Rooftops and Invitations
Hi all, so I'm alive and in India at the moment but I've been working on this one-shot for a while and got a burst of inspiration to finish it (go figure) so here it is. It's a sorta song fic for "Rooftpps and Invitations" by Dashboard Confessional, apologies for any mistakes, I haven't read over it properly yet but if I find too many I'll edit and what not :P Enjoy!
Rooftops and Invitations
The first time you looked, at her curves you were hooked
And the glances you took, took hold of you
And demanded that you stay.
It all started at a party. My friend Ryan and his band were hosting it, in an apartment building close to the city centre. Even though we were close I knew Ryan wanted to be more than friends but I had made it abundantly clear to him a long time ago that I wasn't interested, never was never would be. The only reason I'd agreed to come to the party was that he'd promised lots of people would be there, and let's face it, it had been a while since I'd been out, had a good time.
I had been keeping to myself lately, ever since the break-up. I had been devastated, gutted when it ended. There was no amount of consolation in the world. A selfish part of me wondered whether Ryan was throwing the party just as an excuse to get me out of my apartment, it had been months and months now, surely it wasn't healthy?
So I had said yes, dressed casually because let's face it I wasn't there to impress anyone, and ended up standing next to the snacks table, chomping on crisps like they were going out of sale. I had turned up, said hello and would probably leave early when no one was looking. Why shouldn't I? No one would miss me. Ryan didn't count.
The crisps long since finished, I sighed and rubbed my head before deciding to bail. I wasn't having fun, this was meant to be fun right? I looked to the door for my escape but before I had a chance to head towards it I froze. There, just coming in was a girl. And I was captivated by her.
Realising that I was staring, I quickly looked down but couldn't help but steal a glance back up. She had flowing brunette locks and sparkling blue eyes, but that wasn't what was drawing me to her. It was the air about her, the way she carried herself. Like myself, she had gone with jeans and a casual top with the addition to her outfit of a low lying necklace that she appeared to be absent-mindedly playing with. Yet she just seemed so confident in herself, so comfortable with being in the party atmosphere. Also she had an amazing body. Just sayin'.
"Here, I brought you a drink." Ryan's voice made me jump about five feet in the air.
"Jesus effing Christ Ryan," I gasped.
"Whoa sorry, didn't mean to startle you. Here's your drink."
I took the drink from his hands while mumbling a "thanks" and shifted my gaze back towards the door, trying to locate the Amazing girl again.
Ryan wasn't stupid, he knew I wasn't paying attention. "What's so interesting?" he asked.
When I couldn't find her I turned back to him and sighed, "Nothing. Sorry what were you saying?"
"You having a good time?"
"Not really," I admitted. "Might head off actually."
"Aw but Sian you basically just got here!" he moaned.
I looked at my phone, I HAD basically just got there, one hour did not constitute as enough time to be at a party but who was I kidding, I wasn't having that great a time so might as well go back home to an early night before work tomorrow.
"Sorry Ryan, I'm just not enjoying myself."
He put his beer down and took me by the wrist, pulling me towards where the band was setting up. "That's just because you haven't started dancing yet, once you do you'll forget about everything else."
I was starting my protests when a face caught me unawares over by the guitars. The Amazing girl. And she was staring right at me. My silence gave Ryan the chance to pull me over without resistance as my whole attention seemed to be caught in the way Amazing girl was looking at me.
Then she smiled, and I think my legs gave way.
"Whoa, Sian," Ryan said catching me, for apparently my legs HAD actually given way, and helped me up right.
I turned back to look where Amazing girl had been, I couldn't help it, I was hooked. "I'm fine," I shrugged Ryan off, not wanting to draw attention to myself. She was still there but she had turned to the girl next to her and was laughing at a joke I had no idea about.
I felt my cheeks go red, feeling the embarrassment you get when you think someone's laughing at your expense when in reality it's something completely unrelated, not about you at all. I still couldn't look away though, her smile when she laughed, it was gorgeous.
"Are you alright?" Ryan looked at me with concern, I suppose I must have seemed a bit out of it.
"Um, yeah, yeah I'm fine," I flustered. I looked hurriedly back to where Amazing girl was (okay I'm pathetic, I admit it but whatever) but she wasn't there. Panicking I looked around the room quickly, examining every group in case Amazing girl was with them.
"Are you sure you're alright Sian? You seem a bit, I dunno, jumpy?"
The level of relief I experienced when I finally spotted Amazing girl was probably a little worrying. She was heading for the door that led up to the roof but when she reached it she turned around and looked right at me. I think for a second my heart stopped. Then she tilted her head towards the door, gesturing as if she wanted someone (that someone apparently being ME) to follow her and continued through the doors and up the stairs.
"Yeah, sorry, I gotta go," I said to Ryan without looking at him and headed for the door to the roof.
