Hello Sheffield

Waking up the next morning was the biggest bitch I’d ever met.

I was acutely aware of the extra shots I’d had after dancing. And the half bottle of vodka Kate and I had shared when we got home. We’d been up all hours of the early morning, dancing in our underwear.

I stared at my alarm clock, the red numbers declaring a shocking three o’clock. Though considering the night before, shocking might not have been an accurate reaction.

A thin arm was thrown lazily over my body. I turned over and saw Kate, her blonde hair a mess around her head and her eyes shut tightly. Sunlight was streaming through my windows. I hadn’t had the chance to put my curtains back up yesterday.

“Make the light go away,” she groaned, disappearing under my comforter. I tried to laugh but my tongue felt like it was way too big. I groaned into my pillow and swung my legs out of bed. My head felt oddly disproportionate to the rest of my body.

“We drank way too much last night,” I commented dryly.

“Good observation genius.” She was out of my bedroom and padding down my stairs before I could even contemplate how to stand. I managed it and followed her down, wondering why I was wearing one of my boots. I kicked it off and entered the kitchen.

She was flitting around with the coffee maker, trying to figure out how to make the buttons work. I grunted in her direction and started pressing the correct buttons. Once the water was in the machine and the coffee grinds too, we leaned against the counter and watched it drip into the pot.

My head felt like a brick. I hadn’t drank like that in a long time. At least I wasn’t throwing up all over the place like the last time. That made me think back to the butter. Apparently it was a trick that worked.

“Thank you.” She turned her head slowly to look at me.

“For what?”

“The butter.” She smirked and shook her head. She was smug with herself though her face visibly paled at the fact that she shook her head.

When the coffee was done we drank it eagerly even though it was black. After my second cup, my head felt better. It was ridiculous how hungover we were. Kate groaned and then shook her head gently.

There was a musical beeping sound that I recognized as my Blackberry. I traced the sound slowly to the table next to my front door. I was surprised at my drunk self for knowing to put that and my keys on that table. The call was from my dad. I cleared my throat and hoped I sounded normal.

“Hello?”

“Hi honey. How are you?” my dad asked. His voice was a relief. He didn’t always approve of my decisions but he wasn’t as vocal and hostile as my mother.

“I’m good. You?”

“Well, I’m alright. We all miss you back in the States.” And boy was it weird hearing someone speak with the same accent as me. I was such an oddity here that I had forgotten there was a whole country that, more or less, sounded just like me.

“I miss you too,” I admitted. Not as much as a normal kid might miss their parents, but I still did.

“Well, the reason I’m calling,” always straight to the point, my family was, “Is that I thought you might find it interesting to go to the car dealership on Eldred Avenue.”

“Are you serious Dad?” my voice shot up an octave. My heart raced in my chest. If I was thinking along the correct line, my dad was telling me there was a car for me.

“Yes, I’m serious,” he chuckled, “But I have to get some more work done before I go to bed.”

“Oh, right. It’s like, what? Eight over there?” I asked. It was so weird that I’d only just woken up. Last night went pretty late though. Ugh, the thought made my head surge with pain.

“Eight twenty,” he corrected, “I’ll talk to you soon. I love you.”

“Love you too Dad.”

Kate was watching me wearily. Her head obviously hurt. I leaned against the counter, grinning.

“Well, what was that all about then?” she asked pointedly.

“Would you be able to bring me to the car dealership on Eldred Avenue?” I asked meekly with a huge grin on my face. She rolled her eyes and muttered something about rich parents and their kids under her breath.

“If yeh let me shower and borrow some of yer clothes,” she said. I promised to let her pick first. As she showered, I cleaned up some of the mess we’d made. I ate a plain slice of bread when she came back down, wearing a pair of my jeans and a t-shirt.

I showered quickly, did my hair and makeup twice as fast and threw on clothing, not even caring if it matched. Regardless of the fact that my parents had a sufficiently large amount of money, it had been rare for me to receive gifts. Especially cars, as my mother didn’t even trust me with a bicycle.

We were speeding down the road almost immediately afterward. We were quiet but I fidgeted excitedly in my seat. There was music on quietly in the background.

“Are yeh ever gettin’ a job then?” she demanded. I glanced over at her.

