Hello Sheffield

There were many things I saw and felt when I woke up.

Warmth.
Comfort.
Security.
Color.

All provided by Oliver. Our legs were tangled together and his arms were an iron cage around my body. I sighed in absolute content. It was a quiet morning. A dull, muted light filled the room.

I stared at his rose tattoo. I pulled my hand from the tangle and started tracing it gently, my fingers ghosting over the skin. He mumbled something in his sleep. I smiled a small smile.

His eyes fluttered open and he glanced around blindly for a moment. When he saw me, tangled in him, he grinned sleepily.

“Well, hello there.”

“Good morning,” I said, stretching and cracking my toes. He stretched too and I settled back into his chest. It was too warm and comfortable to move. I buried my face in between his neck and the couch. He chuckled.

“Yeh gettin’ comfortable there?” he asked quietly. I nodded and wrapped my arms around his thin waist. I could stay here for the rest of the day and not even get bored. He chuckled.

“I think the cat wants some attention as well,” he said. I peeked out and noticed the kitten standing on the top of the couch, gazing down at us. I laughed and reached up to pull him down. He purred as I rubbed his ears.

Oli started to pet the animal too. He wrinkled his nose soon after. “He’s dirty and smells bad.”

“Let’s give him a bath!” I squealed, jumping up and holding the animal as if it were the opening scene of The Lion King. He wriggled and mewed but I held him firmly. Oli looked thrilled with my idea.

“Have yeh ever tried to wash a cat? Can’t we just have him off to the groomers or somethin’?” he whined. I raised an eyebrow and pulled the kitten down to my chest.

“Oliver Sykes, I let you sleep on my couch last night and you’re telling me to bring my kitten to the groomer?” I asked in a fake huff. He grumbled and sat up, running his hands through his hair.

“As I recall, yeh asked me to stay because yeh were deathly afraid of your kitten.” I sighed and just walked away to the kitchen. He was being difficult but he still followed me into the kitchen.

“Give him some water and I have to get a few things from the bathroom, okay?” I didn’t wait for an answer and left. I glanced at myself in the mirror and ran a brush through my hair before putting it up in a messy ponytail.

I was still wearing my plaid pajama pants and white tank top. My diamond tattoo was just visible where the shirt bunched up. I brushed my teeth quickly and probably not as efficiently as was necessary. I took my own shampoo out of the shower and grabbed a towel.

Oli was leaning against the counter, eating an apple casually. My heart stopped for a second at how completely normal this looked. I could actually become used to Oli sitting in my kitchen, eating my food. I shook my head and placed the stuff on the counter.

I started to fill the sink with warm water and glanced over my shoulder at the black kitten. He was shuffling around the room, exploring. I smirked at Oli, who was watching me.

“I think yeh’re right crazy.” I shrugged; I’d gotten that one before.

“You can hold him while I clean him, okay?” I asked. He nodded reluctantly, throwing away the core of the apple. I picked up the baby cat and cradled him in my arms.

“Its okay baby,” I cooed, “You’re just having a little bathy-wathy.” Oli rolled his eyes.

“Enough with the bullshit, let’s get on with it.” I glared at him for a second before lowering the cat into the water. He tried to escape almost immediately but Oli clamped his hands around his middle. I started to dump water on him with a cup.

He was obviously not happy. Water was being sloshed over the sides of the sink and my socks were getting soaked. I rubbed the soap into the black fur quickly and thoroughly.

“Still think this was a good idea? Hm?” Oli asked, his body arched away from the sink but still holding onto the animal. I shrugged and ran the water, starting to rinse him off.

“He isn’t being that bad,” I said lightly, running my hand over his fur to get the soap out. In fact, he was being quite bad. He was splashing water all over the counter and screeching like a banshee.
“Oh really? I wasn’t aware that cats usually made that noise,” Oli said passively. I snorted.

“Sounds kind of like you,” I jabbed, grinning up at him mischievously. His eyes went wide and I winked. He scoffed as I turned the water off and let him put the cat in the towel. I started to dry him off while Oli just stood there, gaping at me.

