The Improbable Clause of Missing You

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

03: Hits to the belt and beyond

"Speaking of pizza, shouldn't we ask Quinn along? She'll want to know about the party." I suggested.

"Yea we could, but, like, nah. You and I haven't really had enough time together lately?" It came out more a statement, but there was an edge to it.

I nodded. Honestly, I felt bad. I'd been pretty wrapped up with Owen. Talking to him all the time. Talking about him in the times in between.

You know the drill.

"Let's go then, to the shops? Just you and me." Frankie's smile is back, though her eyes are a silent apology for her snapping at me. My eyes convey the same apology.

"Let's." She says.

"Mum, Frankie and I are stepping out. Do you want anything?" I hollered up the stairs.

"No, it's fine! Stay safe, girls!"

With that, I unlocked the door. Together, we walked to the train station, boots crunching on the scattered frozen leaves.

Noticing the rush of people alighting, we quickly ran into the station, hurtling past the warning alarms and the door sliding shut.

"I don't think my stomach can survive half an hour more without food." I moaned.

"You're the one who woke up at eleven thirty."

"I had an exhausting night. And the dress you forced me into did not help."

With half an hour more to go, why not bring up the thing I was going to yell at her for?

"I'm pretty sure that that was the driving force for Andrew to... Ugh." I shuddered, recalling his eyes... Ugh. Let's not delve into that.

"He was biding his time, it was a fuse waiting to happen. You just chose to ignore it?" I grimaced. Oh, yea, did I block out these things.

"Still."

"Hayley, it cannot be that bad. Stop being so dramatic!" She said. I growled.

"Oh, it was bad. Probably why Owen got so worked up in the first place."

"That bugger gets mad at everything."

"True," I muttered. Suddenly, the conversation felt tired. The rest of the ride was spent in silence.

Once we got to the shops, I headed straight for the pizza parlour, Frankie in tow.

Never stand in the way of a hungry girl.

The waitress must have recognized the glint in my eye – something that all girls do, to be honest – and walked us to our table quickly.

Okay, it was an odd hour to eat, but the waitress knows what's up.

"Here're the menus but I suppose you don't need them." She winked. "What would you like?"

"Half pepperoni and half barbecue chicken pizza, please."

"And two lemonades, please." Frankie added.

"Sure thing. Coming right up!"

"Thank you!" The two of us chimed.

Quickly, we wolfed down the food. Hunger satiated and bellies full, we left, not before thanking the waitress again.

We wandered through various shops, eventually stopping at a shop that sold fancy dresses.