Meera was boxed in as the group and her sat in the cozy, very pink and frilly, 50's-esque diner next to the practice studio. She was sitting smug between the heavily decorated wall of black and white pictures of whom she assumed were family members of the owners, and Leon; Mick next to him. Opposite of the shiny, classic tan table, Cassie and Miles sat comfortably in their booth, their shoulders barely touching while Meera was basically in Leon's lap.
The only ones eating a meal were Cassie and Miles, with an untouched burger sitting in front of Meera, though Leon gave in and ordered himself a strawberry milkshake with an extra cherry atop the whipped cream mountain.
Mick picked his briefcase up and off the floor before forcing Leon to move his shake as he plopped the heavy case onto the table with a loud thud. As everyone watched him, only Meera clueless, Mick flicked open the two locks before taking out a thin stack of papers to replace the case's place on the tabletop. "I've found a few places that have accepted our request to perform there." He slid the papers over to Cassie while clicking a pen and handing it to her with the stack. "Everyone's signed but you so far, Cass." Despite the way Mick looked, Meera quickly gathered he was also the one in charge of anything requiring legal documentation.
"Are you guys professional musicians!?" Meera finally chimed in, her voice squeaking with excitement as her mushroom-swiss burger remained flawless on her plate despite her mouth salivating at the thought of biting into it.
But while Cassie confirmed, Mick denied it simultaneously just as fast. "We have to ask to play our music; we definitely aren't professionals."
Cassie huffed, signing the paperwork before sliding it half viciously back at the man with a military-grade haircut. "Well I just signed a paper to make some money singing, and you guys playing. Hobbyists don't make money, professionals do." She dug back into her onion-less burger, before continuing with muffled words while looking right at Meera, "so what're you doing in Tyaura then? You live here?" And just like that, the three others looked at her too, waiting for an answer.
"No... I uh..." she started to stutter. She didn't want to just come out and say she lives in a small-town hours away and is only overstaying her welcome hoping to run into one of the biggest named celebrities of all time by chance...again. "I was visiting a friend, but missed my train because I overslept," she attempted to play it off with a forced chuckle.
"If you're homeless just say so!" Cassie chuckled, "I was looking for a roomie anyways. Living with 3 guys is like living with the most annoying people in the world all at once, so I just signed for my new apartment this morning!" She sat up, proud, as the guys all rolled their eyes in unison. "Would you like to be my roomie? We can split rent and utilities without having to deal with an overabundance of testosterone and sausage parties."
"I don't have a job..." Meera was wanting to accept her offer without hesitation, anything to be able to see Ren again, but she still had a brain inside her skull.
"No?" Cassie snatched the paperwork from Mick's hand as he went to place it back into the briefcase, before slapping it back down onto the table in front of their new friend. "Sign."
"I don't play music..."
Cassie clicked the pen, "can you cook?"
"A little..."
"Thank goodness," she grabbed one of Meera's hands and forced the pen into her grip, "sign. You'll be our manager on paper, but our band mommy in reality."
The men all looked at Meera with approving glances and smiles, even Mick who hadn't smiled before had a slight tinge to his lips.
"I've never had a mom before!" Miles started to tear up, "this will be so fucking amazing!"
Meera squeezed the pen for a brief moment as if it gave her strength and hastily signed the paper before giving it back to Cassie.
The singer read the new signature before she handed it back to Mick and offered to shake with Meera. "Welcome to Idiot Girl, Meera Moore."
The shy woman hesitated for only a second more before taking Cassie's hand in hers and shaking it firmly. "Thank you," she beamed before she finally dug into her meal.
I will see you again, Ren!