The Movies Make It Look Easy

Chapter 51

Shannon’s P.O.V:

I heard the apartment door slam shut. I glanced at my phone – he was going to be late - surprise, surprise.
He’d dragged his feet all morning but I didn’t know why.
Mark must have called at least five times to make sure Nick was getting ready. Of course, that just woke me up, and I ended up answering his calls because Nick was too deeply asleep to hear his phone’s shrill beeping.
That put me in a bad mood.
My bad mood in turn put Nick in a bad mood when I yanked the covers off the bed and unceremoniously dragged his lazy ass out of bed, muttering profanities under my breath.
When he’d started to complain, I’d just looked at him, one brow raised and told him shortly that; ‘my room, my rules’.
That had shut him up pretty quickly. So when I finally heard the door shut behind him, I breathed a sigh of relief, for once glad that he wasn’t around.
It was times like these that I realised just how much time we spent together. To most people it would probably seem unhealthy but it worked for us so I didn’t care. However, even we needed some space every once in a while.
I hoped the guys would have fun at their…car show?
I wracked my brains trying to remember exactly where they were going but I kept drawing up blank. Apparently it had something to do with cars…or was it something else?
They went every year anyway.
I’d been invited but I could hardly stay awake long enough to decline I got so bored when Mark avidly began going into detail about wherever it is they were going.
So they’d headed off for the day and I had the place to myself.

Unfortunately for me, even after Nick left I couldn’t go back to sleep. So it was with more muttered profanities that I dragged myself out of bed at the early hour of nine o’clock.
I’d been looking forward to a lie-in on my day off from work.
I hastily threw on a thick woollen jumper and a pair of fuzzy slippers before padding out of my room.
All I wanted was to make myself some food and curl up on the couch to watch some TV. I grabbed a blanket to drape over my legs when I sat down with a bowl of cereal.
Twenty minutes later I remembered exactly why TV was boring – though I did get to watch an old episode of Tom and Jerry which was pretty sweet.
I turned the TV off and immediately I noticed the complete silence that permeated throughout the apartment. I couldn’t even hear the ticking of a clock. It was one of those moments where you notice something that hadn’t previously bothered you, and suddenly that’s all you can think about – like when you noticed the laughing track on an episode of Friends, and realised just how fake and irritating it really was. That’s what the silence was like in the apartment, but not only that, it felt empty. I was rarely at home alone; it was strange.
Deciding that sitting and listening to the silence was just too weird, I threw the blanket off and stood up, stretching my arms as high into the air as was possible.

After putting my bowl in the dishwasher, I strolled back to my room.
I put my iPod on shuffle and turned the volume up before going into the bathroom to shower.
I spent far too long standing under the water, scrubbing every inch of myself. I even exfoliated which I didn’t bother doing very often. Of course what elongated the shower greatly was that I kept stopping to sing along (badly I might add) to whatever song was playing at that moment.
When I finally stepped out into the steamy bathroom, I wrapped a fluffy towel around me, shivering as the cold air left goose bumps down my arms. I even took the time to dry my hair – all this effort to sit at home alone, I thought ruefully as I threw on the first clothes that came to hand.

I set myself up at the table with my art, music still playing.
It had been far too long since I’d even contemplated doing anything creative, which I’d probably get in trouble for once classes started again. I was supposed to be constantly working on new projects. At least I had a few days to scrabble together some work to show for myself.
I set out a few pieces of coloured paper and chalk, and began to draw. I was in the mood to draw dancers, taking time to get the flow of the dresses accurate as they danced en pointe or twirled around, arms raised above their heads.
With my art, I tend to go through phases – like dancing – where I focus on one subject for a while before moving on to the next thing.
A couple of months ago, I’d gone through a Comic Noir phase and I still had several pieces done in permanent marker stashed somewhere in my room.
I had sat for over an hour, completely zoned out as I did different figures in different poses and colours, when I heard a soft tap on the door. At first I thought I’d imagined it but when I heard the sound again, I realised I wasn’t imagining it. I turned off the song that was playing – Stuttering by Fefe Dobson – and stood up with a frown on my face.
Who the hell would come visit me without any warning?
The only people who ever came by on a regular basis didn’t bother knocking; cough Mark cough. Of course that thought only made me realise just how sad my life had become.

