Perfect Life (Chapter Eight)
Sat side by side on the sofa, both in pajamas, surrounded by chocolate wrappers and a half melted tub of ice-cream. JJ and Katie were half watching the movie that flickered on Katie’s widescreen television. Awkwardly sat next to each other, apologising whenever their hands or feet accidently brushed, they laughed self-consciously at how stupid they were being.
Katie knew it was weird. It certainly wasn’t a way she’d ever been romanced before, and yet it was so utterly perfect she couldn’t help but smile. There were about a million things still playing on her mind, yet they all seemed quite inconsequential in this moment. She could tell he was nervous, the way his hands kept shaking and the way he kept looking at her; desperate for some kind of reassurance. It was a reassurance she wasn’t sure she could give him, there were so many complications, too many perhaps to ever make this work.
Where had it even come from? She’d never thought about JJ before, not in that way. He was a friend of her sisters, Emily’s one and only male sexual encounter, the best friend of her ex-boyfriend, the strange boy that hung around with her friends. None of it made sense, but there was just something in the way he looked at her. Like she was a person and not just a nice pair of tits, like he enjoyed being with her, and like he would do absolutely anything for her, like they just fit.
“These romantic comedies all have the same ending, they just don’t appreciate that life isn’t like that, not really.” JJ mused, breaking Katie from her thoughts. She turned to him, amused at the sight of JJ in his pajamas tucking greedily into chocolate, and realised just how exposed she was in this moment. Never had she sat in her comfy pajamas in front of a man, it was a whole new experience and one which felt so comfortable.
“You don’t believe in happy endings then J?” Katie asked, raising an eyebrow and pouting her lips, which she knew would drive him insane. A bit of harmless flirting wasn’t breaking her promise to Emily, not really.
“I think they happen for some people. Just not for people like me.” JJ smiled, offering a peace of chocolate to Katie, which she gratefully accepted. Their fingertips brushing, electricity sparking.
“About earlier JJ... The kiss I mean.” Katie started, her stomach flipping at the memory of their lips brushing against each other. She watched as JJ squirmed nervously, clearly remembering his earlier faux pas.
“I’m sorry Katie, you just took me by surprise. When I get nervous I start rambling and I know that what I said kind of killed the moment.” JJ sighed, mentally kicking himself.
“Maybe, Maybe we could try it again?” Katie suggested, leaning in she instinctively licked her bottom lip as she gripped JJ’s hand. Her heart was racing, pounding so hard she was certain JJ could hear it. Their eyes met, brown on blue and nothing else mattered, nothing else apart from...
The sound of the doorbell immediately made both of them jump backwards, releasing the breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding, Katie cursed the poor timing of whoever was stood on the other side of the door.
“Sorry about this.” Katie sighed, her hand grudgingly pulling away from JJ’s. “We’ll pick right up from this moment the second I get rid of them.” A cheeky wink escaping as she made her way to the front door.
Opening the door, Katie took a deep breath and looked the person standing in front of her up and down. Katie was truely speechless, and instinctively ran a hand through her hair, anything to calm her down in this minute.
“Just going to stand there fucking staring at me or are you going to let me in?” Effy smiled, barging past the second Katie moved to the side. Dropping her fag end on Katie’s doormat, Katie quickly flicked it back out onto the street with her foot before chasing after Effy.
**
“Are you going to give me the silent treatment all night?” Emily frowned. Watching Naomi sat at the desk in her office, pretending to be engrossed in some paperwork, whilst really just ignoring Emily.
“Emily please, I've got loads of work to do and I really can’t be bothered with this right now.” Naomi groaned, dismissing the pregnant woman strop that was occurring behind her.
“I was just stressed out Nai! Come on, you know the situation I was in back there.” Emily whined, no matter what she did she was never able to please everyone. The middle child, destined to always be stuck in the middle.
“Emily! I am fine, I'm not annoyed with you and I'm not giving you the silent treatment. All I want is to be able to get on with this work.” Naomi insisted, watching as Emily looked at her for a minute, before sharply turning away and walking out the room.
Slamming her pen down, Naomi immediately lost all concentration and interest in the papers in front of her. She hated arguing with Emily, she always had done, but the issue with her family was one that had haunted her for so long. Emily just didn’t get it, she’d never had this issue, Gina had embraced Emily like a second daughter so she didn’t understand what it was like to never be good enough.
Knowing she couldn’t leave it like this, Naomi pushed her papers aside and marched off into the kitchen. Emily was stood looking out the window, her eyes working over the near-perfect garden, as she tried to decide on what she would do to the space next. Wrapping her arms around her girlfriend, Naomi rested her chin on Emily’s shoulder, having to hunch over to do so.