“Of course! I got a job as a nanny to some model’s daughter. It starts in May and I have the whole month of August off with pay as well as every weekend and every other Wednesday.”

“Yeh lucky fuckin’ bitch.” She rolled her eyes. I smirked. It wasn’t like I was always this lucky, so I was honestly counting my blessings. After ten minutes of idle chatter about last night, I saw the dealership. I squealed.

The cars looked expensive, if I was being honest with myself. I mean like, beyond expensive. I was hoping my mother’s conservative side had come out on this one. I didn’t want to look like some rich snob.

I wasn’t one of those girls who got everything. When my parents realized that I wasn’t going to turn out how they wanted me to, they didn’t spend much of their money on me. My sister was the pampered one with expensive clothes, nice haircuts, and the Porsche.

Walking into the showroom was completely mind blowing. Kate and I stood there slack jawed for a moment. It was filled with sleek, shiny cars. We both looked a bit out of place.

“Can I help yeh?” a smooth voice asked from behind us. We both turned and I thought my mouth was going to fall on the floor. He was wearing a button-up dress shirt with the top button open and the sleeves pushed up around his elbows, showing off muscles. His brown hair was windblown and his cheekbones were just as defined as I remembered them.

“Charlotte?” he asked with disbelief. Apparently he wasn’t expecting to see me here either. I managed to close my eyes and shut my mouth. I was absolutely stunned to actually see him. He looked great even without the alcohol.

“Isn’t that the guy Oli chased off last night?” Kate asked quietly. I elbowed her.

“Um, well, my name isn’t actually Charlotte,” I admitted, blushing, “I was sort of drunk last night.”

“Well, not Charlotte, how may I help you?” he asked, smirking. I shook my head disbelievingly.

“Um, I’m Olivia. Olivia Marshall and my dad said that I might find it interesting to come here…” I trailed, unsure of what to say. Kate looked at me strangely but Daniel seemed to know what I was talking about.

“Ah, yes. Follow me.”

We followed him to a mahogany desk which he sat behind and started typing at the computer. We both sat on the chairs in front of him, looking around and at each other, raising our eyebrows. He typed more before opening his drawer.

“You just need to fill these out and then I’ll take you out to the car.”

The packet was pretty standard. I started filling it out as Kate fidgeted next to me. I was overcome with questions about why God hated me so much. Having the guy that I danced with at the club last night work at this car dealership was just a bit too much.

“I’m surprised your boyfriend isn’t with yeh. He seems awfully protective of you,” Daniel said. I looked up from the packet and shot him a brief smile.

“Oli isn’t my boyfriend. Just a friend,” I informed him. I went back to writing as Kate kicked me…hard. I glanced at her and she raised an eyebrow, her mouth in a straight line. I hadn’t known her for that long but I knew what she was saying.

What the actual fuck are you saying this for you dumb bitch.

“Wow, well, he’s a very protective, um, friend then,” he amended. I looked up in time to see a smug smile on his lips. I rolled my eyes. Sometimes I had an exceedingly large mouth. I was about to say something when Kate cut me off.

“Well, Liv is a bit blind to the fact that Oli is after her.”

See, there are a lot of reasons I hate people as a species. This, is one of them. Everyone was assuming that just because Oli and I flirted on occasion and that we were attracted to each other that we would end up dating. We only knew each other for about six days.

I also hated that everyone said I wouldn’t go on a date with Oli. When did I ever say that? I’d like a date and time.

“Or maybe she’s just resisting,” Daniel suggested. I pushed the completed packet toward him. I was getting aggravated.

“Or maybe she just wants to get her car and go,” I snapped rudely. He looked a little startled but nodded. He looked over my answers, typed a few into the computer and then got up. We followed him.

“I hate you,” I whispered to Kate quietly as we followed him outside. She winked at me. Maybe I would thank her for this later, like the butter thing. He led us out to a parking lot behind the shop.

He stopped in front of a small, black car. It was sleek and shiny but didn’t really exude the expensive air the rest of the cars did. I smiled to myself, proud that my parents knew what I wanted. Daniel inspected the car to make sure it was clean and everything was in order.

“Your father told us yeh’d like a modest car so here it is.”

