Business as Usual

[Olesya]

[Travis first, then open to 1-2 people max]



"Guess what I'm done
Writing you songs
You'll give up your job at the bank
Proving money's not fun when you're gone
So this is the first verse
It's not very long
But I'm ready to move on"

Lor sang out the verse to Jack Mannequin's 'La La Lie,' Her red hair falling into her face. Olesya stood to her left, plucking at her bass guitar and humming along with harmony. Garrett had changed up the synthesizer on his keyboard and was playing the piano/harmonica part while Marten brought in the drums. Lucas had been kicked out of the band for obvious reasons, he just wasn't reliable enough.

Guess what I'm done
Writing your book
The ending got twisted around
But for all the hell that it took
The electrical wires
They'll hum in the walls
In the room that I rent now without you

I've got friends who
La La Lie
Will help me pull through
La La Lie
La La La Lie
The spaceman that can't get high
I'm coming back to my girl by July
Yeah yeah yeah

The rest of the song progressed in the same fashion, the square lights of cell phone screens bobbed back and forth in the audience, making Olesya grin. A decade ago, they would have all had lighters...it was funny to see just how much fans changed in less than a generation. As the last chord echoed across the crowd, drowned out by the cheering, the red head leaned into the mic and said they would be back in a bit, don't go away you sexy people..

Les shrugged off her guitar, setting it lovingly into its stand on the side of the stage before hopping off the side, grabbing her water bottle and splashing a bit on her head. She ran a hand through her disheveled brown and violet hair, now relatively wet, shaking her head slightly to dispel any extra drops.

"Yo, Les. Watch it."

Garrett flinched, passing by her, hit by a few flecks of water. The junior laughed, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry Gar, want anything from the bar?"

"A beer?"

Another laugh.

"Hah. I'll see what I can do."

She weaved her way through the crowd, making her way toward the bar as canned stereo music wafted over their heads, filling the empty air space.

[Travis]

Tonight was just another night on town. He hadn't felt like staying at Reira's place all night, and she was currently busy herself it seemed. That wasn't going to stop Travis from going out and having fun. Reira was a great girl, but he wasn't exactly sure what was taking place between them. It was quite possibly just some kind of physical attraction, and while they had been intimate, they had never really discussed their relationship. They weren't dating, so it wasn't like he was doing anything wrong.

Here he sat, at the bar by his lonesome. Travis had been listening to the band play, and he couldn't help but enjoy it. He liked music, and most kinds at that. He wasn't really a picky guy, so he had enjoyed it while he sat and drank. His right hand would lift the last shot of tequila and he'd ignore the taste and take it for what it would do to him. Yeeah, he had already had three. But he was pretty good when it came to holding his liquor. And he was far from down this night

"Shot of SoCo, please."

His knuckles had rapped against the bar as Travis' head turned, and those icy blues glanced over the crowd. The band had finished playing, and now it seemed that they were going to take a break, that they would be back soon. This 'Sexy person' would probably still be around to hear them play. He didn't need to be anywhere tonight, and so why not spend the time here? He had the cash to drink, and he got to listen to good music. Great deal in his mind.

And then those eyes caught upon a figure emerging from the crowd of people that had been watching the show. He recognized her as one of the band members, the girl who had spoken after the song finished. He'd eye her for a short time before he'd hear the clink of his shot touching down in front of him, and he'd turn and pass some money toward the tender. Gripping his shot, he'd lift it to his lips once again and throw his head back as the alcohol slipped down his throat. Placing his elbows against the bar top, Travis would lean forward and put his weight upon them. His head would glance toward his left, and he'd call out toward the female who was approaching.

"Nice show so far. Can't wait for more."

[Olesya]

Pushing the last bit through the crowd, she finally reached the bar, resting her elbows on the polished wood to claim her spot. A voice spoke out to her complimenting her on the show. Her eyes sought out a red hair boy with a shot in his hand, the ex-pillar sent him a grin.

