Sofa
One.
Ed was never a fan of surprises. So, after a long day at work being yelled at by people, all he wanted to do was eat some fajitas and sit on the sofa. He should have known Kinsley had different plans. In retrospect, he should've expected it from the get go. Seven straight hours at a grocery store doing customer service was a nightmare, and he was glad to be home. Dragging his feet off the bus and to the front door felt like relief and he couldn’t wait to sit down with Kinsley and do nothing. He tried to open the door with no luck. "What?" He mumbled.
He had texted Kinsley earlier at work and she was home; she didn't have school today, so the door shouldn’t be locked. Fumbling around for his keys, he quickly unlocked the door, and slid in. He kicked off his shoes and put his keys on the table. "Kinsley?" He called, wondering where she was. There were no obvious signs of anyone being home, no music blaring, no TV on, or lights. The quiet made Ed worry he forgot to pay the electric bill again. "Kins ?" He called again, dragging his feet to the kitchen. He glanced downstairs for any signs of someone being home. Just as he turned around, the lights flicked on, making him turn before hearing, "Surprise!" and having confetti thrown in his face.
He took a step back and looked at the people, all wearing large smiles and goofy hats. Kinsley appeared from the crowd.
"Surprise!" She wore a large smile that took up her whole face.
"Y-yeah." was all he could manage. All he could think was how much he hated his life right now. "I thought we should have a few friends over," she said, shifting her weight from one foot to the next, "After your big news?"
It came out as more of a question, as she nibbled her lip. She knew he didn't like surprises, so she was hoping he wasn't too upset about this. "Y-Yeah, thanks." He smiled, trying to act like he appreciated it. It was a kind gesture, he knew, but this wasn't what he wanted now. She let out a small smile, still not convinced.
"It's not a big party or anything." She sighed, turning around, looking at the small group of people. "Or lots of decorations--" Ed glanced at the wall, which was decorated with a white banner that read, ‘CONGRATS ED’ that was clearly just finished, as the little paint tubes lay on the table, the caps off and leaking. "But we have cake!" someone from the crowd yelled. Ed finally smiled, "It's perfect." He reached and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers . She smiled, glancing outside.
"Amelie, if you want to do that bonfire-" Amelie ran up the stairs two stairs at the time without waiting for her to finish , glancing outside. "It's supposed to rain tonight, Teddy!" she yelled over her shoulder, already pulling a hoodie she had on the table over her head. "We need to get the fire started!" She ran outside, not waiting for him. A second later, Teddy emerged from the crowd. He sighed, dragging his feet up the stairs, mumbling profanities under his breath.
The small group stayed downstairs before getting the hint and following Teddy up the stairs, nudging Kinsley on their way out. Once they were out and loudly arguing about how to start the fire Kinsley made her way to the kitchen, ready to decorate the cake. Ed followed her, leaning against the counter, his face squished into fist , as he watched her intently. "How was work?" She mumbled, grabbing a tip and screwing it onto the end of a clear bag before filling it with frosting .
"So much fun," he snorted, rolling his eyes, "And I get to go back Monday and do it all over again!" She blew her hair out of her face, glaring at the cake.
"Why don't you quit then?" He snorted, "I can't just quit."
She shrugged, "Why not? You finally got signed."
He watched her contently as she decorated the cake slowly in cursive writing out ‘Congrats’, while her tongue poked out of the side of her mouth in concentration. She never took her eyes off the cake, glaring at it as she spoke to him.
“Quitting just isn’t an option,Kins." He insisted. "It'll be a while before I get anything for it, and even then it will be so little it won't matter." She shrugged, setting down the little bag, before turning to get a spoon. When she turned around, Ed had his finger in the bowl, trying to get a finger full of the peanut butter frosting. "Hey!" She slapped his hand away, pulling the bowl to her side away from him with a small smile on her face.
"My Mum said I could work in her store a few hours of week. That might help a little." Ed shook his head automatically, knowing how they didn't get along. “No,I think we’ll be ok how we are now.” It was silent as she finished the cake with a few small flowers in the corner. "It'll only be for a few hours." She insisted, grabbing a spoon out of the cabinet by her waist. She was clearly trying to talk herself into thinking it was a good idea.
"It's only cleaning dishes and whatnot and it'll only be for a few hours a week, but it's something."
