Nando's Girl

18: The Room Of Pictures

JOE:
"I'm free!" She laughed, skipping down the street and throwing her hat into the air. I rolled my eyes and caught the hat before she could, jamming it on my head and letting my ears gain some warmth. Robin didn't seem to care though, running ahead and then jogging back to me, her cheeks bright red from the cold, London air.
"No school for like three weeks!!"
"But that means that I've gotta hang out with you for those three weeks!" I groaned. She stuck her tongue out and then fell into step beside me, her hair flying into her face.
"Well you're going to South Africa end of next week so only two weeks!"
"What you doing for Christmas?" I asked.

She shrugged. "My older sister is spending Christmas with her boyfriend, and Mary is spending it with my parents in Spain. "
"What do your parents do?" I asked, realising that I had never heard about the people that raised this hot mess I called a friend.
"About 18 months ago, by some chance my Dad won the lottery," Robin smiled, her face visibly softening when she spoke about her Dad. "He quit his job as a postman and my mum quit hers as a baker, bought the apartment we live in and are travelling around the world on my Dads boat."
"Don't you miss them?" I ask getting out my Oyster card and pressing mine in the barriers. Robin followed me and after and minute later we were dodging between people in the maze of tiled corridors. She didn't reply until we were sat on the worn out chairs of the train, which was oddly quiet for a Saturday afternoon, only teenagers and tired parents catching a ride.

"I miss my parents a lot, of course I do," she sighed, "but I'm glad that I get to live in London, even though I would love to travel as well."
"Wait, you've never travelled?"  I asked, shocked. Travelling was all I spent my money on, and the thought of only staying in England made my stomach physically squirm.
"we never had enough money to?" She replied sadly "it's what got me into photography in the first place, trying to find the beauty in our grey country."
"There's some good stuff about our country!" I said defensively. Robin laughed.
"Like what?"
"Stonehenge."
"Stonehenge? Really?"
"Yep."
"You're such a weirdo!" She smiled punching me lightly in the arm as the tinny female voice called for our stop. For once I was actually going to Robins apartment, as Caspar had gone to South Africa and I didn't want to be alone in the apartment. There was a slight crispness to the darkening sky as we walked down the quiet street, our breath in silver clouds.

Robin's apartment was small and slightly cluttered, but not in a bad way. The living room was full of shelves, all groaning with paperbacks and photo frames filled with smiling faces. There was faint music playing behind a closed door and Robin just walked down the corridor and opened a blue door at the end. The posters were still there, and fairy lights were sparkling, shimmers of blue and pink brightening the walls. In the corner sat her drum kit and her desk, piled high with textbooks, mugs and polaroids. Above her desk, the wall was covered with pictures. some were black and white, some in bright fluorescent colour. there were landscapes of London, towering buildings and busy streets. there were pictures with models, Robins friends from school. Alice's bright red hair standing out and a picture of Harriet's face with painted runes across her cheekbones. There were silly shots, pictures of Robin and twins, dressed in onsies laughing, her and her sisters, wearing what it looks like bridesmaids dresses, beaming widely. There were new ones, Robin and Caspar playing Fifa in childish delight. And then there was me. Me and Robin dancing on the coffee table, Me and Robin eating Nandos together, and a picture of Me sat on top of her, Me in mid laugh and Robin in mid protest. looking at them I couldnt help but laugh.

"I didnt know you printed these pictures iff!" I exclaimed.

"I used them for my last portfolio," Robin replied, lying on the rumpled bed, kicking off her shoes and shrugging off her coat.

"What's your next portfolio gotta be about?" I asked, seating myself at the drum kit and lightly tapping my fingers on the cymbal, letting the slight sound fall on my ears. She sighed from the other side of the room, with obvious annoyance. "Natural beauty, but where the hell am I going to find anything natural in London?"

"And that my friend, is why I am glad that I don't go to school anymore and have to deal with crap like that," I teased, tapping out a tune on the drums with my hands.
"Yea well, I'm free now so it's okay," she sighed, pulling out her laptop and clicking onto Netflix. We had planned to watch vampire diaries all evening, as it had about to get good but I couldn't watch it by myself, Caspar already thinks I'm a pussy. I jumped onto the edge of my friend's bed and snuggled under her duvet, kicking Robin off in the process. She sprawled on the carpet, a look of suprise plastered onto her face, reminding me oddly of Louise's daughter Darcey, a look of sudden innocent shock it just made her look so childish yet cute.
"Awe Wobin I'm sowwy," I pouted and she stuck her tongue out at me before somehow pulling out a bowl of popcorn from under the bed and snuggling under the duvet next to me, clicking onto the episode and taking a handful of food, popping three pieces into her mouth. For a while we just sat there, immersed in the story of the love triangle of The Salvatores and Elena, not talking, only watching and eating. During this time Robins older sister Ivy poked her head in and said hi, raising her eyebrows and scowling slightly before I hurriedly explained to her we were just friends. I then also met Robin's younger sister, Mary, who went bright pink when she saw me and was obviously trying to hold in her inner fangirl attacks. Wow, she was so much like her sister.

"Where are you going for Christmas then?" I asked between our 6th episode and emptying our third bowl of popcorn. We had now moved onto the gingerbread, making the tiny room smell a lot like Zoe's kitchen, which was comforting in many ways. I hadn't seen my sister in ages, and one of the reasons I hung out with Robin so much was because she reminded me a lot of my crazy older sister.
"I'll probably go to somewhere like Harriet's house, if her family will have me," Robin chuckled sadly, "I would go with Mary, but I have to stay here to do work."
Never had I felt so sorry for my little friend, realising that she didn't know where she was going to spend Christmas.
"Well I'm going to be with family for the day, but come over to mine in the evening and we can have Christmas dinner."
"Really?"
"Okay when I say Christmas dinner I mean Nandos, but hey, don't judge me."
"No, you want to spend Christmas evening with me?"
I looked at her wide hopeful eyes and nodded, and she wriggled with delight and gave me a quick hug.
"Thanks Joseph." She whispered.
"You're welcome," I smiled.
"Oh crap!"
"What?" I said, slightly confused.
"Get out."
"I'm sorry?"
"I haven't got you a present and I need to go shopping, so get out."
"Alright I'm going," I laughed, pulling on my shoes whilst Robin was pushing me out of her apartment. I turned around as she was by the door and smiled at her as she stood there, fussing like a mother.
"Get me something good."
"Yea, a shirt saying I Love Robin."
"Exactly."
And with another laugh and a small wave she closed the door with a soft click.

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Hello everybody!!

I actually uploaded on time today, which I am super happy about.

It's 13 days until my 5sos concert in Cardiff, and I am so excited you have no idea, this is my first time seeing them as I only became a proper fan at the start of their first tour. And also, I'm sick again because apparently my body FRICKIN loves me, and wants to keep me up half the night coughing and watching old zoella Vlogs, so it isn't all bad.

I hope everyone is enjoying the story, please keeping commenting and voting it makes me so happy and I'll reply to anyone who writes me a message. I'll update soon. Luv ya lots xx ✨😊💛