Gold Rush

Books from Boxes

"Stick a fork in me Soph, I am done."
Jack pats at his non-existent stomach, following demolishing a butterfly chicken, fries, garlic bread, corn on the cob and more fries.
He gobbled up the entire feast like an appetiser.

Sophie hummed in agreement
"Me too.. Nando's was a great shout, I'll give you that"

"I'm never wrong, me" Jack winked and collected their plates to take into the kitchen, she heard him open the fridge, he was rummaging again, that beautifully innocent, curious side peeping through.

She smiled to herself, happily full of food, still exasperated and satisfied from earlier.
Jack Grealish was in the small kitchen of her unimpressive flat, probably silently judging the out of date spinach and broccoli in the salad drawer.
A man four years her junior.
What is happening.

She liked that he was comfortable around her, just the simple gesture of clearing up was something that Ryan never did. Ever.
In his eyes, it was a woman's job.
No, no.
Why had her mind gone there?
Why must she always compare?

The clinking of bottles interrupted her train of thought, followed by Jack coming back into the living room cradling the wine from earlier.
"Ya want a top up?" He asked, already partway through unscrewing the bottle and reaching for their wine glasses.
Sophie toyed with turning it down, "I really shouldn't..."
He looked up at her, one noticeably groomed eyebrow raised and those disheveled curtains falling into his face.
"God.. you're a bad influence, I'll agree, but only as we both have a day off tomorrow"

"Thought so" he grinned, the glint in his eye ever present as they took those first cold gulps, both slightly wincing at the bitter, fruity taste.
Sophie eyed the drink as she swilled it around the fragile glass, "Remind me to push the boat out a little with the wine next time", she said as she placed it back down on the coffee table.
"Noted, Soph" he responded in that gorgeous gravelly hum, the corner of his mouth teasing a smile as he went back to the fridge to put the bottle back.

She was sat crossed legged with her back resting against the large arm of sofa, which was well padded with odd scatter cushions. Jack came back through to the lounge, immediately sitting himself snug next to her and held his arms up, gesturing for her to stretch her legs out over his lap.

"Alexa" she shouted loudly across the room "play Sophie's playlist"

"Ahh yes, A love my moosic" Jack announced, clearly chuffed, "ya can tell a lot about a person by the music they listen to".

"First my car, now my music, are you psychoanalysing me, Grealish?"

"Listen.. I ain't even gunna pretend I know what that means, but I do kinda recognise it from ya wall of books over there" he nodded over at the bookshelf.

Sophie leant forward and took another deep gulp of wine, "Well, maybe a bedtime story is in order, some education on the subconscious mind"
She grinned as she lightly tapped her fingers on his head.

"Nah...nah" he began to stroke his hand along her legs, which were still firmly placed on his lap.
"If I'm in bed with you, reading ain't first on the list" he scoffed.

An intense stare.
Another gulp of wine.

Jack swings his head around to the wall behind him before shouting, sorry, demanding the speakers attention..

"ULEXA, PLAY DJ SAMMY - HEAVEN"

They both collapse in hysterical fits of 'oh my gods' as the jumpy beats of dance music floods the room.

Jack is making gun signs with his hands, completely irrelevant to the vibe of the music, but absolutely hilarious all the same.
Sophie has her arms in the air, swinging her hair from side to side. She couldn't remember the last time she was this silly.
This carefree.
They're screaming the lyrics to each other and laughing, really laughing.

They both quickly drank the remains of the wine, including a second lukewarm bottle that Jack located from her kitchen cupboard.

Her flushed face must have reflected her thoughts as Jack dropped an ice cube in their glasses, "I ain't bothered! Wine is wine..,you get me" he shrugged, a dopey smile spreading across his face.

Sophie sat herself between his legs under a throw that she grabbed from over the back of couch. What felt like hours flew by, the playlist continued and they cocooned each other in little drunken kisses, cuddles, just enjoying the moment.

"Jack.. I need to ask.." Sophie hiccuped
"Wot is it bab?"
"The other day.. with Ryan -"
"Prick" Jack huffed, interrupting her mid-sentence
"..Great observation.. but.. when you came out from giving your statement.."
Another hiccup.
"... I walked past you, to speak to the police, and you completely ignored me, it was like I was invisible or something.."

Jack shifted uncomfortably for half of a second before clearing his throat. An unreadable look briefly flashed across his face.

"I'm sorry bab, I knew Stones was there with ya, I didn't wanna give anything away did I? Y'know, like wots going on with me and you.. for all I knew Pep was sat out there, I could not be arsed with him coming down on the both of us like a tonne of bricks.."

Sophie felt unsure. Unconvinced. But this could have been the effects of the amount of cheap wine she had consumed, or her already fragile state of mind.

At that moment Alexa started blaring out the soft starting chords to 'Books from Boxes' by Maximo Park. One of her favourites.

"Oh I've not heard this one in years, what a cracker!" Jack immediately responded, making her heart ache heavily within her chest walls.
He was unbelievable.
There she was, back under his unintentional spell.

She let herself be completely immersed in the music, lost in the timeline of memories, flashing throughout her mind at speed.
Ryan hated each and every song she liked.
No.
Stop it.

'From the air, Stadium lights stand out like flares and all I know is that you're sat here right next to me'

Their eyes connect, prompting Jack to stand up and hold out his hand, she grabs hold of it and with one swift, strong movement, she's pulled up from the couch.
He twirls her round, they tipsily sway, spin and stumble to the song.
His arms were firmly wrapped around her waist and he began to nestle his head into her neck, angling his lips so they grazed lightly along her earlobes.
Jack tightened his grip around Sophie's body, as if he was clinging on for life.

She quietly listened, he was singing along in his low voice, feeling the vibration and rumble of his vocal chords oozing throughout his chest, it was soothing for her.

'Two bodies in motion, This is a matter of fact, it wasn't built to last' ....