lover - leah williamson

the 'taking things slow'

march 28th "22
newport pagnell, milton keynes

Niamh was awoken by a familiar fury face brushing against her own as her eyelids fluttered open to be met with Bella's golden ones. As she lifted her arm to stroke the animal in front of her, Niamh felt another arm sprawled across her stomach. She tilted her head only to be met with Leah's eyes fixated on her which caused her breath to hitch in her throat.

"Hi." Leah whispered.

Niamh stayed silent, unsure on how to react to the fact she was back in Leah's bed, seemingly back to how they were. She rotated herself onto her side to get herself up out of bed in a swift motion, in which caused Leah to prop herself up on her arm.

"Whats wrong?"

She paced herself around Leah's room, her hand coming up to her forehead in a sense of panic and regret. Her breathing increased and she found herself gazing out of the window and out onto the streets where she was out only hours ago. Why was she back in Leah's bed? They hadn't even talked about that night yet.

"Niamh. Are you alright?" Leah asked, also getting out of bed and making her way over to her girlfriend.

"No no no. Don't come near me." Niamh stammered out, backing herself further toward the window.

"Woah, Niamh. Calm down." Leah said calmly, raising her hands innocently and gently walking toward Niamh.

"No, no. Wh-what am I doing here?"

"What do you mean?" Leah questioned, confused spreading across her face.

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Niamh began, exasperated, "What am I doing back in your bed? Your arm around me? Back in your house? Wha- Have we forgotten everything that went on that night?"

"Niamh just slow down, you're fine. We're fine."

"No Leah we're not! We can't just casually brush over what happened and you know it! We were horrible to each other! That doesn't happen in a relationship and, I tell you what else doesn't happen; healthy couples don't forget everything they said to one another. After those arguments, healthy couples talk about it! Work it out! You know?" Niamh finished, breathless with anger.

"It's not that I don't want to talk about it!" Leah spoke, mimicking Niamh's tone.

"Then why don't you?!" Niamh shouted, reaching her wits end.

"Why don't you?!" Leah responded.

A silence hung between the two, as they both simply sat with the thought. Why didn't they just talk about it? What were they so afraid of?

"I don't want to be the girlfriend that comes running back as soon as everyone clicks their fingers. I'm tired of being that person. I did it with Matthew, I've done it with you. I'm bored of it, Leah. I know I'm more than that." Niamh spoke gently, collecting her composure, seeing maturity.

"Niamh, I know you're more than everything. You're incomparable to anything else, and certainly more than an overly exaggerated, obedient girlfriend."

"Then why am I back? Why'd you let me back?" Niamh questioned.

"You were drunk, Niamh. I wasn't gonna turn you away at my door was I? Just because we had an argument, and a bad argument at that but, doesn't mean to say I've stopped loving you." Leah spoke softly.