1.
She sits with her head resting in her hands, elbows either side of the keyboard in front of her. The office is quiet, save for the drip of the faulty coffee machine in the corner of the room and the murmured conversations she can hear through the closed door. Occasionally she hears footsteps passing quickly by as people hurry down the corridors, anxious to get on with the last tasks of the day or keen to get home. The majority of people have gone home now; she is the last one left; sitting in the deserted office, notes cluttering the desk. She is grateful for the silence after a long day of lectures and shadowing, both things vital in the slow journey she is taking in becoming a doctor. Now, she can concentrate on her breathing in a vain attempt to stop the headache that is growing somewhere behind her right eye.
Just as she feels the pain slowly ebbing away, a shrill ringing noise splits through the peaceful atmosphere of the room. The girl curses and leans down to fish the offending item out of her worn handbag.
“Yes?” she says, somewhat harshly into the speaker.
“I’m bored and I’m waiting in that disgusting cafe opposite the hospital,” comes a familiar voice from the other end of the phone, impatient and ever demanding, “would you like to come and meet me because if one more revolting old man tries to make some kind of inappropriate comment or obscene gesture, I swear to God I’m going to blame you.” It isn’t a question she is allowed to refuse- the tone of voice that her friend is using holds no capacity for a negative answer.
“I don’t know... I’m tired. It’s been a long day and I’ve seen some horrific things and I still need to finish-”
“Rebecca.” Says the voice, “that is your own fault for wanting to become a Doctor. Now can you please come and meet me outside.”
Rebecca sighs heavily and looks up at the clock that hangs above the door.
“Amy...”
“Becca, you work too much,” Amy says matter-of-factly, “come and meet me.” Becca doesn’t miss the unspoken, ‘now.’
And that’s how she finds herself trudging across the main road, hands shoved into the deep pockets of her coat and head bowed against the wind.
She spots her friend almost immediately, sitting at their regular table towards the back of the cafe, a drink in front of her which she doesn’t appear to be drinking.
“Tea not up to your standards then?” Becca calls out as she approaches the table and Amy makes a face.
“Oh please, I was simply waiting for you to arrive. There are these things that are normally quite respected in society, they’re called manners.” Amy kicks out the chair opposite and gestures for Becca to sit down.
“Very funny,” Becca says, before sinking into the chair.
“I ordered you a coffee,” Amy says offhandedly, “thought you could do with the caffeine.” She pushes a second mug across the table and Becca takes it gratefully.
“Thanks,” she says, “You know, I- Amy, what are you wearing?”
Amy smirks as Becca’s eyes widen comically.
“I went shopping before I came to meet you.”
She is wearing a short black dress, delicately decorated with tiny sequins around the collar. Becca only has to look at it once to know that it must have cost a lot of money; it is subtle, but there is something about it that just screams expense.
This isn’t the first time she can’t help but marvel at how different their lives are.
Rebecca; working ungodly hours just so she can achieve a job she isn’t 100% sure she actually wants, living on next to no sleep and with a two bedroom flat 5 minutes away from the hospital. The flat isn’t too bad, but the work physically hurts.
Then there is Amabelle- she’s almost a year younger than Becca, but they had been in the same year at school. Amy, who has never worked a day in her entire life but thanks to her wealthy family, is still able to go out and buy expensive clothes and shoes whenever she wants. She also lives in a 2 bedroom flat (technically it is a 3 bedroom flat, but Amy claims that the spare room doesn't count), but the similarities stop there. Amy’s flat takes up the whole of the top floor of its building and has a large balcony where the girls like to sunbathe in the summer. The building itself has a lobby with doormen and bulky guards stationed by both front doors. However, the most impressive part of the flat is not the sheer size, but the main wall in the living area- the whole thing is made of a sturdy glass and it overlooks the entire city. It used to make Becca’s stomach flip over, but now she can see why it appeals so much to Amy; it is the perfect view to make you just... forget. There is something strangely peaceful about looking over London, down at the miniscule people and catching the glints of light as the sun bounces off the many cars. At night, it is beautiful; lights appear all over the city, so bright against the indigo sky.
She doesn’t live there alone and Becca is just about to carry on her train of thought, when Amy’s voice breaks through.
“James! Finally.”
Becca turns and smiles at the approaching man, who raises his eyebrows in surprise as he sets eyes on her.
“Didn’t expect to see you here,” he says, sliding into the seat next to Amy, placing a rough kiss on her cheek and sling an arm around her shoulders as she tries to pull away, “you coming out with us tonight?”
“Wait-” Amy starts indignantly, “I didn’t-”
Becca cuts across her, trying not to feel offended by the outraged tone that has managed to find its way into Amy's voice.
“So that’s why you’re all dressed up,” she says with a growing smirk, “I did wonder.”
James seems to do a double take as he looks down at his friends’ attire for the first time since he entered the room.
“James, you’re blushing!” Becca exclaims after a moment.
“No,” comes the quick reply, “I’m not. It’s the wind outside; it’s suddenly got a bit chilly.” He clears his throat awkwardly. “You look great Aims. You... yeah. Really nice.”
