Going Up | ✓

An Addition - (29)

An Addition.

Laughter bubbles in my chest, spilling out of my mouth joyfully. I look affectionately at my best friends as they dance to the music, limbs flying everywhere. 

I join in eagerly, letting the music move me. The four of us jump up and down in the kitchen, not caring that the blinds are open and people can easily see in. 

Maddie's belting the lyrics out at the top of her voice, while the rest of us are hardly able to contain our laughter. It's been a long time since we last had a sleepover, but it's definitely been worth the wait. 

Once the song finally ends, the four of us stop moving, trying to get our breath back, but this proves to be a difficult task between gasps of laughter. 

'That was ridiculous,' Ky wheezes as the next song comes on, but it's a much slower one. 

Em nods in agreement, leaning  back against the kitchen counter with a big smile on her face. 

Once we're actually able to talk again, the four of us look at each other. 'I think it's probably time for movies now, don't you think?' Maddie suggests. 

Ky picks up her wine glass from the counter, grinning. 'Just what I was thinking, girl.'

'What movie are we going for?' I ask as we wander through into the living room of Maddie's apartment. 

This is the first Friday in a while that Maddie has been able to get off work and so Ivan volunteered to look after Oliver for the evening, although he has Daniel round to keep him company. Now that Christmas has been and gone, it's nice for the four of us to be able to get together after such a busy time of year when it's difficult to organise to see each other.

We decided to congregate at Maddie's apartment, which is still my old one. Now that Ivan insists on paying for so much, the money doesn't really seem to be an issue. 

'The Holiday, it's a classic,' Em pipes up, reaching for it in the DVD pile by the TV.

'Fair enough,' Ky agrees, nodding her head. 'I can't argue with that one.'

The four of us bundle ourselves up in blankets and stretch out across the cushions and pillows sprawled across the floor in front of the TV. 

'You know,' Maddie muses, after she's put the DVD in. 'I'm so glad that nothing's really changed recently between us. I mean, everything else seems to be different now,' she swallows quickly and tries to mask it by plowing through her next words, but we all know her too well not to notice that there's still lingering hurt over her break-up with Bruce. 'But we've stayed the same, we're still best friends.'

Em smiles softly. 'Of course we are, it's always going to be like this.'

'Yeah, don't think you're getting rid of any of us that easily,' Ky scoffs, nudging Mads with her shoulder. 'We're a team and we get through the bad stuff together.'

Her lips tip into a smile. 'Yeah, I know. It's just nice to know it's just like it was, you know? It's not like I expected you to be different because of Ivan or anything, Pops, but there's more people in your life now, an entire new social circle. It feels good that you haven't forgotten us.' 

I shake my head firmly. 'I'm not forgetting you any time soon, Maddie. Besides,' I grin cheekily, 'I wouldn't dare leave you behind, in case Ky came and axe-murdered me, or something. You know what she's like.'

'Damn right I would,' the girl in question quips, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. 

'In all seriousness, though,' Em presses, her expression caring. 'We are always here for you, Maddie. I know it's all a bit rubbish at the moment, but that's okay. You just have to talk about it and accept that you're hurting. Then you can keep moving forwards and leave the negative stuff that's happened recently behind you. It's a long and painful process, I know, but you'll get there, honestly. It just takes time.'