contact name "Business Partner". She laughed at her own joke knowing her mom would loath being called that. "I hope you are out with friends and not still mopping about the shop" The text read. Adora groaned and threw her phone down on the counter. She knew her mother meant well but it really wasn't her business whether Adora was with friends or sitting alone in the shop drinking 8 hour old coffee. Mostly because she had no friends and was in fact, doing exactly what her mother asked her not to do.
When Adora left here 4 years ago she may have burned some bridges on the way out and she wasn't exactly in a rush to let anyone know she was back in town. First, there was her ex-boyfriend Bow who she hadn't spoken to since he dumped her 2 days before she left for school. They had been good friends that turned sour and in her final emotional breakdown, she had thrown a milkshake at him and lost contact. Then there was her ex-friend Catra, who hated her guts, no need to revisit those reasons. Adora bit her cheek. She needed more friends apparently. She thought about messaging Mermista or Perfuma in New York but it was probably too late their time to start a conversation now. Adora picked up her phone then placed it back down. She paced back and forth, and thought about the consequences if she did decide to text Catra.
Catra, Adora had been avoiding her since she returned. Actively avoiding actually. She opened her phone again and promptly searched Catra's Instagram at thtwildcat. She had posted yet another photo of her band tagged thefrightzone. The photo featured Catra sticking her tongue out at the camera while she strung at her guitar. Her brown hair was as long and wild as ever and her clothes were tight and ripped with a dusty leather jacket on top. A woman could be seen behind her, tall and muscular with a short bleach blonde hairdo, holding a microphone and singing into it with her black lipstick and deep red eyeliner. And, as suspected, behind her at the drums, sat Bow. He looked classically him. His dark stomach exposed in a tight crop top and his drumsticks held between his strong, nail painted hands above short dark hair. Another girl had joined that Adora didn't recognize but had learned her name was Lonnie and was their new bass guitarist.
She stared at the picture, trying to picture Catra jamming out on a stage. The caption read "Thirsty Thursday at EtheriaSeattle. 10pm Kittens, you better be there". She checked the time. It was 9:50pm. On Thursday. Adora thrummed her fingers against the wood table, thinking. She checked waze to discover Etheria was a 15 minute walk away.
"Bet I can beat that," Adora smirked to herself. Not that she was going to go. Although it was just around the corner. Adora sat for a moment longer before making her decision. She ran around the room shutting off the lights, threw the coffee pot into the sink for morning Adora to deal with, and grabbed her jacket. She wasn't exactly dressed for a club, but she wasn't planning on letting many people see her anyways. Certainly not the band. The truth was, she had been stalking their Instagram page for years and now found herself at an impasse. She wanted to see them play. She would just have to be quiet and tactful. No one had to see her.
Adora sprinted down the street, her bag in hand as she squeezed passed groups of people pouring into the downtown area. She was grateful that her white and red vans could keep up with her when she skidded into a turn and continued on.
She was out of breath and wheezing by the time she skidded to halt in front of the pink neon sign that read Etheria. Her watch read 10:05. "Damn," Adora mumbled as she caught her breath. She checked herself in the glass. Her hair was still up in a messy ponytail and her lack of makeup was embarrassingly obvious. She had a bright red jacket that was just a little too big for her that she had pulled off a thrift store hanger, and khakis. She grimaced. She was really not club ready.
For a brief moment, Adora considered just going home and tucking in early. Then music started inside, pulling her back down. Instead, 5 minutes later she found herself ordering a vodka soda and pushing herself as far to the side of the stage as she could. The crowd was large tonight, larger than Adora had been expecting, and she was both grateful and impressed by it.
"Hey there Kitten's," Catra's voice rang out to the crowd, having finished their first song. Adora lost focus of anything else as she looked up at her old friend. Catra looked at ease, completely in her element. Adora had forgotten how striking Catra's two different colored eyes were, how her tan skin glistened even when she sweat, even how enticing her spiked fingernails were when they slid down her guitar. The band had gone into a cover of "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness and Adora danced around on her own, enjoying the fast pace and heavy guitar. The main blonde singer, who Adora knew as Scorpia, had an amazing voice and with a little help from Bow on the vocals, the crowd was going wild.
5 songs and 3 vodka sodas later, Adora found herself back at the bar ordering another. She was thoroughly tipsy and trying not to think about the fact that she had to be up early and working when Catra announced this would be their last song of the night. The crowd booed and Catra cackled in response.
"We thought we would end with an original song tonight what do you think?" The crowd screamed and Catra smirked to her fans and tapped her fingernails against her chest like a heartbeat. "This one's called All That You Said and goes out to anyone feeling like they want to yell in this bar tonight." Catra started slow and steady on her guitar before Bow joined in with a growing drumbeat. "She said that tomorrow would be better," Scorpia started with Catra joining at her side.
