The next day, I came bounding home from work. I had had a good day, and I was excited to tell Bishop about it. I spilled no coffee, like not even a drop, and my manager even gave me a raise, so I was beyond pumped. It was only 50 cents, but I was still excited. I rushed through the door to an empty living room and kitchen. I practically bounced to Bishop's door, but I stopped dead in my tracks when I heard voices from inside.

"Oh my god, B, you're so funny!" A voice squealed from inside, erupting into giggles. A girl, definitely a girl.

     "B?" I mouthed, mocking her. I scrunched my eyebrows together and leaned closer. Bishop was laughing too. I was jealous. Very, very jealous, especially after what had happened the night before. We had kissed on stage in front of everyone. And it was perfect. Or so I thought.

But this? This was definitely, so very not perfect. I huffed and spun on my heels, practically stomping out of our apartment. I banged on Valeria's door, until she opened it. I said nothing, but gestured for her to follow me. Together, we carefully leaned on either side of Bishop's door, listening intently.

"You know, I'm really glad we decided to do this," I heard Bishop say.

"Yeah, I had a good time," the girl said, resulting in Valeria's jaw to drop. "You know, I've been trying to get close to you all semester. You are just the cutest thing!" She giggled again, and I could just picture her running her hand down his arm. "You have to play me some music sometime. Maybe you could write a song about me."

"Uh, thank you," Bishop said, laughing too. Just when I thought the talking was bad enough, a silence followed that was so much worse. I heard a chair slide backwards, like something was getting up. Maybe to move closer? The bed squeaked, and I wanted to scream. All I could picture was them kissing in his bed. Taking things further than we had gone.

  Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, and I wrenched myself away from his door. I hurried into my room and shut the door hard behind me. Valeria opened it again and followed me in. "I'm so sorry, Vienna," she said, sitting beside me on my bed.

"It's okay," I said, trying to hold back tears. "I just feel so stupid. To think, I was so excited to come home and see him. I should have known that I don't really matter to him." I sniffled, but several tears escaped. "Whatever we had was just stage presence, I guess."

"Ugh, all of these boys suck. Do you want to come stay at my place tonight? Get away from them?"

"No, I think I want to be alone. Maybe try to write music, maybe watch the Notebook and cry, who knows where the night may take me." I sighed, running my hands through my hair. "Thank you though."

"Of course, chica." She hugged me, then got a up to leave.

I slid back on my bed until my back rested against the wall. I pulled a blanket over my lap and cuddled up. "Hey, how are you and Finn?"

"I think we're good? I don't know. Last night, I pretty much forced him to talk to me, and he apologized for not reaching out. Baby steps, I guess," she shrugged, before disappearing out of my room.

A little while later, I heard Bishop walk his girl out. At least she didn't stay the night, I told myself, but it didn't really make me feel better. After that, he knocked on my door, but I pretended to be asleep, so I didn't have to look at his stupidly attractive face. I also didn't want him to see that I'd been crying. I didn't want to give him that satisfaction.

However, after I heard his door close, I felt like I needed some advice, and I knew just the woman to talk to. I crawled up our fire escape and quietly knocked.

Dot was in her same old spot, watching soap operas again. She yelled for me to come in, and I did, taking a seat on a chair next to hers. "Thought you'd forgotten about dear old Dot," she said, tipping back a Diet Coke.

"Believe me, I could never forget about you," I said.

"So, you've come for advice? Or do you want to play poker?"

"Both?"

"Cards in the first drawer of the hutch, poker chips are in the second."

I nodded and got up, collecting our items and setting them up on the coffee table. As I shuffled and dealt the cards, I gave her an update on Bishop and me and on the band as well.

When I was finished with my retelling, She slid a couple of chips into the center, saying, "Men, you just can't trust them. But are you sure that's what was going on in there?"

"I mean, I didn't see it, but what I heard did not sound good. And I listened for longer than was polite."

