GOLDEN | DANI ROJAS

XXXIX: A Brief Interlude

Fittingly, it rained all the way to Jamie's house. It seemed to come down the second Dani was out of view. The lack of sunshine only made Connie think of Dani more, wishing for him to light up her day and make her forget the dark clouds looming above her. But, she needed to shake the thought. She needed to think less, if only for a few hours.

Connie came to a halt outside Jamie's house, looking as stupidly rich as every other house alongside it. Footballers and their Premier League paycheques. Connie knocked, and within seconds, an ever-confused Jamie Tartt was stood before her.

"Connie," greeted Jamie with a little nod of his head. He was slow to pick up on her demeanour, noting that she looked exhausted and utterly defeated. "You alright?"

Connie shook her head, sniffling as she walked past Jamie and into his house. The warmth hit her immediately, making her rain-soaked jacket seem heavier and colder than it had felt before. She was quick to shrug it off, handing it to Jamie who hung it on a coatrack next to the door. Connie toed her shoes off, leaving them next to the radiator to dry off.

"Want a hot chocolate?" asked Jamie, walking in front of Connie as they headed to his living room. "I don't make a good cuppa, or I'd offer you one of those."

"Hot chocolate is good," replied Connie. She settled down on the couch, quick to wrap herself in a grey fleece. Jamie was about to walk out when Connie added, "Get the wine as well, please? The good wine."

Jamie almost scoffed, never too pleased about opening one of the many bottles of wine he seemed to keep purely for what Connie liked to call 'looking rich' purposes. But, Connie looked sad, so he obliged anyway.

After a few minutes, Jamie was walking back into the living room with a mug in each hand and an open bottle of red wine held precariously under his arm. Connie moved quickly to take the mugs out of his hands, the pair sighing in relief when Jamie put the bottle down on the coffee table without any spills.

"Didn't have any wine glasses, so mugs it is," said Jamie, sitting on the opposite end of the couch to Connie.

"You had them last time I came," replied Connie quietly, her brows furrowed. "What happened to the hot chocolate?"

"Couldn't be fucked," shrugged Jamie. Connie just nodded, understanding not wanting to go through the effort. She was tired as well.

The pair sat quietly for about half an hour, only the sounds of the television and slow sips on wine to be heard. Jamie scrolled aimlessly through Twitter, but Connie didn't even want to look at her phone. Knowing her luck, Bonnie had spoken to Ted by now and she'd be flooded with congratulatory messages.

Eventually, Jamie grew bored of scrolling and turned to Connie. She stared at the television, playing Derry Girls at her own request, but she didn't seem to be watching anything. Connie was deep in thought, and Jamie felt like no one should be that deep in thought when they were drinking wine out of a mug with their friend.

"Did Dani do something? 'Cause I'll fucking kill him. Me and Roy," asked Jamie, startling Connie out of her daze.

"Yes and no," replied Connie, placing her bright yellow mug on the coffee table and adjusting herself so she sat facing Jamie. "Nothing worth killing him over, just a bit of a disagreement."

"I feel like this is more Keeley's department," said Jamie, fumbling for his phone.

Connie didn't protest as Jamie called Keeley. It had been a while since she'd seen the blonde as she'd been so busy with her new company. Her company wouldn't hurt, Connie thought, and within ten minutes, Keeley was rushing into the house in all her pink sequinned glory.