Cliff's Californian apartment wasn't much better than the one he'd occupied in New York. It had the necessities, of course, but it was just about the polar opposite of his childhood. It was on the ground floor, thankfully, but that made it a bit more prone to robbery or being defaced. The small living room which joined with the kitchen could only hold a small group of people, not that Cliff really invited anyone over to his place unless he needed to. Parties were usually at a club or a bigger home and the band wasn't really a problem to fit in the apartment.
By eight thirty in the morning, Cliff was already up and sitting cross-legged on his bed. The young man watched the wall before him absentmindedly, holding a cigarette between his lips as it lazily smoked from the end. These calm, peaceful mornings were something he treasured. He could zone out and reflect on what was bothering him without the worry of attracting attention or standing out. It'd be a real shock losing them when the tour began. After a few minutes, he slowly kicked his legs over the side of his bed and ran a hand through his spiked hair. He'd already showered for the day, dressing in his usual style with a Nirvana t-shirt and a pair of dark red skinny jeans.
Stifling a yawn, Cliff grabbed his two duffel bags and carried them to the front door. He hadn't packed much in all reality. He only grabbed what he needed. Anything else could easily be bought on the trip. It was his music equipment that took up the bulk of what he was bringing. An amp, cords, pedals, his electric, and his acoustic were all coming on the trip along the West Coast. He settled down on one of the weathered sofas of the apartment and pulled out his acoustic and one of his countless picks from his pocket. Rumor said that Cliff's pockets really just led to an endless abyss of guitar picks in a multitude of colors and thicknesses. Ask him for a pick and he could hand you a handful of them. As he waited for the day to begin, Cliff plucked the strings of his guitar slowly, one by one, as he tuned them to perfection. Satisfied, he started to play softly first and then much louder as he grew confident. Before he knew it, he was strumming the guitar loudly, getting so into the music he forgot the fact that it was nine in the morning and people were still asleep. Angry knocking sounded on his door and Cliff looked up.
"Hello?" he asked, ceasing his playing for a moment. Not hearing a response, he placed the guitar down and went to investigate. He opened the door and came face to face with a middle aged woman, frowning deeply. Instantly, he recognized her as his upstairs neighbor who, if he remembered correctly, was never fond of him. It was as if she'd looked at him the day he moved in and said 'he looks like a kid I should hate.'
"Clifford Harrison," she snapped. Cliff narrowed his eyes as she used his full name. "It is nine o'clock in the morning and the other residents in the building are trying to sleep. So please, shut up." She looked around the room and seemed to instantly notice the bags. Her eyes lit up joyfully. "Are you...leaving?" Cliff nodded slowly, reluctantly giving her the satisfaction of being correct.
"For now," he said. "I'm touring with the band." A child on Christmas could not have been happier than the woman.
"Praise the Lord," she muttered. "I'd say it was a Christmas miracle, but it's summer. Memorial Day miracle, perhaps?" Cliff gave a roll of the eyes and a fake grin before slamming the door as politely as possible. As the door closed, his phone went off with a text from Milo. Cliff grinned lightly in amusement. He didn't think Milo had it in him to get up this early.
Wow, kid, I'm proud of you. I've been ready for a while now. Come here whenever convenient. -Cliff
After sending that, Cliff packed away his guitar and started to get ready to head out. First and foremost, he pulled on his pair of gray and yellow Chucks. Cliff then pulled on his plain, gray hoodie and followed it with a black-and-white checkered flat brim hat. Dressed and prepared for the trip, Cliff finally carried his belongings out to the sidewalk and sat on the curb beside them, waiting for Milo.