“Well, it’s Amy’s last day tomorrow so I thought maybe we could make the most of it?”
“We? Does that include me?” I bite down on my lower lip to prevent that question coming out of my mouth. It’s weird, because even though I know that they’re not a couple, she still really intimidates me. “What have you got planned?”
“I don’t know. I was thinking of booking a boat trip or something like that. That way she can take in the sights before she leaves.”
“That’s a really good idea. But, you’ll have to make sure that you’re up super early to see if you can bag yourself any last minute tickets, though.”
“oh, don’t worry about that. There’ll be tickets, alright.” He sounds so sure of himself and I really don’t want to be the one to bring him down, but what choice do I have?
“Jake, I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but all the boat parties usually sell out weeks in advance most of the time. You’ll be really lucky if you can get hold of any.” But, you never know, there may be an innocent ticket seller who won’t be able to resist those wonderful charms of yours.” His smile completely knocks me off guard and it lights up his whole face. He regards me closely as he draws his beer up to his lips. Those soft, delicate, full red lips that were claiming mine earlier. Oh, how I would love to feel them against mine once again.
“You know you look pretty cute when you get jealous, but I’m not going on about a boat party Luce. I’m after one of those boat trips that takes you around the Island. You know, strictly for sight-seers.”
“Oh, okay. But is that really Amy’s cup of tea?” Now I’m really confused as Amy has always struck me as a wild party animal and not all that social. I’m trying, really I am, but I can’t imagine her taking in the sights, let alone staying quiet and sitting still whilst she does it.
“Honestly, I know it doesn’t seem like it, but there is more to her than meets the eye.”
Really? “Looks like I’ll just have to take your word for it.”
“You really don’t like her all that much, do you?” He asks and there’s not really much emotion in his voice. He just looks at me, waiting for my response and I can’t make out what’s going through his mind. Is this a trick question? Shit, what if I have offended him?
“I don’t really know her, so I can’t exactly say that I don’t like her.”
Exactly. So why the hell am I currently sat here judging her? Shame quickly washes over me and I struggle to meet Jake’s gaze as if somehow when he looks at me, he’ll be able to tell what I have been thinking. Deep down, I know that I have been a complete bitch and now that I can see how I’ve been about someone that I don’t really know, I feel absolutely disgusted in myself.
“You wouldn’t be the first person to feel that way. I don’t know, I guess she gives off this persona which really isn’t her at all. More like a defence mechanism. I think you girls call it resting bitch face or something.”
I automatically laugh at his comment and I almost choke on my drink in the process. “Yep, I can definitely see that.”
“Honestly Luce, underneath her appearance and those stupidly crazy heels, she’s just your typical shy girl who struggles to mingle with new people.”
Really? Somehow I find that hard to believe. Every time I’ve seen here, granted it hasn’t been many times, but she’s never struggled to mingle with anyone. “Where has she been anyway? I’ve not seen her around for a while?”
“You’re guess is as good as mine. She’s probably hooked up with some random guy or another.” He says, while taking another gulp of his beer and his face doesn’t even show the tiniest trace of worry.
“And that doesn’t bother you?” I can help but ask.
“No, why would it?” Jake’s eyes focus on mine and he’s looking at me as if I have just asked him the most bizarre question.
“She could be anyway, with anyone, Jake.”
“Yeah, she probably is. But she’s old enough to look after herself. The last thing she needs or wants is me following her around. Trust me, she definitely doesn’t need a babysitter.”
Wow.
My head’s still spinning. I don’t think I will ever understand, or get used to how casual most people are. They don’t seem to care at all who they willingly wander off with to do God only knows what. Maybe if this seems to be the norm, then I’m obviously built wrong or something. I’ve never understood one night stands, either. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not completely naive, I know they happen, and often. But how can you possibly get intimate with someone that you don’t really know? Surely you need to have some kind of feelings or some connection to that person? Maybe it’s just because I’m not as experienced as most people my age.
“So, you wanna come tomorrow then, or what?”
“Tomorrow?” I ask, once again dragged out of my wayward thoughts.
“Yeah, you know, the boat trip? Luce, are you okay? You’re miles away tonight. I’d really enjoy it if you came along.” His smile is so beautiful, I could just sit here and stare at his perfection all day.
“Bloody hell, anyone would think that you were asking me on a date.” I spout out before I can stop myself.
What the hell was that and where did it come from? My eyes automatically fall down and rest on my lap in embarrassment and I can feel blood rushing to my cheeks. Shit. It’s like any kind of filter fly’s right out of the window when I’m with him. Never, ever in my whole life have I ever been so forward before. If only Fran could see me now. She’d be so proud.
“That depends. Would you like it to be a date?” I can feel the intensity of his gaze burning into me and I slowly, yet reluctantly raise my eyes to look at him and I can see that he’s grinning from ear to ear. “I love how easily you get embarrassed. It’s pretty cute.”
“Erm…” I begin, but Jake cuts me off.
“Yes Lucy, I’m asking you on a date and I’m really hoping that you’re going to say yes. Come on, don’t leave a guy hanging here. Put me out of my misery. What do you say?”