“Thank you, really,” I said, smiling generously. I took the keys from him and unlocked the car. I got in and tapped the wheel excitedly. It was insanely awkward being on the wrong side but I’d get used to it.

The inside was black leather, with a roomy backseat. There was a radio that didn’t look complicated. I noticed an envelope sitting on the dashboard. It had my name scrawled on it in messy handwriting.

“Come on bitch get in. I’ll drive you to the front,” I said, standing up a little bit. She smiled and came around. I let my arm rest against the roof of the car as I looked at Daniel.

“I’ll see you around then?” I asked. He shrugged.

“Unless yeh open your eyes about that bloke,” he said, his hands shoved in his pockets. The insecure, vulnerable game was one I could play. I smiled a small smile.

I just got in the car and shrugged. I started it up and grinned. I started to drive and it was so beyond weird. I could do it but I kept fucking it up a little bit.

“Yeh shouldn’t toy with the poor boy’s heart Olivia,” Kate said sternly. I rolled my eyes as I parked next to her car. I wasn’t sure which boy she was referring to so I just gave her a look.

“I want my clothes back.” She clicked her tongue. I wasn’t good with awkward silences. I sighed. “I don’t even have his number. I doubt I’ll ever see him again and even if I do…Look, the truth is I don’t even know about Oli and I.”

She raised an eyebrow at me and I let out a strangled sigh of frustration. “Okay, well maybe we could be something more than friends in the future but for now, my options are completely open.”

She raised her hands in surrender. “Whatever yeh say Liv. I’m just tryin’ to have yeh see the light I mean, the way yeh two were dancin’ last night I’d say yeh were pretty close to the old…,” she made a hole with her ndex finger and her thumb and proceeded to shove her finger inside of it. I laughed.

“Are we twelve?” I asked. She shrugged and started to get out of the car. I fiddled with the heat, turning it up. It was still freezing outside.

“Just, sort out your priorities. I’ll call yeh and bring your damn clothes back.” She sent me a wink and slammed the door shut. I watched her start up her car and drive away. That’s when I reached for the envelope.

There were a few pieces of paper, mostly certificates saying that I owned the car now. A smaller piece of note paper fell into my lap. It was handwritten and short. I unfolded it completely.

I know we haven’t known each other very long but I’m interested in you. If you want, call me sometime.

The note was from Daniel, I’m sure and it included his phone number. I bit my lip and tried to think of what to do with it. I looked up at the dealers windows and saw him standing there, watching me. I rolled down the window and dropped the note out of it. I was sure he saw me.

I never drove away from anywhere faster.

*

One of the things I liked about living alone was the fact that you could watch whatever movie you wanted. Usually, my parents chose the movie they wanted to see and I’d go watch one in my room on my laptop.

I was curled up under a blanket watching the first Lord of the Rings movie. It was insanely late, almost two in the morning but I had slept late and taken a nap when I got home from the dealership. I wasn’t really tired.

I settled into the couch more, trying to get comfortable. I hadn’t gotten anything done today except for painting my toe nails a bright coral color that I’d picked up at this pharmacy I’d found.

There was a noise. It sounded like it was coming from the kitchen. My heart started pounding immediately but I stamped down my anxiety. It was probably just the heat anyway. I focused on the movie again.

The noise was louder the next time I heard it. I nearly leapt out of my skin. Now I knew something was going on. I put the movie on pause and crept toward the kitchen. The light above the sink was on and I could tell there was nothing in the kitchen that wasn’t supposed to be.

There was a loud banging from the back door that led into the yard. I yelped and ran back into the living room, grabbed my phone and dashed upstairs. I locked myself in my bedroom as I hyperventilated. I didn’t even know who to call. What was the English equivalent of 911?

I went through my contacts and called Oliver. There was no one else to call but him. I sat on my bed and tapped my foot impatiently, getting more and more scared by the moment. Someone or something was outside of my house ready to kill or eat me.

“‘Lo?” he answered groggily, on what I was sure was the last ring. I was so relieved to hear his voice that my eyes welled up.

“Oli! I think there’s someone trying to break into my house or something,” I said, my voice a few octaves higher than normal. The words came out in a rush.

“Sh, calm down love. It’s alright. I’m already on my way, okay?” he said soothingly. I could hear him shutting a door in the background. I tried to calm my breathing and it slowed.

