Tear Away

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"I'm home!" Scarlett declared as she walked into the flat, she climbed over Tom's bike and fell into the coat rack. In front of her was the narrow staircase that led up to the flat. She heard the pounding of music that could only be coming from Rhys' room but smelt bologneise cooking up in the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled, she knew it would taste as good as it smelt if Tom's boyfriend Craig was here and cooking. Quickly she dropped her shopping bags as she shrugged out of her coat and hung it up, climbing up the stairs she dragged the shopping with her. She smiled as she walked in to the bright yellow kitchen at the end of the hallway and saw Tom and Craig arm in arm while Craig stirred the pot.

"Hi guys" she said, slightly out of breath. They broke apart when they saw her but were happy to do so.

"Oo what have you been buying?" Tom, forgetting to say hello dove straight into her shopping bags. She let him pick out a top from her Top Shop bag and laughed as he held it up to himself. Tom was to be found wearing the tightest jeans he could find and some sort of skinny t-shirt. His hair was always immaculate and Scarlett suspected that he had it dyed on a regular basis, however she had never so spotted any roots.

"Somehow I don't think that's going to fit." Craig came to join the fun and found her Zara bag.

"Oo this is cute" Craig was much more laid back in his appearance. His jeans cut a little bigger and often found wearing a plain t-shirt from Mark's and Spencer's.

"I've a meeting with my boss tomorrow, I thought I'd wear it." She felt nervous again, she felt nervous whenever she thought about her boss. She was a very serious woman, she couldn't relate to her in any way and she had no idea why she wanted to see her. She pulled her clothes back in to her bags and put them by the doorway. Walking to the stove she took a deep breath, "smells lovely Craig."

Craig walked back to the stove and continued stirring. "Thanks, want some? It'll be ready soon."

"I'd love some, thank you" she gave him a huge smile and began setting the table for the three of them, "is anyone else joining us?" she nodded towards the hallway in the direction of Rhys' room where they could all hear a very loud rendition of Stairway To Heaven.

"Rhys is busy in his room we assume, about 20 minutes ago a skank ran into the bathroom then back again so we haven't thought about interrupting them. No idea who this one is." Scarlett wasn't surprised, Rhys often had a different girl in his room, few of them she ever meet.

"So how long are we giving this one, 3 days?" Scarlett, Tom and Craig enjoyed watching the string of girls in and out of Rhys's room, it was like watching their own soap opera. Most of the girls were happy to come and go through Rhys's bedroom and seemed to enjoy him as much as he enjoyed them, although Scarlett never felt very comfortable around Rhys for this reason.

"No, not that long." Answered Tom, "Tina is throwing a party tonight, he wouldn't miss that, and I'm betting that he won't go with a girl in tow. Are you coming?"

"Who has a party on a Sunday night?" Scarlett shook her head in disbelief, "wish I was still a student and could afford not to get up before 12 every day" but she chuckled and promised herself that she just wouldn't stay late. It would be better than staying in the flat on her own.

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Scarlett had lived with Tom and Rhys for a few months now, ever since she had moved to Oxford, but she still didn't like staying in on her own for too long. She had found the advert for the room online, it wasn't an ideal room advert but it was a room that she could afford, in a city that she had never been to before. And she was able to move in right away. Moving day had passed in a blur and she barely remembered it now. She had carried her two suitcases to the car, her laptop and a small box of books. The rest of her belongings had gone into the bin, and she was more than happy to leave them behind. After all, this move was a new start.

Once she was on the motorway time seemed to move quickly and before she knew what was happening she had been driving for 3 hours. It was only then did she realise that she had been crying the entire journey. The tears had fallen freely, leaving her tired and drained. Spotting a service station a mile ahead she decided to pull over, suddenly she was hungry, she was hungry and tired, and needed to get out of that bloody car. What was she doing? She had no idea where she was, no idea where she was going, she had left her home behind, and everyone she had ever known. She was alone in a strange place, she couldn't breath, she couldn't think. Her mind screamed at her to go back, go where she knew.

She pulled into a parking space, threw open the door and fell out of the car onto the tarmac with the engine still running. She sat on the ground, trying to breath, she was aware of the tears now falling down her face. After a few minutes she became aware of someone watching her, looking up she made eye contact with a little old lady who hobbled towards her, looking concerned.

"Are you okay dear?"

Wiping her eyes and standing up she rested against the car door. She looked at the little old lady, at the kind eyes that stared back at her and experienced a moment of kindness that she hadn't experienced for longer than she cared to remember.

"I'm okay, thank you" she crocked. She was unnerved by the kindness, and didn't know how else to respond.

The old lady moved as if to turn away, but stopped herself, turned back and told Scarlett, matter of factly, "whatever he did dear, he's not worth it."

Scarlett couldn't agree more, she nodded and thanked the old lady, before running into the service station to find the ladies.

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Walking home from Tina's party, Scarlett was a little upset that she'd allowed time to get away from her so much. It has been a long time since she had felt relaxed enough to talk to a guy that was so attractive. Gary had caught her attention as soon as she'd taken off her coat by offering to hang it up and she'd nervously allowed him to pull it from her. Tom and Craig had disappeared very quickly leaving her alone with him as he poured her a drink. She had drunk the first drink quickly and followed Gary into the kitchen as he poured her another. They hadn't left the kitchen for the rest of the night as they talked about everything from music and films to childhood holidays and the pros and cons of tined soup. Only when Scarlett realised that she'd have to be up for work in 6 hours did she decide to leave.

"Will I see you again?" Gary had asked as he helped her back into her coat.

This was the question that Scarlett had feared; she knew she wasn't able to make a commitment to Gary, but she had enjoyed herself. The pressure to answer him caused her palms to become sweaty and her mouth to become dry. She stammered as she tried to find the words to answer him. "Well... I'm not..."

"Boyfriend?" Gary asked with a glint in his eye and a smile on his face.

"No, no nothing that like that, it's just..."

"Bad break up?" Scarlett just smiled and looked down in answer. "Well how about this, we won't make any plans to ever see each other again, but when you leave I'm going to find someone else at this party who knows you. If I manage it I'm going to make it my mission to learn find you and get to know you. When I do I'm going to track down your ex and I'll hurt him in any way you wish." Gary then took her hand and shook it. "Goodnight Scarlett." He opened the door and watched as she stepped out into the cold.

Scarlett couldn't help but smile all the way home. She had butterflies in her stomach and began re-playing the entire conversation in her head. Her favourite part had been when she had realised that here was a guy who she found attractive, and who seemed to find her attractive in return. But not once had he tried to touch her, or invade her space, her comfort zone. She had no doubt that she'd never see him again but that didn't matter, her faith in men was beginning to be repaired. Perhaps she would find her prince charming one day after all.