"Yeah? Thanks."

It was a pretty genuine thanks, she liked it when people liked their performance. It was the point after all. She slid her ID from her pocket, setting it on the bar with a green bill. It was a fake of course, but they didn't really care here anyway.

"A beer, and a white russian, please. Actually, just make that two beers."

She called to the bartender. As much as she loved that drink, mixing milk with her heightened body temperature probably wasn't a good idea. It was always so sweltering on stage, she was certain she didn't look all that pleasing to the eye. The water had helped though, and she ran a hand through her hair again to try and tame the spunky tresses.

[Travis]

Yeah? Thanks.

Travis caught the grin and he'd nod and send her his own little smirk. He'd release his empty shot glass and then lean backward slightly, sliding those eyes away from her and toward the crowd once again. This place was kinda nice actually, he was more for these kind of settings then a dancing kind of club. While he had fun at the last club he went to, this place was closer to the beach house he was staying at. And he did the smart thing this time, he took a cab from the house, instead of driving his damn motorcycle.

A beer, and a white russian, please. Actually, just make that two beers.

"Two Beers huh? Not the norm for most females."

Once again he'd speak, his voice a bit playful as those icy blues would settle upon the female band member near by. He'd turn slightly upon his bar stool, and drop his right hand to his knee, while his left arm continued to rest upon the bar table. He figured while she was hear, and she seemed approachable, he'd try and strike up a conversation. At least until she needed to get back up on stage. She was intriguing to say the least. And so he'd ask the first question that popped into his head.

"Can I get a name to put to face?"

[Olesya]

"Two Beers huh? Not the norm for most females."

Hazel hues glanced over at the red haired boy, an amused laugh escaping her lips. She brush a strand of violet hair from her face.

"One's for my band mate. And I'm not like most females."

Which was a true enough statement. She disliked dresses, liked mud and sports and getting dirty, didn't wear half the beauty products her sister did, and didn't care what most of the population thought. Some people called her a tom boy, while others went all out to say she was a boy with her short disheveled hair, but she felt it was long enough to still be feminine...ish. She could put it up if she really wanted to, but for the most part didn't bother. It felt however it wanted to, violet tresses mixing with her natural auburn.

She took one of the two beers, pulling it toward her and taking a healthy sip.

"Can I get a name to put to face?"

"Olesya. I'm sure I've seen you around before, but I don't have a name to a face either."

[Travis]

One's for my band mate. And I'm not like most females.

"That isn't a bad thing.. I haven't had any luck with the 'normal' females lately.."

He'd give a small laugh after he spoke, his head dropping downward slightly, before Travis' left hand would lift and brush through his hair, resting there for only a few moments. He might have made a joke about that, but Sara was still kind of bothering her. At first she seemed pretty normal to him anyways. And then she went and cheated on him, and that wasn't something he liked at all. But he wasn't able to change that kind of thing. If she wasn't faithful, then it wasn't going to be worth it in the end. That was for sure.

Olesya. I'm sure I've seen you around before, but I don't have a name to a face either.

"Sure you've seen me before? I don't know.. I'm pretty new around these parts, Olesya."

He'd glance up again, and take in the girl before him. She had an interesting style, and something about her kind of gave off a vibe that she did whatever she wanted, and didn't care what others thought. Maybe he was wrong, but if he was right that was pretty cool. He was much the same in that respect. Travis was all for expressing yourself. He just tended to do it with violence. Or use to anyways. He was getting a good hold on his anger lately.

"Travis, by the way."

[Olesya]

She replied with a partly sympathetic, partly humorous laugh at the normal girls comment. Normal was overrated, and after all, what was normal anyway? The cookie cutter matchstick girls in the magazines weren't normal, they didn't walk the streets every day, though there were certainly girls that tried. They pasted their beauty on brand labels and credit cards...was that normal? If it was, she was glad she wasn't normal then.

