Grey Skies, White Lies - Larina | [COMPLETE]

Chapter 5 | Stale Bread.

I wake up in an unfamiliar bedroom, in an unfamiliar bed and I can feel an unfamiliar someone breathing behind me. It took me at least 30 seconds to register where I was before I gathered my bearings enough to face them.

I turned around and saw her glistening eyes delving deep into mine. "I'm-" I began, barely being able to find the words.

"It was too cold on the sofa, my boiler doesn't work at the best of times, let alone when it's beyond freezing outside. You were better off in here." She explained to me, soothing any confusion I had taunting me.

I took a sigh of relief and smiled steadily, trying hard to remain unconscious of the mess Joey had probably left waiting for me at my flat. I gripped the silk sheets and released them, the very thought of his name made me anxious like no other and I couldn't want anything less than to go home to him.

"I've probably got some half-stale bread if you wanted something to eat?" She proposed, such caring grace in her voice.

I smiled and shook my head "I'm fine thanks." I said.

"Are you sure? It's not that stale!" She added, giggling underneath her attempt to reason with me, the first of many, actually.

Reasoning with me was always a challenge, one of my many downfalls. I've always admired the way people can change their mind like the wind, it's not always ideal to be fickle but I feel like I've never really been able to reason with anyone. I wish I could.

"I don't eat in the mornings." I lied, had I been at home I would've definitely scoffed two slices of toast and probably a third depending on the day of the week, never a Tuesday, they're bad luck.

"At least tell me you'll drink a coffee?" She presses, breaking me and gaining a nod of consent. "Go on then." I smile.

The brunette climbs out of bed and places the silk emerald gown on the back of her door, to drape over her shoulders as she slings her natural un-brushed curls to her left side. She leaves the room as the sound of the kettle boiling replaces her presence.

"Sugar?" She calls, an unfamiliar soft-hoarse tone in her voice. Again, a strange concept soon to come to light as epitomising us.

"Two please." I reply, eyeing the rose gold picture frame stood at her bedside table. I wonder if rose gold was particularly beautiful to her? It wasn't to me, but I know it is to some. I wish I didn't over-analyse everything. A typical Libra trait of mine - was she a Libra? I sense Gemini but I could be wrong, she's too mysterious to guess. The photo frame held an oldish-looking, I'd say from the 90's, photograph of two young girls, both very similar in their features and their seemingly naturally fair hair. Looking closer, I notice one of them to be Lizzy.

Just as I was leaning to pick up the photograph, Lizzy walked in with two cups of coffee, the steam covering her face slightly as she brought one of them steadily towards me.

"Is that you?" I ask, insinuating I was talking about the photo. She smiled, "The one on the right is." She confirmed, settling back down into the silk sheets and sipping her own coffee.

"I like you blonde." I said, softly but surely, taking my first sip of coffee in turn.

"Do you?" She asked, staring at me intently through her smudged-eyeliner-covered eyes.

"Yeah! You look sweet-" I began but was distracted by the buzzing of my phone from inside my leather jacket. I lifted my chin to see if I could locate it before climbing out of bed to answer it.

I answered to Joey, telling me he was calm now, telling me to go home to him. I froze. I couldn't go back. "Uh-" was all that managed to escape my lips as I tapped my foot in urge to forget any of this ever happened.

I couldn't find the words to tell him what he wanted to hear so I ended the call, again, I'm not very good with reasoning with people so when I can't give in, it's better not to say anything at all.

"Joey." I muttered, facing Lizzy with empty eyes. I wasn't happy, I was far from content but I wasn't upset. Not yet anyway, I was just empty. He made me empty.

"What did he say?" Her calm voice soothed as she raised her eyebrows within an empathetic range.

My defences weakened as I felt tears prick up behind my eyes and the ever-dreaded lump appear in my throat. I so desperately wanted to stay with her. She wasn't far from a stranger but she made me feel safe, a sense of security I've so very craved but been deprived of for all these years. I wanted to feel safe.

"Don't cry!" She cooed, crawling to the edge of her silk-coated double bed and kneeling up to wrap her arms around me. "Shhhh." She whispered, rubbing my arm up and down.

She leaned backwards to look at the blubbering mess that faced her. "Don't cry." She repeated, softly moving her fingers vertically on my arm.