Safer to Hate Her

Jersey was currently on her way to the pier, smiling from ear to ear. She had her guitar case in one hand and a Starbucks coffee in the other. Thank God for weekends, she thought.
When she arrived at the sea front there weren’t that many people walking about, to be fair it was a Sunday early afternoon. Most people would be relaxing at home and getting ready for the next working week.

Setting down her cup of coffee on the floor, Jersey grabbed her phone from her pocket. She had a few messages from her friends which she began replying to. She hadn’t seen them in a few days; it would be nice to meet up with them tomorrow.

“What are we playing today then? I’m thinking Christmas songs.”

Jersey smiled looking up at Rupert, his hair was falling into his eyes and that grin that made her knees weak.

“Christmas songs? You do realise it’s October?”

“Wait, so shops can start selling me Christmas cards in September but I can’t spread a little Christmas cheer in October? You are such a scrooge.”

Rupert placed his own guitar case on the floor and sat down beside her, their knees touching, making her heart almost skip a beat.

“Well, personally I love Christmas songs, but it’s a bit too soon. Halloween hasn’t even been yet.”
“Touché,” he smiled, “your choice then, love.”

“You better keep up then.” She smirked up at him and together they began playing all the Johnny Cash songs they knew collectively.

Hours passed and it started getting a lot colder. Jersey was shivering and even though she knew he was trying to act macho, Rupert was feeling the cold too.

“Should we go inside somewhere?” He asked while putting his guitar back in its case.

“P-p-please.” Her teeth were chattering as they made their way to the nearest Starbucks.

“You go and sit at that table there and I’ll get them.”

She smiled up to him and went to the nearest table to the window. The shop was perfectly placed. You could see the sea for miles and the distant hills to one side. It was definitely a Christmas card scene.

Her thoughts turned back to Rupert as she pulled her phone out to text her friend, Hannah. It was strange, their friendship. They’d known each other 24 hours but they seem to have been friends for years. She was definitely enjoying his company, and she sometimes had to bite on her tongue when talking to him. She wanted to ask him so many questions about him, his life etc. but she didn’t want to seem crazy.

She looked back at him, stood in the queue, tapping his foot along to whatever song he was singing in his head. He must have felt a pair of eyes on him because he turned around and looked at her. He pulled a funny face and turned back to the menu. Jersey turned back to watching the sea with a permanent smile on her face.

Next time she looked back, he was sat in front of her, chocolate all around his mouth and still continuing to eat this enormous piece of chocolate cake. Jersey burst out laughing.

“Oh…my…God. That is too funny.”

She had to hold onto her sides because her ribs were aching from laughing so hard.

“What?” He whined.

“You have a little something here.” She mimed all over her face.

Rupert blushed and grabbed a tissue and frantically started scrubbing his face clean.

“In my defence, this is some good chocolate cake.”

“I believe you.” She said still laughing.

Wiping the tears from her eyes she began to eat her own piece of cake not before saying thank you to Rupert.

“So,” Rupert looked into her eyes, “tell me a little something about you.”

“Nothing much to tell really, I’m studying my A-Levels at the moment which is going quite well. I live with my mum on the other side of town. I love to play the guitar as you probably knew,” she smiled over to him, “and have loads of “friends” but the amount of real friends I have you can count on one hand.”

“I’m not really sure what else I can tell you.”

“Do you not see your dad?”

“He died when I was four, I don’t really remember much about him.” Jersey could see that he regretted asking that question.

“I’m sorry,” he looked down to his hands.

Jersey reached across the table and touched his forearm.

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.” She pulled her hand back and smiled at him.

Rupert could still feel her hand on him; he had goosebumps where she had touched him. He had no idea what this girl was doing to him, but he liked it.

“I had my mum, you know. And she’s brilliant. She’d like you she’s always had a thing for red heads.” She teased.

“Like mother like daughter, eh?” Rupert teased back.

Jersey pretended to be shocked and went back to finishing her coffee.

The two sat in silence, it wasn’t an awkward silence, they enjoyed to be in each other’s company and they didn’t feel the need for words at that moment.

Once they had finished Jersey went to put there rubbish away and when she turned around she saw Rupert outside waiting for her holding his and her guitar cases in his hands. She smiled to herself and stepped outside of the shop.

She went to take back her guitar when he stopped her, “s’alright, love. I’ve got it.”

“Thank you.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. She had no idea where it came from, she was never normally this affectionate but something about this boy made her heart jump and her knees weak.

“Come on I’ll take you home.”

And just like that their friendship began.