South Shields

Chapter 30

The next week

- PERRIE -

"Lucas!" I shout through the phone when I hear him pick up.

"Hey! You sound excited?" he says as to lead me to the reason why.

"First, I'm sorry if you're now deaf. Second... I got the apartment! I got the apartment!" I shout, this time directing the phone away from my mouth.

"Seriously? Wow Perrie, congrats!"

"Thanks! I can't believe I'm moving this week." I say, not being able to stop smiling. "I was wondering if you'd like to help me move my stuff?"

"I'd love to, Perrie, I just have to check my schedule. I have some stuff to do, and I'd like to have an entire day with you, not just an hour." he explains.

"Sounds great! I don't have very much stuff to move, so I don't need the entire week to move. I can start whenever you can."

"Awesome, babe. I'll text you later."

"Sure, bye." I end the call.

"Bye." he says and hangs up.

My stomach is filled with butterflies. Lucas will help me move all of my stuff, and that makes it feel like I'm moving with him, which I'm not. Because of that, it's weird that I feel all bubbly nervous inside.

I'm on my way back to Jade's apartment. I've been to my house to tell my mother that I'm moving to my own place. When I told her, she first looked relieved. That made me kind of sad, but afterwards she told me she felt pride. When she said that word, 'pride', I felt proud of myself as well. With my salary from the café I now have  my very own home, and that's something I'm proud of as well.

"Hello!" I shout when I open the door. It took me around 30 minutes to walk here from my mother's house. It's not that far, but the hot sun made it seem like a walk on the sun itself.

"Hey Pez!" I hear Jesy's voice from the kitchen. Quickly I walk to my "room" to change clothes. I wear a long-sleeved dress, and even though it's short I'm still sweating in it. I take the dress of and put on a pair of white denim shorts.

"How was your mom?" I hear Jesy's voice from the kitchen. Then I hear footsteps and understand that she's on her way to the living room. I quickly grab a tight grey tank top and get dressed. As I turn around I see Jesy and her curly-haired friend Legih-Anne standing beside her.

"Hi" Leigh-Anne says.  

"How was your mom?" Jesy asks again, maybe only to be polite. I don't know why she would care that much about it to ask twice.

"She was great. She gave me a jar of cookies just like last time, and since you like them so much I figured you could have them this time." I tell Jesy. I throw the jar on the couch and she walks there to grab it.

"Really? Awesome!" she smiles. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Neither me, Jesy or Leigh-Anne knows what to say next, so Jesy turns around and walks back to Leigh-Anne.

"We're in the kitchen if you need us." Jesy says and then they walk back into the kitchen.

-

When Jesy calls me for dinner I shut my book that I've been reading out in the sun on the balcony. She has made hamburgers and set the table very nicely - but only for three.

"Who's not eating?" I ask as I sit down.

"Jade. She texted me and said she wouldn't come home for dinner." Jesy explains.

"Why?" Leigh-Anne asks.

"Yeah, why?" I agree.

"I have no idea." Jesy answers as she brings a bowl of lettuce to the table.

"It's weird, I have barley seen Jade at all this week. Last time we ate a meal together was on thursday. That's three days ago! Isn't that weird?" I ask Leigh-Anne and Jesy.

"Yeah." Jesy answers shortly. "Weird." 

"I have no idea what she's doing..." Leigh-Anne sighs. "Is she like, working or something?"

"I don't know. I asked her a few days ago, but she just said she was going out." Jesy answers. "I guess she wants it to be a secret." She ends her answer by taking a big bite off her hamburger.

Suddenly, I don't feel like eating anymore. Jade's face is occupying my mind, and I wonder if there's something wrong with her. Is she feeling alright? Does she hide something from the rest of us? If so, then what is it?

"Jesy, the food was very good, but I'm full." I say and stand up. I grab my plate and drink up the water in my glass and put them both in the dishwasher.

When I walk into the living room the sun is shining through the windows. When I go out to stand on the balcony, it's just as warm as before, so I decide to read my book again.

With Jade on my mind I struggle to keep focus on the book, and therfore I quit reading after 15 minutes. Instead, I enjoy the warm evening sun and think about Jade.

Does she still have feelings for me? I can't really remember the last time I understood she had, it was a few weeks ago, I guess. Since we haven't met very much the past week, I haven't been able to read her body language nor her facial expression when we've talked to each other. Instead, she has been gone a lot, and I have spent a lot of time with Lucas.

Lucas... For a moment I quit thinking about Jade to think about how good Lucas makes me feel. Every time he holds my hand I get butterflies in my stomach and when we kiss I get a warm feeling in my entire body. He really is a great guy, and the last few weeks that I've known him have been the best ones I've had in a long while.

Lucas along with bot Jade and Jesy have made me feel appreciated and have also brought me joy. Those things are some that I haven't felt in a while, since the only people I had in my life was my fussy mother, my odd brother and Alex who's a real golddigger. They have hardly never made me feel either of those things, and in just a few months I've found a bunch of people who have made me feel them. 

Jade once told me that she hated South Shields, and back then I said I didn't. Even though I was bullied as a kid and never belonged to any groups of friends in my teenage years, I still felt like South Shields was my home. Therefore I couldn't really hate it. Now when my life actually has changed, my relationship with South Shields has changed as well.

Now, I can almost agree with Jade. I don't hate this city, but I do dislike it a lot.

(Hey guys! It feels like I haven't updated this story in FOREVER, and I'm sorry for that! I will try my best to update as often as I can, but I don't dare to promise anything... Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will read the next as well ;) xx)