Not A Game

Rain thudded against every available surface, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled in the distance. It was mid summer and a storm had hit, a sweaty and sticky storm.

I sat in my lounge room underneath the air conditioner, a bowl of ice cream between my thighs and Pretty Woman replaying on my television screen. The amount of times I had watched this eighties classic was lost to me. I was able to recite every line perfectly and on cue.

A fast knock at my front door startled me, grabbing my bowl I placed it on my small wooden coffee table before getting to my feet, running my fingers through my knotted blonde hair I tried to make myself more presentable considering I had yet to brush my damp hair.

Who would want to be out in this horrible weather?

The knock sounded again, furrowing my brows together I reached my front door. Pulling it open a gasp fell from my lips at who stood before me, soaked to the bone and wearing a wide grin as he looked down at his phone.

“Christopher?”

Quickly his eyes shot up locking with mine, the bright blue flashed with the lightening above.

“Hello Ellen,” his voice was deep with a British lilt to each of his words. It had been a few years since I had seen Christopher Leighton, my best friend, he had left on an expedition, or adventure as he likes to call it, to find the entrance to El Dorado. The lost city of gold. In the beginning I had received several postcards from the many places is South America, but they slowly became less frequent as did his phone calls and text messages. So seeing him here now, back in Australia, standing on my front verandah I became overwhelmed with several different emotion.

“Oh my god!” I threw myself against him hugging him tightly feeling his muscular arms wrap around me as a chuckle left his lips, “When did you get back?”

“About an hour ago, hey what do you say we go inside yeah? It’s pissing down out here.”

“Nah I am going to make you stand out here in this beautiful weather,” I joked playfully before turning and walking in, allowing him to enter before closing the door behind him. “How did you even get here? You are saturated. Wait, you walked didn’t you?”

“Well I don’t have a car anymore, so yes I walked,” shaking my head I looked at him sighing.

“Well, I think I have some clothes of yours here somewhere,” The male cocked one of his brows questioningly.

“Now how did you get them?”

“You left them here when you got drunk one night and crashed at mine, don’t worry I haven’t secretly snooped through your cupboards and taken any. I’m weird but not that weird.”

“I don’t know Ellen I wouldn’t put it passed you to do something like that.” I stuck my tongue out at the male before turning causing him to chuckle before I turned and headed toward the spare room where his clothes sat in the large chest of drawers. Grabbing them I left and headed back to the lounge room where Christopher was now looking at my photo board. Walking up behind him I wrapped my right arm around his waist.

“I have missed you Chris,” I admitted resting my forehead on his shoulder.

“I have missed you too Ellie,” his hands rested on my arm as he continued to scan over the wall. Walking around so I stood next to him and surveyed the wall with him. “You look so much like your mum.” the male pointed out as he reached out and pressed his finger against a framed photo of both my mother and myself. It was a recent photo that had been taken by my dad when we were on Holiday in Melbourne. The two of us were in the spa holding glasses of some fruity cocktail when dad took the shot. It was one of my favourites out of the many that decorated my wall.

My mother and I were almost carbon copies of one and other but there were select differences that I had inherited from my dad. Like his light eyes and tall figure, but the res was my mother, same facial features, dark honey blonde hair and a rectangular body shape.

“Yes, I do… which is good considering she is a stunner.”

“No lie there,” the way he said it caused me to look at him with raised eyebrows however his attention stayed on the photos.

“Is there something you want to tell me Christopher?” the smile that twitched at the corners of his lips let me know he was playing with me.

“Well let’s be honest I didn’t come over in summer just for your Dad’s barbecues,” I slapped his shoulder lightly. “I’m kidding gosh!” he laughed as he flinched away from my hand. “But she is hot as far as mothers go. You’re lucky. You are gonna look like that when you get older.”

“Finger crossed. Also these are yours.” I smiled handing him the nicely folded clothes.

“Ah, Thanks Ellie,” Picking up the shirt he allowed it to fall open. “How long have you had these?” his brows quirked as he scanned over the item. “Like four, five years?”

“Three and a half to be exact,” I corrected, “It was that night you got incredibly drunk and I ended up picking you up from Alex’s bucks night, remember, you stayed the night?” The male shook his head as he looked down at the folded clothes that I had placed in his hands.

“I don’t remember much from that night to be honest.”

“Well I can imagine you were pretty bloody drunk, it was hilarious,. you couldn’t even stand up, I had to carry you to bed and by carry I mean drag you to my spare room and throw you on the bed because you are heavy as fuck Chris.” the male turned to look at me his mouth agape.

“Are you calling me fat young lady?”

“No, just solid.” he chuckled shaking his head before looking down at the clothes. “Well you better go get changed than you have to tell me everything from your trip I want to hear everything about El Dorado.” it was true I was more than excited to hear about the males expedition. It had been three and a half years of exploring, he had so much to tell her.

“Of course you do,” he chuckled shaking his head before turning and heading into the bathroom.