“Okay. Hurry,” I pleaded, tears threatening to really fall now. I pulled my legs up on the bed and wrapped my arm around them. I heard another loud noise and buried my face in my legs.

“I’ll be there in just a moment. I’m leaving the house now.”

He never hung up but we didn’t speak. Every creak of the wind and burble of the heat was enough to send me jumping. When he actually rang the doorbell I squealed. I got up and stampeded down the stairs, hanging up my phone in the process.

I practically flung the door open and launched myself at him. He was standing there in sweatpants and a black sweatshirt, his hair an absolute mess and sneakers only half on. I was only half aware of the baseball bat he had. He hugged me tightly as the tears finally exploded.

He led me into the house, mumbling soothing words into my hair. He shut and locked the front door which made me nervous. I let go of him and wiped my tears. There was a small noise but that could have been my imagination.

“It’s coming from the door in the kitchen,” I said quietly, pulling him by his wrist. We stood side by side in the doorway, staring at the back door. The noise was back, a loud banging sound. I jumped and squeezed myself into his side.

“Yeh stay here and have your phone ready. I’m goin’ outside to investigate,” he said, pulling out of my death grip and moving towards the door.

“Oli,” I whined, holding my phone. Now wasn’t exactly the time to tell him I didn’t know who to call. If anyone beat him and came in the house I would just run into the street screaming my head off.

Him opening the door was intense. It felt like it took a few hours instead of a few seconds. When the door was finally open, he stabbed the bat outside but it hit only air. He stepped out as I craned my neck to see. I heard him laugh.

He came inside holding a black bundle of fur. He held it up for me to see. It was a black cat, only a kitten really. I smiled but still tears streamed down my face. I was so scared. He shut and locked the door and put the kitten down. He opened his arms for me and I stepped into them gladly.

I cried a little bit, squeezing him into me. He didn’t say anything except to soothe me and I really appreciated it. The kitten explored the room and started mewing softly at us. I finally let go of him and turned to look at the animal.

“Oh, I was over reacting. I could have looked myself. I’m so stupid,” I chided myself, shaking my head.

Oli grabbed my face in his hands and the way his eyes looked made me want to melt to the floor in a puddle. He wiped the tears away with his thumbs and smiled softly.

“Yeh’re not stupid. I’d much rather wake up and come over here to help yeh than have yeh pokin’ around in the dark,” he said, letting go of my face. I grinned and looked back at the cat.

“What about this little guy though?” I asked, picking him up. He was thin and his fur was dirty. He had stunning green eyes though and I knew immediately that this animal was staying with me. “I wanna keep him!”

Oli chuckled. “Yeh were sobbing about him goin’ through your trash bins and now yeh want the little bugger to stick around.” I shrugged and pet the cats head. He was very sweet.

“He must be starving!” I exclaimed, getting a bowl out to put milk in. As soon as I put it on the floor, the kitten was lapping it up. I rummaged through the cabinets and found a can of tuna Matty had put in the cart as a joke. I gave that to the little guy too.

“Do you um, wanna stay?” I asked Oli as we stood there awkwardly. He shrugged.

“Would yeh like me to?”

“Yes,” I said too quickly. It was because I was still nervous and scared but that didn’t stop the smirk from growing on Oli’s face. I rolled my eyes. He was so cocky, but in a way that seemed almost adorable. He wiped some hair out of his eyes.

“Then I’ll stay.”

I told him to go sit in the living room or something. I ran to the bathroom and grabbed two towels. I set them in the corner of the living room and then took my new kitten from Oli’s arms and placed him in them. He mewed contently.

“That poor little animal,” I cooed, sitting next to Oli on the couch. I threw the blanket over the two of us and unpaused the movie. He leaned against me and I settled into the couch more. It was only now that I realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt under his hoodie.

“What if he already had a family or something?” he asked. I shrugged.

“I guess I should probably put up posters or something but I doubt it. He was probably born to a stray.” I felt his arms wrap around my waist as he settled himself into my side more.

“Well, it’s nice of you to keep him and stuff,” he mumbled. I smiled at how cute he sounded. Ugh, I was going soft.

“Go to sleep Oli,” I said and he grumbled a little bit.

I couldn't help but thank the cat for having Oli stay over.