Ed hesitated , "A job you'll hate and school? We'll both come home so upset. It'll be horrible." She shrugged, "But after a little while you can quit . You'll have your dream job," She nodded one final time, taking the spoon and scooping a small spoonful of the frosting before handing it to Ed, who took it eagerly like a child.
"Yes, but it won't take that much longer if we keep doing what we're doing." She shrugged, not wanting to make this into an argument. It was quiet for a few minutes as she scrubbed the bowl clean before she spoke. "I hope you're not mad about the party." she finally murmured, not taking her eyes off the cake. She rubbed her forehead, "I called Annie to tell her and she raced over."
Her eyes traveled to the ceiling for a second before snapping back to him, "Not that I'm not proud that you finally got signed, I just know you don't like this sort of thing." He shook his head, coming over to her side.
"Why would I be angry?"
She sighed, setting running her hand through her hair, nibbling on her lip. "Listen, tomorrow we won't do anything. We can stay here and watch movies or something, ok? Just get through tonight."
Ed shook his head, "Babe, it's not like tonight's some kind of punishment-" She cut him off, “They'll be gone before midnight, so it's only a few hours." She stood on her tip toes, kissing him, before taking him by his hand and leading him to the fridge. The small journey around the house included grabbing his favorite beer, and grabbing his favorite hoodie, before handing him that too, and pushing him out the door.
She stayed behind, finishing up the cake, before bringing out the few boxes of pizza she had ordered and set them up. "Plates, Kin?" Teddy asked, grabbing an oily slice of pizza and rotating it in his hands, it being too hot to stay still. "Crap, one second." She ran inside, grabbing them, only to see Ed in there.
"I ordered some pizza, it's in the backyard." She rummaged through the cabinets, debating between paper or glass plates. She shifted her weight as she considered her options, before she felt arms snake around her waist. "Ed," She sighed.
He interrupted her, "You haven't sat down all night. How am I supposed to celebrate if my girlfriend isn't with me?"
She sighed, rubbing her forehead, "I just want it to be perfect."
He smiled, "It is perfect. It was perfect before the cake or the banner or the food." She shook her head, not believing him, "You getting signed is a big deal. We should've invited everyone’s family over or something. I just didn't think about it until now and-"
"Stop," he finally said, shaking his head, "This is perfect. I want you to enjoy it too."
She nodded, finally standing on her tip toes again, grabbing the glass plates. "I am." she insisted. He knit his eyebrow, his forehead crinkling in confusion , not believing her. "Looking out the window at everyone doesn’t count as ‘enjoying it’." She sighed, her shoulders slumped, defeated.
"Listen," he took the bowl from her hands, setting it back in the sink. "Come on." he grabbed her hand, leading her to the fridge. "Lighten up," he insisted, handing her a can of beer. She groaned. The last thing she needed was an alcoholic beverage. He managed to sneak one for himself, thinking Kinsley didn’t see it. She allowed him to lead her to the door before she spoke.
"What number is that, five?" she teased, a small smile on her face. He smiled in returned, shutting the door behind them, "Excuse you, only the second." She plopped down on one of the green fold out chairs scattered around the outskirts of the fire. "So… plus three?" she teased . He groaned, dragging the lawn chair over next to her.
A few hours later, everyone stood around the fire, the lawn chairs kicked to the side. Teddy was sitting next to it, his arm wrapped around Amelie, while the others lingered, talking and drinking. Kinsley looked for Ed. She stood on her tip toes, hating how short she was. She had no idea where he could have run off to.
"Maybe he's by the garden or-" A hand slapped onto her shoulder, before she heard breathing in her ear.
"SURPRISE!"
She winced at the smell of alcohol on his breath, before turning around. "Jesus Christ, Edward." Her hand was on her heart, trying to get her breathing back to normal. He giggled, "Gotcha." He was swaying side to side, clutching a beer can.
"Someone's happy." She shook her head at him, not believing he was drunk. He nodded, "Why wouldn't I be? I'm with my girlfriend and my friends-" He tried to walk over to her, stumbling over his feet. She caught him, shaking her head.
"You're drunk."
He stuck his tongue out, nose wrinkled, "No, I'm drunk."
She sighed, draping his arm over her shoulder, "C’mon, let's get to bed." She lead him quietly in, shaking her head at their friends, as they laughed and held their beer cans up at him, prompting him to do the same. It seemed like such a long journey to their bedroom, before she finally got him into the bed. He got into the bed, without arguing, only upset when he found out she wasn't going to be sleeping with him now. She felt like she was talking to a child, "I'll be up soon." she promised as she called from the bathroom. She appeared by his side with a small bottle of aspirin and glass of water. "Goodnight," she said quietly, as he situated himself, his eyes slowly falling. She shut the door behind her quietly, before shaking her head in her hand and going back downstairs.