"She said we could all go down together" The two continued as the song built up. They reached the chorus and it was like everyone in the club knew the words except for Adora so she just leaned back and listened.
"So now it's done! And where are you? Just another name FUCK YOU. All the words. you said. Just a mess inside my head. A mess inside myyy head." Catra broke into a guitar solo that sent everyone reeling, and Adora felt a quiet ache pulse in her chest. The song ended and everyone clapped including Adora. The band smiled and bowed before making their exit off stage. Adora looked around. No one was going anywhere, and a DJ had made his way back up to his station, tossing on another EDM song to get the people going. She thought it was probably time to head home when she heard something.
"I still think it should be a DRUM solo," Bow said from somewhere behind her. She froze and turned her head slowly to see Lonnie leading the group past the curtain and onto the general floor. Right where Adora was standing. She internally screamed and tried to press herself to the wall, making herself invisible.
"Yeah, maybe next time champ," Catra scoffed. Adora caught her breath. She watched and wondered if maybe they would walk right past her. The bar lighting was dark and red and there were curtains to the right of Adora, if she could just get over there, no one would know. She tried to shuffle. Just as the idea entered her brain though, Catra stopped short. Adora froze and watched Catra's eyes turn to face hers, as if she had simply felt Adora's presence. Adora smiled as she sucked in a breath and hoped it didn't look like a grimace. Catra's face looked stunned and then confused and finally decided on a frown.
"Adora?" She asked. The others stopped, turning to see what Catra had seen.
"Hi Catra… Hi.. Bow," Adora managed a weak wave as the others joined them.
"Adora." Bow pushed past Catra, who wasn't moving, and opened his arms wide, giving Adora a crushing hug. She laughed in shock but hugged him back.
"Hi Bow," Adora could feel her heart beating loudly in her chest as she rested in his arms.
"What are you doing here?!" He exclaimed, still smiling as he released her.
"Yeah, what are you doing here?" Catra's tone was not so kind. She walked up to stand next to Bow, protectively.
"Well, I saw the insta post about tonight's show so I thought I would come see you guys and wow. You were all amazing," Adora felt her cheeks flush and rubbed nervously at the back of her neck, wishing she hadn't had that last drink.
"Thanks!" Lonnie answered. Catra elbowed her in the ribs.
"Just visiting Seattle?" Bow asked.
"No actually," Adora said, "I moved back here about a month ago." Catra scowled at her.
"A month?" She asked, crossing her arms across her chest, "Nice." Adora could feel the annoyance dripping from her tone and was reminded, once again, why she shouldn't have come tonight.
"I'm so sorry I haven't called. I've been busy getting my mom and I's store up and running and… obviously you've all been very busy," Adora motioned to the place as a whole, feeling overwhelmed.
"Oh, we have been busy," Catra cut in before Bow could stop her. She took a step towards Adora. "Life could not be better actually," She continued, smirking at her old friend, "When you left, everything finally came together. The band, our music, oh and have you met my girlfriend, Scorpia?" Catra motioned to the tall blonde. Scorpia smiled and placed her hand in Catra's.
Adora knew this was supposed to be Catra's moment so she didn't tell her that she had seen their couple pictures all over Scorpia's page. Catra had come out to Adora before she left years ago and Adora wondered idly if Catra had seen any of her own pride posts. She had come out the moment she had left this city.
Either way, this was not the time or place to discuss it so instead Adora stuck out a hand to Scorpia and plastered a smile to her face. Scorpia looked unimpressed but shook it anyways. Catra kept her face even but Adora saw a familiar tick in the corner of her mouth that meant this was supposed to go differently. "And this is our new friend Lonnie. She's great and not a backstabbing…"
"OKAY," Bow jumped in, physically covering Catra's mouth to stop her from talking, "I'm so sorry Adora, it's so nice to see you! We actually have to go though, we have merch to sell and uhh things to.. do? But please text us. We've missed you," Bow smiled. Catra glared at him. "Well I've missed you," Bow looked apologetically at her but Adora nodded in understanding. She felt all fuzzy inside. It was the way Bow made everyone feel and Adora wondered why she had been so nervous to see him again.
"Of course. Um, nice to see you both and nice to meet you!" Adora felt like she was babbling. Catra had shoved Bow off and was grooming her hair back, recomposing herself and giving Adora a look. Adora froze, the two staring at each other.
Finally, Catra turned away, giving her one last up and down stare as if deciding whether or not she was real. "Bye Adora," She leered, giving her an overly innocent wave. Adora nodded to them and backed away from the group, attempting to act normal and not tipsy. The second she was out of their sight she booked it out of there.