...
She leads you up, points out skylines and stars
Steeplechases and bars, and took your keys
And demanded that you stay.
I'm in a dream. I must be dreaming and this is just all a figment of my imagination. There's no way this could ACTUALLY be happening to me, could it?
My brain had apparently switched off and I was running on autopilot since my legs just seemed to be ascending the stairs to the roof of their own accord. I wasn't sure what I expected to find when I opened the second door that led out to the roof but I didn't seem to care.
Stepping out onto the roof the night chill hit me, causing me to shiver and pull my leather jacket a little tighter around myself. I looked about me and Amazing girl standing a little ways away, leaning on the railing and looking up at the sky.
She didn't even acknowledge my entrance and for a second I thought about what a bad idea this was, I knew nothing about this girl. She knew nothing about me.
Fuck it.
I walked to the railing as suavely as I could (which probably wasn't very at all) and mimicked her position of leaning against it, looking up at the night sky. One minute passed.
Then another. Still Amazing girl said nothing.
Oh for fuck's sake. She wasn't just gonna dick me around was she? Well two can play that game. Sighing I rummaged around in my messenger bag I always carried with me for my keys.
Pulling them out I turned to leave but was stopped by a gentle hand on my arm. "Wait."
So she speaks. I think my heart rate just went off the charts. Nothing to do with the fact that she was touching me either, no, not at all.
"Can I see them?"
The confusion must have been evident on my face because she added, "The keys?"
With no control over my own actions I handed over my keys to this complete stranger. This Amazing girl. I was beginning to get very afraid now, afraid that I'd do anything she asked of me.
Amazing girl inspected my keys and the little key chains I had attached (not to be creepy or anything but I totally saw the way she smiled looking at my Teddy bear charm) before putting them in the pocket of her own jacket. "You don't mind if I borrow these do you?"
"What?" I practically laughed. What the hell was going on?
"Just for tonight," she reassured me, her voice level enough, as if she did this all the time. It was a little entrancing actually.
I was staring into her eyes now, she had seemed to capture my undivided attention (not that it would have been hard for her). "But I need to go home," I breathed, my eyes flicking to her lips. Wow, we're standing really close together, when did THAT happen?
"Stay." It was more a demand than a question. And just like that I gave in.
You know that thing I said before about being afraid I'd do anything she asked of me? Yeah, I think I'm in trouble.
...
And she just might get you lost
And she just might leave you torn
But she just might save your soul
If she gets you when she gets you any closer.
I was still staring at her lips, and I got the feeling she knew it since they turned up into a smirk. "I'm Sophie by the way," she said, bringing my attention back to her face.
Sophie.
Amazing girl has an amazing name. Amazing girl who has my keys in her jacket pocket and called me up to a roof landing and told me to stay and looks amazing is called Sophie. God help me.
"And you are?" Shit, I'm making a complete arse of myself in front of Amazing girl, I mean Sophie.
"Sorry," I laughed awkwardly, "I'm Sian." I stuck out my hand for her to shake, that's what normal, sane people do right?
Sophie took my hand and put the back of it to her lips saying, "Au chante Sian" the whole time staring me directly in the eye.
My chest did this fluttery thing and I wondered for a second whether I was having a heart attack. Then Sophie released my hand and instead of solving this problem it only seemed to make it worse as I gave an involuntary sigh. Oh god, kill me now.
If Sophie had heard (which come on, how could she not have) she didn't show it at all, instead leaning one arm on the railing casually (looking pretty damn sexy) and asked, "So Sian, you like the band then?"
Band? What band? Oh yeah, the party. Life. I had forgotten about that. "Not really to be honest," I replied. I think that may have been the longest thing I've said to her, GO SIAN.
Sophie looked at me puzzled. "Then what brings you here then?"
Just open your mouth and talk Sian, it's not so bad. "My friend Ryan's in the band, he wanted me to come." There you go!
Sophie looked a little dejected at this and asked, "Oh, you two good friends then?" SHIT. shitshitshitSHIT, great job Sian now it sounds like you're with him (mentally slaps forehead).
"He wishes," I scoffed. "Guy can't take a hint."
"Oh, good." Sophie's confidence seemed to return straightaway and I'm not sure whether it was just me but I swear she shuffled even closer. "Then why did you come then? If you don't mind my asking?"
I gave a long sigh, this time on purpose. I had been asking myself that question all night as well, that is until I first set eyes on Sophie, but still, there was way too much baggage to go there. This amazing girl didn't want to hear my sob story.
"Let's just say I haven't really been out for a while and I was starting to concern people," I finally answered.
I thought that this would be a satisfactory answer, that Sophie would return to the flirting (oh come on it's blatantly obvious) but instead she was just looking at me with her brow furrowed. When she realized I wasn't adding anything more to my vague explanation she said gently, "I know we've only just met, but do you want me to get us some drinks and then you can tell me all about it?"
