It's Not A Question But A Lesson Learned In Time

It's Not A Question But A Lesson Learned In Time - Chapter Twenty-Three

"I just fucked up okay? I don't want to go home anymore. I like it here... But James didn't like being told that. He just thinks I'm being stupid." 

"Well, not that I don't like having you around... But surely, as much as you do like it here, you'd want to go home anyway... I mean, what about your brother?" 

"I know, I know. And I miss him like hell. But it wasn't going to be long before I moved out anyway. He's going to have to get used to me not being there all the time." 

"But there's a difference between not being there whilst in the same city or even country and being over a whole country and ocean away!" 

"Just leave it Joe! I don't want to be told how wrong I am again. I've already been called a fucking idiot for wanting to stay. I don't need it from you as well!" 

"I'm just trying to look out for you Frankie. You're just a kid. You could get into a lot of trouble around here and I just think maybe you'd be better off in a place you already know..." 

"Just a kid? I'm just a fucking kid? Thanks Joe. That's a real great thing to hear!" I spat before storming out and to the front door.

As I walked around town, trying to decide where to go I realised I was walking towards Lee's building. 

I knocked on the door to his apartment hoping he would answer. It took a while but eventually I heard the lock turn on the other side of the door before it swung open and Lee stood in front of me wearing just a shirt and a pair of boxer shorts. 

"Oh, err hey Frankie. What's up?" 

"Sorry... Is this a bad time? I just... I had an argument with Joe and didn't know where else to go..." 

"No... No, it's just I... I-" 

"Lee, hurry up and get back here. The bed's getting cold." A seductive voice called from the bedroom. I looked around the corner and saw a woman leaning against the door frame in just her underwear. Lee eyes widened as he looked back at me. 

"Oh god." I breathed. "You're... you've... I can't believe..." I couldn't finish saying anything as I took a step back, hitting the railing behind me. 

"Frankie, just hear me out, please. It's not what you think!" 

"Oh really? Because I think it's some girl in your bed waiting for you to get back in there to carry on fucking. But if it's not what I think then what is it?!" I asked angrily.  

Lee didn't speak for a second, he just looked at down at the floor nervously. 

"I didn't mean for you to find out like this..." 

"How did you mean to tell me then? Were you just going to bring it up in casual conversation or were you just going to ditch me when you'd got everything you wanted from me?!"  

"That's not what I... I didn't mean. Please Frankie. Just come in and I'll explain." 

"Come in? What's your new plan, threesomes?" 

"Lee." The woman got closer to the front door. "Come on. Who's this little freak?" 

"Aimee just.. go back to bed..." The woman, Aimee, rolled her eyes before shooting me a glare as she walked back to the bedroom. "Listen Frankie-" 

"Just save it Lee."

I wandered around the streets aimlessly for a while, my tears having subsided a while back, not sure where to go and not even caring that I was a seventeen year old vulnerable girl walking streets that she barely knew at two in the morning. Maybe Joe was right. I was stranded in a city that I didn't know with nowhere else to go apart from back to Joe who would then know he was right. 

The only place I knew from here now was Brian's friend Lewis's place... Maybe someone would be awake there. I was shivering as I reached Lewis' front door and I was willing someone to be home and awake. I knocked as loud as I could, the mixture of cold and the hard plastic door making my knuckles throb a little as I waited. I finally saw a light flick on through the frosted window and then the shape of a person walking down the hall. 

"Frankie? Hey dude!" Becca beamed as she opened the door. 

"What are you doing here?"  

"I could ask you the same... Ah we went to the pub and Brian and I couldn't be bothered to go home tonight. Come in!" I nodded a little, I had forgotten that they were going out. 

"Thanks. I've had a few bust ups with some people back home and apparently my boyfriend is cheating on me. So I didn't know where else to go. I hope you guys don't mind. Especially Lewis..." 

"Nah, don't worry about it. Can't have you wandering the cold streets of London this late at night can we?" Seemingly knowing I didn't want to talk, just go to bed Becca just walked down the hall. I followed her, accepting the blanket she gave me as we reached the living room.  

"Everyone else is probably already asleep but the sofa is all yours." She smiled. "Brian and I are in that room over there, just in case you need anything." She added before bidding me goodnight and going into her room.  

I sat on the sofa looking around the room and thinking back to last week when we had all been here, still awake at this time drinking and just generally having fun. Tonight it was the complete opposite. Everyone was already in bed, probably asleep, to be up ready for work in the morning. 

I kicked my shoes off and laid down, pulling the blanket over me and wrapping myself in it as tightly as I could. Tears began to leak from my eyes again as I stared at the wall and wondered how everything had gone so wrong in such a short time.

*Why am I doing this again?*

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Again, a bit longer than I meant, but I've had a load of deadlines and exams recently so I've been trying to focus on those whilst also trying to write this. But it's finally published. Enjoy!

As always comments and votes are always appreciated :)

Thanks, Cooper x