“What?” I asked, turning to him.

“I’m offended!”

“Be offended then,” I snorted. I continued to dry the kitten who was mewling softly now, and licking his paw. He looked at me with his big green eyes and I was pretty sure I was in love.

As I finished drying his tail, I felt cool, slightly damp fingers on the back of my neck. I stiffened and my breath caught in my throat. I felt Oli’s hot breath on my neck and shut my eyes.

“I like this one,” he said softly. I forced my heart to slow down and chuckled. I took my time in setting the cat down and then turned to him. The look in his eyes was unreadable.

“What’s your favorite?” I asked casually, though my voice was unnaturally quiet. When he touched me it was different then anything else that I knew. His hand reached for the hem of my tank top and he lifted it just a little. He grinned.

“Diamond,” he answered simply, “For obvious reasons.” I smirked, sure that one of those ‘obvious reasons’ was the location of the tattoo. I had known the answer before he said it. If someone got a tattoo that had to do with me, it would be my favorite too.

“What about me? Do yeh have a favorite of mine?” he asked, cocking his head to the right. I grinned. I didn’t know if it was creepy, but I already had one. I grinned sheepishly at him and unzipped the sweatshirt.

“This one’s my favorite,” I said. I ran my fingers gently over the eagle decorating his abdomen. The actual truth was that I had a lot of favorites of his—the ghost, his hands in general, the rose, I loved them all.

“May I ask why?” he asked curiously. I shrugged.

“I have absolutely no idea,” I told him honestly. In truth, I didn’t know why it was my favorite. It was so beautifully done. “I like your hands a lot too.”

I took them in my hands and gazed at them for a while. When I had looked my fill I glanced up at him and smiled, releasing them. I turned to start cleaning the mess my new cat had made.

“I have to get a few cat things from the store, you coming with?” I asked him, balling up the towel and turning to him. He looked a bit confused at the least. I scoffed and went to the laundry closet to throw the towel in it.

He still hadn’t answered though he followed me when I went into the living room to clear up. I turned off the TV and put the DVD away, folded my blanket, and brought the towels my cat slept on to the washer.

“Well?” I asked, standing at the foot of the stairs, “Are you coming or not?”

“Yes, I’ll come but only if yeh come with me to Matty’s place. I want yeh to meet the rest of the guys.”

“Oh, you come with terms. Alright, I’ll go with you if you want. Lemme get dressed and then I’ll bring you back to yours so you can get dressed,” I said, bouncing up the stairs.

I dressed in simple jeans and an oversized off-the-shoulder top. My hair was doing its natural wave and I let it be, fussing with it would ruin it. I did put on makeup because I hated being without it. I grabbed my laundry hamper and stampeded down the stairs. I started a wash and then pulled on my tennis sneakers.

“Ready?” I asked. He was watching the news on the TV. When I came in, he jumped up and turned it off. I grabbed my bag before we went out to the car. It was still weird getting in and actually driving on the wrong side.

“Where did yeh get the car?” he asked.

“My dad bought it for me. And when I went to the dealership that guy that was dancing with me at the club, remember? Yeah, he works there. It was fucking awkward.”

“Seems awkward. Was he uncontrollably hitting on you?” he asked, smirking slightly. I shrugged.

“He brought you up and slid me his number.”

“Do you still have it?” he asked.

“No, I dropped purposely in the parking lot,” I answered, looking over and grinning at him, “He wasn’t really my type.”

“Last house on the left,” Oli said, pointing and smirking. I rolled my eyes and pulled into the driveway. I turned off the car and looked at him awkwardly. I kind of just wanted to stay in the car. He seemed to sense my unease and rolled his eyes.

“C’mon Liv, Tom’s here and my mum don’t bite,” he said. I gave him a long, exasperated look and got out of the car. It was a short walk up to the porch. Oli just pushed the door open.

“Mum?” he called.

