The Rings

[ four ]

Sorry, it's been a while, it's a long story, hehe

*****

'What was that about, back there?' Simon asked, looking over his shoulder at the cafe, as though he might see what I was afraid of. Wait, afraid? What was I on about?

'I don't know, I just... I don't know.' I mumbled, hoping he would forget it. 'Come to the park, with me, instead.'

Simon sighed, but nodded his head anyway. 'This is stupid,' he muttered, not happy with walking into a children's park with me. "We're too old for this!"

Just as I was about to reply, I bumped into a small child, knocking her strawberry ice cream from her hand and almost landing on me, if I hadn't dodged. At first she just stared at the ice cream, dripping from the cracked cone, melting into a puddle on the tarmac.

'I'm really sorry!' I muttered, trying to pick up the ice cream, in a fluster. Wait, why was I picking it up? Ugh I'm such a dummy! 'Wait, I'll get you a new one, look, look!'

Just as I rushed towards the ice cream van, a tall, rather large woman approached me and prodded me on the shoulder, quite roughly, might I add. 'Excuse me?' She snapped. 'I think you owe my little girl another ice cream.'

I was just flipping getting one! Ugh! 'I-Er.. I was just about to...' I stuttered, purchasing the ice cream, before handing it to the distraught child, almost knocking it again.

Simon stifled a laugh, earning himself a glare from me, before I slumped down on a small bench, dragging him down with me, allowing the small child to scurry off, devouring the new ice cream. I let out a sigh as I leant my head on his shoulder, watching the children playing on the slide.

Simon looked at me, with a grin. 'Dont stare,' he said with a childish laugh. 'You'll scare them!'

I gave him another playful glare, stealing his glasses from him, causing him to start madly snatching at my hands, to try and get them from me. Eventually I gave in, putting them back in his hands, settling my head back on his shoulder.

'Do you remember when me and you used to play on the Recreation park?' I mumbled, nestling myself into his warm coat. 'And that creepy ice cream guy?'

I heard Simon breath out a silent laugh at that. 'Yeah, I remember,' he said, 'I remember when you nearly actually went to buy an ice cream from him.'

'Oh, come on, I was only 13!' I protested, playing with his sleeve.

'Even a 13 year old should know better than to buy ice cream from some random pedophile in a kid's park!' He retorted, in between laughs. I ignored him, shaking my head lightly against his shoulder.

'Oh, hey,' I said, lifting my head from Simon's shoulder and looking at him, whilst we sat on the bench. 'Want to come with me to get a new job?'

He smiled at me and laughed. 'A new job?' He asked, shaking his head. 'You got fired again?' I nodded. 'Well, what do you feel like doing?'

I shrugged and looked around me, as though it would be written on a shop window telling me that that's the place that I should work at. 'I should be a bar tender.' I said, smirking and looking at him. 'I just fancy standing over a bar, pulling pints and getting in cat fights with grumpy cows and then watching them get kicked out.'

Simon laughed again, through his nose, trying not to laugh out loud. 'Really? You'd actually enjoy something like that?' He asked, smiling at me mischievously. 'Standing behind a bar having smelly old dirtbags hitting on you and trying to get your number and molest you.'

I smacked him on the arm, lightly. 'It wouldn't be that bad!' I defended, with a giggle. 'Come on, come with me.'

I jumped up, leaving his warm body behind, but taking his hand, to try and pull him up. He groaned lazily as I pulled him to his feet. 'Come onnn,' I whined, before he finally gave in and started to walk.

*****

I snuck into the apartment, closing the door as quietly as possible, cringing as it shut. I tiptoed in and looked around, holding my keys tightly to prevent them from rattling around. 'C-Charlotte?' I called, nervously.

Charlotte strolled out from her room and threw herself onto the sofa, onto her back, thankfully wearing more than just her underwear... 'What have I told you about calling me Charlotte?' She muttered, sounding like an angry parent, saying the word 'Charlotte' with such disapproval, as though it wasn't her name, but someone she hated. 'And don't worry, Harry's not here.'

'Are you two, like...together?' I asked, slinging my jacket over the coat hook and dropping my bag.

Charlotte, or rather Lottie, scoffed. 'Of course not!' She snapped, as though it were obvious. I could tell I was annoying her, so I did my best to prevent pressing the subject any farther.

'What's cooking?' I asked, raising my nose in the air, sensing something salty in the kitchen.

'I picked up some fish and chips.' She mumbled, picking up the TV remote and observing it for a second as she found the standby button, turning it on. 'Dont worry, I got you something.'

That's the second time she had said 'don't worry' in the past minute. Why did people even say that? Did I ever say I was worrying? Maybe I just seemed to give people the impression that I was worried, all the time.

I grabbed the chips and gave them a sniff, making me shudder. Good food made me do that, don't ask why. I noticed a can of Coca Cola and tucked it under my arm, trying to balance my chips and drink at the same time.

Walking back into the lounge, I considered settling next to Lottie, but firstly, she was lying across it, taking up all the space and secondly, she probably didn't want me next to her.

Instead, I wandered, aimlessly into my bedroom and laid my meal gently down on my bed, laying carefully beside it, trying not to shake the mattress and spill them all. I lifted the lid of my phone and noticed a message from Simon. I started piling the chips one by one into my mouth.

Si: Have you had a text from the pub yet?

You: It's not a pub, it's a resturant! And no x

A split second later, my phone started to vibrate and ring it's piercing old phone ringtone. I answered it within a half second, desperate to shut up the infuriating noise.

'Why are you calling me?' I grumbled, stuffing another chip in my mouth.

'Because texting is annoying, my fingers don't even fit on the screen!' He replied. I could imagine him rolling his eyes at that.

'Hey, don't you dare complain about you're new phone,' I said, smiling. 'Any phone is better than mine.'

I heard Simon laugh. 'Come on, when are you going to replace that piece of crap?' He asked.

'Shut up,' I grunted, my mouth full of chips. 'It does the job, so it's good enough! Your's just has a bunch of pointless apps on it like Fruit Warrior or something.'

'Actually it's Fruit Ninja,' he scoffed. 'And it's not pointless, it's fun!'

I reached across for my Coke and pulled the metal cap upwards. Just as it opened, it exploded with foam and bubbles. I let out a yelp as it sprayed all over my covers, my chips and mostly me. I wrapped my mouth around the top to try and prevent any more from escaping, shortly before a loud cackle came from the lounge.

Damn you, Charlotte. I thought, picking up my phone, which I hadn't realised I had dropped, where I could hear Simon frantically asking what was happening. 'Sorry, Simon,' I muttered, with a sigh of frustration. 'My Coke isn't giving me a good time. I'll call you back, I need to clean this up.'

As I pulled the phone away from my ear, I heard him laugh and say goodbye and hanging up before I had the chance. I chucked the phone onto my pillow, away from the puddle of Coca Cola which was quickly soaking into the covers.

Cursing silently, I climbed over my soaked chips and started to pull off the covers. This had ruined my evening and I had this constant frown on my face for the rest of the evening.