Life As I Know It (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-two - Back Home

          I was absolutely loving my life the week after we’d arrived home. Mum threw herself into wedding planning and our dining room table was now home to stacks of magazines and papers with various notes and prices on it. I spent most of the week with Drew and Kelley, either at Drew’s house or at Kelley’s. I rarely stayed home as it seemed like I was always in the way. When Mum wasn’t stressing about the wedding; she was going through some of her case notes on the living room sofa and wanted absolute peace and quiet.

           “What the heck? She said ‘I’ll never let you go, Jack’ and what does she do? She lets him go!” Nick was angrily criticising the movie we’d just watched. Titanic. To be honest, I think he was just trying to hold back tears. God knows I was.

           “I think it was supposed to be symbolic. He didn’t mean it literally, you idiot,” Kelley spoke up.

          We were all at my house for once and were in the den. I’d closed the curtains, encasing the room in darkness and with the surround system on, it felt like a makeshift movie theatre. I was currently cuddling with Drew on his lap. He’d been so sweet and attentive, and had taken me out every night the previous week; out to dinner, to the movies, ice-skating, a picnic at the park… I was enjoying feeling pampered, but it was unnecessary. We could have been lazing around in his room and I would have been just as content - just enjoying his company.

           Kelley was sitting on the sofa next to Loki, and Nick was on the floor besides Drew’s legs. I could tell that Kelley was enjoying herself. Every now and then while we watched the movie, she’d catch my eyes in the darkened room and wink or smile suggestively. After a while, Loki’s arm moved so that it was on the sofa behind Kelley’s head. He should have yawned to make the move look even more subtle, I thought, amused.

           “Whatever. Couldn’t she have just budged over on that piece of wood and let him get on too? He didn’t have to die,” he said, kicking the leg of the coffee table.

           “Jesus, he’s more emotional watching this movie than Ellie is.” Kelley rolled her eyes. She was speaking to all of us, but was looking at Loki.

           “I don’t see her close to tears.” Loki looked down at her, nestled into his side. Kelley had strategically moved closer and closer to him as the movie progressed and he didn’t seem to be objecting. I was smirking inside at how obvious the two of them were.

           “Oh, she was. Trust me. I saw her discreetly wiping at the bottom of her eye.” She turned and grinned at me.

           “I had something in my eye.” I glared at her.

          No matter how many times I watch this movie – and there had been many times – I couldn’t help but get teary eyed. I tended to get teary eyed while watching a lot of sad movies, but I did it inconspicuously and rolled my eyes at the girls who sobbed incoherently without reservation.

           “Yeah, sure.” Kelley just shook her head at me.

          I felt Drew’s chest vibrate slightly as he laughed and I elbowed him in the ribs. “Don’t laugh at me.” I pouted.

           “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He spoke in my ear before placing a small kiss at the back of my neck. He kept his face there for a few seconds and I squirmed, feeling his hot breathe against my neck. It tickled.

           “I’m bored. Let’s go do something!” Nick turned and looked imploringly at me.

           “Kelley why don’t you go get my cards? Anyone up for some gambling?” I looked round at everyone. This could be fun.