Wanderlust

The following day, I awoke to find myself on the cold floorboards of my bedroom next to a very smug Paloma. Rubbing my hands up and down my –probably bruising- arm, I looked up at the culprit of my fall.

“What the hell?”

“It’s nearly eleven and I leave in two days; we’re doing something productive, so get up.”

My mouth hung loosely as I continued to stare up into the honey eyes of my best friend.

“And your phone has been beeping for hours!” She called upon walking through my bedroom’s door, waving a hand behind her carelessly.

I scrambled up off the floor, shoving my comforter back into place before unplugging my phone from its charge on the night stand. The screen displayed an alert of an unread message received only fifteen minutes prior. Hours my arse, I scowled toward the living area outside my room.

Eleanor C

Hi Lucy :) Dani and I are having lunch in a bit and were wondering if you’d like to join us? X
I smiled at the message while quickly typing out a reply.

I hadn’t seen Eleanor or Danielle since I first met them at Fabric, however I had chatted with them briefly electronically a few times and was convinced they were both lovely girls.

“Loma, be ready in twenty minutes!”



As Paloma and I entered the large restaurant located roughly fifteen minutes from the flat, I quickly pulled my sunglasses up into my loose hair, noticing the familiar girls seated close to the back. Eleanor and Danielle sat patiently next to each other at the table for four, talking animatedly at each other; I had informed them of Paloma, which they were happy about, claiming they couldn’t wait to meet her.

“Oh, Lucy, hi!”

I greeted both the girls before introducing them to my best friend and sitting in the seats opposite
them.

“How’re you doing? Lou told me you were out last night after recording for your new album.” Eleanor said with a smile, seemingly truly curious. If I was being honest, every mention of my music was now extremely exciting. I had quickly gone from a nervous wreck to a ball of energy when it came to this project.

“Yeah, it’s heaps fun!” I exclaimed, “the song’s coming out really well so far,”

“Harry’s song.” Paloma coughed with a smirk etched into her olive skin.

“Sorry, did you say Harry?” Danielle smiled, straightening up in her seat to lean her elbows onto the wooden table. “What’s all this about, then?” She asked in a light tone, her chocolate eyes darting between Paloma and I.

“It’s nothing, really. Harry helped with it a bit, that’s all.” I dismissed, reaching for my glass of water quickly as Eleanor rose her eyebrows.

“That’s all? That’s basically musician marriage!” She chortled, exchanging grins with the tan girl beside her.

“If that’s true then both of your boyfriends would be married to Ed Sheeran!” I laughed, hearing Dani mutter ‘they practically are.’ “Harry’s a good mate who helped me with a song – like a mate would. We’re mates.”

“Oh, sod off!” Danielle demanded, ignoring my confused expression. “You like Harry about as much as Harry likes you. Ya’ve just gotta’ admit it.”

“I agree, Cal. You know he asked to watch her next time she records.” Loma pointed out to the girls, yelping as I slapped at her arm. For some reason, I felt as though she were throwing me under some sort of bus.

“That’s adorable.” Dani confirmed just as our waiter approached our table, asking for our orders. I hadn’t even had time to glance at the menu with all this Harry talk.

After ordering the first thing I read – the chicken and avocado sandwhich – the waiter took down the girls’ orders swiftly before walking away, promising our meals soon.

“Y’know, Haz talks about you.”

I laughed loudly, leaning my head back in an unladylike fashion. “Come off it, El.”

“No she’s right, he does!” Danielle backed up, pausing to take a sip of her water. “The night after the club, right?” She questioned her friend, who nodded earnestly.

“Yeah, we were over and he walked in all smiles and dimples. Said you were a nice girl,”

“Said you were fit, too.” Danielle cut in.

“Alright, alright. I know you guys mean well, but I’m rather over all this talk of Harry. If he likes me, then he will tell me, right? And if I like him... Then...” I trailed my sentence off, looking away from the three pairs of eyes all staring intently at me.

“Luce, we’re mates, yeah? You can tell us if ya’ve got a thing for one of our best friends.”

I looked at Eleanor for a moment as a brief silence swallowed the table. Did I like Harry? I felt ridiculous just thinking the question. Of course I liked Harry – he was a wonderful person, he was in fact a ‘mate’, but did I look at him like I wanted to date him, like I wanted kiss him whenever I saw him?

“I think he’s cute, alright?”

“I knew it!” Dani shouted, pointing her perfectly manicure little finger right in my face. “Oh, Li’s gonna’ be so chuffed!”

“Look, it’s no big deal, can we move on?” I muttered, looking away once again.

“This is so a big deal. Ya’ gonna’ date our mate and be all adorable with him and always be around,”

El’s rambling continued before I could barely breathe under all the fussing, her words mixing in together to form one big blur of excitement. I huffed desperately, looking over to Paloma who had the largest smirk displayed on her lips, her eyes gleaming at my expense.

“Loma likes Niall!” I stated loudly over El and Dani’s chortles.

The table fell silent once again as all eyes darted straight to my lovely best pal, her face now horrified under our gazes.

“Oh, man,” Dani smiled. “This is just brilliant.”



“I can’t believe you did that. I literally cannot believe it.”

I looked up at Paloma with an amused expression. “Oh, calm your farm, would you? El and Dani are harmless. Lovely girls, but, God, they’re stubborn, aren’t they?”

Paloma and I were walking arm in arm after having just left the restaurant, parting Eleanor and
Danielle after having promised to catch up next week sometime. Of course, it would only be myself catching up with them, Loma leaving in two days and all.

“I liked them, they were funny.”

“You only thought they were funny because they basically interrogated me until I broke.”
Loma’s laugh filled the air, her head tilting back as the wind flew around our faces. London was chilly today, offering me yet another regretful decision of a no-sleeve outfit.

“Let’s not ignore that fact that you did break. You have to shack up with Curly before I leave, Cal. I have to see that.”

I groaned loudly, almost dramatically, “I’ll do no such thing, thanks. Unlike you, I don’t flirt my butt off before I bed a guy.”

“Well, maybe you should be more like me, then.” She smiled proudly, nudging me in the side with her elbow.

We finally reached the doorway of Will and I’s apartment lobby where I detached my arm from Loma’s and let her walk ahead of me. As I watched her walk ahead and toward the elevator, strutting with her model confidence, I sighed and hummed to myself, “yeah, maybe I should.”