"Well, I'm not sure any amount of eavesdropping is polite, but I see your point. I never was one for politeness." I slid some chips into the center before we both dropped our cards on the table. She cackled and dragged the chips towards her. I sighed and passed her my cards to reshuffle. She pressed a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "You know, a similar thing happened to me when I was your age. I was seeing this fella, and we were on a double date with one of my girlfriends and her fiancé. I look away for one second, and my girlfriends under the table, mouthing my man! Crazy night."

"I'm not sure that's exactly like my situation, but close enough. What did you end up doing?"

"Went to the bathroom with her fiancé. Maybe you should try that."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," I said, my eyes wide.

After she beat me in several more hands, I cleaned up the cards and chips and called it a night. I promised to visit again, sooner this time, and headed back down the fire escape. Zane was in the kitchen when I climbed back in, drinking straight out of a carton of milk. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw me. "Where the hell do you keep coming from up there?" He asked. I just laughed and went to bed.

The next morning, I was out the door early. I didn't want to bump into any of my roommates, particularly Bishop. I grabbed a banana before I left and then hit the pavement to go to work. For once, I was early, so maybe this whole situation was a good thing.

However, it wasn't such a good thing, when all morning all that played on the radio was love songs. Of course, every single one reminded me of him. I thought that was bad enough, until an even more prevalent reminder walked through the front door.

"What up, Vi," Zane said, as he and Bishop came through the door. The bell on top of the door chimed, but I heard a funeral march instead of it's usually whimsical tune.

"We were just walking to class, so we figured we'd come grab a coffee on the way," Bishop said. He leaned his elbows on the counter and shot me a smile so dazzling that it made my heart ache just looking at it. He looked happy to see me and that made me even more upset. How could he be all over me one night, all over a different girl the next, then back to me the next morning, all while acting like nothing happened? He leaned his body forward more, like he was thinking about kissing me.

"Hey Zane," I said, purposely ignoring Bishop. I took a step away from the counter, putting more distance between us. When I glanced at him, he looked a little hurt, but I assured myself that I was hurting way more than he was. "What can I get you?" I put my hands on my hips.

"What's the hardest thing to make?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'm not answering that."

"Okay, fine, take all of the fun out of it. I'll take a birthday cake latte."

     "You got it."

"Iced black tea for me please," Bishop said. I didn't respond, but made both drinks anyways.

I was feeling even pettier, so I told Zane that his drink was on the house, before turning to Bishop and requesting $3. He looked at me and laughed, but I wasn't joking. I held my hand out and deadpanned the price again.

"Are you mad at me or something?" He asked, crinkling his eyebrows together.

"Pay for your drink and leave please. I'm very busy."

"We are actually the only customers in here," Zane said, gesturing to the empty room. He sipped his latte eagerly. "Mmm, well done, Vi."

"I have stuff to do," I said, grabbing a cloth and starting to wipe down the already very clean counter in front of me.

Bishop eyed me, trying to figure it out. "Okay, we'll go, but I'll see you after work? For band practice?" He asked.

I nodded, and he again tried to lean over the counter and kiss me. I got close to his face, before saying "bye!", with a fake smile and turning away. He started at me in confusion, but I didn't make eye contact again.

"You're in the dog house, Bishop is in the dog house," Zane chanted, as they walked out, the bell clanging behind them.

Fueled by anger, I grabbed a napkin and started scribbling song lyrics on to it. Were they my best work? Fuck no. But they did make me feel a little bit better. I replayed the situation and reread the napkin all day, so by the time my shift was over and it was time to get home for practice, I was fuming.

Everyone was waiting for me when I got home. Bishop started at me with concern, but I didn't meet his eyes. I hung my coat and purse up silently.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Danny said, to break the immense uncomfortable silence.

"So, which song are we starting with again?" Zane asked, scratching his head with a drumstick.

"Actually, I wrote a new one," I said, taking a seat at the piano. "I think you'll really like it. Wanna hear?" My voice was sickly sweet, and I shot Bishop a tight smile.

I didn't wait for them to answer, instead just played a simple chord and started to sing. "Met a boy and thought I'd have it all. Until it turned out that his dick was small. Fuck you. I hate you. Stop overcompensating with the gym, you big fat liar!" It may have started out as singing, but it ended in a very unmelodic yelling. I slammed my hands down on the piano again, before shooting him another smile. As I said, not my best lyrics, but damn, did it feel good. I walked out of the room, waving my hand behind me and calling, "goodnight boys!"

