Apartment No.4

Part 51: BODMAS

Thank you, everyone for having patience with me these past few days, uni has been insane but I love it!

I skimmed through this chapter to proofread so there will be mistakes - like every chapter (soz bout that) but I hope you enjoy!

Love you guys!

Don't forget to VOTE!!

ALSO I JUST WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE WHO HAVE FORGOTTEN OR PEOPLE WHO HAVENT REALISED THIS BOOK IS SET IN ENGLAND!

"Okay, so you always want to do the brackets first." Mason was 'helping' Amy with her homework, which I'm fairly certain she knew exactly how to do since she has won the high achiever's maths award four years in a row, insert eye roll here.

"I just don't get it," she kept saying as they now rolled into their second hour of this tutoring session. Kate and I were having our own little giggling session in the corner of the room as we watched Amy's attempt at flirting.

I got up and walked over to Mason, sliding my hands over his shoulders and snorting internally at the frustrated tension I could feel.

"Kate and I are gonna go into town."

He looked up at me expectantly with a look that I would consider to say, 'take me with you to the safe haven of shopping for shoes!'

"Didn't you say you wanted me to carry bags for you? We could do this later right, Amy?" He moved to get up but I pressed down on his shoulders holding him in place, giggling internally at the disappointment on Amy's face.

"No, no it's fine. You love maths more than shopping, stay and help." I patted his head and he grunted in annoyance. Skipping over to the door where Kate was shrugging on her coat I picked up my own and began to make my way out the door.

"We'll only be gone about 6 hours!" I called out to him and I could see in my head how his nostrils would be flaring.

The ride down to town was peaceful and I got to see all the changes that had been made since I was living with dad. Mason and I didn't get a chance to run down to town last time and I'd promised him I'd take him this time around.

Getting out at the town square we decided the best place to go would be the best cafe in town, 'Jane and Jans'.

"I have some news," Kate started, holding her coffee between her hands to warm them up. Nodding expectantly, I pulled off my gloves and waited for her to continue as she took a deep breath.

"I'm moving."

"Oh really! Did you find a place? Is it close?" I stirred sugar into my tea, looking up at her in excitement

"Uh, not really. I'm moving to Ireland."

I'm sorry, what now?

"Huh? Does your mum know about this?" My tea forgotten, I examined her. She was nervous, she wouldn't make eye contact with me for long nor would she stop fidgeting.

"Well that's the thing, you're the only one that knows."
There was a tense pause between us for a period of time, and the quiet chatter in the cafe seemed to swallow us whole. This was news and a half.

How did I feel about this? It's one thing to move for uni like I did, but to move to a whole other country?

"I'm happy for you if you're happy... and if you've thought this through," I assured her, slowly and softly, returning my attention to my tea and the croissant the waitress had brought over while we were thinking.

"I am! I can't wait, I've had a transfer to a sister university over there and my best friend Alannah is moving with me," she continued telling me all about her plans and I gotta say, that was the most I've ever heard Kate speak.
Maybe this would be good for her, give her a fresh start and she was obviously excited.

After we'd finished our tea and coffee, we walked around town visiting the local gift shops and clothing stores, where I bought Mason a new pair of sunglasses since I sat on his old ones...

While Kate was in the bookstore I walked across the road to stare in the window of the pet shop like I used to when I was a child.

It reminded me of my idea to get dad a dog but now that he had Pamela I wasn't sure I needed to... but who doesn't love a dog!

"I swear to god if you leave me with that kid again I'm gonna have to shave my head."

I grinned at the sound of Mason's frustration and focused on his reflection in the window. He was wearing a scowl that was adorable but I'd never say that to his face.

"Shave your head? That's a weird reaction." I stated calmly, watching the fish swim around in their tank.

"She's making my hair fall out, look." I turned to see him pulling a section of his hair back to expose a supposed bald spot that was not there.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed, "We're going to have to get hair laser treatment, you're officially going to look like a 47-year-old professor at the uni."

He rolled his eyes and pulled me in close for a peck on the lips.

"Please, please, please don't leave me alone with her." He begged, his hands holding my shoulders tightly.

"What are you going to do if I do?" I pursed my lips, my eyebrows raised as if daring him to argue against me.

"Well, you've-"

"Did I come at a bad time?" Chimed Kate as she stepped beside us, a bag full of books by her side.

"Nope, all good. You two ready to head back?" Asked Mason pushing me away with a smirk so I stumbled on my feet. Tempted but resisting the urge to flick his ear, I looked my arm through a giggling Kate's and we strutted off in an attempt to beat Mason to the closest taxi but what with his long legs he kept up easily.

The rest of our long weekend went so quickly I barely had time to blink.  On our way back home Mason and I stopped off in town to have a look around - which included me literally pulling Mason out of the tech shop (that wasn't there when I was last here) to stop him from buying a drone, and him pulling me out of three clothing stores before I could buy a new pair of black heels that I apparently 'already known'. Ugh, men. They never understand the necessity of having three different kinds of black shoes.

"But you don't understand!" I cried as we strolled hand in hand down the pavement towards the ice-cream store. "There's a significant difference between blue-black, charcoal and midnight black!"

"Just like there's a difference between a remote controlled car and a drone." He retaliated, his eyebrows raised daring me to argue.

"Well- I- you're not getting - fine!"

Just as we were ordering our ice-cream - cookies and cream for me all the way - Mason got a call and had to take it outside. Of course, with the effects of Aunty Carol'sreading still in my head, I immediately thought it was the hospital but one look at the ice-cream being handed over the counter towards me and reminded myself that everything would be fine.

"Ashley Anderson." Sneered a male voice who I instantly recognised.