“Yes.” I reply all to quickly and once again my voice comes out on a high pitched squeak and he laughs at me again. Dear God, the next time I try to attempt flirting, someone please for the love of everything that’s holy; stop me.
“Hello.” I say as soon as the call connects.
“Oh, hey you. It’s about freaking time that you called, no?”
“Crap.” I can tell instantly that she’s mad at me and I feel like the world’s worst friend. Even more so than I did five seconds ago. Oh God, what if she actually hates me?
“Hannah, please don’t be mad at me. I meant to call, honestly I did.” I plead down the line, hoping that she’ll find it in her to understand.
“So what happened then?” She snaps back at me.
“I’m so sorry that I haven’t called sooner.” I begin again with my most heartfelt apology, but true to the Hannah that I know and love, she cuts me off suddenly and starts barking down the line.
“Too bloody right you better be sorry, lady. Do you have any idea what you have put me through these past couple of days? I’ve been going out of my mind with worry. Mum actually thinks that I have lost the plot because I have been practically sitting on top of the house phone day and night. If it went on much longer, I can promise you now that I would have been admitted or worse, arrested for sexual advances and harassment on an innocent household item.”
“Oh Han,” I laugh at her over the top dramatics. “Now I feel really shit. The fact that you could have been carted off without me is quite depressing. We go down, we go down together; you know this.”
“Yeah, whatever. To make up for it, you can start by telling me what’s been keeping you so occupied and it better be bloody good.”
Thank god. After everything, she still cares. As long as she still cares then there is still hope for us. I let out a small sigh of relief.
If there’s one thing that I hate, then it has to be Hannah being mad at me. “Should I start by tell
ing you that I made an absolute tit out of myself?”
Hannah’s high pitched, carefree laugh filters down the line and it fills me with ease. It sounds so bloody good to hear and it’s as contagious as always. “Seriously Lucy, you can’t use that as an excuse. You always make a tit out of yourself, so what makes it so different this time?”
“Now, I’ll always be the first to agree with you and I’ll always be the first to admit that there have been a fair few occasions where I have not so proudly made a right show of myself, but this one totally beats them all, hands down.”
“Really?” She asks and I can tell that she doesn’t believe me just by the tone of her voice. I hate it when sceptical Hannah comes out to play. You just know that no matter what you say, it just goes in one ear and then straight out of the other.
“Really?” I reply truthfully. “It’s like this life that I am living isn’t even mine and I’m being forced to watch it all slowly fall apart from afar as the dreaded events play out in front of me.”
“What the hell has happened to you? I thought I was supposed to be the overly dramatic one?”
“I know. That’s exactly what I mean. This just isn’t my life.”
“Come on then, don’t leave me hanging here. I want all the juicy bits.” Oh I really wish I could see her face. I know that she’s currently perched on the edge of the sofa, hanging onto my every word.
“Okay. But just so you know, I probably won’t do it much justice over the phone.”
“For God sake, just spill it Lucy.” She warns and I can imagine her pretty little face all scrunched up in frustration.
“Quit your bloody frowning, otherwise you’ll stay that way and you won’t be such a pretty sight anymore.” I mock and instantly hear her mutter something unpleasant under her breath which sounds quite similar to itch. “Play nice Hannah, otherwise I’ll tell you nothing.”
“Fine, I’m sorry.” She snaps impatiently. “Now get talking.”
“Well, what started off as an innocent night, it ended up being a pretty eventful and embarrassing one to say the least. Little old me only went and puked up on the most hottest guy that I have ever laid my poor, innocent eyes on. Bloody right in front of everyone too. I was absolutely mortified, Han. I mean, I emptied the entire contents of my stomach right into his lap. Who even does that?”
“Erm, you?”
My cheeks heat up at just the memory, however, fortunately for me it looks like Jake has moved on from my little incident and he’s even been good enough to see the funny side. But it could have been so much worse. “All right, smart arse. Yes, obviously I do it, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now, would we? But really Han, why did he have to be so hot? It would have been so much easier to forget about if he had of been a fricking minger.”
“I’m guessing that you haven’t bumped into him since, then?”
Now it’s my turn to howl down the line. “Now you and I both know that’d make my life far to easy. Clearly someone wasn’t about to do me any favours up there.”
“What happened next, then?”
“My bloody roommate happened, that’s what. She was there when it all happened you see, and she sure as hell went out of her way to make it possible for me to bump into him again; the very next night. To be honest, I didn’t know whether I wanted to slap her or hug her by the end of the night. But still, it wasn’t called for. No one should be that evil.”
Hannah paused for a moment while she thinks over what I have just told her. Surely she understands what internal torture that I went through. “Did you speak to him? What did he say?” Hannah asks and I can tell that she’s getting excited. She’s definitely out for gossip, this one.
“Well, for starters he rocked up with some seriously hot girl who seemed to know all about my alcoholic antics from the night before. I’m not going to lie Han, I physically felt like vomiting again, all over her beautiful blonde hair and flawless make-up.”
