The next day was gloomy and gray, the rain falling not in steady patter but in sheets of light moisture. AJ stared vacantly out of the window as he poked at a sandwich for lunch in one of the empty conference rooms. Always a downfall, he was easily influenced by bad weather and today’s particular cloudy skies had put him in an irritable mood. The others were only too aware of his attitude and had left him to go out for lunch as opposed to sitting and eating the craft food provided. Sighing, he took a sip of his water to help the swallow of dry bread and turkey go down his throat a little easier. What a shitty day. Nothing had gone his way at all; starting from his late arrival to the studio and the shit he had gotten for it up till his irrevocable bout of annoyance and loneliness. The building seemed virtually empty and the now-stale food in the room just seemed to depress him even more. AJ got up and tossed the remainder of the sandwich into the trash, lighting up and disregarding the ever so polite ‘please do not smoke’ sign planted on top of the table, as if they knew he would be in here and had left it specifically for him. Leaning back in his chair, he faced his own blurry portrait in the glass windows before him and he let his mind aimlessly run, wishing his thoughts were far from so damn dismal. Blowing out a tuft of air, he let the nicotine soothe his nerves and thought about dinner that night. Still no idea where to take her. And a terrible imposition had revealed itself. She hadn’t bothered asking him if they were going somewhere formal or casual and so if he went in jeans and a tee shirt and she showed up in a fancy dress, he’d feel like shit but if he came in slacks and dress shirt while she did the reverse, she’d feel dumb. Reluctantly, he unfolded his flip phone and placed a call to Nick’s house, hoping she was home. “ Hello?” “ April? Hey.” “ Oh, hi, AJ...” “ Um, so about tonight? Where do you wanna go?” “ Where? Uh, I;m not sure...I don’t care, anywhere, you pick.” He groaned inwardly. “ Well, I called for ideas, I’m not sure either.” He replied thoughtfully. “ How about Italian food?” He suggested and she hesitated. “ Italian places are so...intimate, arent they?” She finally said. “...What are you so afraid of, April?” He hadn’t meant for his voice to sound as sarcastic as it did. “ Nothing.” She snapped and he heard her sigh. “ Fine, Italian’s fine.” She said with impatience in her voice. “ Ok, good. I’ll see ya later then.” He hung up and tossed it back into the backpack he had brought. Swallowing down the quick jolt of irritation he had, he slid back in his chair and put out his cigarette, still uneasy and unsure of why. “ Damn her.” He muttered, pulling open the window and letting in a cool breeze. “ So freaking touchy.” Sticking his hand out, he absent-mindedly stared outside, thus Nick came in unnoticed. “ AJ?” Jumping back and cursing himself for letting on his show of startle, he turned around and glared at Nick. “ Jesus, Nick, can you not let people know you’re in the room?” He snapped, moving away from the window. “ Sorry.” Nick automatically said, slipping into one of the several unoccupied seats and drumming his fingers on the table while AJ waited for him to continue talking. “ Nick?” “ Huh?” AJ sighed aloud and instinctly reached for another cigarette and his lighter. “ You can’t smoke in here.” “ Did you need something or did you feel I was experiencing a lack of annoying occurances today?” “...So...What are you doing tonight?” Nick ventured, watching as the lighter alternated on and off in AJ’s hands. “ Going out to eat...Little Italian place.” He offered, not positive if Nick knew whether or not he was planning on taking April out with him. “ Aahaa...” Nick murmered, once again lost in thought. This time AJ didn’t bother interrupting his thoughts; it seemed pointless and would just lead closer to the seemingly unavoidable argument caught between their words. As the two sat in silence, both too absorbed in their own thoughts to awknowledge the other’s presence, the door swung open. “ Guys? Done with lunch?” Kevin’s disapproving eyes took in the smoke escaping from AJ’s lips and sweeped over the ashtray containing a few other half-smoked cigarettes. “ AJ, you’re not allow-” “ Well, if they didn’t want me smoking, they wouldn’t provide an ashtray.” He replied simply, brushing Kevin off for the thousandth time that day. “ Get up, we’re back in recording.” Kevin left without waiting for Nick or AJ and the door shut itself quietly. Nick glanced at AJ who hadn’t budged and got up, pushing the chair back in uncertainty. AJ, who stood facing the ample windows with his back to Nick, noted the slight concern on Nick’s face yet made no motion to assure him of his doubts. Instead, he kept his back to him and waited until he had left before stubbing his cigarette and gathering his things to leave the room. Kevin’s authority had gone to his head. With a backwards glance at the paper sign on his way out, AJ reached over and crumpled the no-smoking sign...