Hesitating for only a second, I swung open the door to be greeted by Nicole’s beaming face.
‘Hey Shannon!’ she grinned.
I just stood there, stunned.
Her smile faltered, her gaze darting over my shoulder into the empty room as is expecting to see someone there.
‘I’m sorry. Is this a bad time? I can go…’ she half made to turn around, a frown puckering her brow.
‘No, I’m sorry, come on in. I’m just surprised; I’m not used to seeing you without Jay’
‘And I’m not used to seeing you without Nick, I’d thought I’d change that’
Touché.
I stepped back as she bustled inside. Her blonde hair was swept into a messy ponytail, she wasn’t wearing any makeup and her old, comfy clothes rivalled my own.
She skipped over to the table and stood analysing my drawings. She was majoring in Business and Spanish, and I’d once heard her joke that she couldn’t even draw stick people.
‘These are really good. They’re so realistic’ she said as I slowly approached the table.
‘Thanks’ I said absently, ‘I don’t mean to be rude, but do you need something or…’
She turned around, her grin back in place; ‘well we never spend any time just the two of us and now that Jay and I are pretty serious, and you and Nick…’ she trailed off but I just gestured for her to continue. ‘Well anyway, I figured as the only two girls in the group, we ought to get to know each other a bit better, don’t you agree?’
I nodded but she was already marching over to where she’d dumped her bag on the couch.
‘I brought a movie, popcorn and chocolate, is that okay?’
‘I think you and I will get along just fine Nicole’ I laughed.
‘Call me Nikki, everyone does’
‘Alright…Nikki’ I said with a slight smile.

I cleared up my things from the table as Nicole…no, Nikki went to make popcorn.
The day was looking up now that I had someone to share it with.
It was true that we didn’t know each other that well, but from what I could see, Nikki was really nice. The fact that Jay adored her only made me like her more.
And I couldn’t help but agree with her; as the only girls in the group, we really needed to stick together. You couldn’t replace a good girlfriend.
When I walked out of my room again, Nikki was flopped on the couch, a large bowl of popcorn balanced on her lap, the remote in one hand.
She looked up when I walked over, ‘now comes the true test of whether we should be friends or not’
‘What?’
She ignored me, instead picking up an open packet of Minstrels and pouring them over the popcorn, shaking the bowl slightly to make sure they were mixed in well. She then held the bowl out to me, a challenge glinting in her eye.
Without any hesitation, I grabbed a handful and stuffed it in my mouth; ‘best combination ever’ I said when I’d swallowed.
She placed a hand over her heart, ‘thank God’ she said dramatically, ‘I would’ve had to leave if you’d said anything else’
I just laughed as I sat down beside her.
She hit the play button and settled the popcorn between us.
‘What are we watching?’ I asked curiously.
‘Dear John’ she answered, ‘I’ve never seen it’
‘Me neither’ I told her, making myself more comfortable.
‘I hope it’s not too mushy though’ she commented, ‘I’m not into that kinda stuff’
‘Snap’ I said lazily, exchanging smiles with her.
Okay, so I liked romance as much as the next girl, but I always cringed at the really gooey crap.
That being said, we both awed more than once during the movie and we both found it really sad when John’s dad died.

When the movie ended, we sat on the couch in silence, the food Nikki had brought long gone.
‘So how are things with you and Jay?’ I asked randomly, turning to lean against the arm of the couch so I could see her.
She mirrored my pose at the opposite end of the couch, drawing her knees up to her chin as a secret smile grew on her face.
She finally met my gaze, ‘it’s going great. I love him’
I smiled, ‘I’m glad, I think you guys really suit each other’
Her smile grew wider, ‘I think so too. We rarely ever fight and we have so much in common. He’s so quiet which is good because he balances me when I get…vocal and particular about things’
‘Like popcorn and Minstrels?’ I asked wryly, one eyebrow raised.
‘Exactly’ she laughed.
After a moment she sobered up, staring absently across the room. ‘I’m just, happy…plain and simple’
I smiled, happy for them – I hadn’t known Jay for that long but I already thought of him as a brother and was glad that he’d found someone that made him happy, and vice versa.
‘So what about you and Nick?’
‘Huh?’ I stared at her blankly, my brain taking a minute to catch up with the conversation.
She smirked, ‘you know, Nick? The hottie you live with?’
I snorted with laughter, ‘forgetting Jay already?’
She waved away my comment like it was nothing, ‘I love Jay, but that doesn’t change the fact that Nick is gorgeous. I do have eyes in my head you know’ when I didn’t say anything she smirked again, ‘besides it doesn’t really matter what I think, it’s obvious that he’s head over heels in love with you’
I rolled my eyes but to my chagrin I could feel myself blush.
‘I think the appropriate word here is exaggeration…and maybe even melodrama’ I said nonchalantly, brushing off her statement even as I got butterflies in my stomach.
‘Admit it’ she persisted.
‘Admit what?’ I was trying to be as difficult as possible.
‘Admit that he loves you…and even better, admit that you love him’
‘Of course I love him, he’s my friend’
She rolled her eyes, getting frustrated. ‘You know what I mean’
‘Okay, so maybe I have feelings for him’ I said obstinately, playing with a loose thread on the couch.
‘Of course you have feelings for him, otherwise the two of you wouldn’t always be holding hands, kissing and generally joined at the hip. I want you to admit that you’re in love with him, the way he is with you’
‘Who said he loves me?’ I asked, yet again dodging her statements.
She rolled her eyes again (no wonder we got on so well), ‘please Shannon, a complete stranger can tell he loves you. I’d bet anything people are surprised to find out that you’re not together’ she used air quotes as she said the last bit.
I mimicked her gesture, cocking my head in silent question.
‘The two of you are going out, you just won’t admit it, not even to yourselves…now do you love him?’

