#it's no expired advil but she'll do

[hourcat]

when the tylenol's expiration date is 6/2024 and you realize you're still in 6/2024 💪💪

[ilongfor-the-arts]

Saturday Night

Warnings: mild language

Summary: You discover a startling truth about Jake when you attend the band’s performance on Saturday night.

Word Count: 3.8k

Series Masterpost

Taglist: @jakekiszkasguitarpick

I awoke the next day at around 12 o’clock.

Shit. I slept in.

I sat up and stretched, the popping of my joints echoing throughout the room. I pushed myself out of bed and went downstairs to see how Kathryn was doing. She was still passed out on the couch, one of her arms dangling off the side. The blanket was strewn haphazardly across the floor and her pillow was thrown behind the couch. I laughed to myself, imagining her flailing around in her sleep and thrashing at everything in close proximity to her.

I allowed her to sleep. Rather than waking her, I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I'm guessing she'll be starving by the time she wakes up. I wasn't sure if she'd eaten anything the night before. That's probably why she became so intoxicated so quickly.

I rummaged through the refrigerator for anything edible. I needed to go food shopping soon. The refrigerator was practically barren. I discovered a half-eaten pack of bacon in the back and two eggs still in the carton. I double-checked the bacon's expiration date. Fortunately, it was still good for another week. I know how much Kathryn loves scrambled eggs and bacon, so I prepared my cooking station.

I heated a pan on the stovetop and added three pieces of bacon. As the comforting aroma of bacon drifted through the air, I closed my eyes to take in the smell. In a small bowl, I whisked the eggs before transferring them to a separate pan. I heard Kathryn stirring just as I finished arranging all of the food on a plate. I walked over to her and gently shook her shoulder.

“Kathryn?”

Kathryn rolled over onto her other side. The front of her face was now pressed against the back of the couch. I shook her once more, this time more violently.

“Kathryn. Come on. I made breakfast.”

Kathryn hummed. I could tell she was trying to encourage me to leave her alone.

“Kathryn. You need to eat.”

I shook her even more forcefully. Her eyes shot open, and she stared blankly into mine for a few moments. She had just returned to the land of the living after a very long sleep and was still trying to process what had happened.

Kathryn rubbed her eyes as she began to awake.

“Mmm. What’s that smell?”

Her voice was deep and raspy after spending hours without talking. I chuckled and gave her a warm smile.

“Bacon and eggs.”

Kathryn stood up. She leaned back and cracked her back before approaching the counter. She sat on one of the barstools and immediately began devouring the bacon.

“Oh my god.”

Her eyes fluttered shut as she chewed. She hadn’t even swallowed before she went in for a second bite.

“That tastes like heaven.”

As I approached the cabinet, I ran my hand along the cold marble. I was looking for something specific. Fortunately, no one had eaten it. I opened the package which contained the last blueberry muffin. While opening the trash can lid, I removed the wrapper. I took a bite while leaning over the counter. By the time I returned my attention to Kathryn, she had finished the entire plate of food and hadn’t left even a single crumb.

“Shit Kathryn, you were really hungry.”

“You bet I was. All that alcohol really takes a toll on you.”

Kathryn placed her hand over her mouth to keep food from spraying out. I snatched a bite of my muffin during this brief pause. It was slightly stale from sitting in the cabinet for a while, but it was still tasty. She chewed, swallowed, and then resumed the conversation.

“Speaking of a lot of alcohol. Do you have any Advil?”

I scoffed.

“Congratulations on your first hangover.”

I turned and looked for Advil in a cabinet above my stove. I unscrewed the cap, poured a few into my hand, and handed them to Kathryn. I also gave her a tall glass of water to wash them down. She tossed the pills into her mouth and violently chugged the glass of water. I took a second bite of my muffin.

“Do you know about the football game tonight?”

I inquired while Kathryn was still drinking. She sipped her glass and wiped her lip with the back of her hand.

“I’ve heard about it. Isn’t it the first one of the season?”

I nodded and took a third bite of my muffin. Before I started speaking, I put my hand over my mouth.

“Yeah. I was just thinking… Maybe we should go.”

Kathryn scoffed loudly, cocking her brow.

“When have you ever displayed an interest in football?”

I shrugged, as if this was a spur-of-the-moment thought. I pretended I hadn't had a dream the night before in which I was Jake's rockstar girlfriend and I was always in the crowd watching him work the audience.

“I don’t know. I just thought it might be fun. Like you said, we need to take action and do interesting things.”

Kathryn furrowed her brow.

