Bees & Honey [H.S]

Chapter 1

It was early in the morning. Too early. I don't know if you could even count this as morning. The clock on my bedside table showed 4:15, shit I need to hurry. I applied my iconic deep orange lipstick over my heart-shaped plump lips and added a coat of lip balm over it to not give it that harsh look. The music I always played in the morning was interrupted by a text, and Nico's tunes of 'These Days' on the vinyl was replaced by a quick ping. I knew only one other person could be alive at this hour. Before I picked myself up from the floor to check the text I gave myself one last look in the mirror. It was a skill to be able to make yourself look presentable this early, but I somehow managed every morning. As I looked over my almost frosty blonde hair, and twisted the ends just passed my shoulder around my index finger I realized my bangs were in desperate need of a cut as they rested on my eyelashes. In a hurry I pushed it to the smallest side parting to show off my light turquoise eye colour that the orange from my lips brought out even more. When I picked up my phone I was not surprised to see who had texted me.

Nick: Today is your lucky day, you get to spend it with me! See you soon sugar xx

We both knew that the best days were the ones we got to spend together. But today was still just a normal day so I did not care for a special outfit and simply settled for a black long sleeve silk shirt, dark blue high-waisted slim jeans and my usual high-heeled mary janes paired with the pearl ankle brace I never take off. In a search for my bag my eyes swept across my one bedroom flat, so it did not take long for me to find it. While skipping my way to the tube I sent him a reply.

Me: Oh happy-go-lucky kind of day is it? See you in a bit xx

As I turned the corner I saw the big sign of BBC on the familiar building that has been my official workplace for the past year. It is crazy that just a year ago I ended my trainee program and was lucky enough to be offered a permanent position. This was my dream job and to be able to land this job at just the age of 22 is even crazier. Conclusion: do not ask me how I did it, I do not understand it myself.  When I walked into the BBC radio office I was greeted by one of my bosses and main presenters. As a Radio Broadcast Assistant I help the presenters and producers with whatever they need, and I loved every bit of it.

"Bianca my darling, good morning!" Nick threw his hands up in the air and flashed my one of those smiles that really never left his face. He already had that boy-ish look, but those gaps he had between his teeth enhanced that.

"Grimmy!" I walked over to his desk and gave him a quick peck on the cheek making sure not to leave an orange mark. "Now it is a good morning." I added as I sat down in the chair next to him to give myself a minute to breath before we were needed in the studio. Nick was more than one of my bosses, he was someone who has in the past year grown to be one of my dear friends. He also hated when I called him my boss, and liked to see himself as my 10-year older brother. For 10 years Nick has worked at the BBC and as much as he hated me calling him my boss I was happy learning from someone who's been at BBC since 2007. I could only wish for half the success Nick has had as a presenter and I knew I had a good chance at that with him as a boss and friend.

Instead of scrolling through emails, as we should have done, we chatted over a quick breakfast before the show. On our way to the studio he hooked his arm with mine very casually as we looked through the schedule for our last two workdays this week on the iPad.

"This week could not end any better!" He sang out with a burst of energy. I look at him and shake my head not really answering him.

"I get to have you all by myself, and not share you with all the other shows" He made a face at the end of his sentence because it was rare that I would devote all my time to him, he then continues "And tomorrow I get to co-host with a friend of mine- and I know how excited he is to release his first single, no sorry- not even that, his first solo song ever!" He had a hard time to not show his excitement. I knew Grimmy had been excited about this for a long time, and how much work we had put into that specific show with the guest host, but I was surprised to learn this new information after all the work hours we put into it.

"Harry is your friend? Because I know that you know everyone, but you are not one to call anyone your friend Grimmy." At that he patted my hand before releasing himself from the link of our arms and opening the doors to the dark studio.

"Oh yes, I thought I told you that when we went over everything for tomorrow?" And I simply shook my head as I took my seat behind the instrument board in one of the corners of the room, put on a pair of headphones and started to prepare for countdown until we were live.

For the past two weeks I had been helping Nick with the planning and administrative tasks to make sure that the co-host with Harry Styles and the release of his first single 'Sign of The Times' with us went smoothly. When we first started it felt like we had all the time in the world, but time flies when you have fun and when you have a lot of work to do. I had a few finishing touches to make sure that my part was done perfectly, but I was both excited and nervous for tomorrow. In this job I meet celebrities every other day but this was a big deal, both for me and Nick, and I could only imagine for Harry.

The countdown started and I gave Nick a thumbs up and he corrected his mic. As the vignette started rolling I leaned back in my seat.

"Good morning lovely people! It is me, Nick Grimshaw and you are listening to The Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 1..."

The perk of starting work that early is that you also get off early. I pushed the door open and warmed at the sight of my favourite people, my best friends. I had seen this exact moment thousands of times. Max pushes herself off her high chair to lean over the bar while arguing over something clearly irrelevant to just get a reaction from the bartender, a.k.a her boyfriend Casper who just laughed provocatively in her face. That was their kinky way to get a buzz and flirt with each other. Meanwhile our other friend Jack tugged her leather jacket to try and get her ass back in her seat. He was so good looking it hurt to look at, which made his profession as a model self-evident. Even if he wasn't big or known you could guess it on your first try with that jawline.

"Hey, look who decided to finally show up..." I met Jack's brown eyes as he tried to shift the focus to me and put down their pretend-fight, oh can they be annoying.

"Finally? Well, I'm sorry to all of you then, Mr. bartender during daytime, Mr. wannabe-model who barely book any jobs and Ms. freelance journalist. But I also feel like I should break it to you, it is just past lunchtime for most people and we are sitting in a pub." They took a moment to look around after my statement, although they knew from being here countless times before that we were close to being the only customers during this time of day. Jack squeezed me tight to his side and kissed the top of my head to welcome me. Casper pushed Max butt back in her seat and then served me my usual - any hard liquor mixed with coffee and heavy cream. Max only lasted one second in her chair before she intruded Jack's personal space on her way to reach my glass. Only Max would put her finger in the cream and bop it on the tip of my round and perky nose. She collapsed with laughter in Jack's lap and he tried to untangle her sleek dark hair that covered her face.

"You know you would be so much cooler if you managed to do that without peeing from laughter, right?" Casper mocked his girlfriend while trying to give me a tissue paper. I kindly rejected it and instead dragged my finger to scoop up the cream and lick it off my finger.

"I'm glad I could provide some entertainment for you, my lovely friend." I squeezed her prominent and high cheeks. If it was out of love or annoyance I did not really know. She flipped around in Jack's lap and held herself up with one hand on my thigh, now intruding my personal space.

"Ah you see Bibs, that is what this relationship involves - me using you for the benefit of having fun even if it only includes fun for one of us." She smirked back at me and then raised her hand for my face. As a cat with her mouse she hoped I'd flinch in fear for another prank. But after being best friends with Max for the past 5 years I knew that you should not let her get the upper hand. She surprised me by sweeping her finger over my nose and removed the last bit of cream with a laughter that we all joined in on.

As we laughed through our third round, and also my last round of drinks, my phone lit up.

Nick: Tomorrow after work it is mandatory AW for you, bosses orders. Cheers to our amazing work and the weekend. It is only fair I spoil you after all the work for tomorrow.

Me: Don't jinx it now! ps. I thought you hated to be called boss? xx

I knew tomorrow was going to be a long, long day.