Thunder

Chapter 4

‘What have you two been gabbling about?’ I asked when Ashley and January re-entered.

January looked tersely as Ashley, who just turned to me and smiled.

‘Nothing sweetie,’ she simpered to me, as she walked over and sunk behind me on the couch, lightly fingering my curls.

‘Oh the game’s starting,’ Darren exclaimed from the fridge, as he grabbed a beer, ‘want one?’ he asked me, I declined with a raise of my hand.

The game started, I tried to concentrate but the energy in the room was weird, Ashley seemed calm, and her hands never left my curls the whole game, on the other hand, Ashley wasn’t usually so over excessive with public displays of affection. January was constantly shooting glances in our direction worriedly. I was so distracted to the point when the game was over I didn’t know who won, to be honest I’d forgotten who was even playing.

‘Fuck sake,’ Darren cursed, he looked at me expectantly.

‘Yeah, damn it,’ I cussed, Darren looked at me.

‘Dude you won, Man U lost.’ He said, frowning.

‘Oh yeah sarcasm,’ I covered immediately; I looked over to see January still frowning at Ashley.

‘I better clear these plates,’ January murmured, picking up the plates of which we had been eating pizza from.

‘I’ll help,’ I said jumping up and picking up a plate. I followed January into the kitchen.

‘What was up with you and Ashley?’ I whispered.

‘What do you mean?’ she stuttered. I leaned over to her putting the plates down.

‘I’m not an idiot,’ I hissed at her.

‘You need to talk to her,’ she said turning away from me, I moved so I was in front of her.

‘Well I’m talking to you!’ I replied, she went to walk away but I caught the crook of her elbow, her jumper bunching up to reveal a bruised wrist, she flinched away immediately.

‘What the…’ I began.

‘You need to talk to your girlfriend not me.’ She whispered harshly storming out of the kitchen.

I followed her out into the living room, and caught her arm before she was in full view of Darren and Ashley.

‘What’s up with your arm?’ I whispered.

‘Nothing,’ she hissed back, but I didn’t miss her shooting a glance in the direction of the living room.

‘It was him wasn’t it?’ I said appalled.

She made no reply.

‘It was fucking him,’ I said louder, she shoved her elbow into my stomach and cornered me into the corner.

‘You deal with your own relationship and I’ll deal with mine.’ She whispered, ‘you don’t know anything about Darren and me.’

‘I know he’s hurting you.’

‘You don’t know shit Harry, if you’re my friend, you’ll stay out of it, please.’ She pleaded.

‘What if it happens again?’ I demanded.

‘It won’t.’ She said shortly.

‘How do you know?’ I hissed at her.

‘I just do,’ she hissed back, ‘okay, can we drop it.’

I leaned down and picked up her wrist and pulled back the sleeve, she didn’t object.

I looked at the grey faded bruises.

‘How long ago did this happen?’ I asked her, she bit her lip.

‘Last night,’ she whispered back, ‘I got back and he was drunk and he was under some delusion that there was something going on between us.’

‘Shit, January,’ I said, ‘you can’t stay with him.’

‘Let me deal with it.’ She begged.

‘If this is about me…’ I began.

‘It’s not; he’s just a bit overbearing.’ She excused.

‘Overbearing?’ I asked.

‘He was drunk.’ She reminded me.

‘He’s knocking them back quickly enough in there.’ I reminded her, ‘You can stay with me, or Ashley, she won’t mind, I won’t mind.’

She placed a hand in the centre of my chest.

‘No, Harry.’ She said quietly, ‘It’s a one off.’

‘Promise me, if it happens again you’ll leave him.’ I conceded.

‘I will.’ She agreed.

‘Right,’ I said, and I turned to walk back into the kitchen, I walked over to the fridge and pulled out the six pack of bottled beers and dropped it to the ground, each one smashing. ‘Shit!’ I said loudly, Darren came running in.

‘Shit,’ he agreed, I looked at him, unable to see him the same again.

‘Sorry man.’ I apologized, although I was not sorry in the slightest.

I looked to where January stood in the doorway; she gave me a small pathetic smile.

*********************************************************************

I was in my Land Rover pulling out of my parking space, Ashley had been quiet, and so was I, my mind still reeling from my revelation.

‘Do you want dropped off at yours or are you coming back to mine?’ I asked Ashley.

‘You mind if I come to yours?’ she asked, I shook my head and changed lane to head in the direction of my downtown house. I pulled into my garage and used the side entrance to avoid the mass of photographers which had accumulated outside.

‘Shit, I left this unlocked,’ I murmured.

‘You’re lucky the paps don’t know about this entrance,’ Ashley murmured, draping her bag on the back of a chair.

I nodded in agreement, throwing myself down on the black leather couch.

‘Harry?’ Ashley, walked in front of me/

‘Yeah?’ I replied, looking up at her.

‘I got a job,’ she said, not meeting my eye.

I sat up and took her hand, ‘wow that’s amazing!’ I stood up and embraced her in a tight hug which she returned without enthusiasm.

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked her, she didn’t reply, a shudder ran though my body, ‘it’s not porn is it?’ I asked her, she laughed stepping away from the hug.

‘Of course not,’ she paused, ‘it’s with Burberry…it’s a contract.’

‘Fantastic!’ I exclaimed, ‘why aren’t you happy.’

‘I’m thrilled,’ she promised, ‘but…’

‘What?’

‘It’s inAmerica.’ She told me looking up at me.

‘America.’ I repeated, flopping down onto the couch.

‘Yeah,’ she said, sitting next to me quietly and placed her hand on mine.

I looked over to her, ‘when are you going?’

‘Tomorrow night.’ She whispered. I made no response. She moved closer to me.

‘Harry, we’ve only been together for a month and a half.’ She paused, ‘I don’t think we could handle a long distance relationship.’