“Why do I get the feeling that something is up.”

It was my turn to cock my brow and appear puzzled.

“What? No! Nothing’s up! I just thought it would be a good idea to try new things!”

“Are you sure?”

I vigorously nodded my head. Kathryn sighed after a few moments of silence.

“Alright. I guess I believe you.”

I took a third bite of my muffin as she returned her attention to her empty plate. I finished my muffin and wiped my hands on my shirt. A few crumbs fell to the floor.

“Wanna watch a movie?”

I asked in hopes of lifting the awkward atmosphere in the room.

“Sure.”

Kathryn agreed.

We spent the rest of the day watching movies from various genres. Anything from cheesy romance to horror. My gaze was fixed on the clock that hung above the kitchen door all throughout our movie marathon. The football game began at 7:00 p.m. I watched as the clock's hands moved slowly from one minute to the next. I was literally counting down the seconds until it was time to leave. I had a feeling Kathryn suspected something. The way she kept glancing over at me whenever I looked at the clock for too long. Every time she mocked me for not paying attention to the movie because my mind was focused on seeing Jake tonight.

It was finally 6:15. The ideal time to start preparing for tonight. It was going to be a hot August night. I went with jean shorts and a brown crop top with daisies. My feet were dressed in a pair of black Converse hightops.

“Are you ready to go?”

Kathryn entered my room just as I was finishing tying my shoelaces into a bow. After I finished with my laces, I examined myself in the mirror. I must admit I looked very cute. I hope Jake liked it.

“Ooo. You look cute! I wish I had a cute outfit.”

Kathryn was wearing the same thing she had worn all day today and last night. It was a simple red and black flannel with a white tank and athletic shorts.

“You look very cute Kathryn. I bet you’ll have a lot of cute boys staring you down tonight.”

Kathryn pretended to blush.

“Oh stop! You’re too kind!”

After her sarcastic remark, we both laughed.

We made our way out to my car. I placed my key in the ignition and the engine roared to life.

“Oh I forgot to ask. Did Elliot text you today about last night?”

I flipped through the radio stations until I found a good old-school rock channel. Hotel California by the Eagles was playing. The solo had just started.

“No, I think last night was just a one time thing. I definitely don’t see us becoming anything more.”

I drove out of my driveway and onto the street. My brakes were slightly squeaky. I’d have to get them fixed later.

“That’s a shame.”

Kathryn laughed softly.

“Please. Don’t be sorry. His car smelled like shit and he was so cocky. I wouldn’t want to go on another date with him.”

I took a right turn.

“He’s a football player. What did you expect?”

Kathryn laughed as she looked out the window at the passing trees.

“Yeah. You’re right. I guess my expectations were too high.”

“Was he at least nice?”

Kathryn leaned her forehead against the window.

“He was nice. Not super nice but nice enough. It was worth it though because I got to meet some of his super hot friends. One of them is super tall, blonde, and plays baseball. He goes to a different school. I’m thinking about asking him to prom.”

I kept my attention focused on the road in front of me. I watched as the white lines marking the middle of the road disappeared under my tires.

“That sounds like fun Kathryn.”

The rest of the drive was spent in silence, listening to the sounds of old rock music playing through the speakers.

We arrived at the high school. The sounds of the school band and players warming up filled the air. I had a joyful feeling in my heart. I was extremely optimistic. I had a hunch something spectacular was going to happen tonight. I was practically skipping to the bleachers.

Kathryn and I took our seats close to the front of the field. Jake’s band was supposed to play at halftime and I wanted to be as close as humanly possible. The first half of the game went by slowly. The only thing on my mind was seeing Jake performing. I wanted to see for myself just how good he was when he played the guitar. I tapped my foot anxiously.

“What’s wrong?”

I turned my head to face Kathryn.

“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong.”

A confused expression struck Kathryn’s face.

“Y/N. What’s wrong? You’ve been tapping your foot and fidgeting with your hands for the past twenty minutes.”

My lips trembled as I took a shaky breath. I suppose I should just tell her. She is my closest friend. If I don't tell her tonight, she'll find out later. I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my racing heart.

“Okay. I have something to tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone.”

Kathryn pretended to zip her lips and throw away the key. I nodded.

“I met someone last night.”

The words came out in a rush. The moment the words left my mouth, Kathryn's eyes lit up.

“WHAT! YOU MET SOMEONE AND YOU-”

My hand was clasped over her mouth. She was yelling and attracting a lot of attention. A few people turned their heads to see what was happening below them.

