The Movies Make It Look Easy

Chapter 6

Shannon’s P.O.V:

I poked my head around my bedroom door and listened intently. Nick’s door was open and it looked like he’d gone out while I was in the shower.
There was another knock at the door, so I jogged over, not wanting to keep whoever it was waiting any longer.

I smiled as I opened the door to see a very bored looking delivery man. As I signed for my boxes of stuff, he started carrying them one by one into the apartment and dumping them in the middle of the floor.
After he left, I stood with my hands on my hips, surveying the pile of boxes. There were 10 overall and a couple were quite heavy – the ones that had all my books and supplies.
I grimaced at the thought of getting them all into my room. I bent over, rifling through the boxes looking for the lightest of them when I heard the door opening and voices talking and laughing.
Everything went silent.
I glanced over my shoulder to see Nick, flanked by two other guys standing in the doorway staring at my ass.

I stood up quickly, whipping around to face them, but the damage was already done, and I could feel my face turning the colour of a ripe tomato. It was bad enough getting caught looking like a slob this morning without this on top of it, I thought as I inwardly cringed.
As if a spell had been broken, all three guys raised their gazes to my face in unison and began talking again as they came all the way inside and shut the door.
‘What’s with the boxes?’ Nick yawned as he stretched upwards; giving me an eyeful of his ripped abs.
‘The rest of my stuff’ I said gesturing vaguely towards the pile behind me as I looked at the two strangers curiously.
Both were staring at me and smirking. The one on the left stepped forward to introduce himself
‘I’m Jay’ he announced, sticking his hand out for me to shake, while his eyes raked over me.
He was pretty cute with sandy brown hair, twinkling blue eyes, a boyish grin and a smattering of freckles across the bridge of his nose.
The other guy stepped forward after Jay, ‘and I’m Mark, pleased to meet you’ he had blonde hair, brown eyes and an air of confidence – cockiness? – surrounding him.
I smiled at them both
‘I’m Shannon; it’s nice to meet you both’.
Mark groaned ‘your accent is so hot’,
Jay just frowned and glanced over at Nick for some reason as if he had something to do with my accent, but Nick just looked bored as he slowly typed away on his phone.
I couldn’t help the flare of anger when I noticed him; could he not have the manners to introduce me to his friends?
‘Wanna trade Nick? My roomies this weird Scottish guy’
Nick grinned, glancing up from his phone,
‘Nah, I quite like the view’ I just glared as they started to laugh.
‘Come on, let’s go to my room’
‘Wait!’ I cried imploringly, just as they turned to leave the room,
‘Do you think you guys could help me move these boxes? Some of them are pretty heavy’ I batted my eyelashes, giving them my best puppy dog look.

I almost laughed as Mark and Jay practically tripped over eachother to get to the boxes first, but my grin faded when I saw Nick standing just outside his room looking pissed. Jeez I thought, you’d think I’d done something awful. We both stood there – me awkwardly – until Mark and Jay had finished. ‘Thanks boys’ I smiled flirtatiously, blowing them a kiss.
They fake swooned, grinning as they followed Nick into his room.

After they’d disappeared, I started to unpack the rest of my stuff. The apartment was beginning to feel more like a home, especially now that I’d put up photos.
I paused by a photo of me and my ex-boyfriend Conor. We’d broken up a month ago when he was leaving for college, both of us agreeing that it was better to end things than try to make a long-distance relationship work.
We were still friends and I talked to him on the phone as often as possible but it wasn’t the same as having him around whenever I needed him.
A wave of sadness crashed over me as I held the photo of the two of us with our arms around eachother. He had been my first real love and he’d always be special to me.

I was standing there lost in my memories, when I heard my name being called. I was invited to watch a movie with the others – my choice. I grinned evilly as I grabbed a newly unpacked DVD from my shelf.
I turned it on and sat down amidst loud groans as P.S. I Love You started to play.
I couldn’t help but laugh
‘Blame Nick, he’s the one who said he hadn’t seen it earlier’.
The other two glared at Nick, who looked sheepish
‘What?’
He immediately got two pillows in the face. I was practically rolling around on the floor with laughter at the look on his face.
I promptly got a cushion in the face for my troubles. I spat out a feather as I glared at Nick who was looking everywhere but at me, whistling and trying not to laugh.
I pouted ‘no fair! I’m a girl you can’t do that!’
‘Oh don’t worry sweet cheeks, we’re all well aware of the fact that you’re...’ Jay paused, smirking at me ‘female’.
‘Would you like me to help you up?’ he enquired innocently – too innocently – as he extended a hand.
I narrowed my eyes, I trusted him about as far as I could throw him, and though I didn’t know what he was up to I had a feeling it wouldn’t bode well for me.
‘No thank you’ I said primly, pulling myself up and seating myself in one of the armchairs
‘Another time then, ye?’ Jay winked
‘Aww, do you not want to sit between me and Jay?’ Mark asked slyly
‘There’s plenty of room’
I glanced at Nick in my peripheral vision, but he was resolutely glaring at the TV, looking like he was completely engrossed in the movie though I doubt he had any idea as to what was going on.
‘Eh, no thanks, I’m good’ I said quickly to more groans.
Nick glanced up at me, that unknown emotion flickering in his eyes before looking quickly back at the screen.