An open flame by Shanice, C Ward (essential reading .txt) 📕

direction of Leila’s bedroom, the voices growing louder, I threw open her door, ‘What the hell is going on in here,’ I bellowed, turning my gaze from Leila to Richard who was covering himself with a blanket with a smashed lamp by his left side, Leila standing across the room in her skirt and bra, hands on her hips with her face scowling and deep red. ‘Nothing, don’t worry about it’ the tiny voice of dismissal came from Richard, he looked terrified as he white knuckled clutched the blanket hiding himself from my view or protecting himself from Leila. ‘No, I will worry about it because I thought someone was being killed in here!’ I barked at Richard whilst facing Leila, she shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose, resigning with my temper and confusion, ‘Look, we were just arguing, I lost my temper, I threw the lamp, everything’s fine..’ looking up at me to reassure me with her eyes, ‘..I’ll talk to you later, could we just grab a minute alone please’ it wasn’t a question, I nodded, glared at Richard on my wait out and quietly closed the door. Boy, he must have really fucked up or something. I haven’t seen her this mad since, well, since never. Pacing into the     living room I picked up the television remote and put on some pointless daytime television to drown at the conversation at the bottom of the hall.   A little after three Richard left the apartment, hanging his head in shame he barely muttered a goodbye as he closed the door behind him. I waited patiently for Leila to come into view. Switching the television off, I went into the kitchen to pour two cold glasses of wine with strawberries.  Sometime later, on my second glass of wine Leila appeared. She had changed into a   pale pink skater dress, with her wavy blond hair tucked into a messy bun, two loose tendrils fell at the side of her face, making her look effortlessly beautiful without any make up on. Not that she needed it. ‘So, you going to tell me what that was all about?’ I asked facing her dead on so to catch any emotions that flagged up on her face before she chased them away. Sitting next to me she took the glass of wine I gestured towards her and she took three large gulps. ‘Richard was engaged, was being the keyword because he called it off last night.. .’ rubbing the bridge of her nose and holding the back of her nose she sighed in exasperation ‘...He was seeing me and her up until last night, he expected me to be happy that he chose to be with me. Said he’d fallen for me and that being with Michelle was a mistake.’ Waving her hand in mid-air, ‘Oh, hunnie,’ I began placing my arm on hers, but she shook her head, releasing my hold she began to talk again, ‘I really started to like him, you know, he was funny, smart knew all the right things to say, pfft...’ she laughed sarcastically at herself ‘...of course he knew what to say. How could I be so stupid, nobody that good, especially in bed comes without attachments. He said that Michelle proposed to him a year ago on his 22nd birthday, said they weren’t even serious, but he couldn’t say no because she’d gone to the effort of hosting a party, inviting all their friends, most of them from her workplace and renting balloons that he didn’t want to embarrass her in front of everybody.  He said he’d been sick with panic every night since that night, worrying about how he would get out of it. We were only supposed to be a fling that night, but he said he couldn’t stay away, which I guess was true he didn’t stop calling my phone when he left the next evening.’ Looking at me for answers on what to do, plea filled her eyes. My heart broke for her in that moment because I knew if I were in the same situation I wouldn’t know what to do, what to feel, how to act. ‘What do you want to do about this?’ I heard myself ask, kicking myself under the table the second the words left my tongue. She shrugged her shoulders. And buried her face in her hands. ‘I really don’t know what to do,’ she sobbed. Wrapping my arms around her even though I knew it wouldn’t help, I stoked her hair and held her tight. ‘You’ll figure it out, you’re the smarter one out of the two of us remember,’ I coaxed, ‘besides you have plenty of time to talk things through, I know you head off to Oxford next Monday, but if it’s meant to be, you’ll work through it.’ She snivelled her nose, and rubbed her eyes, turning to face me she nodded, ‘You’re right, I shouldn’t be moping around, I’ve got Oxford to prepare for and be excited about, I need some space from Richard to get my head together.. if he likes me as much as he says, he can respect me enough to give us this space to think things through.. in fact, im going to call him now and tell him.’ Wrapping her arms around my neck to hug me, ‘ thanks Hun, where would we be without each other’ kissing my cheek she paced back towards her bedroom with her glass of wine. Rubbing my own eyebrow crease, she had a lot on her plate. I do not know how I could deal with it. I wish I could help her more, made me feel impotent as a friend. The sound of the doorbell startled me, wondering who it could be I looked at the clock 7:20, where had the time gone? Still not guessing who it could be, I walked over to the door, took it off the latch to find my beautiful sex god standing before me. His facial expression both relieved and scared. Confused by his expression, ‘Do you want to come in?’ I asked, still dazed by his being here and his expression. Nodding, I could see that he was gritting his teeth.  ‘What’s wrong?’ I asked, studying him from head to toe, closing the door behind him. ‘Nothing, well, it’s just... irrational, I was worried about you, I tried calling, several times actually, to see if you wanted to go out tonight, after I finished work except your phone was off, after the 6th try I got a bit worried and I freaked out. I need to know I can always get hold of you Charlotte, I get concerned, so easily. I’m sorry, Im just a bit overprotective, but Im glad you’re okay, you look beautiful by the way, as always’ He kissed my temple, I melted into him. The contact on my skin despite being brief, left a tingling sensation down my body. Wrapping my arms around him I pulled us closer together, tucking my head firmly beneath his chin. I was both surprised and happy to see him. ‘I missed you’ I indicated honestly, I heard him smile, which in turn made me smile in response. This was nice, simple gestures like this. ‘I’ll keep my phone switched on and on me at all times, just to make sure you can reach me, I’d hate to think of you worrying for no reason.’ I murmured, breathing in his scent. He smelt divine, lynx Africa by the smell of it. Mm. ‘you smell good’ he murmured, mirroring my thoughts, ‘I was thinking the same thing, except you’ I giggled clarifying what I meant so not to seem vain. He peered down at me with a grin, ‘considering you look killer sexy in those white jeans and red top, fancy going out right now?’ he asked smiling, looking down at myself I thought why the hell not, ‘Sure I’ll just grab my bag and slip on some sandals. Heading off to my bedroom I left him and his megawatt smile standing in the hallway, blowing a kiss as I entered my bedroom backwards, I hurried to apply a fresh load of ruby lipstick and found my red fabric wedged sandals, grabbing my shoulder bag I sped walk back to his side, grinning along the way. He had picked up my phone for me, ‘couldn’t forget this’ he said sarcastically, rolling my eyes I popped it into my bag, ‘let’s go’ he said, heading towards the door. ‘Ooh 1 sec’ I put up my finger jogged to the end of the hallway and knocked on Leila’s door, no answer, debating whether to just barge in or not I decided not to. Speaking to the door I said ‘im just going out with Tobias, I don’t know how long I’ll be but don’t wait up for me, cya later’ I paused for a second and then returned to my Toby. I found him leaning against the door frame, his brilliant white shirt still tucked into his smoky grey trousers, his black tie shoved into his left pocket and his top two buttons undone. Mm. Simply scrumptious I thought. Smiling as our eyes met, he took my hand and closed the door behind us.

