The Actor's One & Only

Chapter 7

"Good mornin...what...what're ya doin ere? It's quite early." she greeted, finding his teeth gleaming in the sunlight and blinding her as she woke up to his infectious toothy grin. She quickly fixed her bedhead, fluffing up her unkempt tresses as her annoying friend pushed a camera lens in her face. "Preppin the Polaroid, of course! This is payback for bargin into my room that day, you!" he exclaimed jokingly, playfully shifting her precious Polaroid from one hand to the other. "Thank my stars I'm not in my knickers! Now, gimme back my camera...I don't let anyone touch it, it's too precious!" she scolded, snatching it outta his hands before he dropped it to the ground. It was restored to its original place on the shelf above the headboard among the avid photographer's vast collection of cameras, photoframes and handycams. "Sorry...but, I do think we can do short work o' the knickers situation..." he teased, playfully reaching towards the bed and under her sheets from the armchair beside her while she giggled and swatted at his naughty, wandering hand.
"Why're ya ere, honestly?" she enquired, once she'd made sure he kept his hands to herself. "I'm goin back to London today. Wanted to say my goodbyes before I go." he replied. He noticed her lower lip quiver on hearing him. "Oh! So soon? " she whispered, sitting up in bed. "Aye. I'm takin the train. I like the view outside. Quite inspirin, especially for a writer such as yerself, eh?" he explained, suppressing a sly grin as he dropped a hint. He'd wished to sweep her off to London with him, away from sleepy Scotland just so she could live a little. He'd disclosed his plans with her mum after their talk the previous night and she'd agreed to let him, giving them her blessing. "Aye. Why d'you have to leave so soon though...?" she muttered under her breath, not catching on to the hidden meaning and clasping his hands, squeezing them tight as if that would keep him there a while longer.
"I don't think ya caught on to what I meant. The view...you'd be inspired by it." he repeated himself. "What're ya on about? I heard ya the first time, ya know?" she retorted, annoyed that he kept bringing up the train journey that was taking her chum further away from her. "I'm askin ya to come with me to London, woman!" she let go of his hands on hearing him and covered her agape mouth with her palms. Her eyes widened at his offer.
"Yer fibbin, right?!" she cried out in disbelief, throwing her sheets off as she spoke. "Why not? It's the perfect timin, innit? Winter break, school's out. London's wondrously freezin this time o' year, how bout it?" he suggested, making his pleading, puppy eyes at her."I can't...Dad, he has to...well, he needs me..." she began to make her excuses, hesitant to leave her parents all alone in their lil cottage in Scotland.
"Oh, would ya lemme handle yer dear ol dad?! Besides, yer ol man would be glad not to listen to any more o' ya dronin on about yer day at work." her mum chimed in from the doorway. "Aye, more dronin for me!" she chuckled on hearing Jack joke. "Bout time ya got outta the house. I insist." Mrs. Richards insisted, egging her on. "Besides, with my actin career not goin as well as I'd hoped, I think I might need someone for moral support, to talk me outta killin myself...! I'm on the brink,I swear! I think yer the only one best suited for the job. An' once yer home, you'll have a lotta stories for yer students, eh?" he listed out all the pros for her. "I'll think about..." she began to reply, still hesitant about it. "There'll be no thinkin, lass! Yer goin an' that's final! I won't have ya sulkin around ere. Now, I'll take care o' dad an' I've already paid for yer ticket, so yer goin!" her concerned mother cut in before her daughter started making any more excuses about accompanying her actor friend. "Alright, I'll go. Just lemme pack an' change. I'll be down in a sec. I'll probably phone an' tell Mia bout it as well...although, she's not gonna be happy bout me ditchin er for London!" Ruth finally agreed after much persuasion. She hadn't been able to catch a break in years, anyway!
"Oi, listen!" she grabbed his hand as he prepared to leave so she could change in the privacy of her room. "Yeah?" Jack enquired, staring deep into her eyes with his amber pools. "I'm sorry if I said anythin untoward to ya last night. I wasn't myself..." she apologized. "Well, ya did forget what my middle name was. An' I think that I threw my back out carryin ya up ere, so...I guess that's two things ya can apologize for." he joked."Oh, golly! Well, I apologize profusely for that, then." she apologized, beaming at him. Atleast she knew she was in safe hands in London. "It's ok. C'mon, train's leavin soon. Hurry up, yeah?" he ordered, shutting the door behind him. "Ya bet yer arse, she will!" she nodded amusingly on hearing her mum promise him on her behalf from the other side of the door.
He was lost in his own thoughts as he watched her struggle with the luggage at King's Cross station when they arrived in London. He loved the way her brown locks encircled her pale face and fell over her bosom which heaved as she lugged a heavy suitcase onto the trolley. Her loose tresses covered up half her pretty face but made her seem even prettier to him now.
"A real gentleman ya are! Oi, ya gonna help me or what?!" a sarcastic Ruth interrupted his thoughts, catching him staring at her in a manner as if he was fantasizing about her just then. Her pretty smile turned into a scowl as she steadied herself against the cool metal of the trolley, panting and catching her breath. "Uh,sorry...I was..never mind! Lemme help ya with those, yeah?" he offered, shaking it off and rushing over to help her once his politeness had kicked in. "Finally! Ya know, I hope when yer married, ya get a wife who orders ya around. Forces ya to lug the bags around, while she busies erself by filin er nails. Think it'd teach ya a valuable lesson on bein more helpful." she muttered teasingly, towering over him like a strict supervisor now as he bent down to pick up a bulging bag off the floor before loading it onto the trolley for her. "Careful with that! Those are my delicates!" she ordered in a dictatorial fashion, as he acted like a klutz, letting one of the bags topple off the trolley and onto the floor. He shuddered at the thought of handling a duffel bag full of her delicates! She sniggered at his reaction.