in the morning light [g.r]

four - anniversary

The heat was excruciating. Beneath the comfort and familiarity of her duvet, Abi had barely slept. The morning light that crept through the gap in her curtains told her it was at least 5am. She didn't want to get up, she wanted to stay exactly where she was all day, not having to worry about a thing. But the four friends sound asleep downstairs meant she had to get up, she had to be presentable and she had to do her best to cheer up.

She got out of bed and immediately opened the window, wishful that some cool air would flood into her stuffy bedroom. But outside was just as warm, and she instead decided to shower to cool off. Devon slept soundlessly at the foot of her bed, though stirred when Abi opened the door and made her way down the landing to her bathroom.

She plucked her toothbrush from the five that sat in the glass and gave her teeth a good clean, staring at herself in the mirror and wondering if today would really be as awful as she had been anticipating. The shadows below her eyes and the ache that pained the back of her neck told her that it almost definitely wasn't going to be the best day of her life.

She showered and shaved, lathering her hair with two rounds of shampoo and a thick gloss of conditioner. The cold water had perked her up a little, and she decided a walk would clear her mind even more. It was still too early to call her dad, so she didn't bother checking her phone and instead got dressed, a light summer dress and her comfiest underwear, before heading downstairs to get Devon's lead.

On her way she checked the lounge. Dani and Rich slept soundlessly in each other's arms on the sofa bed, Rachel on the floor with a blanket strewn beside her and slim arms sprawled on the wood. Her eyes wandered to George who, to her surprise, sat wide awake on the windowsill with a bottle of water in his hand and phone in the other. The creak of the door had caught his attention, the two giving each other a smile. Abi didn't wait around to see if he got up, instead she went through to the kitchen and poured a glass of water, downing it in three long gulps and then fetched Devon's lead from the hook on the back on the door. George appeared, shutting the kitchen door behind him, and watched Abi click the lead to Devon's collar, the fluffy dog sitting patiently and rutting his face into the hand that gently pet his head.

"You wanna join me?" Abi asked, standing and looking to George, in only his briefs. It was a sight that would always stir a feeling in the pit of Abi's stomach, cheeks slightly flushed and eyes drawn to the tanned skin of his narrow waist and carved hips.

"Unless you want to be alone?" He asked, and Abi thought for a moment, eyes meeting with his. "I don't mind, and I understand if you do." He said, leaning against the wall with a soft smile. Devon approached George and sat on his feet, rolling about and grizzling happily when George bent down to rub his stomach.

"Company would be nice." She smiled, watching Devon excitedly kick his hind legs and then roll over when George stood up. "I'll let you go put some clothes on." George chuckled, looking down at himself and then scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Probably a good idea, I'll be back in a sec." He smiled before slipping back out to the lounge. Abi leant against the kitchen island, eyes lingering on the door as she chewed her lip. She couldn't help but fight the smile that encroached her face every time she set eyes on George. He was everything and more and she hated it - she hated what he still did to her even after everything, even without trying.

Her few moments of thinking about George distracted her, though she was soon back to the horrid memories of what today was. Her eyes dropped to Devon, biting her lip to stop the lump in her throat swelling any more. George returned as her tears welled, and she blinked them back whilst walking to the back door, sliding it open and then heading towards the back of the garden, trying to compose herself before George could catch up.