“I’m sorry, your mum just pisses me off.” Naomi explained, gripping on tighter, feeling so safe and happy the closer she was to Emily. There was something about the way she looked, the way she felt, and the way she smelt that just felt so right.
“I know she does. I’m going to head over there tomorrow afternoon, after work and talk to her. I’ve had enough of this as well Nai, but I was just so worried about Katie.” Emily explained, turning to face Naomi, nuzzling her head in the crook of Naomi’s neck.
“What is up with her? I’ve never seen her so quiet.” Naomi asked, stroking Emily’s hair.
“Would you believe it has something to do with JJ?” Emily almost laughed at just how ridiculous it sounded. The whole world was flipped upside down, nothing made sense anymore.
“I would actually. He was saying something about dreams, and was getting a bit flustered about someone. I assume it’s Katie.” Naomi explained, remembering her garden conversation with JJ.
“You mean he likes her back?” Emily quizzed, suddenly feeling slightly guilty for warning Katie off. Maybe she didn’t understand what was happening between them, but standing in the way probably wasn’t helpful for anyone.
“Stranger things have happened Ems.” Naomi smiled, kissing Emily’s cheek
**
“Fucking press have been following me everywhere, they’ll probably follow me here.” Effy sighed dragging on her cigarette, Katie pushed an ashtray in front of her, wincing at the sight of the ash falling onto her expensive carpet. Not knowing what to say, the room quickly fell into an awkward silence. “Am I interrupting something?” Effy suddenly asked, her powers of observation never failing her.
“We’re just watching a movie.” Katie replied, a little sharper than intended, which automatically added to Effy’s ever growing suspicions.
“Right... Well, you’re probably wondering why i’m here?” Effy smiled, her electric blue eyes sparkling in that way only Effy’s could.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other Eff. I doubt you’re here for a friendly catch-up, which means you must want something.” Katie snapped, raising an eyebrow and matching Effy’s glare.
“I’ve got some legal issues. I’ve been wronged in this world, a financial apology would be appreciated.” Effy explained, smooth and calm, her own Effy style.
“So you want my help? Which poor bastard are you suing?” Katie tutted, clearly Effy was after money. Launching some claim against a magazine, or photographer, for a flimsy reason, which ended in an agreeable settlement for herself, to presumably fund her rock and roll lifestyle.
“You” Effy smirked, relishing every second of Katie’s realisation, as it dawned on her that Effy definitely wasn’t here for friendship, rather to issue a warning. Standing, Effy retrieved a brown envelope that contained legal papers on Katie’s coffee table, before walking towards Katie’s front door. “I’ll show myself out.”
Katie knew it was weird. It certainly wasn’t a way she’d ever been romanced before, and yet it was so utterly perfect she couldn’t help but smile. There were about a million things still playing on her mind, yet they all seemed quite inconsequential in this moment. She could tell he was nervous, the way his hands kept shaking and the way he kept looking at her; desperate for some kind of reassurance. It was a reassurance she wasn’t sure she could give him, there were so many complications, too many perhaps to ever make this work.
Where had it even come from? She’d never thought about JJ before, not in that way. He was a friend of her sisters, Emily’s one and only male sexual encounter, the best friend of her ex-boyfriend, the strange boy that hung around with her friends. None of it made sense, but there was just something in the way he looked at her. Like she was a person and not just a nice pair of tits, like he enjoyed being with her, and like he would do absolutely anything for her, like they just fit.
“These romantic comedies all have the same ending, they just don’t appreciate that life isn’t like that, not really.” JJ mused, breaking Katie from her thoughts. She turned to him, amused at the sight of JJ in his pajamas tucking greedily into chocolate, and realised just how exposed she was in this moment. Never had she sat in her comfy pajamas in front of a man, it was a whole new experience and one which felt so comfortable.
“You don’t believe in happy endings then J?” Katie asked, raising an eyebrow and pouting her lips, which she knew would drive him insane. A bit of harmless flirting wasn’t breaking her promise to Emily, not really.
“I think they happen for some people. Just not for people like me.” JJ smiled, offering a peace of chocolate to Katie, which she gratefully accepted. Their fingertips brushing, electricity sparking.
“About earlier JJ... The kiss I mean.” Katie started, her stomach flipping at the memory of their lips brushing against each other. She watched as JJ squirmed nervously, clearly remembering his earlier faux pas.
“I’m sorry Katie, you just took me by surprise. When I get nervous I start rambling and I know that what I said kind of killed the moment.” JJ sighed, mentally kicking himself.
“Maybe, Maybe we could try it again?” Katie suggested, leaning in she instinctively licked her bottom lip as she gripped JJ’s hand. Her heart was racing, pounding so hard she was certain JJ could hear it. Their eyes met, brown on blue and nothing else mattered, nothing else apart from...
