Shutter ❋ Joe Sugg AU

19 ❋ Joe/Amelia

Joe

I was drunk. That was the only thought that kept repeating itself in my head - that and Amelia. The lights in the club were too bright, and the music was too loud - there was countless bodies pressing up against me, all of them nameless and unimportant.

I had consumed far too much alcohol for my own good, and now I was feeling the effects. I didn't even know where Caspar and Oli were, I could hardly see anything. Everything was hazy and confusing, and I felt like if I didn't escape soon I would pass out in the middle of it all. I pushed my way out of the mass of writhing bodies, and made my way to the outside smoking area. Since the club was underground I had to walk (or stumble) up a flight of stairs to get there.

There was only one person out in the cold, a drooping cigarette hanging from her red lips. She didn't even acknowledge me as I leaned against the wall, leaning my head back on the concrete. Her hair was bleached and she was wearing a tarty red slip dress - I couldn't help but compare her common appearance to Amelia's. My stomach twisted at the thought of her.

The 'smoking area' was really just a bit of sidewalk with a rubbish bin and bench. It was tucked away in an alleyway, and I could still hear the sound of music coming from underground. I kind of wanted to ask the unknown girl for a cigarette - maybe it would help to clear the haze in my head. I didn't smoke but at that moment I didn't care.

I pulled out my phone and clumsily unlocked it. Because of the alcohol my judgement was clouded, and I barely registered what I was doing as I called Amelia. It didn't really occur to me that it was well past 2 in the morning and she would be asleep.

There was no answer and eventually her voice message began to play in my ear.

"Hey... Sorry I couldn't answer, leave a message if you really want to speak to me. I'll get back to you when I can. Uh, bye." It sounded rushed, and it sounded like she was holding back laughter throughout the whole thing. I chuckled to myself, causing the girl to look at me curiously.

The beep sounded, and before I knew it words were pouring out of my mouth. "Hi Amelia... I don't know why I'm ringing so late, sorry if I woke you up or something. I'm at this club in London and I got too hot so I came up here... Oh god I'm rambling. Okay sorry I'm gonna stop now and get to the point, I wanna say sorry for earlier today. I don't know what made me lean in for the kiss I think I just thought it was the right moment and I guess it wasn't. If you want to be friends and only friends that's okay, I just can't stop thinking about you and I feel like my life is different now that you're in it... Maybe that's cheesey but oh god, I don't even know what I'm saying-" I was cut off by another beep, alerting me that my time had run out. I bit my lip and hung up.

"That wasn't cheesy."

I looked over at the girl, with her bright red lipstick, sunken eyes and dull hair. The cigarette in her mouth was just about finished, but she still kept the thing between her lips.

"You think?" I said, smiling at her even though she could've been pulling my leg. It was cold enough so that I could see my breath condensing in the night air, and the street was glowing in the lamplight from rainfall earlier in the night.

"Definitely. She'll fall for that hook, line and sinker." She said, before finally removing the burnt out cigarette from her mouth and tossing it into the bin.

"I hope so."

"She's special, yeah?" The girl looked at me, and I was surprised by her ability to read me.