Never Really Over

Chapter 4

Beth is at the reception desk browsing ASOS on the computer when she hears the automatic doors opening. She looks up wearing her best fake smile to greet whoever it is, only for her smile to immediately disappear when she sees John standing in front of her looking incredibly sheepish and holding a Starbucks cup in each hand. She hasn't spoken to him since the early hours of yesterday morning when he got out the car with an awkward goodbye and a mumbled 'thanks' for picking him up, to which she hadn't responded. She doesn't think he'll ever snap out of this funk that he seems to be in if he doesn't open up. She's tired of him holding her at arms' length and now she's starting to feel as though he's dragging her down with him because since yesterday, she's been in a foul mood too, she hopes it's just because of the broken sleep.

"Peace offering," he places one of the cups on the desk in front of her.

Beth's eyes flicker from the white cup to John face. His eyes are wide with nerves, she looks away quickly, before she lets herself get lost in him and forgets why she is angry in the first place. He looks like lost child. "I don't like coffee," she says coolly.

"Oh," his plump lips form the sound, and his eyes cloud with confusion. "I thought... You asked me if I wanted to go for coffee the first time we went to Little Rome." They've been back to Little Rome several times since their first visit, the staff even know their favourite table and their order now; John always plays it safe and has the same thing (lasagne) whilst Beth will have whatever the special is.

Beth shrugs, "That's just what people say isn't it, doesn't actually mean you're going to have a coffee, just a chat."

"Right," he nods; he supposes that makes sense. "So do you want to wanna go for coffee then?" He smiles at her, feeling a little more like himself, rather than the awkward boy who walked through the door seconds before. He's been thinking things through since yesterday, and he's ready to talk now; Beth's been a good friend to him, and she deserves to know why he's been a miserable bastard.

"Can't. I'm busy," Beth shakes her head; she refuses to let him call the shots. She is desperate to know what is going on in his head, but she is used to being the one in charge, and she isn't about to let that change.

John boldly leans over the desk and looks at the screen filled with images of summer dresses, "You look it." He pulls back, crosses his arms and leans them against the desk, looking at her earnestly, "Please Beth, I want to explain."

The door opens again, and this time it's someone who actually should be here, and not some awkward teenage boy in an Everton tracksuit. "I'm working John," Beth says pointedly before she greets the new arrival.

Defeated, he stands aside and let her get on with her job. He sucks thoughtfully on his bottom lip as he observes her for a few moments. It amuses him, the way her voice completely changes when she's dealing with a guest; it goes all high-pitched and she sounds nothing like herself. And the smile she is wearing is so fake, like it's painted on. That's not how she looks when she's laughing at one of their movies or one of his stupid jokes, with her little dimples showing. She glances over and catches him watching her, he isn't treated to any kind of smile, not even a fake one, instead she waves him off and he skulks away, vowing that he'll be back again tomorrow.

Beth gets back to her desk after showing the visitor to where he needed to be to find her phone blinking with a message from John.

I think you'll look cute in the peplum one

She smiles to herself then puts her phone back down, she won't let herself be drawn in. But she can't resist, she has to reply, she has to know. She picks her phone straight back up again.

How do you know what a peplum is?

Got a sister

Beth gets the idea that John and his sister were close before he moved here, but something has changed, but she doesn't know what. She wishes he would let her in.