Closer to Heaven With You

Leigh felt a strange feeling of discomfort and unease as she sat waiting for the other guys to come over. She was unsure whether these feeling were due to the fact that she was nervous about telling the others about her relationship with Matt or the look on Brian’s face. He’d been sat watching the TV with a smirk on his face and she knew that he was running through what he was going to say to Jimmy once he’d arrived.

“Do you want to tell them once they’re all here?” Matt asked in a whisper as he absentmindedly ran his fingers up and down her arm as they sat together on the sofa, her head resting on his chest as they watched Friends.

“Yeah, I don’t want to have to tell them all individually.” She murmured in reply just as there was a rhythmic knock at the door that they all recognised as Jimmy’s knock.

“If he’s on his own, I’m having him now.” Brian whispered with a smirk and a glint in his eye as Leigh got up to answer the door. She turned back briefly to give her brother a warning glare before opening the door with a relieved sigh as Jimmy bounced into the flat followed by Leana and Val.

“Hey honey.” Jimmy said hugging her in the doorway.

“Hey.” She replied simply before closing the door behind them and walking back over to the sofa and taking her seat next to Matt again.

“Hey guys.” Brian said with a wide smile.

“Hey, how was your day?” Leana said as she sat down on the sofa. Val sat on the other armchair, while Jimmy grabbed the beanbag chair and sat in front of Leana.

“Interesting.” Brian said simply, still with a sly smile across his face.

“Yeah? In what way?” Leana asked excitedly.

“Yeah sounds intriguing.” Val added.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” Brian said still smiling. Val, Leana and Jimmy all exchanged confused looks.

“Ok what’s going on? You know I hate secrets.” Jimmy demanded.

“Oh do you? Really?” Brian said, glaring at Jimmy, eyes wide as he fought back a smile.
Jimmy frowned in confusion and opened his mouth to reply just as there was another knock at the door.

“That’ll be Zacky and the others.” Leigh said as she again got up to let her friends in.

“Hey.” Leigh said simply as she opened the door, knowing that now that they were all together she’d have to tell them about her and Matt. Why she was so nervous she didn’t understand. It wasn’t as if she had to tell them something bad. She was about to tell her best friends that she had been secretly dating, and had fallen in love with one of her oldest and best friends. Within the next ten minutes everything would be out in the open and they could stop sneaking around, pretending to only be friends. They could finally be a proper couple. With this in mind, Leigh decided that her unease was down to Brian winding up Jimmy. Jimmy had been such a good friend to her and Matt over the past months, and she knew how touchy he could be at times. She was nervous that he’d hate her for allowing Brian to wind him up. Jimmy had been her best friend since they met in first grade, he was like having a second brother.

“Hey babe.” Zack greeted as he stepped into the flat, placing a kiss on her cheek as he was followed by Gena, Johnny and Lacey.

“You guys ok for drinks over there?” Zacky asked as he got Gena and himself a drink from the fridge.

“Get me a Sprite please Zack.” Val called.

“Yeah and two more.” Jimmy called over. Zack rolled his eyes as he got all the drinks.

“Were you guys just waiting for me to offer?” he mumbled.

“Quit bitching about it and pass me and Lace a Dr. Pepper.” Johnny yelled as he pulled Lacey into his lap as he sat on the floor opposite the sofa.

Zack glared at Johnny for a moment and lifted one of the cans as if to throw it at Johnny but was stopped by Leigh placing her hand on his arm. She took some of the cans off him and walked back over to take her seat next to Matt.

Once everyone was seated, Matt gave her a gentle nudge. She looked up at him to see he was ready to tell everyone their secret. Leigh nodded, taking a deep breath, hoping that Brian wouldn’t be too much of an ass to Jimmy.

“Um, guys,” Matt said loudly to get everyone’s attention.

“We’ve got something to tell you.” he continued once he had everyone’s attention.

“Finally!” Jimmy yelled noticing Matt take hold of Leigh’s hand and lacing their fingers together.

“You knew?” Brian yelled glaring at Jimmy. “For how long?”

“What? Knew about what?” Leana said confused.

“Jimmy! How long have you known that Matt has been with my sister behind our backs?” Brian continued to keep up his act. Jimmy began to look worried at Brian’s reaction.

