The Misunderstanding of Fate

Chapter 27 - Little Lies

"If I buy the food, does that make this a date?"

George and I scoff, simultaneously, at Elliot's question. The goofy boy doesn't lose his goofy smile as he hands his card over, paying for our food. The four of us, George, Elliot, Lewis and I, had been sat in this tiny cafe for hours, talking and talking, to avoid the rain. Yes, we had cars. Yes, we could sit in them. But we don't want to. I get the sense that Elliot and Lewis are reaching out, trying to bond with me, since the party. Perhaps they realised I was nice enough to join their little exclusive group. Or perhaps they just wanted to spend more time with their original friend and knew I was an added bonus.

"If it's a date, it's a quadruple one."

"Aw," Elliot complains, "And I thought I was lucky with Luna."

I giggle at his tone, knowing he's trying to wind George up. I don't know why it would, why it does, but I think it must have something to do with the kiss we shared on Boxing Day.

Since then, it's not something we have discussed or brought up. It doesn't feel intentional, like we're awkwardly avoiding it, but it's not something we need to talk about. It doesn't hang over our heads, it's not the elephant in the room, it's just something that happened that we're living with. I find myself watching his lips as he speaks or when we're sitting doing nothing, and I catch him doing the same. It's like we know what is possible and we're wondering when it's going to happen again.

"I should actually go home tonight," I mumble to George as we exit the cafe. "I haven't in a few days."

Knowing George, I know he wants to argue. He wants to tell me to stop being silly, get in the car, and let him take us home. To his home. However, he knows me. He knows that isn't something he gets to decide. Instead, he nods, putting his hand on the small of my back as he leads us to the car. We bid the two bickering friends goodbye and rush into our seats.

"You'll come back tomorrow, right? It's New Years Eve. Maybe we can have a gathering with our friends."

That's another thing I've noticed. We say it's time to go home, we say our place, we say our friends, and we say our plans. I'm sure other people think it's rather unhealthy to be so dependant on each other, especially on my side, but I can't find a fault in our friendship. Well, apart from the fact it feels more than a friendship.

I nod while turning up the heating, "Sounds good. If you pick me up in the morning, we can go and get some food and drinks."

George smirks in my direction before looking back at the road, "Will you be getting as drunk as you did on Boxing Day?"

I cringe, "Probably not if I want to start the new year without a hangover."

The house is quiet, clean, and very empty. I know that dad isn't here because it's quiet and clean. The only mess I can see is the pizza boxes on top of the bin and the pile of washing in the washing cupboard. The silence that encapsulates the building makes me wish I had said yes to George's suggestion that he joined me. However, we'd spent days and days together, back to back, with no break so I wanted to give him some breathing space. Plus, I was running out of clothes. In silence, I run up the stairs, put my phone on charge and empty my bag. While I run the water in my shower, I replace the clothes in the bag with new ones and get a towel ready.

Once I'm finished in the shower, I feel better. I feel more in control. Sure, I would be alone tonight but it would be great. It would give me the chance to have a think over everything that's happened and for me to get things done here. Starting with sending my dad a message to let him know I'd actually been home.