A Hard Headed Woman

I headed towards the room Nora and I were sharing only to see Wicki smoking a cigarette as he walked towards the room I just came out of. He seemed pretty pleased with himself and he shot me a sideways smile, his version of thanks I suppose. I merely nodded in response and headed into the bedroom. Nora wasn’t in the room and I just lain out my clothes on the chair in the room. Just as I set out the last article of clothing Nora and Paulie entered the room.

“There you are,” Nora smiles.
“Mhmm.”
“Oh my Janis that was you in there with Aldo, what the fuck are you doing in here? You need a rebound bang.”
“Yeah Aldo looks like he’d give a mean dick,” Paulie adds.
“I’m not going to be fucking anyone,” I retort.
“Bah! I totally agree with Nora, you need a rebound bang.”
“I had one of those two weeks ago dumbass.”
“No fucking way! Bitch who was he?” Nora says excitedly.
“Some guy I met at a bar, I don’t remember his name,” I answer.
“Fuck Amber I did not know you had it in you to have a one night stand,” Paulie comments.
“Yeah well it happened,” I mutter.
“We should go downstairs Beatriz had instruments and Gwen’s playing the violin right now,” she continues.
“Yeah since you cock blocked yourself you probably need something to take your mind off of that,” Nora laughs.
“Ha, Ha,” I say sarcastically as we headed out of the room towards the downstairs area.

The closer we got, the louder the violin was heard. We arrived in the sitting room and Gwen stopped playing waving us over enthusiastically. There was a small drum kit and a cello that Nora and Paulie took their places at.

“Finally a jam session with the whole gang,” Nora smiles.

The girls began playing, first Gwen with the violin intro and Nora with the simple beat and Paulie plucking at the cello. Then it was time for me to sing the song I had written after Darren cheated on me.

I SAW HIM IN THE CITY, OH HOW I FEEL FOR YA
SHE WAS DRAPIN ALL OVER IT WASN’T PRETTY
YOU THOUGHT IT’D NEVER HAPPEN
WELL WHO YA KIDDIN?
IT’S TIME TO LET IT GO
UNLESS THERE’S SOMETHING GOOFY
LIKE IN THE MOVIES LIKE PERHAPS A BODY DOUBLE
A DOPPLE GANGER HE CALLED YOU FROM HER CAR
WHILE HIS HANDS WERE ON HER, WHAT AN ANIMAL
LOUD SAY IT LOUD AND
CLEAR SOMETHING YOU DONT
WANT YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR
DEVIL’S GOT YOUR BOYFRIEND
IF THAT’S THE ONE WHO SAID HE’D NEVER LEAVE YOU
HE’D ALWAYS LOVE YOU
DEVIL’S GOT YOUR BOYFRIEND
HE’S GOT THE ONE AND HE’LL NEVER LET GO
THEN AT TIPPITINA’S YOU WONT BELIEVE IT
I HEARD IT FROM ANOTHER A NEW ORLEANIAN
WELL ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN MAYBE HIS SISTER
BUT HE SAID SHE LIVED IN BEND OREGON
THAT SLIP WAS SOMETHING FREUDIAN
AND ONCE YOU NOTICE IT’S LIKING PEELING UP AN ONION
LAYER BY LAYER AND LAIR OH LIAR IT GETS LATER AND LATER
AND YOU HAVEN’T DONE A THING
LOUD SAY IT LOUD AND
CLEAR SOMETHING YOU DON’T
WANT YOU DON’T WANT TO
HEAR
DEVIL’S GOT YOUR BOYFRIEND
IF THAT’S THE ONE WHO SAID HE’D NEVER LEAVE YOU
HE’D ALWAYS LOVE YOU
DEVIL’S GOT YOUR BOYFRIEND
HE’S GOT THE ONE AND HE’LL NEVER LET GO
IGNORE THE SINGS IGNORE THE SIGNS IGNORE THE SIGNS OF WARNING
IGNORE THE SINGS IGNORE THE SIGNS IGNORE THE SIGNS OF WARNING
LOUD SAY IT LOUD AND
CLEAR SOMETHING YOU DON’T
WANT YOU DON’T WANT TO
HEAR
DEVIL’S GOT YOUR BOYFRIEND / IGNORE THE SIGNS OF WARNING
IF THAT’S THE ONE WHO SAID HE’D NEVER LEAVE YOU
HE’D ALWAYS LOVE YOU
DEVIL’S GOT YOUR BOYFRIEND
HE’S GOT THE ONE AND HE’LL NEVER LET GO

Gwen and the girls finished the song with the instruments then Beatriz began to clap joined by one other. My eyes went to the second person only to see my one night stand.