“Kathryn! Keep it down!”

She nodded vigorously and I cautiously removed my hand from her mouth.

“You met someone and you didn’t tell me sooner?!”

She muttered. My lips were pursed.

“Yeah. Last night at the party. I was gonna wait to tell you, but I figured you’d find out eventually.”

Kathryn slapped her thigh and threw her hands up in the air.

“I knew something was up! Is he here tonight? Is that the reason you wanted to come to this?”

She frantically looked from side to side, studying the appearances of everyone around us.

“Yeah actually. He’s playing at halftime.”

Kathryn swiveled her head around and cocked her eyebrow.

“What do you mean playing?”

“He’s in a band. They’re playing at halftime.”

Kathryn threw her head back and softly screamed.

“He’s in a band?! That’s perfect! I can just imagine him going on tour and telling everyone that interviews him about his perfect girlfriend.”

From the side, she gave me a bear hug. I waved her away.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’ve only talked once.”

Kathryn let me go and sighed with annoyance.

“Come on Y/N. You’re a gorgeous girl who loves vintage things and guitar players. What more could you want?”

I shrugged.

“Let’s hope you're right.”

Kathryn placed her chin on my shoulder.

“Soooo. What’s his name?”

“Jake.”

Kathryn perked up.

“Kiszka?”

She moved back and looked me in the eyes. Her expression was both perplexed and shocked.

“I don’t know. He only told me his first name.”

Kathryn's jaw dropped to the floor.

“You were talking to Jake Kiszka last night?”

I opened my mouth, trying to think of something to say. I simply repeated what I had said previously.

“I-I don’t know! He only told me his first name!”

Kathryn rolled her eyes as if she was asking me a completely obvious question.

“Was he skinny, really hot, had long brown hair?”

I pursed my lips and nodded.

“Yeah. That pretty much sums him up. How do you know him?”

Kathryn widened her mouth and furrowed her brow in puzzlement.

“How do you not know him?! I mean, he’s practically been with every girl at school except for you and me.”

That made perfect sense. From our conversation in the bathroom, I could tell he was at ease in his own skin. Not to mention how sexy and alluring he was. Any girl, including me, could easily fall head over heels for him in a short period of time.

“He dated a few of my kinda close friends in sophomore and junior year. He’s really hot.

There was a beat of silence. I could tell there was something in the air that was bothering her. Something she needed to say.

“But I’d be careful if I were you.”

I scoffed. That was the last thing I was expecting her to say.

“What do you mean?”

Kathryn looked up at the sky, trying to figure out the best way to tell me the truth without hurting my feelings. The suspense that was building was causing an aching feeling to form in the pit of my stomach. I wanted her to give me the straight facts, no beating around the bush.

“He’s… not the kind of guy to stay in a relationship for very long. Sure, he’s nice, but he’s a player. He could have any girl at school and he knows it. He’s sexy, charming and confident. Which makes him all the more dangerous.”

I pursed my lips and fixed my attention on the floor. Perhaps he wasn't the right guy for me. I wasn't even going to entertain the notion that I could change him. That was a cliche that could only be found in movies and books. People are who they are, and they will not change for someone they care about. No matter how much you love them, their previous desires will always be present. Other people may disagree with my beliefs, but I firmly believe there is no way to completely transform a person.

Kathryn leaned into my ear and whispered.

“Don’t tell anyone I told you this, but I’ve heard he’s got some serious history.”

Her breath tickled my ear and I couldn’t help but press my ear into my shoulder. I felt an unfamiliar sensation in the pit of my stomach. It felt as if I was destined to receive horrible news.

“What kind of history?”

I whispered. Although I wasn’t completely sure if I wanted a response to the question I asked. Kathryn shrugged her shoulders.

“I’m not exactly sure. Everytime I hear the story details are switched around, and I don’t like to spread rumors. But I know he’s made some bad decisions in the past.”

It didn't make sense to me. Sure, I could believe he enjoyed sleeping around, but what could he have done that was so heinous? What do they know that I don't? He seemed like a super sweet guy. I couldn’t imagine him seriously hurting people, at least not on purpose. Kathryn reassured me with a pat on the shoulder. Perhaps she noticed the look of concern in my eyes.

“Look. It’s your senior year. I would say, go for it. If things end badly you’ll be off to college and you’ll most likely never have to see him again. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen?”

I sighed and nodded. I knew she was right. I suddenly felt extremely reassured. I took a deep breath, composing myself.