"Sure you've seen me before? I don't know.. I'm pretty new around these parts, Olesya."

"So am I. Moved here about a month ago, my old school got wrecked by an earthquake. I could have sworn I've seen you even before that, but I could be mistaken."

She shrugged, not too worried about it. For all she knew, she could have just seen another kid back at 259 who looked vaguely like him. It wasn't uncommon for that sort of thing to happen, so many people pass by all the time on the street and in clubs and in school...you're bound to see some people that look like other people, simply because you don't look well enough in the first place.

"Travis, by the way."

Garrett emerged from the crowd, looking around before spotting his band mate.

"Oy. I thought you'd gotten lost or something."

Les grabbed the second beer and handed it over to him with a grin and a shake of her head.

"Nah, just got caught up. I'll be over in a bit."

Garrett replied with an 'Mm' for okay, the cup already to his lips. He gave a half-hearted wave before disappearing into the crowd again, probably headed for a table the band had snagged. The would sometimes sit together between sets, discussing whats gone well and whats gone bad, but it was alright to branch out and talk to other people, as long as you were back a few minutes before going on again.

"Sorry 'bout that. Travis, nice to meet you."

[Travis]

So am I. Moved here about a month ago, my old school got wrecked by an earthquake. I could have sworn I've seen you even before that, but I could be mistaken.

"No shit? You went to 259?"

Slight surprise would pass on Travis' face for a brief moment before it slipped away once again. It was odd that he was running into so many former school-mates. A smirk would replace that surpised look soon after it disappeared. Yeah, Travis smirked a lot. Some people took him as cocky, which he was. He was also an asshole. But that was usually only the case if you got on his bad side, or just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, when his anger spiked. That hadn't happened much lately though, so that was good.

"I transferred to a local school here after the earthquake as well."

Travis had just barely been able to get the last word of his sentence out before someone else approached. It was another one of the four he had seen up on stage a short moment ago. He'd watch as Olesya passed her beer toward him, and then gave him a few works. Travis would glance toward the male, and give a small nod, but that was all. After all, he seemed to be diving into his drink. Good man, good man.

Sorry 'bout that. Travis, nice to meet you.

"Not a problem. And it was nice to meet you too."

So far she seemed pretty cool. Travis usually tried to keep himself secluded from other people, but lately that seemed to be changing. He was becoming a bit more sociable, and that wasn't really all that bad of a thing. After all, it sucked being lonely and without friends. He needed some to keep his mind off other matters. And it always helped to talk to someone when you felt lonely, or needed help. Not that he was looking for a therapist or anything like that. Travis was just looking to have some fun and meet new people. So far it was working out.

"So, do perform a lot?"

[Olesya]

"Yeah..! 259. Small world, huh."

Les was pleased to find another transfer in her midst. Granted, Lor was a transfer too, but Garrett, Spencer, and Marten were natives San Fran, so they knew the ropes. Plus they were more welcoming than a lot of other students had been. Olesya had gotten into quite a few scuffles just because she was from a different school. In her opinion, those who threw a fuss needed a reality check, because it wasn't like they asked to move in the first place.

"We've only started performing regularly a couple weeks ago. I sort of had a band back at 259 but it never really panned out."

She felt kind of bad that she was only really answering questions rather than asking them, but the adrenaline from the set had left her feeling kinda fuzzy, and the beer wasn't helping. She wasn't getting tipsy or buzzed, she had a pretty decent tolerance, but she was feeling good overall.

"What year are you?"

There ya go, Les. A question. Way to keep the conversation rolling.

[Travis]

Yeah..! 259. Small world, huh.

Travis would nod after she spoke. It definitely seemed so. She wasn't the first Transfer that Travis knew of. Hell, he had came here with Sara. But originally he didn't expect to see so many people that he had met before the earthquake. He expected most of them to go elsewhere. Instead they seemed to get grouped together. Maybe they didn't want these crazed 259ers all over the place.