He had texted Kinsley earlier at work and she was home; she didn't have school today, so the door shouldn’t be locked. Fumbling around for his keys, he quickly unlocked the door, and slid in. He kicked off his shoes and put his keys on the table. "Kinsley?" He called, wondering where she was. There were no obvious signs of anyone being home, no music blaring, no TV on, or lights. The quiet made Ed worry he forgot to pay the electric bill again. "Kins ?" He called again, dragging his feet to the kitchen. He glanced downstairs for any signs of someone being home. Just as he turned around, the lights flicked on, making him turn before hearing, "Surprise!" and having confetti thrown in his face.
He took a step back and looked at the people, all wearing large smiles and goofy hats. Kinsley appeared from the crowd.
"Surprise!" She wore a large smile that took up her whole face.
"Y-yeah." was all he could manage. All he could think was how much he hated his life right now. "I thought we should have a few friends over," she said, shifting her weight from one foot to the next, "After your big news?"
It came out as more of a question, as she nibbled her lip. She knew he didn't like surprises, so she was hoping he wasn't too upset about this. "Y-Yeah, thanks." He smiled, trying to act like he appreciated it. It was a kind gesture, he knew, but this wasn't what he wanted now. She let out a small smile, still not convinced.
"It's not a big party or anything." She sighed, turning around, looking at the small group of people. "Or lots of decorations--" Ed glanced at the wall, which was decorated with a white banner that read, ‘CONGRATS ED’ that was clearly just finished, as the little paint tubes lay on the table, the caps off and leaking. "But we have cake!" someone from the crowd yelled. Ed finally smiled, "It's perfect." He reached and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers . She smiled, glancing outside.
"Amelie, if you want to do that bonfire-" Amelie ran up the stairs two stairs at the time without waiting for her to finish , glancing outside. "It's supposed to rain tonight, Teddy!" she yelled over her shoulder, already pulling a hoodie she had on the table over her head. "We need to get the fire started!" She ran outside, not waiting for him. A second later, Teddy emerged from the crowd. He sighed, dragging his feet up the stairs, mumbling profanities under his breath.
The small group stayed downstairs before getting the hint and following Teddy up the stairs, nudging Kinsley on their way out. Once they were out and loudly arguing about how to start the fire Kinsley made her way to the kitchen, ready to decorate the cake. Ed followed her, leaning against the counter, his face squished into fist , as he watched her intently. "How was work?" She mumbled, grabbing a tip and screwing it onto the end of a clear bag before filling it with frosting .
"So much fun," he snorted, rolling his eyes, "And I get to go back Monday and do it all over again!" She blew her hair out of her face, glaring at the cake.
"Why don't you quit then?" He snorted, "I can't just quit."
She shrugged, "Why not? You finally got signed."
He watched her contently as she decorated the cake slowly in cursive writing out ‘Congrats’, while her tongue poked out of the side of her mouth in concentration. She never took her eyes off the cake, glaring at it as she spoke to him.
“Quitting just isn’t an option,Kins." He insisted. "It'll be a while before I get anything for it, and even then it will be so little it won't matter." She shrugged, setting down the little bag, before turning to get a spoon. When she turned around, Ed had his finger in the bowl, trying to get a finger full of the peanut butter frosting. "Hey!" She slapped his hand away, pulling the bowl to her side away from him with a small smile on her face.
"My Mum said I could work in her store a few hours of week. That might help a little." Ed shook his head automatically, knowing how they didn't get along. “No,I think we’ll be ok how we are now.” It was silent as she finished the cake with a few small flowers in the corner. "It'll only be for a few hours." She insisted, grabbing a spoon out of the cabinet by her waist. She was clearly trying to talk herself into thinking it was a good idea.
"It's only cleaning dishes and whatnot and it'll only be for a few hours a week, but it's something."
Ed hesitated , "A job you'll hate and school? We'll both come home so upset. It'll be horrible." She shrugged, "But after a little while you can quit . You'll have your dream job," She nodded one final time, taking the spoon and scooping a small spoonful of the frosting before handing it to Ed, who took it eagerly like a child.
