Sequel: For One Beat More ›
Smiling Politely
We'll Shrug It Off Like The Next Man
She was in such a rush to get into the sanctuary of her little cloakroom that she didn’t notice him standing at the curb just a few feet away from where the BMTH bus was parked.
He however had had a perfect view of the conversation she just had with the boy that was now opening the door to said bus and climbing its stairs. It was then that Josh realised he and Lexi really didn’t know each other all that well. He didn’t know who or what that guy was to her but he could judge her well enough to know that it wasn’t a usual conversation between acquaintances. He ran his hand over the carefully groomed stubble on his jaw and wondered what he should do, the plan had been to surprise Lexi at work and apologise for the night before, he figured it was the only way she’d talk to him as she had managed to avoid him all day. Now he was just a little confused.
Just as he slid his phone out of his pocket and started to dial Mike’s number the guy from before appeared from the bus along with another shorter, skinnier guy.
“So?” the new guy asked, “Wha’ happened Nicholls”
Josh stopped dialing but didn’t look up from his Blackberry.
The guy from before shrugged, “Nothing.”
The two of them walked around to where a trailer was hitched to the back of the bus, “Couldn’t have been nothing.”
“I’m telling’ ye Tom, nothing happened.”
Tom unclipped the keys from his belt loop and unlocked the padlock on the trailer and handed it to his friend, “It’s you an’ Lex, there’s never ‘nothing’ happening.”
Nicholls rolled his eyes at his friend, “She’s just running away like Lexi does, should be used to it by now I s’pose.”
“Tha’s harsh,” Tom said from inside the trailer.
“But true.”
Now it was Tom’s turn to roll his eyes, “Don’t be like tha’. you know you still love her.”
“Doesn’t matter though, she’s still with ‘im.”
Josh fidgeted with his phone and tugged his hood over his head, not sure if he wanted to hear anymore but somehow unable to move from his spot.
Tom emerged from the trailer with something in his hand, “Think she’ll stay with ‘im?”
Nicholls shrugged, “Who knows anymore.”
"What abou' after the other day? I mean she kissed you for fuck sake," Tom asked as he stepped out of the trailer, his Vans splashing in a puddle.
Nicholls shrugged again, "I don't know wha' she thinks anymore."
“You seein’ her again before we go?”
“Nah, wouldn’t think so after today,” he shook his head, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
“Shame, would’ve been nice to catch up properly,” Tom mused as they wandered away towards the back door of the club.
Josh watched them tug the graffitied door open and disappear up the stairs. Finally pocketing his phone he dropped down on the curb, resting his elbows on his knees not really sure what to think.
He however had had a perfect view of the conversation she just had with the boy that was now opening the door to said bus and climbing its stairs. It was then that Josh realised he and Lexi really didn’t know each other all that well. He didn’t know who or what that guy was to her but he could judge her well enough to know that it wasn’t a usual conversation between acquaintances. He ran his hand over the carefully groomed stubble on his jaw and wondered what he should do, the plan had been to surprise Lexi at work and apologise for the night before, he figured it was the only way she’d talk to him as she had managed to avoid him all day. Now he was just a little confused.
Just as he slid his phone out of his pocket and started to dial Mike’s number the guy from before appeared from the bus along with another shorter, skinnier guy.
“So?” the new guy asked, “Wha’ happened Nicholls”
Josh stopped dialing but didn’t look up from his Blackberry.
The guy from before shrugged, “Nothing.”
The two of them walked around to where a trailer was hitched to the back of the bus, “Couldn’t have been nothing.”
“I’m telling’ ye Tom, nothing happened.”
Tom unclipped the keys from his belt loop and unlocked the padlock on the trailer and handed it to his friend, “It’s you an’ Lex, there’s never ‘nothing’ happening.”
Nicholls rolled his eyes at his friend, “She’s just running away like Lexi does, should be used to it by now I s’pose.”
“Tha’s harsh,” Tom said from inside the trailer.
“But true.”
Now it was Tom’s turn to roll his eyes, “Don’t be like tha’. you know you still love her.”
“Doesn’t matter though, she’s still with ‘im.”
Josh fidgeted with his phone and tugged his hood over his head, not sure if he wanted to hear anymore but somehow unable to move from his spot.
Tom emerged from the trailer with something in his hand, “Think she’ll stay with ‘im?”
Nicholls shrugged, “Who knows anymore.”
"What abou' after the other day? I mean she kissed you for fuck sake," Tom asked as he stepped out of the trailer, his Vans splashing in a puddle.
Nicholls shrugged again, "I don't know wha' she thinks anymore."
“You seein’ her again before we go?”
“Nah, wouldn’t think so after today,” he shook his head, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
“Shame, would’ve been nice to catch up properly,” Tom mused as they wandered away towards the back door of the club.
Josh watched them tug the graffitied door open and disappear up the stairs. Finally pocketing his phone he dropped down on the curb, resting his elbows on his knees not really sure what to think.
♠ ♠ ♠
This kind of sucked and really shouldn't have taken as long as it did to write. Next chapters will be better, promise.