“I wouldn’t have taken you to be a singer but it suits you,” he says in his British accent.
“New customer,” Beatriz states in her thick accent gesturing to the man.

He was around his late thirties and had a very ruggedly handsome look to him with light brown eyes. My mouth went dry and my throat clenched my eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights. The was no fucking way he was here. Fuck what was his name? James, Joe or maybe it was Jason? Damn it think Amber think.

“What’s your deal Amber?” Nora questions as I turned refusing to acknowledge the fact the man looked just like my one night stand.
“Could we have us a chat?” he inquires behind me. Fuck my life it was him, I know it was because that voice and accent and looks were hard to forget.

“Sure,” I drawl as I followed him to the empty kitchen. The girls looked at me questioningly but I ignored their looks. Once in the kitchen I leaned against the wall as he stood towering over me.
“I know you’re probably wondering how I got here,” he states.
“Listen--”
“John.”
“Listen John, I want to know what the hell is going on, I mean is this your doing?” I ramble looking at him.
“My brother’s actually,” John says.
“Who’s your brother?”
“Chester, you know the red headed bloke your friend dated?”
“That sneaky ginger,” I mutter then looked at John, “Wait a second, you were part of this.”

“Well I was going to be but then we met and things got a bit heated wouldn’t you think?” John smirks slightly as his hand rested above my head on the wall.
“Real charming redcoat,” I retort somewhat annoyed.
“I’m trying to get you lot back home the least you can do is be nice.”
“The least you can do is act a little less smug about it.”
“I’m not smug I was just revisiting our affair with fond memories,” he states honestly.

“I find you irritating at the moment,” I counter.
“I’m not so sure about that,” John says stepping closer his hot breath spilling onto my exposed neck. I took a sharp intake of air as he lowered his lips to my neck.
“Save it,” I stammer out as I pushed him away at arms length.
“Alright love, but I am going to be taking you out to dinner after all this is over I hope you know that.”
“Fine whatever, just fix this problem.”

With that I walked back into sitting room where the girls were waiting for me.

“You look more hot and bothered than you did right after leaving Aldo,” Nora comments with a cheeky smile.
“Shut it Nora, I’ve received some information about our situation now all of you upstairs now,” I order as I began climbing up the stairs. The girls scrambled to get up and follow behind me. Just as I was about to go into the room Aldo went up to me.

“We have to have a talk,” Aldo states. I let out a grumble of annoyance hating when men wanted to have a talk with me.
“I don’t think she’s up for talking to you by the sounds of it,” John says smugly.
“Who the hell are yew?”
“You wait til later for a talk, and you shut the fuck up, then you three in the room now,” I say pointing to each person. The girls hurried into the room obviously wanting an explanation. I gave the men stern looks before shutting the door.

“Amber what the fuck is going on?” Paulie questions.
“Why in god’s name did you have to date that stupid ginger?” I groan running my hand over my face.
“Wait what? What does this have to Chester?”
“He apparently is getting back at all of us by putting us in harms way,” I counter.
“But he’s the one that hit on you when he was dating me, he’s the one that had the hit coming along with the massive verbal abuse that just so happened to be in public, FUCK! He’s really a wizard isn’t he?” Paulie rants. I nodded.
“Fucking Paulie you just had to fuck the evil ginger,” Nora complains.
“I can’t turn down a ginger, I’m sorry.”
“Fucking Paulie and her ginger fetish,” Gwen adds.
“Fuck I’m sorry okay? Can we move on to maybe how Amber knows that random British man?” Paulie counters.
“Yeah Amber, how do you know that hot piece of man because honestly I’m thinking about jumping his bones later,” Nora says.

“You’re not jumping that one’s bones,” I retort giving her a look, “that’s the evil ginger’s older brother.”
“Wait but how come you looked like you recognized him?” Gwen demands.
“I didn’t know he was related to the ginger before he was just at the bar,” I ramble.
“Oh my fuck that’s the one night stand?!” Paulie exclaims.
“Oh man Amber, nice choice he is fucking sexy,” Nora smiles proudly like a mother that just learned her child made the dean’s list.
“Could you two be louder? I don’t think the whole fucking neighborhood heard you,” I respond sarcastically.
“Aw this is romantic Amber he came to help you,” Paulie states dreamily.

