The Other Lover

Chapter 2- How are you feeling?

You 12:48
Hey, I'll be there in ten :)

Eve's engine comes to a stop in Bill's driveway. She knocks her fist on his door and is met with a large smile and gesturing hands.

"Hey, Eve! Come in."

"Hi, Bill," Eve sighs. Bill stops in his tracks.

"What's up with you?"

Eve doesn't answer, she just looks to her feet.

"Hangover?" Bill smirks. "My head was killing this morning."

Eve remains quiet, in the same position. Bill's smile slowly dies. He gently grazes his hand upon Eve's upper back.

"C'mon, let's sit down. I've just put on the kettle," Bill says, shuttling Eve to the kitchen. A soft smile grows on Eve's face as she looks up at him. "So... you said you wanted to talk about something," Bill says, walking towards the kettle. He reaches up to the cupboard above him and takes out two, pot tea cups. They are decorated with red, Chinese dragons, rounded by the mug.

"Yeah, well." Eve makes herself comfy on his velvet, beige couch, shuffling backwards. "When I got home last night, I saw Niko sat on the bed... drinking." Eve's face droops.

"Oh, shit." Bill pauses his algorithm. "He was doing so well." He continues it.

"He had one of his episodes. He threw his glass at the wall and said me and you were sleeping together."

Bill walks through with two mugs of tea in his hands. He carefully passes a mug to Eve. She sips her tea, lightly grazing the top of the cup with a soft lip.

"I ended up sleeping on the couch." She takes the mug away from her mouth, holding it, one hand on the handle and one hand under the cup. Bill carefully places his mug down on the coffee table, in front of him.

"Eve, I'm gonna keep telling you this. You need to leave him. He's an arsehole. I know it, you know it. Even Dom knows it. Yo-"

"Please, Bill! I'm too hungover for this lecture again." Eve snaps her mug down, drops of tea splashing onto the table.

"I'm sorry, Eve, but it's true," says Bill, rubbing Eve's back, up and down her cotton shirt. Eve doesn't reply but knows what Bill is saying is true.
"Look, I know what will cheer you up." Bill places his tea down on the table and wanders into the kitchen. Eve furrows her brow and leans over her knees to see where he's going. He comes back, holding a leaflet in his hand. "There's this new gay bar opening in town this Friday," says Bill, handing Eve the leaflet. Eve looks down at the leaflet as she takes it out of his hand. She looks back at Bill, raising an eyebrow. "I say we go. Forget about Niko." Bill picks up his tea to sip it, scorching hot on the tip of his tongue. "After you left, last night, Jamie came back. He apologised."

Eve's eyebrow drops as she immediately adopts a giddy smile. "Awh, that's so good," she says, stroking the back of Bill's hand with her thumb.

"He can come too. What do ya say, hm?"

It takes Eve a couple of seconds to think before she looks back up at Bill with a worried expression. "I don't think that's a good idea. Niko will have another episode." She largely inhales.