"Told you you're in the dog house," I heard Zane singsong.

"The fuck was that about?" Danny angrily asked.

"I think I know now," Bishop said. I heard footsteps coming toward my room, so I hurried away from the door and threw myself onto my bed on my stomach, pulling at my phone. I stared blankly at the lock screen and waited for a knock. I didn't have to wait long, because seconds late, it came. I ignored it, but he opened the door anyway. I looked up and glared at him, but he sat next to me on my bed.

"You listened through my door yesterday, didn't you?"

I defensively sat up and crossed my arms. "Well, it's not like I had to try very hard to hear. I came home excited to see you, and I was about to knock when I heard you and her." There was pure venom in the word 'her'.

"I'm not sure what you think was going on, but judging by your reaction, I can assure you you're wrong," he said, trying to lay a hand on my arm. I yanked away from him and sat with my legs crisscrossed, facing him.

I crossed my arms and glared. "It sounded like a hookup or a date or whatever you call it, which is alright, I guess, since we're not anything, but after the night before, I don't know. You made me feel so stupid."

His eyes grew wide. "Woah, yeah no, that was not a date or a hookup or anything like that. Her names Cassidy, and she's in my lit class. We had a group project to do, so we thought we'd just grind it out in one night. That's all."

"That's not all. I heard her flirting with you, and I didn't hear you doing anything to stop it."

"Then you must have stopped listening too soon. Yes, she did flirt with me, and I've always been bad at rejecting people. I'll admit, I did let it go on for too long, but then I shut her down." He looked down sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I even, uh, told her about you."

"So you didn't kiss or anything?" I asked, my hard demeanor quickly softening.

"Are you kidding? No way, Vi. I'm sorry that I let it go on for too long, and I was going to tell you about it after she left, but you were asleep." He glanced sideways at me. "Or at least, you were pretending to be asleep."

I thought about it for a minute, realizing that I may have jumped to some conclusions. "I'm sorry," I said, looking up at him with an embarrassed and childish pout.

He grinned at me, before slinging his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into him. He leaned back against the wall, and I rested my head on his chest. "It's okay, glad to know I can make you jealous," he said, running a hand through my hair.

I was quiet for a moment before I remembered something and twisted around to glare up at him again. "But I definitely remember you saying something about being glad that you guys decided to do this or something."

"I meant getting the project done in one sitting, you goof," he said, laughing. I sheepishly looked down again. "Do you forgive me now?"

"Yes," I said softly. I waited a beat, before adding, "So, you actually told her about me?"

"I most certainly did," he said. He grabbed my chin and twisted my head so he could look at me, before pressing his lips into mine. It felt so good to be kissing him again. I sat up and swung one leg over his lap, straddling him. He held me close to him, and I ran my fingers through his hair.

Just as we were getting into it, my door swung open. I broke away from him and snapped my head towards the door, my cheeks flushed.

"Oops," Zane said, looking at us. "Hey guys, I think they made up!" I dropped my head down to Bishop's shoulder and groaned in embarrassment. "And from the looks of it, we're gonna have to give Bishop a minute!" Zane yelled into the living room again.

"Get out, Zane," Bishop said, using my body to cover him. I burst out laughing, as Zane laughingly apologized and closed the door again.

I was about to slide off of him when Bishop grabbed my cheeks softly and looked me in the eyes. "Hey, so are we like doing this for real?" He asked, in probably the most serious way I had ever heard him speak.

"This like us?" I asked, and he nodded. "I want to, if you want to," I answered, a little nervous.

"Oh, I definitely want to. I haven't stopped thinking about you and being with you, since you walked through our front door three months ago." I smiled and kissed him again, before climbing out of his lap and pulling him with me.

"We should probably go join practice before Zane interrupts again," I said.

"Maybe he'll finally learn how to knock," Bishop said, shaking his head.

"Probably not."