“Jesus, jealous much? This guy’s really made an impression on you, hasn’t he?”
Oh god, he definitely has. Just knowing that I’ll be spending the rest of today with him causes goose bumps to prickle my heated flesh again. “You’d be the same. You have absolutely no idea how hot he is.”
“He must be something pretty special to have grabbed your attention this much. So hang on, let me go back and get this straight. What you’re saying is that this hot guy is the reason that you haven’t called me? My how you’ve changed Lucy. Do I at least get a name?”
“Of course,” I sigh, basking in my own little bubble of happiness. “He’s called Jake. But, just for the record, as distracting as it might be, he’s not the only thing that has side tracked me recently. My roommate’s a little bit of a loose cannon and I’m pretty sure that she won’t stop with her wild ways until she’s gotten us both killed.”
“Excuse me?” Hannah squeals down the line and I have to pull the handset back a little to save my poor ears from a bashing. “Are you sure that she’s safe? What the hell are you doing living with someone like that? Lucy, I know you’re having fun, but maybe it’s best that you come back home?2
I know that Hannah is currently going out of her mind with worry right now and maybe I really need to think before I start talking to prevent these kind of hysterics. She always thinks the worst of every possible situation as it is and I really don’t help matters at all. “Well, I guess she’s not that bad. Maybe a tad uncontrollable, but what can I say, or do? I’ve lived a sheltered life Han, I’ve only ever really been exposed to you and your sensible ways. It’s not my fault that you have always been the careful one.” I laugh, hoping that I can try and ease the unwanted tension that’s now flowing heavily between us.
“What has your psycho roommate done, Lucy?” Hannah demands in her no-nonsense voice.
“Nothing major really, apart from bringing strange, naked men back to our apartment. Look, I’m probably just overreacting because I don’t take kindly to strange weirdos watching me while I sleep, that’s all.”
The phone starts to beep, indicating that it’s low on money and will soon need feeding again if I’m to stay connected.
“Han, listen. My money’s running low, but I promise that I’ll give you another call in a few days.”
“Email me, it’ll be quicker and you don’t need to worry about the phone cutting off then, either.”
“Why the hell didn’t I think of that?” I exclaim when the realisation that I could have contacted her much sooner kicks in.
“Because my sweet thing, I have always been the brains of the outfit. Lucy, before you go, just promise me one thing?”
“Anything….”
“Be safe. Do not and I repeat, do not make me come out there to save your arse. Or to drag you back home, because you know that I will.”
“Oh Han. I really wish that you could come out here. I miss you like crazy.” I confess. “So much.”
“I miss you too, Luce. It’s just not the same without you here, By the way, happy belated birthday. I had a bottle of Lambrini for you as I wasn’t sure if you could get that cheap stuff out there. That way it still kind of felt like you were here. I’ll tell you what though, I don’t know how we used to drink that stuff, it tastes like shit.”
“Thanks.” A hard lumps forms in the back of my throat as it dawns on me that this is the first birthday that I have ever spent away from Hannah and it makes me really sad. “I’m going to have to go, but remember that I love you and for the love of everything that’s holy; step away from the bloody phone.”
“I will now that I know you’re safe. I love you too,”
I place the receiver back down and feel a huge sense of home wash over me. God, I bloody miss that girl and I miss home too. Not enough to me back there just yet though.
I need this, this experience. Growing up, I have always said that I never want to live my life looking back and thinking “what if…”
Fortunately for me, Hannah gets it a
nd more importantly, she gets me. No matter what, she’s always supported me in everything that I have ever wanted to do, even if sometimes it does taker her a little while to come around to the idea. Definitely one in a million that girl and I’m the lucky one who gets to call her my best friend.
I’m pretty surprised to find the apartment empty and spotless when I get back. Something’s off. It has to be.
Fran has never been a big cleaner, actually I don’t think she’s cleaned once since we’ve been here. So why the sudden change? I didn’t really have too much time on my hands to look around before I left this morning, because as soon as I opened my eyes I made my way to the nearest payphone to call Hannah. Maybe things got a little bit out of control last night and she decided to have a quick whip around. I don’t really have much time to ponder over the possible possibilities as a loud knock echoes out from behind me and startles me back to the here and now.
My heart skips a beat at the thought of Jake stood on the opposite side of the doorframe and I have to take a moment to compose myself, before I can even think about putting one foot in front of the other.
“Coming.” I shout out as the knocks come again. I catch a quick glimpse of myself in the mirror and begin to wish that I had time to change. Oh well, it looks like my short denim cut offs and tatty white vest top will have to do.
“To be fair, I’m only going on a bloody sightseeing boat trip anyway. It’s not really like I need to dress up for the occasion, is it?
When the door opens, the wind is completely knocked out of me. Honestly, I think just the mere sight of him and his raw beauty will always affect me. No one and I mean no one should be so perfect. It should be illegal for anyone to look that good.
“Hey.” He mouths whilst his eyes roam freely and seductively up and down my body, his dimple becomes more distinctive on his face as a small, mischievous grin breaks free.
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