"i'm crazy but you like that" - skins

Episode 5.3

It was 8:01pm, and I was walking to Freddie's house to pick him up for our 'date'.
I wasn't sure why I'd asked him to do this. Was it out of anger at what Cook had done? Was it out of resentment for Effy and her smug face when she told me what Cook had done? Was it to prove to Naomi that I didn't have feelings for Cook? Or was it to try and prove that to myself? I was unsure. Maybe it was a mix of all of them.

I knocked on Freddie's door and he answered with a giant smile on his face.
"Hi!" He grinned.
I looked down and noticed the wicker picnic basket he was clutching in his hand and I frowned. "What the fuck is that?"
"It's for our... date." He stammered slightly.
"It's a picnic basket." I pointed out while raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
"That's a bit much, isn't it?"
"Uh, no." He shook his head, before allowing the smile to return to his face. "Come on. It's just a few sandwiches, some crisps and a couple of cans of Sprite. It's not too fancy for you, don't worry."
I grinned with him. "Okay. Fine. A picnic basket date it is. I can't say I've ever had anything like this, you know?"
"Well, then this is a good start. Let's go." He smiled as he shut the door behind him and we started down the street.

***

Freddie led me to the nearby glen and turned to me as we reached the gate. "Is here alright?"
I smirked at the irony that it was only a couple of months ago that I'd had sex with his best friend here after causing mischief and smashing Johnny White's windows. But I nodded, "here is great."

***

Freddie and I had sat on a small, overused blanket that he'd packed, slowly eating the cheese and pickle sandwiches he'd brought, until the entire glen was pitch black.
He'd told me about the death of his mother and the grief it had left him with. He talked about his sister Karen and a dance competition that she was currently involved with, where she was using the death of their mum as a way to get a sympathy vote, and his disapproval of that. He confided in me about the distance between him and his father and how he wasn't sure where exactly it had went wrong between the two of them.
And I talked to him about Michelle, and how I missed it, and the nightmare we'd put up with with our mother and her never-ending list of new boyfriends, and the pretentious husband she'd ended up with now.

And then Freddie turned and looked at me and exclaimed, "it's eleven o'clock! Where has that time gone?"
I shrugged. "Time flies when you're having fun."
We both giggled a little before he said, "I've actually had a lot of fun, Jofie. You're such a great girl."
I faked a groan and asked teasingly, "are you falling for me, Fred?"
"Not yet." He chuckled, and we both smiled.
"Did you tell Effy we were doing this?" I asked him.
He shook his head. "She still hasn't spoken to me since she saw you in the shed the other day. I could've have told her if I wanted to. Did you tell Cook?"
I scoffed. "No." And when I saw that Freddie was about to question me, I stood up. "Come on. You can walk me home."

***

Freddie and I walked with our shoulders touching down the dark streets.
I noticed him attempting to stand on his tip toes to see around the corner of an ahead street.

"What are you trying to look at?" I wondered.
"Uh, nothing, I -"
And then I realised. "That's Effy's street, isn't it?"
"Uh, yeah." He hung his head.
"I remember from when my sister used to hang out there."
"I just - I want to see if she's okay. This whole silent treatment shit worries me."
"That's why she fucking does it, dickhead." I abruptly pointed out.
"I just want to see if she's okay." He sighed.
I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Come on." I started leading the way.
"But you -"
I sensed the anxiety in his voice and knew exactly what he was about to say. "I'll hide. Don't worry."
"Thanks, Jofie. Honestly, I just need one minute to check she's okay, and then I'll walk you home. I promise."
"And I'll be here." I gestured to a wall directly opposite Effy's house. A car was parked on the road between meaning that I wouldn't be noticeably visible to her, but I could see from where I was.

I watched as Freddie knocked on the door. He stayed put for thirty seconds, before knocking again.
I rolled my eyes at his resilience despite it looking like she wasn't answering.
After another thirty seconds, he stepped backwards and began scanning the windows.

And right on cue, Effy's curtain swung open, and it wasn't just her.
I froze as I saw Effy stood in a t-shirt that was recognisably Cook's, that I'd wore before. And Cook stood behind her, with his arm possessively around her. He was topless, and he was looking smugly at Freddie.

My breath was caught in my throat and my heart was pounding, but I stood up immediately and walked directly over to Freddie's side.
As he saw me, Cook's face switched to shock, and then to anger. I couldn't see why he'd be angry, and I hated him for it. Had I expected an apologetic look from him? I'd be stupid to.
I felt the anger fire up even more as I watched Effy's expression turn from the hurt, victimised one she was giving Freddie, into a smug one similar to Cook's as she stared at me.

"Fuck this." I snapped, grabbing Freddie by a the hand, and dragging him away. "Come on."

***

Freddie and I walked at a pace that was brisk enough to leave us both out of breath, and he followed my lead without questioning where I was intending on heading.

"I can't fucking believe it." He ranted. "I just can't believe she'd do this."
I scoffed. "I can."
"And Cook? He's my best fucking mate. And - and he likes you." He stumbled across his words.
"No, he doesn't." I corrected in a harsh tone.
"He does -"
I cut Freddie off. "Freddie, just shut the fuck up about it!"

We walked in tense silence for another minute before Freddie noticed where we were and asked, "why are we at mine first?"
"Because we're going in." I told him, and dragged him through the back garden and to the shed.

I dragged Freddie inside and pushed him onto the chair that he usually sat in, before climbing on top, straddling him and starting to passionately kiss him.
Momentarily, he kissed me back. He grabbed the small of my waist and he instinctively kissed me.
And then he started to pull away. "Jofie -"
"Just shut up." I instructed, before kissing him hard again and starting to unbutton his shirt.
"Jofie!" He pulled back forcefully this time.
"What?" I snapped, flustered.
"I'm not doing this!"
"Why?" I demanded in a yell.
"Because it's not right!" He raised his voice back.
"That bitch shags your best mate, and I'm giving you the option to get back at her right now, and you tell me it's not fucking right?" I yelled, trying to gather my breath and my overflowing emotions.
"It's not right!" He insisted.

I sighed and jumped off Freddie. "Whatever."
"Jofie, I know you'd only be doing this to spite Cook, I know you like him. It's just not the right way -"
"I said whatever." I hissed, opening the shed door and slamming it behind me.

I walked fast away from Freddie's house, my mind now not only consumed with thoughts of Cook and Pandora, but now him and Effy, which was much more hurtful.

My hands shook as I dialled on my phone as I continued to walk as fast as possible through the dark streets.

"Jofie? Are you okay?" My sister picked up on the other end in a sleepy voice.
"Not really."

A/N: thank u for 100 followers xx