“Brian I-“ he began to stutter but was cut off by Gena yelling.

“What? You two are together? Since when?”

Matt nodded with a wide smile across his face, but Leigh was too busy watching the exchange between Jimmy and Brian.

“You’re supposed to be one of my best mates and you keep something like this from me. How long have you known?” Brian continued to yell.

“Brian I’m sorry, but I didn’t think it –“

“How long?” Brian yelled standing up, clenching his fists. His anger was so convincing.

“Since Zack’s birthday” Jimmy yelled back.

“My Birthday?” Zack yelled in disbelief looking at Matt and Leigh for confirmation. Matt nodded but Leigh didn’t take her eyes off Jimmy as his faced paled with the glare he was receiving form Brian.

“You’ve kept it from me since then? Some friend you are!” Brian yelled. It was hard to believe that this was all a wind up.

“Sorry, but I really didn’t think it was that big a deal – I - he’s the one doing your sister!” he yelled pointing at Matt, to which Brian burst into fits of laughter. Everyone else in the room watched him in confusion. Leigh still didn’t take her eyes of Jimmy. she had a horrible feeling he wasn’t going to take this well.

“What? You fucker! You knew I knew all along didn’t you?” Jimmy yelled at Brian who was clutching his sides.

“He knew didn’t he?” Jimmy asked again this time asking Leigh and Matt. They both nodded trying to give him an apologetic smile.

“Fuck you, I do you a favour and keep your relationship a secret for what three, no four fucking months? And this is what I get in return?” Jimmy spat as he jumped to his feet and stormed towards the front door.

Guilt shuddered through Leigh’s body. She knew he wouldn’t appreciate this; she should have made Brian promise not to wind him up.

“I fucking told you to leave it didn’t I?” Leigh yelled breaking free from Matt’s hand and storming towards the front door after Jimmy.

“Leigh, I was only…”

“Fuck you Brian! You’re a fucking dick sometimes!” she retorted slamming the front door behind her and running quickly down the stairs.

As she ran as quickly as she could down the stairs in her apartment building she cursed Jimmy’s stupidly long legs. As she got to the last flight of stairs she heard the front door slam shut. She quickened her pace and ran out of the front door, spotting Jimmy heading towards his car.

“Jimmy! Wait!” she yelled as loud as her out of breath lungs would allow.

He turned his head briefly but continued towards his car.

“Jimmy. I’m sorry! Wait – Please!” she yelled as he opened his car door. He got in silently and put the key in the ignition.

“Damn you Sullivan, wait!” Leigh yelled as she reached the car and pulled open Jimmy’s door.

“Listen, please, I’m sorry. I told Brian not to say anything but he wouldn’t listen.” She said, crouching down so that she could look Jimmy in the eye, that is if he’d been looking at her instead of staring blankly out of the windscreen. He was silent for a short moment before he slowly turned to face her, his expression blank.

“Five months I’ve kept your secret. I kept it solely because you’re my best friends, especially you, you know I’d do anything for you. And you know what the hardest part was?” he carried on without pausing for an answer. “I really didn’t get what the big deal was? You and Matt are good together, not even Brian could argue that he’s not a good guy who’d do anything for you, would take care of you. I didn’t see your problem in being open about your relationship in the first place.” He said quietly, monotonously, solemnly.

“I know, I should never have asked you to keep the secret. You’re right; there should never have been a secret to hide in the first place. Jimmy I’m sorry. I feel really bad about all of this, please, I hate it when you’re mad at Me.” she pleaded. Jimmy was silent for another brief moment as he looked silently into Leigh’s eyes. Slowly a smile broke out across his face.

“You know I can’t stay mad at you for long.” He said, pulling her into a hug. He stood up, bringing Leigh with him and shut his car door.

They both walked slowly back towards the building and back up to the flat. They walked back into the flat giggling, causing everyone to look up at them. They walked back over to the sofa before resuming their previous seating positions.

“Dude, I’m sorry, Leigh did ask me not to wind you up.” Brian said breaking the silence that had fallen on the group.

“That’s ok, I may have over reacted!” Jimmy replied with a crooked smile.

“So anyway, Matt has filled us in.” Gena said quickly. Leigh glanced at Matt who smiled as he took her hand in his as he leant across to place his lips on her forehead.