“Oh J,” Amy says, pushing her coffee cup towards him, “you ready to go?”
James pulls his phone out of his jacket pocket and nods, swallowing the mouthful of the still warm drink as he does so.
“Is there a reason why you met here then?” Becca asks, somewhat drily, “Because I know you didn’t come here for the environment or the coffee, so is it now a meeting point for you lucky people with social lives? Or have you really just grown that fond of it?”
“Chill out,” James says, holding both hands up as if to fend her off, “we’re obviously not here to see you. And I’ll have you know that the coffee here is absolutely fine.”
“And as for people with a social life,” Amy cuts in, “you would have one as well, if you stopped working so bloody hard. You’ve only got yourself to blame.”
Becca scowls and stares at her friends as they rise to their feet.
“So what? You’re just going to leave me here?"
Amy looks down at her as James helps her into her coat.
“You said you have work to finish,” she says airily. Becca makes a point of ignoring the other girl and simply scrambles to her feet so she can shrug on her jacket, grateful for its warmth.
“So then- where are we going?” she asks brightly.
“What happened to, ‘I have to finish some work’ and, ‘I’ve had a really long day’?” Amy says, drawing out every word as James checks the clock on his phone yet again. Amy turns to face him.
“I didn’t give you this watch to ignore it,” she says exasperatedly, lifting his wrist so it is level with his eyes, “read the time Jamie.”
He makes a face and shoves his hand back into his pocket before turning to Becca.
“Who said you were invited anyway?” he asks in an offhand manner, whilst pretending not to watch as Amy twirls a strand of hair around a long finger.
"Whatever. I'm coming whether you like it or not. I need a stiff drink after today." Becca replies matter-of-factly, before striding out of the cafe and into the street. James and Amy take a moment to stare at their friends retreating back before raising their eyebrows at one another.
“She’s hopeless,” Amy decides as she links her arm through James’s as he leads her from their table. She pauses to shoot a flirtatious smile at the middle aged man behind the counter and James makes a face.
“She might be hopeless, but you are intolerable,” he mutters darkly in her ear, pulling his arm forcefully out of hers, a scowl finding its way onto his otherwise handsome face.
"What?" Amy asks, feigning a hurt expression, "he gives me free drinks."
"Intolerable," James repeats, "absolutely, completely intolerable."
"5 syllables, well done, I'm impressed. But that's 3 times you've used that word in your last 2 sentences. I know it’s hard for you, but do try and use some variation or conversation grows boring."
James watches her stalk ahead and out of the door. He takes a deep breath, sets his teeth firmly together- he should be used to her short temper and her blunt humour. He should be used to the fact that her comebacks often border on insulting; and for the most part he is. Just occasionally, when she catches him off guard, does he realise that it still has the ability to hurt him.
“Finally leaving then?” Becca asks when they eventually join her, narrowing their eyes against the harsh breeze. It’s a gloomy evening, even for the centre of the city where pollution levels are higher than anywhere else. The air feels muggy from the constant stream of cars, the sky a rather dull grey and as they stand at the edge of the pavement, the first hints of rain start to fall.
James manages to hail a taxi with little to no trouble- living in the centre of London for the majority of his life has taken its toll. He likes to think he has mastered the art of beating potential customers- Amy simply thinks he has a death wish. She has given up yelling words of warning at him and instead allows him to throw caution to the wind as he more or less throws himself in the path of an oncoming black cab. The driver gives him a cynical look, mutters something about, ‘disrespectful youths,’ and jabs his thumb towards the back seats as James flashes him a winning smile.
“Where are we even going?” Amy asks as the two girls clamber in after him.
“Can a man have no secrets?” James asks in mock offense, but stops as Becca kicks him in the shin. “You- you two are both harpies and I don’t know why I bother with you at all,” he tells them sincerely, rubbing at his leg. “It’s a bloody surprise okay? Just be patient for once.”
James makes a point of ignoring the two girls for the remainder of the journey. At some point Amy’s head meets his shoulder and his arm snakes protectively around her waist. He enjoys driving at night. There is something strangely peaceful about it and he is just about to settle down into the seat when the taxi driver blurts out-
“We’re here mate. Sure you want to be dropped off here? The Ol-”
“Yes, yes that’s fine,” James says hurriedly before the driver can give away the surprise he’s so carefully hidden, opening the door and all but pushing his friends out onto the pavement and thrusting a handful of notes through the car window, “thanks.”
He takes Amy’s hand and leads them both around the corner, feeling slightly nervous as they-
"No way,” Becca says at the same time Amy says,
“Oh my God, James!”
“We’re eating here?!” Becca continues, staring at the restaurant in front of them, before turning, bug eyed to stare at Amy.
"I didn't know anything about this," Amy says shaking her head in vague disbelief, “he did this all on his own.”
James just smiles at the two girls, happy that he can still shock his best friend after all these years.
“I am capable you know,” he says smugly, drinking in the looks of awe on his friends’ faces.