Heaven help me, I think I'm in serious danger of falling in love tonight.
...
Where every move and each impulse brings clarity
To stay like this is everything you'll ever need.
Here's the thing, I'm not the type of person who just pours their heart out to anyone who will listen. Trust me, I worked as a "checkout chick" for a little while back in college and there's nothing worse than getting a customer who decides that their life's story is the most important thing in the world and that you're more than willing to stand there for half an hour and listen while the line behind them gets longer and all you can do is nod and plaster a smile on your face and say, "Oh really?" every so often. Slightly off track but my point is I won't tell someone my problems unless they asked first and I felt comfortable with them.
So when Sophie asked if I wanted to talk about it I was a little overwhelmed since a) she was SOPHIE, Amazing girl Sophie and b) she was the first person to do so. All my other friends had just left me to it, not wanting to upset me further I guess by bringing it up, I don't know. So I guess when Sophie offered I was a little grateful, despite only just meeting her. And it wasn't like I wasn't comfortable around her, if anything I was a little TOO comfortable. The drinks she had got us helped too.
"And then just like that she told me she had fallen in love with someone else." I had already got through most of my story, and two bottles of cider by the looks of it.
"What, at the altar?" Sophie exclaimed.
"Yeah," I sighed. "I didn't even care how embarrassing it must have been, in front of everyone like that, it was just so, so..." I started choking up. Dammit Sian.
"She broke your heart." It was a statement. And it was true, the thing that I hadn't wanted to say out loud. When my fiancée had gone to say her vows at our wedding but not been able to, instead telling me how sorry she was, she hadn't meant for it to happen I had known straight away. And my whole world had come crashing down.
Sophie put her hand on my knee and asked gently, "What did you do?"
I chuckled through the tears that hard formed in my eyes. "Hah, I ran away. Couldn't get out of there fast enough."
"Did she chase after you?" Sophie asked.
I wanted to say no, that she was a heartless cow who didn't care about me anymore, but it wasn't that simple. It never was.
"Of course," I whispered sadly.
There was nothing really more to say, the details after that were too messy. I had been staying with her so I was the one to pack my bags and leave, find a new place and a new beginning. Which hadn't been going so well, until tonight that is.
"How about another drink?" I could tell Sophie just wanted to change the topic, didn't blame her, me moping over an ex is not the best dinner conversation after all, or drinking conversation rather.
"I think I've had enough," I laughed but Sophie just brushed it off.
"Nonsense!" she exclaimed, getting up (swaying slightly) and heading to the door to get us some more drinks from downstairs.
"No Sophie, really," I smiled sadly at her. "You're probably sick of me and my sad story anyway."
What was I doing here? I wasn't ready for this, attempting to move on.
"I should go." Panicking, I got up suddenly which wasn't the best of ideas since I had drunk a fair amount in a short time (on a stomach full of crisps) and completely lost my balance. I braced myself, ready to hit the ground face first but instead suddenly, two strong arms had hold of me. (If my heart rate was off charts before when Sophie was touching my arm it would have short circuited the machine now.)
After the shock of not actually experiencing any pain wore off I looked up and noticed just how close Sophie was to me (and my face), how little both of us were breathing, and just how goddamn good her lips looked.
"You okay?" She whispered for some unknown reason.
No. I was in no way okay. I wanted to have earth shattering (MIND BLOWING) sex with this girl that was now holding me and so close that I could smell the type of shampoo she used (jasmine). Not only that, but she had listened to my sob story without looking bored once.
For the second time tonight I thought something my mother would have chastised me for: Fuck it.
I kissed her with everything I could, all my feelings and emotions of the past however many months as well as everything I had experienced tonight going into it. Even knowing she might push me off her I still did it. I wasn't going to have any regrets from this night.
But she didn't push off her, she actually started kissing me back. She was taking everything I gave her, it was as if it was all flowing out of me and into her. First she had caught me (literally and figuratively) and now she was saving my soul. I was kissing the Amazing girl who I had fallen in love with in the space of a night and who was saving me from myself.
My hands went behind her neck, pulling her head even closer to mine if it were possible. Sophie's mouth opened slightly and I took full advantage of the opportunity to slide my tongue in. She gave a guttural moan of pleasure when she felt it brush her own and I couldn't help thinking that I wanted to hear that sound again. A lot.
Sophie suddenly broke away, holding my shoulders squarely with her hands. "We shouldn't do this," she whispered again through heavy lidded eyes.
I smirked and leaned in again but she held me back. "No Sian, I'm serious."
If it were possible I think my heart broke all over again. Which was stupid, I hardly knew this girl, we had only met tonight for fuck's sake. Then why did I feel like my heart had been torn in two?
