It isn't all misery

Chapter 11

“...So I kept his shirt on and got back into his car...”

“Do you still have it?!” Mads asked, shocked.

“No..I, I don't know what happened to it after I passed out”

“Well I brought you some clothes at the hospital, maybe he took it back, since it was wet and stuff,” she sipped on her coffee and watched me over the edge of her cup as I took in her answer. That makes sense.

I had been reciting the previous 48 hours, starting with the date, to the club, to that night and into the morning, and I carried on telling her about the day. What happened at Jake's, how I felt, what I think happened. I didn't leave out any details of the whole story.

“Man, do you think Andy likes you?” Madison said slowly, holding her cup close to her chest. Though it was warm this morning and during the day, it had considerably chilled since then and we were feeling it this evening.

“No, don't be silly” I wrote it off straight away. It was preposterous, just the thought of it.

Like she knew what I was thinking, she tried again. “No really, think about it. You think there was a moment in his house, the way he smiled when you said it wasn't serious?! Which we'll discuss in a moment, and he invited you over! Not to mention you've already bagged one of the boys, who says you haven't caught Andy's eye too, eh?” she smiled as if she'd figured it all out.

“First off, I haven't bagged Ashley. It's just, we're...I don't even know what we are! And I panicked. When Andy asked me that, I...I blanked and denied it. Are we serious? Is there even something between Ashley and I?”

“Of course there is, he took you out and kissed you, twice. He made breakfast, albeit it was just cereal, but it's a nice gesture. Why, don't you think so?”

“I guess. I mean, I don't know what I think. I just feel like something should have happened by now. Something should have clicked, and I'd know whether or not it was working or we were making progress, or something! I just feel like that hasn't happened yet” I admitted.

Madison watched me for a second. She does that a lot, when she starts thinking, she watches you, concentrates, then reveals her thoughts. I had to look down at my own cup of tea to avoid her gaze. I liked a good old Starbucks coffee, but my tea was where it was at. Could never resist a good cuppa. Sometimes I think I should have been born British. Wow that was stereotypical of me. But England is one of the places I would love to go one day. Do all the tourist things and such. Caught up in my own thoughts momentarily I didn't even realise Madison had started speaking again.

“I'm sorry, what?”

“I said, it's because you've always had such safe relationships. And they didn't always work out, as we know...” She referred to my most recent disaster relationship. Well not so much recent as it happened last year. An incident involving Natalia and my old flame Liam. But I've forgiven and forgotten and we don't talk of it any more.

“This guy is different. Ashley's...special, in a way. You'll just have to see where it goes”

I paused, taking in her words, then thought about the piercing blue eyes that shone in the sunlight as Andy smiled when I said we weren't serious.

“And Andy...?” I prompted, needing more advice. “Do you think I said the right thing by saying it wasn't serious”

“I think you said exactly what I would have expected. Classic Evie” she smirked and stood up.

“Wait, what does that even mean!” but she was already walking away, blatantly ignoring me when it was clear she could still hear me. She wandered into my kitchen and I could hear her switch on the kettle.