“What in the world do you do to make these guys follow you around like lost puppies?” Gwen questions.
“I seriously want to slap you Paulie, this isn’t a fucking Jane Austen novel. That man just wants some more Amber sexy time,” Nora states.
“I swear I can’t even talk to any of you right now, I am talking about trying to get back home and all you can talk about is fucking John,” I grumble throwing my arms up in annoyance.
“My ears are ringing,” the familiar British voice says standing in the doorway.
“I’m Nora, this is Paulie and Gwen.”

I gave up and sat on the bed grabbing a nearby pillow to muffle my screams of frustration. As I screamed into the pillow I didn’t hear a thing of what the group was talking about. The pillow was pulled from my death grip and I saw John giving me a charming smile.

“You are quite the entertaining woman while frustrated.”
“Shut it redcoat,” I snap.
“You need to relax,” he states.
“I refuse, tell me what part you had in this, what was the plan?” I counter stubbornly.
“If wouldn’t have worked even if I tried.”
“What wouldn’t have worked?”
“Making you fall for me, that was the plan but you’re not exactly the type to do that, something Chester didn’t consider.” John responds. I got up from the bed and punched John in the face.

“You will never get the satisfaction, nor will your asshole brother,” I snap.
“Bloody hell, I didn’t go through with it.”
“I don’t give a rat’s ass, go fix this before I find your brother and give him what he deserves,” I growl.
“Just try not to get killed when I’m sorting this out,” he replies. I gave him a fierce glare as to say I didn’t give a shit what he said at the moment.

John left the room with determination holding his head up high even if I just chewed him out and punched him in the face. The girls just looked at me shocked at my extreme anger that only seemed to be rising with every minute. I was sick of these fucking games and I wanted people to quit scheming. It was bullshit complete and utter bullshit. My life was like a horrible Lifetime movie and I was so over it.

“This is so much bullshit, can’t trust people for shit anymore. Whatever happened to integrity and respect?” I rant angrily as tears started to well up in my eyes from the amount of fury ruining through my veins.

I didn’t bother staying in the room and walked off. Whilst in the hallway walking furiously I ran into Aldo. He didn’t say anything seeing the anger in my eyes just led me into his room and made me sit on the bed after shutting the door behind us. Without a word Aldo sat on the bed next to me and began massaging my shoulders. Oddly enough this helped greatly to take away my horrible mood and need to slap a ho any chance I got.

I began to gradually relax more and more as Aldo began working his magic hands on my back. After a while I let out a sigh of relief and leaned back into Aldo.
“Thanks I needed that,” I say quietly.
“I’d hate to be on the other end when yew get so angry,” he jokes.
“It passes pretty quickly because apparently I’m incapable of staying angry for long.”
“That’s good.”

“So what did you want to talk about,” I reply.
“I shouldn’ have kissed yew,” Aldo states.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Yeah okay, its fine, what am I supposed to say?” I say turning to look at him.
“I don’ know,” he answers looking down at me. He had his arms resting comfortably around me but for some reason I didn’t mind all that much.

“Looking back on it, I’m pretty sure we were both at fault,” I comment.
“Yer prolly right.”
“I mean what business do we have, being alone in a bedroom kissing like teenagers?”
“No business,” Aldo says looking down at me.
“Damn it, I’m getting tempted again, you need to stop lookin’ at me like that,” I scold.
“Lookin’ at yew like what?” he smirks.
“Now you are just doing it on purpose. I should probably leave,” I mutter moving away from him. I got up to leave but Aldo stopped me.

“Wait a minute there,” Aldo states grabbing my hand.
“You don’t get it…this should never happen,” I say gesturing to him and me, “This isn’t real.”
“It feels purtty real to me.”
“Look you’re an attractive man and all but I’ve got to keep my head on my shoulders and you should too, go get one of Beatriz’s nice girls have them take care of you,” I reply removing his hand from mine then left the room.

Leaving the room without another word I just headed downstairs hoping to get away from all the people but unfortunately for me I had no such luck as my arm was grabbed and I was yanked into a room.