"Yes, but it won't take that much longer if we keep doing what we're doing." She shrugged, not wanting to make this into an argument. It was quiet for a few minutes as she scrubbed the bowl clean before she spoke. "I hope you're not mad about the party." she finally murmured, not taking her eyes off the cake. She rubbed her forehead, "I called Annie to tell her and she raced over."
Her eyes traveled to the ceiling for a second before snapping back to him, "Not that I'm not proud that you finally got signed, I just know you don't like this sort of thing." He shook his head, coming over to her side.
"Why would I be angry?"
She sighed, setting running her hand through her hair, nibbling on her lip. "Listen, tomorrow we won't do anything. We can stay here and watch movies or something, ok? Just get through tonight."
Ed shook his head, "Babe, it's not like tonight's some kind of punishment-" She cut him off, “They'll be gone before midnight, so it's only a few hours." She stood on her tip toes, kissing him, before taking him by his hand and leading him to the fridge. The small journey around the house included grabbing his favorite beer, and grabbing his favorite hoodie, before handing him that too, and pushing him out the door.
She stayed behind, finishing up the cake, before bringing out the few boxes of pizza she had ordered and set them up. "Plates, Kin?" Teddy asked, grabbing an oily slice of pizza and rotating it in his hands, it being too hot to stay still. "Crap, one second." She ran inside, grabbing them, only to see Ed in there.
"I ordered some pizza, it's in the backyard." She rummaged through the cabinets, debating between paper or glass plates. She shifted her weight as she considered her options, before she felt arms snake around her waist. "Ed," She sighed.
He interrupted her, "You haven't sat down all night. How am I supposed to celebrate if my girlfriend isn't with me?"
She sighed, rubbing her forehead, "I just want it to be perfect."
He smiled, "It is perfect. It was perfect before the cake or the banner or the food." She shook her head, not believing him, "You getting signed is a big deal. We should've invited everyone’s family over or something. I just didn't think about it until now and-"
"Stop," he finally said, shaking his head, "This is perfect. I want you to enjoy it too."
She nodded, finally standing on her tip toes again, grabbing the glass plates. "I am." she insisted. He knit his eyebrow, his forehead crinkling in confusion , not believing her. "Looking out the window at everyone doesn’t count as ‘enjoying it’." She sighed, her shoulders slumped, defeated.
"Listen," he took the bowl from her hands, setting it back in the sink. "Come on." he grabbed her hand, leading her to the fridge. "Lighten up," he insisted, handing her a can of beer. She groaned. The last thing she needed was an alcoholic beverage. He managed to sneak one for himself, thinking Kinsley didn’t see it. She allowed him to lead her to the door before she spoke.
"What number is that, five?" she teased, a small smile on her face. He smiled in returned, shutting the door behind them, "Excuse you, only the second." She plopped down on one of the green fold out chairs scattered around the outskirts of the fire. "So… plus three?" she teased . He groaned, dragging the lawn chair over next to her.
A few hours later, everyone stood around the fire, the lawn chairs kicked to the side. Teddy was sitting next to it, his arm wrapped around Amelie, while the others lingered, talking and drinking. Kinsley looked for Ed. She stood on her tip toes, hating how short she was. She had no idea where he could have run off to.
"Maybe he's by the garden or-" A hand slapped onto her shoulder, before she heard breathing in her ear.
"SURPRISE!"
She winced at the smell of alcohol on his breath, before turning around. "Jesus Christ, Edward." Her hand was on her heart, trying to get her breathing back to normal. He giggled, "Gotcha." He was swaying side to side, clutching a beer can.
"Someone's happy." She shook her head at him, not believing he was drunk. He nodded, "Why wouldn't I be? I'm with my girlfriend and my friends-" He tried to walk over to her, stumbling over his feet. She caught him, shaking her head.
"You're drunk."
He stuck his tongue out, nose wrinkled, "No, I'm drunk."
She sighed, draping his arm over her shoulder, "C’mon, let's get to bed." She lead him quietly in, shaking her head at their friends, as they laughed and held their beer cans up at him, prompting him to do the same. It seemed like such a long journey to their bedroom, before she finally got him into the bed. He got into the bed, without arguing, only upset when he found out she wasn't going to be sleeping with him now. She felt like she was talking to a child, "I'll be up soon." she promised as she called from the bathroom. She appeared by his side with a small bottle of aspirin and glass of water. "Goodnight," she said quietly, as he situated himself, his eyes slowly falling. She shut the door behind her quietly, before shaking her head in her hand and going back downstairs.