Why I Love ~Sequel To Entwined~

Settling for Perfect

Chapter Two

Settling for Perfect

            “Good morning!” James sang, standing by her bed. Aria groaned and pulled the covers over her head. “C’mon Arie, we have to get unpacked-that and we don’t have groceries.”

Aria lowered the covers “Your scared to go to the grocers alone, aren’t you?”

“What! No of course I’m not afraid to go to the grocers by myself.”

“Liar,” she said, jumping out of her bed and poking his muscled chest. “You are afraid!”

“No,” James blushed “Its just I haven’t completely figured out Muggle money and-and-”

“It’s okay Jamie,” Aria said, patting his head “I’ll go with you. Now get out.”

James pretended to pout “So this is what its going to be like, huh? Kicking me out, calling me a scardey cat-”

“I never called you a scardey cat, scardey cat.”

“-Refusing to get out of bed when I so kindly came and got you…” the rest of his argument was cut off when Aria shoved him out, laughing. She stripped down and got into the shower, so conveniently branching straight from her room. She shuddered at the thought of having to share a bathroom with James. She loved her best friend, but he was messy.

Aria put on her jacket and grabbed her purse, yanking on her boots as she hopped out of her room. “C’mon James, I’m starving!”

James threw his jacket over his shoulder and followed her out, locking the door behind them. They walked into the little café downstairs and breathed in the smell of fresh bread and coffee.

“Hmm,” Aria sighed “Do you want a muffin?”

“Please,” James said, almost drooling at the sight of rows and rows of fresh muffins and other treats.

“Two banana chocolate muffins and two coffees to go please,” Aria smiled at the cashier.

“Hey,” the old woman said “Aren’t you two moving in upstairs?”

“Yeah,” James said “We got here last night.”

The old woman smiled, her eyes crinkling in the corners “That’s lovely! My name’s Joanna, welcome to London.”

“Thank you,” Aria said and waved as they left, cradling their coffee cups.

They spent the morning wandering around, buying groceries and getting to know their new neighbourhood. They passed a flower shop and Aria looked at it longingly; she had worked with flowers before, and loved it. She knew all there was to know about flowers and colours and trends-she missed it.

“Let’s go in, maybe get some flowers?” James asked, reaching for the door.

She shook her head, she wanted to go, but not with James. She wanted to go in alone, wander around and breathe in the smell of a floral shop. “Not today, ‘kay?”

“Alright,” As they walked away, Aria glanced behind her and sighed.

~*~*~*~

            It had been a week since James and Aria had moved in, and already the apartment looked like home; books were stuffed on the shelves, potted plants occupied the corner and everything was a little messy, but not to messy.

There was food in the cupboards (James braved the grocers) and joy in their hearts as the two slowly started to get used to living in the city. It was noisier and brighter at night than they were used to, and much easier to get lost. The traffic was bad and sometimes James got yelled at for driving to slow, but they were loving city life.