The Olive Garden is an extremely commendable restaurant that often takes the average person months to get a reservation for. Modern but subtle, the restaurant offers a good bar, great food and excellent company as a venue to the ‘stars’ and celebrities of London.
The two girls follow their friend to the scarlet carpet lining the pavement to the door of the restaurant. James speaks in an undertone to the doorman as Amy turns to the brunette beside her and whispers,
“I’m glad I dressed up now."
"Speak for yourself,” Becca mutters back forlornly, gesturing down at her work attire, “it’s a good job there are vaguely good looking men training with me or I would have looked ghastly today."
They look up as James beckons to them both to follow him into the restaurant and they do, looking around with awe filled glances.
"How did you manage to get a table here?" Amy splutters in an exaggerated whisper just as a waiter approaches them to ask what they want to drink.
James gives her an infuriating sideways smile and taps the side of his nose, leaving Amy to pull a face at him as he addresses the waiter.
They let James order a bottle of wine for the table; it is something fancy that Amy and Becca have never heard of and they have a strong suspicion that James has never heard of it either
"So... what's all this for then Jas?" Amy asks the blonde, placing her hand upon his arm that is resting on the table; she gives it a reassuring squeeze as Becca nods in agreement to her question. Big restaurants and dressing up have never been James’s thing at all; he is perfectly content with eating a take away pizza in front of the television with a bottle of beer. The fact that he has made an effort for his friends suggests to them both that something important- something big has happened.
James bites down on the corner of his lower lip and looks up to smile.
"I've got big news." he announces proudly, his chest swelling slightly with pride, “big news.”
"Well spit it out then!" Amy says, anxious to hear what her friend has to say.
They are briefly interrupted as the waiter reappears at that exact moment with their wine and James thanks him. They all watch as he pours the fragrant liquid into the awaiting glasses. James nods his thanks yet again before turning back to his friends.
"You know that part I auditioned for a while ago?" he asks the two women as they take tentative sips from their glasses. Becca and Amy reply in unison;
"Which one?"
James rolls his eyes and tries not to feel hurt by this comment- he hasn’t tried out for that many jobs and yet the girls make it sound like he has been rejected by every single one. Which, he reminds himself, he hasn’t.
“The one where they got me to read for several parts... two major ones and two minor ones. The show is called, ‘The Noble Art Of Living’ and guess what?! They chose me to play the part of Fabian Hague! He’s one of the main parts!!”
Amy and Becca beam at him, genuine smiles lighting up their features. The life of an actor who isn’t yet well known is hard; jobs are few and far between and it had been incredibly rare for a role to come up that was as amazing as this one- if the show became a success, then it has the potential to open endless doors for their friend.
"He’s the son of a nobleman..." James explains animatedly, “I’m gonna have to learn how to do all this stuff... fencing, horse riding... I can’t wait!” he places his wine glass down on the table. Amy opens her mouth to respond to this news, when they are yet again interrupted, this time by a waitress.
“Are you ready to order?” she says, pen posed over a fancy looking notebook. Becca and Amy look at each other; they had both been so caught up in the news that they had completely forgotten about the menus in front of them. Luckily for them, James simply smiles smugly at the young woman standing beside them, and reels off a list of items which she jots down, before collecting their menus and striding away. Amy takes his hand again, grinning from ear to ear.
"James, this is great! This could be the role you’ve been waiting for!!" she says enthusiastically. She squeezes his hand in hers and says softly,
"Your mum and dad would be so proud of you." Her voice is lowered to something of a whisper, only just audible over the babble coming from the other customers in the restaurant.
"Really? You think so? Mum always used to roll her eyes at me when I told her I wanted to act." James says, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. He hadn’t been expecting Amy to bring up his parents, but in a way he is glad that she has. His best friend is confirming what he has been thinking deep down since he had received the news, and he feels something not unlike relief wash over him.
“You were seven years old,” Amy laughs, “if she could see you now…”
Becca takes a large gulp of wine, feeling like she is intruding on her friend’s conversation. James’s parents have always been a sensitive topic- they are hardly ever mentioned and Becca knows when to keep quiet.
"I know your parents would be proud. Especially your mum. I know I am. And my mum and dad will be ecstatic, you have to tell them when we get back," Amy says, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand.
The conversation drifts as the trio order food and more drinks, general polite conversation circulating the table until they have finished their main course.
"So then," Becca says, setting down her glass on the table, "tell us a bit more about this Fabian bloke. What's he like?"
James struggles for a moment, trying to find the rights words to describe his new persona, still unsure of how much he can say about the project.
"Well to be honest...” he says slowly, carefully, “he’s often described as obnoxious.”
"Sounds delightful," Becca replies raising her eyebrows.
“To be honest I’m not 100% sure how I want to play him yet… pre-production meetings start within the next week and I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say…” he trails off and runs his tongue along his teeth thoughtfully.
“He’s the older of two brothers… he’s the one who has his life set out for him by his father. I think he has a bit of a tough time to be honest- I only know the basic background, but I’m sure you two will be the first to steal the scripts from me once I receive them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Amy says innocently, but James laughs; her wide smile gives her away.