Jack and Grace stood up and chatting, they went to open the door for their friends. She heard their voices in the hallway, whilst everyone was greeting each other.
"Hi" someone tapped her shoulder and she jumped a little sitting on the stool. Breathing deeply, Lena turned around just to face Turner. "Hothothothothot!" Man said, but then shook his head and looked at her suspiciously. "Who are you?" the question left his lips.
The girl frowned, blushing. "H-Hello" she finally answered. "I'm Lena, Grace's friend. I-I moved in with her yesterday."
Then the suspiciousness disappeared from his face. "Oh, yes, she's talking 'bout you a lot, gurl!" he laughed seeing her astonished face. "Don't look at me like this! I know what I'm talking about!" Toby used the Gryphon's voice to make her smile and she didn't disappoint him. But then she realized she didn't know what else she could say. Of course, she knew him, she was a part of the audience for few years. Maybe because of that Lena couldn't find any words, though she was trying to.
Toby saw her abashment and hadn't tried to say something either. He didn't want to force her to talk, when he knew she felt awkward.
Normally, he'd try to make her laugh, but in this case, he felt he'd fail. And an awkward silence appeared between them, when they were thinking how to leave the kitchen without disrespecting each other.
She looked at him even more confused than she was before. "Tom?" she asked surprised. "What are- are-?" Lena tried to ask, but failed.
"Well, I didn't expect you here, Lena" the man replied smiling widely and came closer to kiss the girl in her cheek, making her blush.
"Guys wait. What the hell is going on? Do you know her? Oh, of course you know her" Toby interjected and answered to his own question. "Okay so tell me, how do you know her" he looked at his friend.
Tom rolled his eyes, "remember that trip to Poland I told you about? I was visiting some of my friends there." Man folded arms across his chest, thinking about what to say next. "I meet Lena on the plane. She was watching Supernatural so I leant a little to watch it too… and she gave me one of her earphones. That's all."
Lena giggled whilst listening him talk about how they met. "That was… kinda weird" she told them both. "I mean, you'd been watching what I was doing on my tablet" the girl explained, still smiling.
Turner looked at them. That was the first time someone felt less awkward in Tom's presence than around Toby. That's not right. He was the guy who makes girls smile or laugh. He was the one who is funny and outgoing. Not Tom. Toby.
After a while, whole three moved to the living room to join Grace and Jack. Lena was talking with Tom almost all the time, but for a few minutes it was Toby who had Tom's attention. They were talking about Turner's new projects and his future indiegogo campaign.
Lena was listening to them with pleasure. It was like one of his lazy vlogs, where he is talking about his upcoming projects, songs and everything, but here, not in front of his phone… he talked more about it, he didn't skip the details. He was mumbling about all he has to do on his own, because Clare couldn't be his assistant anymore. According to the YouTube star, the girl had some family issues.
"Toby, you won't do everything without someone who could help you. How is search for a new assistant going?" Tom asked finally.
Toby peered at Thomas. "It's bad. I didn't find anyone who I could trust with everything I do. I mean, I depend on a person with whom I work with…" he grumbled.
"You are searchin' for an assistant? I have somebody perfect for you!" Grace interjected them. "I vouch for her" Helbig chuckled, pointing at Lena.
The redhead didn't notice that in the beginning, but when she did, she glared at her friend. "Wait, what?"
Toby raised his brows, looking at Grace. "Are you sure? You think she'll do?" with smile he inquired.
"G-guys, wait…" Lena tried to say something, but no one was paying attention to her.
Blonde glimpsed at everyone. "She's my best friend, I know her. You'll be thanking me for her in the future."
"No, Grace, what are you-" redhead tried again, but this time, she couldn't even finish her sentence.
Toby wasn't convinced with her words. "Well, but you know me, I am the most annoying person on this planet, so are you sure she won't kill me after a week or even less?"
Grace nodded. "I am one hundred percent sure. She's very patient and conscientious, so no, she won't. Belie-"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP" Lena stood up, yelling loudly. Everybody at once froze and became silent, looking at her surprised with her anger. "What are you talking about? Don't you think I should make a decision about what I am gonna do with my life? Why do you think you can decide for me if I willingly or not want to work for Toby? Why do you even think I need to have a job?" Her voice cracked at the end. "I am the person who should think about this…" Lena frowned, pursing her lips.
"She's perfect. I need her" Toby murmured, being all smiles. "Lena, would you like to work for me?" he asked, watching her closely.
Lena folded her arms. "What? Did you even listen to me at all?" she moaned, rolling her eyes.
Toby looked surprised with her question. "Of course I did" he stated. "That's why… Well, I think I agree with Grace. You seem perfect for this job." Looking at her astonished face, he smiled a little to assure her that he knows what he's doing.
