Frays left from the ties you severed
Chapter two.
It was September 12th. Jessie had arrived at Manchester University. She didn’t bother to unpack her things though; she didn’t even have the energy. Instead she just lay on her bed in silence. Her room was small though Jessie preferred it that way; she didn’t really have many belongings with her to fill a large room. Her guitar stood in one corner of the room and her laptop on her desk and then a few boxes of books and clothes lay on the worn out dark blue carpet. The walls were painted a shade of green which disturbingly reminded Jessie of sick. The ceiling above her was stained with yellow marks clearly caused from smoking, most likely tobacco mixed with marijuana. Even though the halls she was in was non-smoking she felt previous occupants had found a way around that, she assumed by covering the smoke alarm with a sock. It wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door and in walked what Jessie assumed correctly was her new flat mate.
The first thing Jessie noticed about him was his piercing gaze which consisted of one bright blue eye and one hazel brown eye. His stare was fixed on her as his mouth formed a slow shy smile. His dyed black scruffy hair that noticeably was once a Mohawk but now unkempt lay untidily flopping down into his eyes.
She smiled back and announced “I’m Jessie” As she propped herself up on her bed with her elbows.
“AJ” He replied. Though as he did scratched the rough auburn stubble along his perfect cheekbones which confessed the natural colour of his hair. “You want some coffee?”
“Yeah sure.” Jessie followed AJ into the kitchen and watched as he made coffee for two.
“So where abouts are you from?” AJ asked her, providing a topic of conversation.
“Right here, Manchester born and bred... Guessing you’re a Londoner?”
“Yeah that’s right. Manchester is supposed to have a really amazing department for English and I’ve always wanted to move away when I went uni.”
“I’m doing English too! Well English Literature and American Studies.”
“No way! I’m just doing English Literature.”
She also couldn’t help notice how his tattoos spread against his arms as he muscles flexed gently. He was attractive in an unconventional way. It was as Jessie was staring at his arms when she noticed the huge scar that ran from his shoulder blade round the back of his arm almost reaching his elbow. She gasped at the sight of it imagining all the terrible ways he may have gained such a scar. On hearing her gasp AJ spun round but Jessie quickly mumbled “Sorry, thought I forgot my guitar”
“You play guitar? So do I! Just got a Gibson recently... seriously the best thing I have ever played! What guitar have you got?”
“Just an old acoustic one... pile a shit to most people.”
“Most people? Guessing it’s got a lot of sentimental value to you then?” He asked as he handed her a coffee in a bright crimson mug.
“Guess so” Was all Jessie could mumble and an awkward silence followed whereas Jessie started intently at her mug she couldn’t help feeling AJ staring directly at her. Anything to break the silence Jessie, without looking up from her mug, asked “How did you get that scar?”
To which AJ simply replied “We’ve all got sizeable scars”
And that topic of conversation was left at that and switched onto the topic of music and guitars. From then on, AJ and Jessie remained pretty close friends. Though it as clear they both had their own burdens to bear, one of Jessie’s being her inability to let AJ too close. Jessie knew she could never let another man as close to her as Shaun was. Though with AJ it was difficult. He was considerate, funny, thoughtful, and smart. So she wasn’t surprised at all on the morning of October 2nd.
The first thing Jessie noticed about him was his piercing gaze which consisted of one bright blue eye and one hazel brown eye. His stare was fixed on her as his mouth formed a slow shy smile. His dyed black scruffy hair that noticeably was once a Mohawk but now unkempt lay untidily flopping down into his eyes.
She smiled back and announced “I’m Jessie” As she propped herself up on her bed with her elbows.
“AJ” He replied. Though as he did scratched the rough auburn stubble along his perfect cheekbones which confessed the natural colour of his hair. “You want some coffee?”
“Yeah sure.” Jessie followed AJ into the kitchen and watched as he made coffee for two.
“So where abouts are you from?” AJ asked her, providing a topic of conversation.
“Right here, Manchester born and bred... Guessing you’re a Londoner?”
“Yeah that’s right. Manchester is supposed to have a really amazing department for English and I’ve always wanted to move away when I went uni.”
“I’m doing English too! Well English Literature and American Studies.”
“No way! I’m just doing English Literature.”
She also couldn’t help notice how his tattoos spread against his arms as he muscles flexed gently. He was attractive in an unconventional way. It was as Jessie was staring at his arms when she noticed the huge scar that ran from his shoulder blade round the back of his arm almost reaching his elbow. She gasped at the sight of it imagining all the terrible ways he may have gained such a scar. On hearing her gasp AJ spun round but Jessie quickly mumbled “Sorry, thought I forgot my guitar”
“You play guitar? So do I! Just got a Gibson recently... seriously the best thing I have ever played! What guitar have you got?”
“Just an old acoustic one... pile a shit to most people.”
“Most people? Guessing it’s got a lot of sentimental value to you then?” He asked as he handed her a coffee in a bright crimson mug.
“Guess so” Was all Jessie could mumble and an awkward silence followed whereas Jessie started intently at her mug she couldn’t help feeling AJ staring directly at her. Anything to break the silence Jessie, without looking up from her mug, asked “How did you get that scar?”
To which AJ simply replied “We’ve all got sizeable scars”
And that topic of conversation was left at that and switched onto the topic of music and guitars. From then on, AJ and Jessie remained pretty close friends. Though it as clear they both had their own burdens to bear, one of Jessie’s being her inability to let AJ too close. Jessie knew she could never let another man as close to her as Shaun was. Though with AJ it was difficult. He was considerate, funny, thoughtful, and smart. So she wasn’t surprised at all on the morning of October 2nd.