Don't Pretend
Drei
After my encounter with the English boy I bought a few things at the local market to stock up my fridge with food. I walked home with two brown bags in my hands.
I stepped into the empty elevator and pushed the button with the four on it. The doors were just about to close when I heard feet running towards the elevators.
“Hold teh door!” I heard someone shout and I quickly pushed the open door button.
“Thanks.” The boy breathed out before looking at me, “’ey! Aren’t yeh teh bird I knocked down tehday.” He laughed shyly.
I looked up at him with wide eyes. Those crazy blue eyes, it was definitely him; “Uh, yeah I think so.” I laughed, “I’m Charlie.” I said putting out a hand.
“Tom.” He smiled shaking my hand.
“So, uh, do you live here?” I asked wondering if the elevator could go any slower.
“Nah, meh brother lives ‘ere. And I guess yeh two are neighbors if yeh live on teh forth floor.”
“I guess so.” I nodded the elevator doors finally opening.
“See yeh ‘round.” He smiled walking in the opposite direction as the elevator released us.
“Yeah.” I mumbled smirking slightly walking towards my room. I opened my door up and shivered at the temperature of my apartment. I went over and turned the heat up on the thermostat. I turned on a pot of water on the stove to make some coffee and sat down on the couch with a bag of chips and turned on the television.
I was just done pouring my coffee into a cup when I heard a knock on the door. I took a quick sip and walked over to the door opening it.
“Hi.” I greeted Tom and a boy that was standing next to him.
“Uh ‘ey Charlieh, this is me brotha’ Olivah.” He said pointing to the guy next to him who seemed to be tattooed from head to toe.
“’ello.” He greeted.
“So what can I do for you two?” I asked swaying from foot to foot.
“’ell Olieh is ‘aving a parteh tehmorra’ night and we were wonderin’ if yeh like to come.” He smiled shyly.
“Oh, I’d love to but I don’t know if I’m much of the ‘party person’.” I said nibbling on the end on my hoodie sleeve.
“Yeh don’ ‘ave teh be.” Oliver cut in, “Why dontcha think ‘bout it. Tehmorra’ night, flat 48, eight ‘o clock,” He informed me, “It’ll give yeh a chance teh meet some new people.”
“I’ll think about it, thanks.” I smiled at both of them before saying goodbye and shutting the door and returning to my coffee and television.
- -
The next morning I looked through a paper I had gotten from across the street for a job. I scanned through it looking for anything I would consider doing, but nothing caught my eye. I sighed in defeat and threw the paper aside.
I sighed looking down at my hands that were badly bruised from my fall the other day. I rolled my eyes and yawned feeling fatigued. I didn’t think much of it and I feel asleep, curled up on the couch.
By the time I woke up it was already six thirty and my stomach was growling. I fixed myself some dinner then hopped in the shower. After all was done I looked at the time; 8:10. I decided I might as well head over to the party and at least make some new friends.
I knocked on Oliver’s door and waited there paiently until someone answered it. He opened the door and smiled at me.
“Aye Charlieh, I was beginnin’ teh think yeh weren’t gonna show up.” He chuckled leading me in.
His apartment looked much like mine, minus the different furniture. I saw Tom get up from his seat on the couch and come over to Oliver and me.
“Charlieh! Yeh made it.” He smiled brightly.
“Not like I had anywhere else better to go.” I smiled back.
“’M happeh ‘bout that.” He chuckled and guiding me over to where everyone was sitting and chatting.
I sat down next to Tom on the couch and a guy sitting across from us spoke up.
“Aye, are yeh Tom’s new girl friend?” He laughed and Tom’s face flushed with embarrassment.
“No! Shut yer mouth Matt.” Tom insisted, “Sorreh.” He mumbled.
“It’s okay” I laughed.
“Why dontcha introduce yerself to everyone.” Oliver suggested, his arm slung around some girl.
I hesitated for a moment then spoke up, “Uh-uh, I’m Charlie Elliot, and I uh, just moved here from the States.” I smiled weakly.
“I’m Amanda,” the girl sitting next to Oliver spoke up, “If yeh need a girl teh talk to, I’m here,” She laughed, “These boys can’t be trusted.”
I laughed at her remark, “It’s good to know that I can have someone to talk to.” I smiled.
After that everyone went back to what they were doing and I just sat there quietly looking around at everyone.
“Eh, do yeh want meh to take yer sweater?” Tom asked looking over at me.
“Oh, no it’s okay thanks. I’m always cold so.” I explained.
“Do yeh want meh teh turn the heat on?” He asked ready to get up.
“No, no.” I waved off, “I’m fine.”
“If yeh insist.” He smiled, “Can I at least get yeh a drink?” he offered.
“Yeah, that’d be great.” I smiled nodding.
Moments later he came back with a cliché plastic cup with what I’m assuming had alcohol in it. I took a sip and let the liquid burn my throat. I hadn’t had a good drink in awhile and this was just hitting the spot.
Half way through my cup I stopped drinking. I felt my throat begin to tingle and I quickly excused myself to go to the bathroom. I grabbed a tissue and I started coughing heavily spitting up blood. I sighed sliding down the wall.
I heard the door open and I looked up to see Amanda looking down at me with concern a concern stricken face.
“Are yeh okay?”
