Torn (GXG)

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Gem's POV

I stretched and yawned and gazed up at my ceiling. I was slightly annoyed at being awake, the dream I had been awoken from was just getting to the good part. Charlie and I had been enjoying each other's company in a hot tub, I could still feel the ghost of her lips from the dream. Somewhere in the house I could hear Claire moving signalling her wakefulness. deciding I should probably get out of bed instead of moping around wishing I could fall back asleep to my dream of Charlie.

Slipping out of my bed and making for the bathroom to shower I felt my mind wander back to Charlie. I had been working on the ward now for nearly three months and it was starting to get close to my first Christmas there. Charlie and I had become closer and on a few occasions we had gone out for coffee on our days off which I had revealed in knowing we had started to make the transition from student and mentor to friends. I smiled as I thought about her, she had gotten so far under my skin I couldn't really believe it. Having a placement there had started it but now I was around for longer and I knew I wasn't going away, I allowed myself to feel more. I still hadn't figured out if she could be into girls though, not once had she mentioned a boyfriend or previous ones so I just didn't know. I knew her best friend Jenn was living with one of the registrar's Dr Pierce. But being friends with a lesbian didn't mean she was too, I could hope though. At least I knew she was ok with it. I sighed and tried to take my mind off my crazy obsession and think about something else. I turned my mind to the upcoming holidays and tried to figure out what I should buy my family for Christmas as well as the dreaded secret Santa present I was tasked to buy. I was terrible at presents I would have to take Claire with me as she was far better at present shopping then I.
Wandering into the kitchen to grab some breakfast I saw Claire had beaten me to it and already had a steaming mug of tea ready for me.

"Morning chicky." she grinned "How's that crazy head of yours? You been dreaming 'bout your girlie again? I can see it in your face." she twisted towards the toast that had just popped up. "Well, hearing you moan her name also gives a big hint." she laughed at the horrified look that I was sure covered my face.

"I...." I coughed. "Shut up."

"Why the hell don't you just ask her? It's pretty easy. Hey Charlie did you know I'm gay, also your fit and I want to take you on a date." Claire grinned at me from across the kitchen.

"No... Uh.... No I can't do that." just the thought of asking Charlie out scared me no end. I wanted to wait and make sure, I had only just managed to make friends with her I didn't want to lose that.
"Claire you know why I can't just say that. I don't want to lose her as a friend. I don't want that to happen again! So I have to wait till I'm sure I have a chance with her."
Claire shrugged and continued to drink her tea leaving me to my own terrible thoughts.

"So what do you want to do today?"

I grinned and told her my idea for the day ahead.

Three hours later we stood in the main shopping centre of the city, Claire laden down with bags of her own shopping, me with only one small present for my niece.

"Claire seriously what the hell am I supposed to buy!" I complained loudly as we meandered through the shopping centre. "I hate this. I am so bad at buying presents. I struggle with you and my family how the hell am I supposed to get something for secret Santa for a girl I've known for like three months." I hated secret Santa. After a few times being cajoled in at Uni I refused to do it again as my gifts were terrible and I didn't want to ruin the fun for everyone. I had been dragged into it at work a week previously. Having been stood in the doorway to the office waiting for Sam the charge nurse to get off the phone to tell him about a family that wanted a word with him. Lucy dived into the office and shoved a piece of paper in front of me and asked if I had joined the secret Santa list. I had replied in the negative only for her to tell me I had no choice and my name was going on the list. Diving back out again she disappeared before I could protest, in the same moment Sam got off the phone and asked me what I wanted. The result of this was, I got stuck with having to buy a secret Santa present for Sally, a nurse I had known for all of the three months I had worked there. I got on reasonably well with her even though most people thought of her as a bit of a bitch. They were not wrong, as she had a very brash personality but I had come to realise she was only really like that in a way to make competition. I liked her despite my better judgement and we spent most of each day telling each other to fuck off, a love hate relationship of sorts. She made me laugh and I knew she saw me as a good person to compete with so to speak, we worked well together and I generally believed she made me a better nurse.