I just stared at her silently, shocked by what she’s just said.
We weren’t going out. Of course I could see why, to a stranger it might seem like we were…but we weren’t…were we?
And now I’m confusing myself, great, I thought tiredly. I focused on Nikki again as she sat patiently waiting for my answer. I glanced around the room nervously as if expecting someday to jump out with a camera and tell me it was all a big joke…no such luck.
‘Okay, so maybe I love him a teeny tiny bit’ I said, holding up a thumb and forefinger with less than a centimetre between them to show how little I supposedly loved Nick.
She clapped her hands together and bounced up and down on her seat. ‘I knew it! This puts me in such a good mood, you have no idea!’
‘Glad to be of service’ I said dryly.
She ignored me, and I just watched her in silence until she calmed down again. ‘Please don’t say anything to anyone, not even Jay’ my voice sounded slightly desperate, even to my own ears.
‘Why not?’
I shrugged and twirled a strand of hair around my finger. ‘I suppose because if anyone’s going to tell him, it should be me’
‘True’ she said solemnly, ‘you should tell him…preferably right now’
‘Not gonna happen. Promise you won’t tell anyone?’
‘My lips are sealed’
‘Not even Jay?’ I pressed, holding out my pinkie.
‘Not even Jay’ she repeated seriously, linking her pinkie with my own.
Nikki thankfully dropped the subject, I always felt uncomfortable discussing Nick for some reason. If I was to hazard a guess why, it would be because when people asked what was going on between us, I honestly didn’t know what to say. We weren’t together but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t something there.

We eventually moved into my room, and I lay on my bed flicking through magazines while Nikki straightened her hair. When it was pencil straight, she picked up a magazine and we spent I don’t know how long generally just judging people and their clothes.
It was fun.
We were still in my room when we heard the front door opening. Nikki was standing in my bathroom, trying out my makeup when Nick burst into my room.
I was lying on my bed staring randomly at the wall and barely had time to look up before he literally collapsed on top of me.
‘Nick’ I wheezed, ‘I can’t breathe’
He didn’t move from where he lay across me, just laughed. ‘No, I’m comfy. Miss me?’
‘You sure know how to make an entrance’ I said as I attempted to push him off me.
‘Maybe I should leave you two alone’ Nikki grinned, standing in the bathroom doorway.
I just rolled my eyes as Nick finally sat up, staring at Nikki in surprise.
Jay and Mark appeared in the doorway and both looked as surprised as Nick when they saw who was in the room. She stepped forward to kiss Jay, even as he stared at her, bewildered.
‘Nicole? What are you doing here?’ Mark spoke up.
I smirked, ‘didn’t we tell you that we’re having an affair?’
Nick rolled his eyes as he took my hand in his.
Mark looked…hopeful? Whatever, he was weird.
‘Can everyone please get out of my room?’ I spoke at large.
Slowly everybody trudged back out the door but when I went to follow them, Nick pulled me back, wrapping his arms around me. With a smile, I reached up to kiss him.

Nobody batted an eyelid when we finally joined them, collapsing onto the armchair, me sitting on Nick’s lap…as usual.
The guys went into an in depth discussion about their day and I nodded along blandly, not really listening.
I glanced at Nikki who rolled her eyes – she was obviously as bored as I was.
‘I’m going to get a drink’ she announced, getting up from her slumped position in Jay’s arms on the couch.
‘Nikki’ I called when she’d disappeared into the kitchen.
‘Yeah?’
‘Make us some tea would you?’
She didn’t reply but I soon heard the kettle begin to boil.
I focused on the others to see them all staring at me in surprise.
‘Nikki?’ Jay ventured.
‘Are you two actually having an affair?’ once again Mark got that hopeful look on his face.
‘What can I say; we bonded over popcorn and Minstrels’ I laughed.

They just stared at me as if I was crazy.