At that point I wanted to cry, I shook my head slightly and looked up at her, “No.”
I stepped into the empty elevator and pushed the button with the four on it. The doors were just about to close when I heard feet running towards the elevators.
“Hold teh door!” I heard someone shout and I quickly pushed the open door button.
“Thanks.” The boy breathed out before looking at me, “’ey! Aren’t yeh teh bird I knocked down tehday.” He laughed shyly.
I looked up at him with wide eyes. Those crazy blue eyes, it was definitely him; “Uh, yeah I think so.” I laughed, “I’m Charlie.” I said putting out a hand.
“Tom.” He smiled shaking my hand.
“So, uh, do you live here?” I asked wondering if the elevator could go any slower.
“Nah, meh brother lives ‘ere. And I guess yeh two are neighbors if yeh live on teh forth floor.”
“I guess so.” I nodded the elevator doors finally opening.
“See yeh ‘round.” He smiled walking in the opposite direction as the elevator released us.
“Yeah.” I mumbled smirking slightly walking towards my room. I opened my door up and shivered at the temperature of my apartment. I went over and turned the heat up on the thermostat. I turned on a pot of water on the stove to make some coffee and sat down on the couch with a bag of chips and turned on the television.
I was just done pouring my coffee into a cup when I heard a knock on the door. I took a quick sip and walked over to the door opening it.
“Hi.” I greeted Tom and a boy that was standing next to him.
“Uh ‘ey Charlieh, this is me brotha’ Olivah.” He said pointing to the guy next to him who seemed to be tattooed from head to toe.
“’ello.” He greeted.
“So what can I do for you two?” I asked swaying from foot to foot.
“’ell Olieh is ‘aving a parteh tehmorra’ night and we were wonderin’ if yeh like to come.” He smiled shyly.
“Oh, I’d love to but I don’t know if I’m much of the ‘party person’.” I said nibbling on the end on my hoodie sleeve.
“Yeh don’ ‘ave teh be.” Oliver cut in, “Why dontcha think ‘bout it. Tehmorra’ night, flat 48, eight ‘o clock,” He informed me, “It’ll give yeh a chance teh meet some new people.”
“I’ll think about it, thanks.” I smiled at both of them before saying goodbye and shutting the door and returning to my coffee and television.
- -
The next morning I looked through a paper I had gotten from across the street for a job. I scanned through it looking for anything I would consider doing, but nothing caught my eye. I sighed in defeat and threw the paper aside.
I sighed looking down at my hands that were badly bruised from my fall the other day. I rolled my eyes and yawned feeling fatigued. I didn’t think much of it and I feel asleep, curled up on the couch.
By the time I woke up it was already six thirty and my stomach was growling. I fixed myself some dinner then hopped in the shower. After all was done I looked at the time; 8:10. I decided I might as well head over to the party and at least make some new friends.
I knocked on Oliver’s door and waited there paiently until someone answered it. He opened the door and smiled at me.
“Aye Charlieh, I was beginnin’ teh think yeh weren’t gonna show up.” He chuckled leading me in.
His apartment looked much like mine, minus the different furniture. I saw Tom get up from his seat on the couch and come over to Oliver and me.
“Charlieh! Yeh made it.” He smiled brightly.
“Not like I had anywhere else better to go.” I smiled back.
“’M happeh ‘bout that.” He chuckled and guiding me over to where everyone was sitting and chatting.
I sat down next to Tom on the couch and a guy sitting across from us spoke up.
“Aye, are yeh Tom’s new girl friend?” He laughed and Tom’s face flushed with embarrassment.
“No! Shut yer mouth Matt.” Tom insisted, “Sorreh.” He mumbled.
“It’s okay” I laughed.
“Why dontcha introduce yerself to everyone.” Oliver suggested, his arm slung around some girl.
I hesitated for a moment then spoke up, “Uh-uh, I’m Charlie Elliot, and I uh, just moved here from the States.” I smiled weakly.
“I’m Amanda,” the girl sitting next to Oliver spoke up, “If yeh need a girl teh talk to, I’m here,” She laughed, “These boys can’t be trusted.”
I laughed at her remark, “It’s good to know that I can have someone to talk to.” I smiled.
After that everyone went back to what they were doing and I just sat there quietly looking around at everyone.
“Eh, do yeh want meh to take yer sweater?” Tom asked looking over at me.
“Oh, no it’s okay thanks. I’m always cold so.” I explained.
“Do yeh want meh teh turn the heat on?” He asked ready to get up.
“No, no.” I waved off, “I’m fine.”
“If yeh insist.” He smiled, “Can I at least get yeh a drink?” he offered.
“Yeah, that’d be great.” I smiled nodding.
Moments later he came back with a cliché plastic cup with what I’m assuming had alcohol in it. I took a sip and let the liquid burn my throat. I hadn’t had a good drink in awhile and this was just hitting the spot.
Half way through my cup I stopped drinking. I felt my throat begin to tingle and I quickly excused myself to go to the bathroom. I grabbed a tissue and I started coughing heavily spitting up blood. I sighed sliding down the wall.
I heard the door open and I looked up to see Amanda looking down at me with concern a concern stricken face.
“Are yeh okay?”
At that point I wanted to cry, I shook my head slightly and looked up at her, “No.”