The sound of the doorbell immediately made both of them jump backwards, releasing the breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding, Katie cursed the poor timing of whoever was stood on the other side of the door.
“Sorry about this.” Katie sighed, her hand grudgingly pulling away from JJ’s. “We’ll pick right up from this moment the second I get rid of them.” A cheeky wink escaping as she made her way to the front door.
Opening the door, Katie took a deep breath and looked the person standing in front of her up and down. Katie was truely speechless, and instinctively ran a hand through her hair, anything to calm her down in this minute.
“Just going to stand there fucking staring at me or are you going to let me in?” Effy smiled, barging past the second Katie moved to the side. Dropping her fag end on Katie’s doormat, Katie quickly flicked it back out onto the street with her foot before chasing after Effy.
**
“Are you going to give me the silent treatment all night?” Emily frowned. Watching Naomi sat at the desk in her office, pretending to be engrossed in some paperwork, whilst really just ignoring Emily.
“Emily please, I've got loads of work to do and I really can’t be bothered with this right now.” Naomi groaned, dismissing the pregnant woman strop that was occurring behind her.
“I was just stressed out Nai! Come on, you know the situation I was in back there.” Emily whined, no matter what she did she was never able to please everyone. The middle child, destined to always be stuck in the middle.
“Emily! I am fine, I'm not annoyed with you and I'm not giving you the silent treatment. All I want is to be able to get on with this work.” Naomi insisted, watching as Emily looked at her for a minute, before sharply turning away and walking out the room.
Slamming her pen down, Naomi immediately lost all concentration and interest in the papers in front of her. She hated arguing with Emily, she always had done, but the issue with her family was one that had haunted her for so long. Emily just didn’t get it, she’d never had this issue, Gina had embraced Emily like a second daughter so she didn’t understand what it was like to never be good enough.
Knowing she couldn’t leave it like this, Naomi pushed her papers aside and marched off into the kitchen. Emily was stood looking out the window, her eyes working over the near-perfect garden, as she tried to decide on what she would do to the space next. Wrapping her arms around her girlfriend, Naomi rested her chin on Emily’s shoulder, having to hunch over to do so.
“I’m sorry, your mum just pisses me off.” Naomi explained, gripping on tighter, feeling so safe and happy the closer she was to Emily. There was something about the way she looked, the way she felt, and the way she smelt that just felt so right.
“I know she does. I’m going to head over there tomorrow afternoon, after work and talk to her. I’ve had enough of this as well Nai, but I was just so worried about Katie.” Emily explained, turning to face Naomi, nuzzling her head in the crook of Naomi’s neck.
“What is up with her? I’ve never seen her so quiet.” Naomi asked, stroking Emily’s hair.
“Would you believe it has something to do with JJ?” Emily almost laughed at just how ridiculous it sounded. The whole world was flipped upside down, nothing made sense anymore.
“I would actually. He was saying something about dreams, and was getting a bit flustered about someone. I assume it’s Katie.” Naomi explained, remembering her garden conversation with JJ.
“You mean he likes her back?” Emily quizzed, suddenly feeling slightly guilty for warning Katie off. Maybe she didn’t understand what was happening between them, but standing in the way probably wasn’t helpful for anyone.
“Stranger things have happened Ems.” Naomi smiled, kissing Emily’s cheek
**
“Fucking press have been following me everywhere, they’ll probably follow me here.” Effy sighed dragging on her cigarette, Katie pushed an ashtray in front of her, wincing at the sight of the ash falling onto her expensive carpet. Not knowing what to say, the room quickly fell into an awkward silence. “Am I interrupting something?” Effy suddenly asked, her powers of observation never failing her.
“We’re just watching a movie.” Katie replied, a little sharper than intended, which automatically added to Effy’s ever growing suspicions.
“Right... Well, you’re probably wondering why i’m here?” Effy smiled, her electric blue eyes sparkling in that way only Effy’s could.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other Eff. I doubt you’re here for a friendly catch-up, which means you must want something.” Katie snapped, raising an eyebrow and matching Effy’s glare.
“I’ve got some legal issues. I’ve been wronged in this world, a financial apology would be appreciated.” Effy explained, smooth and calm, her own Effy style.
“So you want my help? Which poor bastard are you suing?” Katie tutted, clearly Effy was after money. Launching some claim against a magazine, or photographer, for a flimsy reason, which ended in an agreeable settlement for herself, to presumably fund her rock and roll lifestyle.
“You” Effy smirked, relishing every second of Katie’s realisation, as it dawned on her that Effy definitely wasn’t here for friendship, rather to issue a warning. Standing, Effy retrieved a brown envelope that contained legal papers on Katie’s coffee table, before walking towards Katie’s front door. “I’ll show myself out.”