Someone Out There Loves You

Knock... knock.

Who the hell could that be? How come I never know when I’m getting visitors? I pulled myself up knowing I looked a state. I had a pair of shorts on which were covered in paint from when I decorated my room last year. This was worn with a white vest top which had a stain on it from where I spilt coffee on it last night. My hair was messy and sticking up and what was left of the eyeliner I put on for the party was smeared across my face. I didn’t think it would be anyone special at the door, but what do you know? Life’s full of surprises.

“Will?” I exclaimed shocked. Why was he here? Will cringed and I thought it was because I was a mess but he spoke.

“I didn’t wake you did I?” He asked worried.

“Er, no.” I answered because he never. In fact I didn’t even go to sleep last night. I just sat up staring into space and drinking coffee after coffee. “What are you doing here?”

“I was worried. I mean you just ran off last night. You could have been murdered or raped or something!” It shocked me that he admitted he was worried. He had known me, what, three days. I didn’t know anything about him and he knew nothing about me. It wasn’t as if we were friends.

“Well, I’m still in one piece.” I assured him patting my self down. He let his eyes travel over me and I became uncomfortable. I never did like people staring.

“Yeah, I can see that.” He chuckled making his eyes crinkle up in a nice way. He scratched the back of his neck and we were left in an awkward silence.

“Erm, do you want to come in or something?” I felt like I had to ask him. I mean he was stood there with a goofy hopeful smile on his face. He sure did look lovely doing it though.

“I’d love too.” He grinned.

“Just so you know my flat is a mess.” I warned him. He laughed.

“Don’t worry; I live alone with my brother. I’m use to mess.” He assured me.

“Yeah, I’m sure this is way worse.” I stepped aside so he could enter my home and he gazed around silently for a moment. I heard him suck in his breath before he turned to face me. I waited for him to say that maybe this wasn’t such a good idea but to my surprise he burst out laughing.

“I love it!” He exclaimed pointing to the corner. I felt a smile tugging at my lips. After I got home bawling my eyes out I created a little “den”. It was just a sheet nailed to the ceiling with the edges draping on the floor. I placed towels on the floor so my butt didn’t have to touch the grimy floor boards. I threw a load of cushions in to make it comfier. Also a couple of books in case I felt like reading which I didn’t. I decided this would be my new bed for when I don’t pass out somewhere in the house.

“It’s very fairy princess meets girl next door.” He carried on, chuckling. “Do you mind?” He asked gesturing towards my creation.

“Go ahead,” I told him. He grinned and dived onto my “bed”.

“This is so cool!” He shouted. I couldn’t help my self giggling at his childishness. “Great Expectations.” He read a title from one of the books. “Have you read this yet?” He asked seriously.

I shook my head. “No I just have it there to make myself look smart.” He narrowed his eyes unsure whether I was joking or not. It was a bit of both. It was her favourite book and I couldn’t bear to throw it away. She used to read it to me when I was younger. She never liked me reading those gossip magazines; instead getting me into the great works of Charles Dickens.

“What did you do to your arm?” His voice shocked me out of my day dream and I saw him staring at the scab which had formed near my shoulder. A wave of panic went through me. It started at my head and flowed all the way down to my stomach. I suddenly felt sick. My hand instantly flew up to cover my wound.

“Oh, I fell.” I mumbled as a pathetic excuse for what I really did. He scrunched his eyes up in confusion and I knew he didn’t believe me but instead of pressing the subject like I imagined him to, he just left it. “I’m just gonna go and get changed.” I muttered. “You can find a way to entertain yourself for the next few minutes.”

“I’ll try.” He smiled. I knew it was a fake one though. After this he will make his excuses and leave. Why would he want to hang around with a freak like me? I quickly got changed into some clean clothes and got washed. When I reappeared, Will was still there. He was thumbing through the pages of my book and snorting at something.

“Who would name their son Phillip Pirrip? It’s such a weird name.” He muttered to himself rather than me.

I nodded agreeing. “I never did like the story much. I don’t understand how he can claim to be in love with Estella when she just treats him like crap all the time. I bet it was just because she would look good on his arm. All he saw was a pair of boobs and a nice backside. Typical man.” I cursed thinking of my father. Will looked at me confused before muttering a “wow”.