“In the kitchen, Ols!” I heard a woman yell back. Oli grinned at me. I had a general rule about myself: Never meet mothers, even when it’s just friends or whatever. Mother’s always hated me, including my own. I followed Oli into the kitchen.

Tom was leaning against the counter with a bowl of cereal as his mother washed the dishes. I stood awkwardly in the doorway, just a little behind Oli’s left shoulder. Tom looked up from his food and half-smiled.

“Oi, Liv, I shoulda known yeh were the reason Oli ran outta here like a bat from hell last night,” he said, coming forward to hug me. I hugged him back, chuckling.

“I thought someone was breaking into my house, but it was just a kitten playing in my trash bins,” I said, smiling. He rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“So this is the new bird yeh’ve all become so obsessed with then?” their mother asked, pushing Tom out of the way to get a look at me, “Dear, I’ve been hearin’ about yeh from everyone for the past few days.”

I smiled meekly at her. She had the same dark hair as Oli, and it went down to her shoulders. Her body shape was pear-like, but it worked for her. Her smile was warm and friendly. She grabbed me into a hug.

“I’m Carol and I’m ashamed to tell yeh that these two animals are my boys,” she said. I laughed. Animals was definitely the word for them.

“Mum, are yeh serious? ‘M not an animal!” Tom protested. She put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow.

“Well, yeh’re not as bad as the others, that’s the damn truth. Yeh’re more of a pet in the midst of a safari,” she clarified, winking at me. The appalled look on Tom’s face caused me to burst out laughing.

“It wasn’t quite that funny,” Oli remarked dryly. I shook my head, holding my stomach and laughing even more.

“The look on Tom’s face,” I choked out, calming my peals of laughter into quiet giggles. Carol chuckled as well and clapped a hand on Tom’s shoulder. He grinned and rolled his eyes.

“So what’s goin’ on?” he asked, leaning against the fridge. I moved some hair out of my eyes.

“I decided to keep the kitten so Oli and I are going to get some stuff for him,” I answered, smiling.

“Can I come?” he asked.

“Sure.”

“No.”

I looked Oli and crinkled my eyebrows. He looked between me and Tom and his mother. I bit my lip and stared at the floor, feeling awkward.

“Well, Liv said yes so I’m going,” Tom said, sticking true to the annoying mentality of all younger siblings. I used annoy my older brother and sister all the time. Then I grew up.

“Whateva, I’m goin’ to get changed,” Oli grumbled. He left the kitchen and I heard him stomping up the stairs. I smiled awkwardly at Carol and then bit my lip, looking out the door and toward the stairs.

“Oh Tom, yeh shouldn’t bother yeh brotha like tha’. He’s only tryna be with his new mate,” she scolded lightly, messing her sons hair up with her hand. He rolled his eyes.

“Well, she’s my new mate as well. He can bugger off if he thinks we’re all just lettin’ him hang out with her all the time.” I scoffed and rolled my eyes.

“I think it’s funny how no one ever asks me if I wanna hang out with them,” I said to Carol. She smiled, and her eyes twinkled as she looked over at Tom. His mouth was open wide and he had an offended air about him. I smirked.

“Alright, are we ready to get a move on then?” Oli asked, appearing beside me in the doorway. He was wearing fresh clothes, tight jeans and a jacket. He smelled better too, though what it was I couldn’t tell.

“Yeah, let’s go,” I said, “It was nice meeting you Carol.” She smiled warmly at me and nodded.

“It was wonderful meetin’ yeh. Come back soon, yeh’ll bring some normalcy back into this house,” she called after us. I grinned and we headed out toward the car.

“Nice car,” Tom commented. I chuckled and thanked him, getting in and letting them fight for who got shotgun.

I was never popular in high school, nor did I have many friends. Most people gravitated toward me though, mostly because I was really easygoing and chill. Usually, I wasn’t someone everyone wanted to hang out with. It was flattering to have people really want to be my friend.

Even though everyone—or at least everyone I knew so far—was so willing to believe that Oliver and I were going to go beyond friendship. Why? What if I wasn’t looking for a relationship, or even a flirtationship?