We've only started performing regularly a couple weeks ago. I sort of had a band back at 259 but it never really panned out.

"Eh, what can you do. Sometimes things don't work out.."

Travis would glance away from her again, and those blue hued orbs would travel about the bar once again. The only reason was because a small sad look might have passed on his face for a moment. And he didn't intent to let her catch it so easily. He'd force his grin back upon his face and then turn his body back toward the bar and the tender close by. Glancing back toward his right, he look at Olesya once again.

What year are you?

"I'm a senior. How about you?"

Travis would turn his head and motion toward the bartender once again, as he kept his ears open for Olesya's words. He'd motion toward wanting another shot, and place his money down in front of the guy in charge of the alcohol. He'd wait for it to be poured, and once it was he'd grab it and turn toward her once again.

[Olesya]

Olesya missed the look on Travis' face because someone bustled up to the bar, jostling into the bass player and making her splash her beer onto herself. Les froze, surprise and a hint of disgust on her face at the cold wet sensation, finishing her beer and setting the cup on the bar. She twitched slightly, resisting the urge to hit the oaf, who apologized drunkenly before staggering off to wherever.

"Shit."

Luckily, the girl always dressed in layers, and had a tank top on underneath the tshirt. Before it could soak through to the second shirt, she pulled off the tshirt, examining the damage before folding it in half and throwing it over her shoulder. She would toss it to Gabri later before she hit the stage again.

She examined her green tank top, no spills, she was in the clear.

"Ugh...well, I'm a junior. That's probably why I haven't seen you as much."

She ordered a second round for herself, two was usually her limit while she was working. Didn't want to get on stage just to fall off in a drunken haze, that was unprofessional. When she got the refill, she turned her back to the bar, resting her elbows on the polished wood and looking at him.

"So what do you like to do for fun? Besides watching amateur bands play?"

She asked with a smirk.

[Travis]

Travis had watched the male accidentally bump into her, and he almost stood up. But he quickly gained control of himself. He wasn't about to get angry and throw a fist now. He really didn't feel like fighting much this last week or so. Besides, he had a sense that if she really wanted to protect herself, she could do it on her own. But there wasn't any trouble apart from her spilled beer, he would watch as the male walked off and then turn those icy blues back toward Olesya.

Ugh...well, I'm a junior. That's probably why I haven't seen you as much.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Travis had watched her pull off her t-shirt, throwing back his last shot of alcohol and taping the shot glass back down upon the counter. He WAS feeling a little drunk now. He figured it was probably best to slow down a bit, at least for now. He didn't really plan on having a short night tonight, so he had to stop or he'd just end up passing out. Travis was still looking forward to the rest of the show.

So what do you like to do for fun? Besides watching amateur bands play?

"Uhh.. I use to get a big kick out of fighting anyone I could get my hands on.. But not so much, lately. I'll give almost anything at least one try."

He'd nod after he spoke, a small smile forming upon this senior's face. In all honesty, he worked out a lot too. A lot, a lot. But he didn't feel like sharing that. It really wasn't relevant, and it was probably kind of obvious to anyone that looked at him. He wasn't a bodybuilding, but he was athletic and toned. Due to the black tank-top he currently had on, that was out in the open.

"And you? When you're not rockin' the stages, what do you do, Olesya?"

[Olesya]

"Uhh.. I use to get a big kick out of fighting anyone I could get my hands on.. But not so much, lately. I'll give almost anything at least one try."

That sounded a lot like how Olesya had been when she first arrived at 259. She had attended a girl's school prior to that, but with three other siblings, they ended up just going onto public school for high school because the private schools asked for too much money to be worth it. She had gotten pushed around once, and only once. After that, she made it a point to seek out fights when the opportunity arose. It was just so much fun to her to face off against an opponent. Here at Moral Crest, she had gotten into a few fights, but they didn't hold the same with her since most of the fights were natives seeking to kick a transfer's ass. That wasn't fun. And besides, though her bruises had faded, she was still healing from her fight with Matrim when he took her title.