“You’re right. I shouldn’t be so worried. I’ll just have fun. Who cares if it’s just a fling?”

Kathryn leaned into my ear.

“I bet it’ll be a good fling.”

I squinted my eyes and recoiled my body in disgust.

“Ugh! You’re gross.”

I waved her away, and we both erupted in laughter.

Our laughter was cut short by the sound of the buzzer. It was finally halftime, the moment I had been anticipating all night. In the center of the field, I noticed a small stage being constructed. It appeared to be a large white block with various instruments on it. A drum set was near the back of the stage, and a microphone was near the front. On stands, a guitar and a bass were placed. Because the sun had already set, the stage was illuminated by a few small stage lights.

The tension was killing me. A few strangers were bustling around, attempting to prepare the stage for the band. My leg began to bounce once more. After about three minutes of waiting, people began to appear on stage. On that stage, I didn't pay attention to anyone else. My gaze was drawn to Jake, and I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.

They performed a few cover songs as well as some of their own original material. I couldn't name one distinguishing feature of each band member if you asked me. The only thing I could say about their performance was that Jake played the guitar so unbelievably exquisitely. I would have loved their music even if he had been playing with three other complete idiots. He worked the stage like he was the only one present. It was beautiful, he was beautiful, and I wanted to be his. I wanted to be able to walk around our school's halls holding his hand and knowing that I am his and he is mine.

I couldn't decide which part was my favorite. Perhaps it was Jake's ability to beautifully accentuate each note, or the way Jake's notes flowed together beautifully, or the way Jake looked on stage. Brown hair flew everywhere, and fingers danced across the fretboard. I sat, with my mouth agape, watching him bounce around the stage with pure joy coursing through his veins.

I'd always considered rock music to be a rustic genre, but the way their band performed it made me question everything I'd ever known about rock n' roll. The music was elegant yet dirty, and everything was brought together thanks to Jake's astounding guitar skills. I could tell he was having fun by the way he closed his eyes when concentrating on a piece or when he took a few moments to himself to freestyle.

Most people would probably just listen to the music, but I felt something deep within myself that I had never felt before. Maybe it was their lovely songs, maybe it was Jake's phenomenal guitar work, or maybe I was just overthinking, as usual.

It was too soon for them to finish. I wanted them to continue playing for the rest of their lives. When they concluded, and I realized how emotionally attached Jake was to his music, my mind wandered. I imagined Jake sitting on his bed while he played a new song for me. I imagined us sitting on a blanket in a flower bed while he soulfully strummed. I imagined him trying to teach me a few chords and us laughing every time I messed up. My mind then began to drift to more intimate scenarios. I imagined us slow dancing at prom and then making out in the back of his car. I imagined us sneaking out of class to meet each other in the back of the school library. I imagined us passionately kissing in the rain. It all sounded so sweet.

I had to pause and remind myself that wasn’t the person he was. He had history. There were plenty of girls that wanted him, and he had no reason to pick me. I wasn’t anything special. Nevertheless, it was fun to fantasize about a life we shared. A life where we were in love. A life where he was in a rock band and I made it to every one of his concerts. No matter how much I wanted him to kiss me on the forehead and slowly rock me to sleep, I couldn’t allow my hopes to raise. I needed to go into this relationship with no expectations. So, that way, if I get dumped, it won’t hurt as bad.

When the song's final note was played, everyone stood and applauded. They sat down and awaited the start of the second half of the game once the applause concluded. I told Kathryn that I needed to speak with Jake and dashed to the back of the bleachers. She wished my luck and gave me an encouraging pat on the back. When I looked towards the stage, he wasn't there. I predicted he was in the parking lot, getting ready to leave.

I pushed my way through a few small groups of people. There was only one issue: the parking lot was enormous. It would be difficult to find Jake's car amongst this jumble of vehicles. I began running through the car lines, scanning for him with my eyes. I eventually tracked him down next to a black SUV. A few areas of the paint were scuffed, and the license plate was slightly crooked. I just smiled and thought it added character to the car. I was already imagining us taking late night drives in that car, windows rolled down and Rock music blasting through the speakers.

I was about to yell his name to catch his attention when I noticed someone standing next to him, deeply kissing him. My heart rate slowed. My entire world seemed to be collapsing around me. They switched places. He was pressed up against the car, and she was running her hands over his bare chest, which was hidden beneath his gray button-up shirt. Her beautiful, long black hair was blowing in the breeze. Even though I knew I had no chance in comparison to the other girls. I was still thinking that maybe... but no.

Shit. He has a girlfriend.