"Oh." I couldn't tear my gaze away from the floor, it soon became blurry any way as I felt myself starting to tear up. Fucking hell Sian, pull yourself together. "I better go then." I tried to move but she wouldn't let me go. "Please Sophie just let me go. I've obviously misread something and now I've made an arse of myself and just want to get out of here."
Still she didn't let go and I was starting to get pretty upset. Copious amounts of alcohol combined with the spilling of one's heart and kissing the girl you're infatuated with does terrible things for a girl's emotions.
"You didn't misread anything," Sophie gently said, looking me straight in the eyes. Well, the best she could.
Okay, now I was confused (if I wasn't already before). "Wha-what do you mean?" I sniffed, wiping my tears away.
"Sian, I like you. I like you a goddamn lot," Sophie told me. "This is what I was hoping would happen since I first saw you downstairs."
"I don't get it," I sniffed again. "Then what's the problem?"
Sophie looked like she was really struggling to put her thoughts into words and when she let out a sigh I put a tentative hand against her cheek. She didn't flinch away, she leaned into it.
"We're both pretty drunk, and you've told me some heavy stuff," she finally found the words to explain. "And I REALLY like you."
"Sophie, I really like you too."
"I don't want to just be some drunken mistake, a shag to help you get over your ex." Her eyes stared into mine with such vulnerability that it made my chest ache for her. I realised that all night I had only told her about me, my story. I didn't know anything about her, I hadn't even considered the fact that she might be like me. Torn, broken, looking to be fixed. All that confidence at the beginning, the cocky flirting could have all been an act. A mask to cover up what was going on on the inside.
And that was something I knew all about.
I put my other hand on her other cheek so I was now cupping her face in my hands and lent my forehead against hers. "Do you wanna get out of here?" This time it was my turn to whisper.
Sophie looked unbelievably hurt, like was on the verge of tears. "Sian I just said-"
"I know what you just said," I told her. "Sophie, I know." I stared into her eyes, hoping she could understand what was trying to say but without words. That I wanted that too. For it not to be a mistake or just a onetime thing.
She stared right back at me and I swear that I got lost in her eyes for a few wonderful heartbeats. That is until she crashed her lips against mine without warning and this time, it felt like she was pouring all of herself into me. Just maybe I could save her like she was saving me.
"Your place or mine?" she asked when we broke apart for air.
"Whichever the hell's closest," I replied, grabbing her hand and dragging her to go downstairs and leave.
...
Nine moths later
She just might get you lost
And she just might leave you torn
But she just might save your soul
If she gets you any closer
Can you believe your eyes?
I couldn't believe my eyes as I saw Sophie come through the crowd of people forming toward me. "Soph, what are you doing here? I thought you said you were staying at home with Dax!"
"Tommy from next door said he'd look after him, he's a dog Sian not a baby, he'll be fine without one of us for one night."
She'd done it again, mentioned something baby related. It wasn't just me was it? Wait, off topic! "That's beside the point Sopheh! What are you doing here?"
Sophie actually chuckled. "You didn't think I was just going to leave you on your own tonight did you? Especially not with Ryan hanging around, urgh, if he so much as even looks at you funny tonight I swear I'm gonna deck him."
I secretly loved jealous Sophie, how she would get all possessive of me whenever Ryan was around ever since the time he accidently saw me naked (long story). I did however not want her decking him (as capable as she was of doing so) so held onto her arm and steered her in the direction of an empty booth.
"Well babe, I reckon that's gonna be a bit hard if he's up on stage playing bad music then isn't it?"
Sophie crinkled up her nose in that adorable way she does whenever someone says something she knows is right but doesn't like anyway. "Still," she insisted. "I don't know why you even come to these things, you don't even like his band."
"No I don't," I agreed.. "But he is my best friend annnnnd his band does happen to be the reason I met you, soooo…" I put on the smile I knew she could never resist. Sure enough her mouth turned into a grin of its own and she leaned in forward to kiss me. God I love it when she kisses me, and if I just do it right-
Sophie let out a moan when our tongues brushed against one another. I would never get sick of hearing that sound.
We pulled away when we heard the band start to come on stage, cheering along with the other people in the pub they were performing in.
"Hi everybody," Ryan said into the microphone. "Hope you're all having a good night. This first one's a cover by Dashboard Confessional, sing along if you know the words."
I turned to look at Sophie as the band played the intro. I had never been more grateful to Ryan for dragging me to that party that seemed like a lifetime ago. Now I was sitting here with my soul mate and everything was just, right.
I turned my gaze back to the small stage as Ryan started to sing the first verse.
"The first time you looked, at her curves you were hooked…"
THE END.
...
There you go, what did you think? Came out a little different than I first imagined but maybe just leave a little comment? :D I stayed up at night while on holiday to post it/write it afterall *puppydog eyes* Have a good new year everyone! -Jess xx