That wasn’t true though, and I knew it. Maybe they all knew it too. Looking back, I couldn’t even count how many nights I’d lay awake in my boxed up bedroom in New York, imagining my British boy toy. It had been sad how great my imagination was.

I’d never imagined that I’d find friends so quickly or that they’d be so enamored with me. I was thankful though, that they liked me and that I liked them and that they were willing to help me in the middle of the night.

I don’t even think my old friends would really do that for me. They weren’t the best people but they were better than everyone else I knew. I missed them. They were the best people I knew. They wouldn’t have come to my house in the middle of the night like that though.

That’s why, when Tom ended up being tossed in the backseat by his older brother cursing and screaming, I smiled. When Oli got in next to me and grinned, flipping his hair out of his eyes and saying we could go, I laughed.

Because they were the best people I knew.

*

I think I might honestly be able to say that Lee Malia is single-handedly the most hyper person I have ever met. From the minute I met him to the minute he walked out the door, he never stopped moving. I thought he was on speed.

In a complete, total opposite, Matt Kean was probably one of the most laid back people I’d ever met. He was quiet most of the time and was completely chill. I talked to him most of the time since he was rather interesting.

We spent most of the time just talking, until Oli found the beer in Matty’s refrigerator. That’s when Vegan and Lee stepped out. They wanted to go around clubbing later on. It had been decided that this was a slumber party now and I was given an oversized t-shirt and a pair of clean boxers to wear.

“Alright, well, I think that we should play a game,” Matty said casually. We were sitting in a circle on the floor, clutching beer bottles all around. I wasn’t drunk, just tipsy, and I knew this game would probably end up going somewhere that I would regret.

“Yeah, with four people,” Oli scoffed. I nodded in agreement.

“Yeh can play a game with four people!” Matty protested. He pouted and I couldn’t resist grinning at him. “We could play, er, well…”

“And there’s only one bird that we’re all friends with so yeh can’t be thinkin’ sexual games,” Tom added, pointing his bottle at Matty matter-of-factly before taking a sip. Oli laughed and draped an arm over my shoulder.

“Besides, Liv thinks yeh’re all right nasty pricks and wouldn’t touch any of yeh. Isn’t that right love?” he asked. I rolled my eyes.

“Well, I know one nasty prick…” I trailed off, smiling sweetly up at him. He pouted and looked away. I was hyper aware of his arm around me. He looked back down at me with a fake sad face.

“That ‘urt Livi. That really hurt. Yeh should kiss it and make it better,” he informed me, smirking at the end. I rolled my eyes again while Matty and Tom laughed.

“Fuck off Oli,” I said playfully. I picked up one of his fingers and threw his arm back into his lap. I winked at Tom and then got up to put my empty bottle in the kitchen.

His kitchen was small, and there were dirty dishes in the sink. I sighed, my OCD kicking into my system. I went to the sink and started washing the dishes. I loved doing dishes, it calmed me down.

I felt two arms wrap around my waist. I learned to get used to this happening, not like I really minded it. Glancing at said arms, I determined based off of the tattoos that it was Matty.

“Yeh know,” he said, his lips pressed close to my ear, “It’s rather nice seein’ yeh wearin’ my clothes in my kitchen.”

His words sent my heart thumping through my chest. This was it. This was bad. This was happening. A love triangle. A motherfucking love triangle. God help me. I should be happy, maybe, flattered. I wasn’t; I was confused.

In the end, it was going to come down to this: Matty or Oli? And that wasn’t an end that I wanted. I wasn’t good with choices, or hurting people. I hated it. I was indecisive as fuck.

My reaction was nothing like the frenzy of emotion going on in my head. I guess I’m good at hiding things or something.

“Oh, is that so?” I leaned back and smiled up at him. Was this categorized as leading him on, or just flirting? He grinned down and I just continued washing the dishes.

“It is so, actually,” he said, “Yeh don’t have to wash my plates.”

“I like to. Besides, you probably weren’t gonna do them any time soon.” He snorted and I turned the water off, the dishes finished. Someone cleared their throat and I looked up, seeing Tom and Oli standing there.

