What About Us? - Book 1

Chapter One

"Do you ever think though," She was perched on the kitchen counter, her dainty bare feet swinging child-like above the tiles. "that love is just an illusion and all it will ever do is break us?"
"No." Willow's sapphire eyes flickered in surprise at my sudden reply.
A smile tugged at her lips, eyebrows raising slightly.
"How can you be so sure?"
I couldn't help it. My hand had reached out and was tangling into her hair, my thumb slowly grazing the curve of her cheek.
"Danny-" she winced as she swept my arm away and I gasped, realising what I had done.
"Sorry I...I guess. Love is, it's, well..." The way she was gazing up at me, eyebrows furrowing slightly as I swayed against the counter distracted me and the throb of my heart seemed to take over my senses completely.
I wanted to kiss her there and then. I wanted to grasp her fingers in mine, to feel the intimacy of her lips against my flesh. I bit my lip and smirked at the thought.
"When you love someone I guess it doesn't matter if it's an illusion or not because you're both in the trance together after all."
She grinned at that, the blueness of her eyes overwhelming.
"God, you're such a hopeless romantic aren't you?"
"The ladies love it!" I insisted despite the burning of my face at her reply.
Somehow I thought in my head that she would be swooned, in a way, at my words. I imagined her turning away, blushing but instead she was laughing with her head tilt back, dark hair flowing fetchingly down her back.
"Shut up just because you fancy me." I tried but she carried on sniggering idiotically.
I reached towards her, trying to cover her mouth. She tried to hold me back and thrust her hand into my oversized ones. Butterflies swept through my veins and she sat up straight, her upper body leaning into me. Her breath hot on my face as she breathed out, breathless from the laughter.
I blinked down at her. Willow's lashes curved over her watering eyes, the dimples on either side of her freckle embraced cheeks increasing.
She's beautiful.
"You're an idiot," I muttered though I was grinning, feeling utterly smitten with the fact that she openly held my hand.
"I suppose it is rather quite cute...to some I mean." She rolled her eyes mockingly.
"You love me."
"You love me more."
We gazed at one another, silence creating more emotions than words could until a thud interrupted us.
"I'm so pissed off, I can't believe this." Mark marched into my flat, arms crossed firmly against his chest.
He grumpily threw himself to the couch just outside the attached kitchen suite.
"What is it?" Willow replied as frustration crept through my guts.
I wanted her to stay in this moment with me, in this somewhat illusion, but she leaped down from the counter and wandered towards Mark.
"Rina," He spat. "She's mad at me because she's brought it into her head that I cheated."
"What?"
"I know! I love the woman, for fucks sake, who would I cheat with anyway?"
"Me?" My humour was unentertaining to them both as they ignored my presence.
"What do I do now?" Mark's eyes pleaded with desperation. "I love her, Willow. I seriously can't lose her."
"Why did she accuse you?"
He hesitated.
"I don't know, I don't know. I just want her to talk to me at least but how do I do that?"
"I know! I know!" I sat in between them. "Buy her a cake, that would win me over!"
"Fuck off Danny!" Mark's shove caused my skin to pulse with his violent response.
"I was joking, Mark!" I turned towards him, still sitting on the settee among them with my hand grasping my shoulder.
"This is serious, I could lose my wife over this!"
"We'll write her a song?" I was attempting to be serious, the idea seemed appealing to me.
It was romantic, heart felt; that would surely win her over but my two best friends responded in laughter.
"That's such a Danny reply." Willow's smile pressed into my shoulder as she wrapped her arms across my waist.
My heart galloped and I turned smiling down at her despite her still sniggering at me.
"Can you talk to her for me, Will?" Mark's smile faltered slightly, brown eyes glistening with lost.
Perhaps that was proof of love. Mark always avoided feelings but with his wife; he was willing to tell absolutely anyone how much he adored her.
"Of course." Willow's voice was softly alluring as she reached out and squeezed his hand into hers.
"Okay now can we go and get a drink?" I cut in.
"Yeah I need to get hammered." Mark insisted as he stood up along side me and Willow who then unravelled her arm from around my waist.
"Me and Danny need shoes." She muttered as we both looked down at our legs like children who had completely forgotten the propose of them.

In the pub, we met up with Glen who sat in my spot beside Willow. I felt a pang of jealously as she turned to talk to him. The way she was smiling at him, eyes only focusing on him.
Did she look at everyone like that? I had hoped I was the only one.
Reassuringly she turned back to me as Glen suddenly stood up from the stool. She slide up beside me.
"Glen's talking to Mark about Rina, I think he's the best with advice to be honest. I think I'll call Rina later though just to be-what?"
"What?" My cheeks burned slightly.
Was I staring?
"Anyway," She shrugged it off. "What are you having? I'm buying."
"No way, I'm the hopeless romantic here. I'll buy you as many drinks as you want."
"What a gentleman."
"I try." I wink as I order us both a Guinness.
Once ordered, she turns fully towards me.
"Maybe you were right."
"About what?" My voice cracks as her legs nudge against mine.
"Love," I slowly look over at her to see her peering into the distant. "Maybe it is an illusion."
She then smirks: "but maybe that's a good thing."