“Not all men are like that, you know.” he told me sincerely.

“Yeah, prove it.” I ordered him. Why did I have to be so stubborn? I saw his face crinkle up into a slight frown then smooth out again into a smile.

“I kinder really hungry right now so why don’t we go get some breakfast and I’ll prove it to you then?”

I pursed my lips in thought for a moment before I felt them curving into a slight smile. What was it about this boy that made me do this sort of stuff? “I’d like that.” I told him shyly.

“Great! Come on, my cars park outside.” He exclaimed before taking my hand (making me blush like a loon) and leading me outside.

Fifteen minutes later we were sat inside a little cafe. It wasn’t the one were his friend worked which was just fine by me.

“So,” I started leaning forward a little, “You said you live with your brother?”

“Ah, yes, Luke.” Will said with a proud smile on his face. “I think he’s about your age actually. How old are you?”

“Eighteen.” I replied smelling the freshly ground coffee coming from the tables next to us.

“Then he’s exactly your age.” Will replied shrugging. “The ‘rents are off on this around the world cruise thing. They should be back in a few months so in the meantime Luke is living with me. Apparently they wanted to go from before I was born but my Mum fell pregnant with me.” He scrunched up his face as if remembering exactly what his parents had to do for his Mum to fall pregnant then shook his head as if to remove the thought.

“So how old are you?” I questioned smiling at the waiter who had just brought my water. If I drank anymore coffee this morning I wouldn’t be able to sleep for weeks.

“Twenty one.” He answered. “Why?”

“You look younger.” I told him shrugging.

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” He asked raising his eyebrow.

“Oh it’s definitely a good thing. I can usually tell some ones age, not just by how they look but how they act as well. Where I use to live everyone older then me use to have a kind of arrogance about them. They used to look down on me simply because I was younger. I don’t know if it’s like that here because I haven’t exactly socialised myself with anyone.” I took a sip of water after I had finished and studied Will. He seemed to be nodding his head in agreement.

“Yeah, I can understand that. I don’t think I’m like that though, or my friends.”

“You mean the one in the Cafe?” I stated raising an eyebrow.

“Oh Gerry? Yeah, you kinder have to get use to him. It’s an acquired taste.” He told me smiling. “Anyway what do you want to eat?”

“Er...” What did I want to eat? I hadn’t consumed anything properly in days. My stomach couldn’t decide what it wanted. “I’ll have what you’re having.”

“I eat loads though. That’s why I’m so fat.” He said patting his body. There was something in the way he said it, the way his eyes weren’t twinkling that I knew he wasn’t joking.

“Will, you’re not fat.” I told him firmly. It was the truth though. He wasn’t. Soft maybe, cuddly definitely.

He smiled weakly at me. “Okay, anyway I think I’m just going to have pancakes.”

“Pancakes it is then.” I confirmed.

We ate our breakfast in reasonable silence. The conversation just got kinder awkward after the whole “fat” thing. After we had eaten I tried to give Will some money to pay for my food but he wouldn’t take it. How gentleman like of him.

“I just need to get something from my house before I take you home.” Will said once we were back in his car. “Do you want to come in?” He asked. Suddenly a wave of panic washed through me. If I went in, it would mean I have to meet his brother and he was bound to hate me.

“I’m good.” I replied shakily. He gave me a funny look before leaving his car and entering what I presumed was his house. He was only gone about five minutes and when he came out he was holding a bag of C.D’s.

“Just something my friend lent me. He wants them back now.” He said in an unneeded explanation. I nodded my head and Will drove me back to my flat. I was surprised to find it was only about ten minutes away in a car.

“So,” Will cleared his throat then begun to speak to me again. “I’ll see you around?”

I suddenly blushed. “Yeah, that sounds, um, good.” I bit my lip and tried to avoid his eye. “Um, bye Will.”

“Bye Gabriella.” Will replied back. He blew me an exaggerated kiss and winked at me jokingly before driving off.

I didn’t even go near the alcohol that night.