The death glare was apparent on his face. I sighed.

I had to make a choice and religiously stick by that choice. Sooner rather than later obviously.
I tried to step gracefully out of his arms, but he held me tighter. These boys needed to sort out their testosterone problems. He rested his head on my shoulder and I just rolled my eyes and lifted his arms off of me.

“Alright, movies. What kind? Comedy, horror, romance?” I asked, walking out of the kitchen. I always wondered what it was like to be the center of attention. Turns out it sucks.

We ended up laying on Matty’s living room floor with pillows and blankets, watching some horror movie that had a shit plot. I was already falling asleep since I’d been up so late last night.

My mind, however, was buzzing with thoughts of what occurred in the kitchen. My epidemic was seriously becoming an issue. I wasn’t a slut, purposely or not. I wasn’t going to lead anyone on or hurt anyone or break up a friendship because I was selfish.

In fact, I was deciding right now who I’d rather date. I stood up and with a quick, “Bathroom,” explanation I locked myself in the bathroom and stared at myself in the mirror.

What I saw was a mess. I stared into my own eyes, searching them for the answer. I’d seen these things go down. My own best friend had broken three hearts, including her own, letting something like this go on for too long. Emily cried for months.

I was going to be no nonsense about this one.

The answer was already apparent. It lived on my skin, left my body whenever I took a breath, was with me when I blinked. It was always going to be the person I thought of first, the person that gave me butterflies by just looking at me, the person who was always there for me.

It was always going to be Oliver.

Now that I’d told it to myself, that I’d looked myself in the eye and just said it, I would have no problem sticking to this. Matty wouldn’t get hurt. I smiled at myself and decided to pee while I was in here, might as well. It occurred to me that Matty kept his bathroom rather clean.

I flushed the toilet and smiled to myself. It hadn’t taken me forever to come to a decision. It hadn’t made me want to vomit or anything. That’s how I knew I made the right choice. I washed my hands quickly and left the bathroom.

Tom was sprawled out on the floor next to the couch, half asleep while Matty sat in a cocoon of blanket on the couch. Oli was lying on the floor. I walked over to him and sat on his stomach. He let out a whoosh of air and I turned and grinned at him.

“Am I comfortable then?” he asked, smiling. I shrugged.

“Not really. You’re kind of bony actually,” I complained, rolling my eyes. I grabbed the comforter that I’d stolen off of the guest bed before and wrapped myself in it. Then I laid down next to Oli and rested my head on his chest gently.

I glanced up stealthily and saw a large grin on his face. He wrapped an arm around me and scooted in closer to him, putting some of the blanket on him. He shuffled about, trying to get comfortable.

I noticed Matty watching us. When I made eye contact with him, he just nodded and got up to go in the kitchen. I sighed lightly and inaudibly. He was just butt hurt that he’d “lost.”

“This movie sucks,” I said, laughing as a fake-looking yeti ripped off some poor guy’s leg and then hitting him with it. I pulled the blanket over my head and got comfortable.

“It really does, but I still wanna see it. For some odd, sick reason I think it’s awful funneh that the man just got hit with his own leg.” I snorted and shook my head.

“I hope my kitty is okay,” I commented. We’d gotten a litter box but I was sure there would be shit and piss all over my house when I got home. I’d left enough food and water for the night and put up a gate so he could only go in the living room and kitchen.

“I’m sure he’s fine. Are yeh ever gonna name him?” he asked. I shrugged.

“I think I’m going to name him Zeus.”

“Zeus?”

“Yeah, like the Greek god. Because he made a lot of noise with those trash bins, like thunder, and Zeus was lord of the skies or whatever,” I explained. He was silent for a moment.

“I think it suits him,” he said.

“Me too,” I agreed, “I think I’m gonna sleep now.”

“Sleep then love.” I’m pretty sure he kissed the top of my head. My heart was beating off its rocker. I shook my head and smiled to myself.

I fell asleep happy.