                                                                              

7

Things were going well in my world as Tobias and I headed to his house in a tidy residential area in four oaks, Sutton Coldfield. We drove up a long drive and came to a stop outside an old moss filled wall with giant iron gates. Tobias pulled out his mobile phone, punched in his key lock and unlocked the gate using a code on his phone. Wow, this was really impressive. I couldn’t keep my eyes off the surroundings this was absolutely magnificent, aside from the iron gates everything seemed natural and blissful, so open. Toby lived here, wow. He pulled to a stop outside the large charcoal garage of his massive Tudor mansion. The typical white on black and old style lamps, it looked beautiful against the trees and flowers which occupied the large outdoor space of his front lawn. It was beautiful. Situated in the outskirt of four oaks, his neighbours were miles apart, the only sounds to be heard were the blissful chirping of the birds and rustling of the leaves in the wind. It was serene and beautiful, unspoiled. He opened my passenger side door and offered his hand to let me out, I had been caught up in my daydream that I hadn’t notice him get out of the car. Walking up the gravel path Toby gave me a light squeeze on my hand, I gave a gentle squeeze in return. ‘Only my family and cleaning staff have come to my house, so this is a big deal...’ he said, I could tell he was anxious about me seeing his place. I could tell that it was a big deal without him saying so. ‘Im honoured to be here’ I stated, I leaned on my tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on his lips as despite my wedged sandals I was still slightly shorter than my Toby. Just my like I mused.