"And you? When you're not rockin' the stages, what do you do, Olesya?"

"Well, I used to be the Varsity Captain at 259, so I really got into sports. I still do that quite a bit. I'm a starting forward on the soccer team, and captain of the volleyball team, so that tends to keep me busy. I also work in my family's cafe. The Blossoms & Bistro that just opened up downtown..that's ours. It's pretty cool because you get all sorts of people walking in there."

She nursed her second beer, taking it slower than the first so she wouldn't be tipsy on stage. After their show was over, then they could cut loose, but not before. Their former drummer, Lucas, was notorious for getting wasted between sets, and then the second set would suck. That was one of the many reasons he wasn't their drummer anymore.

"The band thing's only been going on for a little while, since I got here, so its starting to take a little more center stage now that we can actually land gigs."

[Travis]

Certainly a busy girl..

Travis had listened to her explain a little about herself. And then it hit him, he was pretty sure he had seen her before as well. He couldn't quite pinpoint when, but he was sure of it. And he was sure to mark the name of the cafe in his head, he'd probably check it out soon enough. Travis was a fan of eating out at places like that. So it was always nice to gain a new place to dine at. Course, it would probably be odd going there himself. But whatever, maybe he'd end up bumping into Olesya.

The band thing's only been going on for a little while, since I got here, so its starting to take a little more center stage now that we can actually land gigs.

"Awesome. You'll have to keep in touch with me. ..So I can see you play some more."

Travis would smirk after he spoke and then glance toward the bar tender and call out for a beer this time. He'd take it slow, but he didn't want to sit here doing nothing while talking to her. And more liquor probably wasn't a good idea. He'd turn his attention back toward the girl after he was served his beer, and he'd take a sip while he settled those icy blues upon her once again. She was pretty cool, at least Travis thought so. Interesting enough to want to get to know her better. He wasn't really sure if he would expect anything else though, because he had horrible luck relationship-wise lately. But you never truly knew.

"Not to sound stalker-ish.. But I'd be interesting in seeing more of you."

He meant her band, but it didn't exactly come out like he had meant. But he'd mentally shrug it off. He said it, he wasn't going to take it back now.

[Olesya]

Olesya smiled when he said he wanted to hear their band play more. It really was a compliment, especially for a band that was still in the stages of stages of trying to become a regular. It was nice that people appreciated their music, not just because they were a band at a bar, and the sound went well with the cacophony of drunken people.

"Thanks..it's nice to see we've at least got one fan."

She joked with a grin. She quirked her eyebrow at his last statement though, head tilting ever so slightly to the right as she considered him with her hazel eyes. "Not to sound stalker-ish.. But I'd be interesting in seeing more of you." He wanted to see more of her? As in her, Olesya June Van deBogart? The former pillar glanced around as if to check to see if he was talking to someone else before fixing him with a half-smirk. Call her crazy, but she was in a good mood, and since Mathew never called her back, she could do whatever she wanted.

"Paging Olesya. Get your ass up here and stop making out with our audience."

Lor called into the mic, glancing about the bar for the bassist. Olesya snorted, amused by the call out. It was generally what they did if they were meeting and someone was missing. It was easier than sending out a search party and a lot more entertaining.

"Haha..I've got to get going."

She set her beer down and pulled a pen from her back pocket (a pre-show tradition in case, you know, she ever had to sign any autographs, it was a luck thing). Reaching out for his free hand, she turned it over, writing a seven digit number on the back. Clicking her pen, she slid it back into her pocket.

"I'll see you around."

She smirked, finishing off the rest of her beer and setting the empty cup on the bar. With a small wave, she disappeared back into the crowd, making her way back to the stage where Lor, Garret, and Marten were waiting for her.