The library

February 14th 2004

"Can you pass me that charcoal?"

I briefly looked up from my artwork as I asked for the drawing tool and held my hand out for it.

I was sat on the floor, in my room, just like most days off from college, working on my coursework. OutKast's Hey Ya poured through the speakers of the CD Player in the corner of the room, laying a happy and carefree vibe over both myself and Lawrence.

Lance looked up from his drawing and smiled slightly before reaching for his pencil case and fishing out a stick of charcoal and handing it to me, our fingers brushing as I took the black material off him.

"There you go." Lance spoke out the corner of his mouth in that signature voice of his - a tinge of an American accent in there somewhere, but you'd have to study it very closely to notice.

Lance was born in Ottawa and lived there until he was three before moving to Sheffield with his parents who sought new job opportunities here.

"Cheers fitch." I smiled at him before looking back down at the the jawline I was shading.

We had been working like this for about two hours now - it was starting to get dark outside. It was a little bit of a routine now that Lawrence would come over after college somedays and some Saturdays, like this one in particular, and work with me on our art projects.

We were both at similar levels in skill but there were definitely some areas were it was clear one of us was better than the other.

*****

"Well then... that was the most productive we've been in weeks." Lance chuckled lightly as he stood in the door to my room, taking up the whole doorway.

"That's what Speakerboxxx and The Love Below do to a person, I guess. Not to mention that was great fun." I smiled and Lawrence laughed.

"Totally." He said simply before picking up his portfolio.

Just as the Canadian turned around and began to head out my room, the doorbell sounded, making me raise my eyebrows slightly.

"I've got it!" My aunt called and I heard her rushed footsteps out of the living room downstairs and towards the front door.

I followed Lance down the stairs quietly and stood next to him when we had reached the bottom. I froze when I saw Alex stood at the front door, acoustic guitar in hand.

His chocolate brown eyes ripped into my blue ones and I felt sad as I saw the same sadness looking back at me.

Alex's eyes then darted away from mine and travelled upwards to meet Lance's. I shifted uneasily as the smaller boy's eyebrows furrowed.

All this happened in no more than a second.

"Alex is here to play you a song, darling." Alice spoke softly, almost sympathetically for the situation Alex had gotten himself into.

He never struck me as the serenading type.

"Lance," I looked up at the blonde, "you were leaving?"

I saw a smirk squirm it's way onto his features and he shrugged, "I can stay for Mr Turner's little performance."

"Oh you must be Lance, then." Alex spoke for the first time. I never realised how high his voice was until I heard him talk after Lance.

"The very same. You don't need no introduction, loverboy." The blonde smirked with fire in his eyes.

"Lawrence." His name was forced firmly through my gritted teeth. The last thing I wanted was a fight, or worse, for Alex's feelings to be hurt.

"I'll be on my way then." Lance's voice had a triumphant air to it as he slipped on his shoes.

I looked to Alex who had a scowl etched onto his face, behind scarlet cheeks.

"I'll be going as well, then." Alex spat, "I just wanted to say happy Valentine's Day, Mardy Bum." Alex's words were laced with venom and he shot me one last glare, before turning on his heels and scurrying down the front steps.