Playing With Fire || z.m

"Happy birthday, Niall."

ELLIE

“What are you doing here?” My best friend Jasmine hisses at me as she stands looking at me out of her window refusing to open the door to me.

“I’ve come to see you, obviously.” I bark. “Open the Door, Jaz, Just let me in.” The scene from Frozen plays in my mind of Anna knocking on Elsa’s door. And I can’t help but hum ‘do you want to build a snowman’ as Jasmine disappears from the window and I wait patiently to see if she’s decided to come and open the door.

Time ticks by and I slowly realise that she isn’t coming to the door. My heart drops as it hits me that I’ve lost so much due to this escapade with Zayn. My job, my best friend, a Harry. Was it worth it?

Yes and no.

Part of me wants to do the classic move and sit my arse down and refuse to move from her door step until she agrees to talk to me but, hey, we aren’t in a movie here. This is real life and I don’t really have the time or patience to sit on someone’s doorstep; my best friend or not. Sorry Jasmine. I turn and walk back to my car, only to hear my name being called. Turning back to Jasmine’s door I see her standing there, her hair scraped back into a messy ponytail and a sad look upon her face.

Before I can stop myself I run towards her and she envelopes me in a tight hug. I breathe in her smell and hold her close to me. I’ve missed her.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry about everything,” I start but she stops me.

“No, I’m sorry. I’m the one who ditched my best friend at the one time she needed me most.” She’s crying, I know she is. I can always tell because her voice goes funny, as if she has something stuck in her throat. Before either of us can say anymore, she takes me by the hand and leads me into her kitchen, sitting me down at the table and sits opposite me, lighting a cigarette for us both.

“Thank you,” I mutter as I take one from her, taking a pull and letting it out slowly. “I just want to apologise for not being entirely honest with you, Jasmine. I kept you in the dark when you deserved to know the truth.”

“Please don’t apologise to me. Please. I was selfish. I had the hump because you didn’t talk to me. Such a petty thing to get the hump over because realistically it had nothing to do with me. I didn’t take into consideration that you actually needed me as a friend,” She takes a deep breath and sighs “Until like, a minute ago when I saw how deflated you looked as you walked away. I saw how much you needed me.”

“I do need you. I needed you a few weeks ago but that’s okay. It’s happened, its over.” I shrug, taking another pull on my cigarette.

“Over?” She gasps.

“No well, what I meant was, all is said and done. We can’t go back in time can we? Although, fuck, I wish I could!”

“So tell me everything.” And that I do. I tell her literally everything and she sits in front of me with wide eyes, saying nothing, just listening which is a rare thing for Jasmine. “Ellie, I just, oh god, I’ve been so selfish thinking I was the one with the biggest problem. There’s me sitting over here sulking about my best friend hiding stuff from me and there’s you, over there, with all of that.” She puts her hand on top of mine. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that on your own.” It’s a bit too late for her apologies. And a bit too late for mine also but the good thing about best friends is that you can fall out, make up and carry on from where you left off. And for that, I am grateful.

“So, anyway, one thing I’ve been dying to know!! What is Zayn Malik like in bed?” She cackles loudly as if she is joking but I know full well she 100% wants to know every single detail about Zayn in the sack! Filthy cow…