For a second she wanted to yell at him even more, but after a second of thinking about it… she seemed confused. "Well…" she started with hesitation, blushing. "You don't know me. And, I am pretty sure I don't know you… look, I know only the part of Toby you want to show to the people, because I am the part of the Audience. I don't know you." She tried to explain what she meant, but he had known what she wanted to say since she started talking.
Turner smiled beautifully. "You are right, but we can find out only by trying. Then we'll see what happens" he remarked, looking straight into her eyes.
For almost a minute Grace, Jack and Tom were convincing Lena to take the job. Toby was the only one who looked at her silently. Redhead glimpsed at all of them, Turner in particular, thinking about all of it. Then her eyes stopped at Tom's face. He gazed at her with a comforting smile, which actually encouraged her a little. "Oh what the hell, fine, I'm in" she finally agreed.
"Great. Show at my place at ten o'clock tomorrow. Bring Caffè Americano from Starbucks. And notebook, you will need it… and also…" he started to list all the things she should have, looking at her surprised expression.
She raised her hand. "Stop talking right now" she hissed. "If you want to work with me, you should ease up."
Toby was thinking about this for a second, until he murmured "Well… so just show up at my place tomorrow at ten."
Nodding slowly, Lena pondered about all of this. She knew that in the long run they would get sick of each other, but she needed that job. "Great. Maybe you will tell me where you live, though. I believe that would help."
"A brilliant idea" he agreed and asked for her number. Then Turner sent her a text with his address. "Can't wait to see you tomorrow" winking at her, he added.
Tom coughed to get their attention. "Are you guys done? We definitely should go somewhere. We can't sit here all day."
Four pairs of eyes glanced at Thomas. They all seemed to be delighted hearing his idea. Jack approached, offering his hand to help Grace stood up. "We know great place around here, don't we?" his laughter filled the room. "Come on guys. We need to celebrate Lena's moving to US. We ought to hit the pub!"
After everyone had agreed, they left the house and headed to the pub Jack told them about. As soon as five of them entered the place, Grace and Lena run towards to counter, sitting on big stools. Girls ordered large beers and waved at their friends.
Boys shook their head peering at them, eventually coming closer. Jack as always sat next to Helbig. Tom approached Lena, sitting nigh her and Toby took the stool beside his friend.
"Why didn't you wait for us to order the beer for you?" Thomas asked the redhead, winking at her. She laughed loudly, but said nothing. "Maybe you thought we aren't gentlemen, don't you?" he accused her playfully. "I'm so disappointed in you" sniffing, he added. "How could you think like this about us?"
She couldn't help giggling whilst listening to him. Lena really liked his company, because since they have met in the plane he always tried to make her laugh or just make her happy. That was so kind and the girl really appreciated that.
"My kind sir, I am so sorry that you think about it like that. I'd be more than pleased if you could buy me drink when I finish my…" she took a sip of her beer, "tasty beverage."
They were chatting about everything, because as they found out, their interests are very similar, so it wasn't hard to find topic they'd like to talk about.
Thomas glimpsed at girls' empty pint glasses and he exclaimed "I have an idea!" He jumped off his stool and went to the waiter who stood far from the rest of his friends. Tom didn't want them to hear what he came up with. When he finished, he sat on a chair, pretending that nothing has happened.
A minute later that waiter laid five shot glasses in front of them. "Well, I'm sending over shots and there's a house rule: if Tom sends over shots, you gotta do them!" Tom grinned. Toby laughed and asked him why. "Hey!" Thomas face showed his resentfulness. "There is the rule baby: Tom says it, you do it!"
His friend snickered loudly. "Fine!" Toby said. "But what's that?" Turner looked at his shot suspiciously.
Thomas sighed. "Hey! Shot first, question later" he replied, raising his glass. Rest did the same. "Here we go, post-time!" he smirked and all of them hit the table with the shot glasses and drank their drinks.
Girls hissed, feeling the taste of the drink on their tongues.
"Is that a tasty beverage or is that a tasty beverage?" Lena asked Thomas, still shaking her head. "I see we've got a huge Quentin Tarantino fan here." Both of them laughed.
"Okay, I think I don't know what is going on" Jack interjected. "What was that?" he asked pointing at his empty glass.
Lena turned her head to look at him. "I believe that was Chartreuse" she gazed at Tom to see if she was right. The man nodded.
"The only liquor so good they named a color after it!" both of them explained in the same moment, making everyone chuckle.
Toby looked at them with a big smile. "Kids" he murmured, which made Lena leant on Tom to slap the back of Turner's head lightly. "Why mommy?" he asked with a voice of a child. Or a Gryphon. Both of them were similar for her.
"I heard that" she wanted to say something more, but she was interrupted by ringing of a Tom's cell. He excused himself and left the pub to talk in private. Toby frowned and changed his place, sitting on Thomas' stool.