For One Beat More

It had been two days since Lexi had collapsed and there had been a strange air around the bus since, like everyone was walking on eggshells around her. So far the only person who knew about the baby besides herself and Matt was Tom and she wanted to keep it that way, if anyone else knew they would just cause a fuss and there wasn’t anything left to fuss over as far as she was concerned.

The only one who wasn’t tiptoeing around her was Oli.

“Move yer arse would ye?” he greeted as he threw himself down on the couch just as she shuffled over a little, “What ye watchin’?”

“Almost Famous,” she replied.

He smirked, “Makin’ notes?”

Lexi rolled her eyes and turned the volume on the TV up. The pair had been sitting in silence for a good fifteen minutes when Matt, Jona and Sheep appeared in the back lounge.

Matt glanced between the two of them, “Yer not arguing.”

“Watchin’ a film ye idiot,” Oli informed him in his usual eloquent way.

Lexi moved further over on the sofa as her boyfriend placed himself next to her and draped an arm around her shoulders.

She could feel his eyes on her so she turned to look at him, “What?” she asked quietly.

He studied her face for a couple of seconds, “Nothing.”

Lexi frowned a little before lifting her bare legs onto his lap and curling into his side, her eyes never leaving the movie. His hand found it’s way to her knee and he absentmindedly played with the frill on the hem of her thin cotton dress. By the time the movie was over she was sound asleep against Matt’s chest.

The rest of the boys apart from Oli had ventured into the front lounge, “She sleepin’?” he asked.

Matt nodded, “Yeah.”

“She alrigh’? I mean, after everything.”

“Seems to be, getting there at least,” Matt sighed, running his fingers through her hair. A big part of him wanted to tell Oli what had happened but he knew that Lexi hated the fact that people were being weird with her just now and it would only get worse if they knew the truth, “You missing Amanda?”

Oli blinked, “I don’t know I guess yeah.”

“Is that why you’ve been suck a cock to Lexi?” Matt asked, there was no point in beating about the bush, he wanted to know why his friend was behaving the way he was.

He shrugged, “Couldn’t tell ye mate.”

“What is it then? And don’t say anything about her leavin’ las’ time cause everyone an’ their granny knows she’s not gonna do tha’ this time,” Matt said softly so as not to wake Lexi.

“I guess I’m just so used to bein’ like tha’ with her an’ I know it’s not right or whatever but she didn’t jus’ hurt you when she left, ye know?”

Matt nodded, “Ye need to get over it Ol cause she’s here for a long time yet if I’ve got anythin’ to do wi’ it.”

Oli raised an eyebrow at him, “That sounds like serious chat.”

“Yeah, well,” Matt looked down at her peaceful face, making sure she was still asleep before looking back over at Oli, “I’ve been thinking’ abou’ stuff with us and I know I don’t want to be with anyone else.”

“Is this after wha’ happened the other day?” Oli asked.

Matt nodded and let out a quiet nervous laugh, “Never been so scared in my life mate.”

“It was pretty fucking scary dude,” Oli nodded.

The pair of friends were quiet for a couple of minutes until Oli spoke again, “She’s not the worse person to be around for a while.”

Matt smiled, “She’s got the Sykes seal of approval then?”?

Oli stood up and stretched before heading for the door, “Always has mate.”