Leather and Strawberries

6

Charlie

Nerves squirmed in my stomach as I drummed my fingers on the hard oak wood of my dining room table, wondering if Taylor was going to show. Part of me wanted nothing more than to never see her beautiful face again and the other side of me hoped she turned up and we could spend forever together. It was ridiculous that I should feel so passionate about someone who I barely knew yet the pull was stronger than anything I'd ever known.

A knock on the door sent me jolting from my seat. In a moment of blind panic I knocked the water jug over, it didn't smash, but a water splashed over my jeans and white tee. I stared at the see-through puddle on my chest in dismay but it was no use. She smirked at my flustered state as the door screeched open. "Don't say a word," I muttered and her lips twitched.

I gestured for her to go past me into the house, scanning her outfit as she did so — ripped jeans, her usual leather jacket and a grey Nirvana tee. Taylor was... magnificent. The thought rang through my head as I followed her into the dining room. She dumped her stuff on the table and sat down heavily, resting her muddy doc martens on the table. Taylor met my disapproving eyes steadily, almost challenging me to say something. I looked away, swallowing hard.

We worked in silence for a few minutes until the Spanish girl's stomach rumbled causing my eyes to flash up, a smile curling across my cheeks. "I have food you can eat, if you want."
"It's fine." She muttered.
It suddenly occurred to me that the raven haired girl wasn't slim — she was skinny.

"You seem hungry," I ventured cautiously; I could feel that I was overstepping but worry pushed me to press Taylor.
"Well I'm not," she snapped, her green eyes flashing.
I lowered my voice despite my parents being at work, "if you're," I swallowed the bitter taste of the word, "anorexic you should-"
"- what the fuck charlie?" Taylor's face turned scarlet, "I'm not starving myself!"
"Then eat."
"Why do you even care?"

Silence.

Then,

"Do you like strawberries?"
"Yeah."
"Stay there."

I returned with a bowl filled with the sweet red fruit, despite herself, Taylor's eyes gleamed at the sight of them. Setting them down next to her I explained, "you don't have to eat them, but, if you want to... they're there."

We worked side by side, the quiet comfortable, and every now and then, a tanned hand would sneak into the bowl and snag a strawberry. The sight made me tingle with relief. Taylor seemed to relax slightly, even cracking a couple of jokes, she was almost smiling. And then my step-mother returned.

A severe, blonde women she was strict and certainly wouldn't condone a tatty creature like the raven haired girl to my left. The time must have slipped away like sand in cupped hands, I stood up suddenly, grabbing Taylor by the arm. "You need to go," I hissed. Puzzled, my friend looked around to gouge the cause of my anxiety.

"Charlotte honey," my step-mother began before stumbling to a halt once she saw Taylor. "And, who might this be?" Each word was clipped, precise, it sent a shiver of foreboding through me.
"She was just leaving," I said hurriedly, shoving a few textbooks in my friend's bag but she didn't cotton on. She fumbled around in her pockets until she found what she was searching for, she popped the mint flavoured gum into her mouth and chewed loudly.

"Alright Sharon?" She asked, reading the name tag across her chest and sticking a hand out for a high five. My step-mother didn't oblige, instead assessing Taylor with cold ice blue eyes.
"You will call me Mrs King," she said frostily.
My friend snorted dismissively, "yes your majesty," and mock bowed.

It was like watching a slow motion car crash — was horrifying yet mesmerising.

"Taylor," I pleaded, "seriously you have to go."
"Yes," my step-mother said with an edge to her voice, "I think that would be best."
"Catch you later Sharon," Taylor blew a bubble in her face, mimed calling her and marched out, treading mud all over the expensive carpet.

When the door closed behind her I rested my head against the wood, letting out a long sigh and prepared myself for the lecture that was sure to come.

<3