Are we friends or are we more?

Chapter 10

"He's like cold coffee in the morning." I sing the first line to Ed Sheeran cold coffee as I wash the shampoo out of my hair. Today is Saturday and exactly 5 days from now I leave for London. I smile, I'm not nervous anymore, I'm excited. I've dreamed about this my whole life, I'm just on step closer to my goal, one step closer to being a singer. "I'm drunk off last nights whisky and coke." I carry on the song. I haven't seen Joe since the meal, I text him but he hasn't replied, that was 3 days ago now. I sigh. "He'll make me shiver without warning." I hate how Joe is ignoring me. Just because things got complicated hes ran away and it annoys me when people do that.  

I turn off the shower and the hot water stops pouring out the shower head. I go cold and wrap myself up in my white towel. I don't know what I should do about Joe, part of me wants to leave it be but I know I can't do that, I hate being confused. I tip-toe out the bathroom into my own room. Mum and dad work Saturdays, I know it's weird. I dry my self off before chucking some clothes on and do my make-up. I don't know why I do my make-up, I probably won't even leave the house today, I haven't since the meal. I grab my phone off the side and check for a message off Joe. None. I keep making excuses up for him in my head. I keep saying he's been too busy but when I spoke to Harper on the phone yesterday she pointed out it only takes 2 minutes to write a text. Part of me just wishes he has lost his phone or something. I sigh unlocking my phone and going on to my emails. "And make me laugh as if I'm in on the joke." I sing softly under my breath as I refresh my inbox. My eyes widen and I stop singing when I see the E-mail that pops up, it's from Hamleys. I hold me breath as I read. They've accepted? I squeal. They want an interview with me? A smile breaks across my face. "And you can stay with me forever." I sing at the top of my voice running down stairs with my phone in my hand. They want a interview with me! Hamleys want an interview with me!  "Or you could stay with me for now."  I sing as I run into the dinning room and get my coat off the hook. I don't know where I'm going but I need to tell someone about it.  I shrug on my coat and put on my shoes before running out the house.

I find myself at the top of Joe's street. I stop catching my breath because I ran here. Why did I come here? Of all the places to go I chose to come here. I look down the street. I could do it you know, go and knock on Joe's door and hope that he answers. Then I could get answers off him. I start to walk down the street towards his house. Perhaps not, I should just go home and try to ring Harper or even mum and dad. I stop walking. But I can't keep avoiding talking to Joe, he always gets invited to our family parties and we get invited to theirs, I'm going to have speak to him eventually. I carry on walking forward. It's now or never.

I take a deep breath as I lift my hand to knock at the door. Thinking about it Joe could not even be in but I'm here now so there's no going back. I knock twice. I twiddle with my fingers nervously and listen out for footsteps. I hear voices and then the door handle starts to move. Oh crap, what am I doing. 

"Oh hey." It's not Zoe or Joe or their dad that answers it's Alfie. He has an apron on and is covered in flour.

"Uh, hi." I say a little awkwardly. "Is Joe about?" I ask.

Alfie nods. "Yeah, he's just upstairs." He opens up the door wider so I can step in. 

I smile and step in to the warm house. "Who is it?" Zoe shouts.

"Autumn." Alfie says as she walks through. Zoe is also wearing and apron and covered in flour. 

"Oh hi!" She smiles. 

"Just looking for Joe." I say.

"He's upstairs, didn't know we where expecting visitors." She says tucking her hair behind her ear. "We've been filming all morning." 

"Yeah, we don't normally wear aprons and chuck flour at each other, promise." Alfie says.

I smile. "Sure you don't." I joke. "Anyway can I?" 

"Of course." Zoe says. "Go on up."

"Thanks." I say as they walk back into the kitchen and I walk up the stairs. I stand on the landing and look at the closed door. He won't be annoyed at me will he? Of course not, I bet he has an reason for ignoring the text too.I walk across to his door and knock once on it. I hear footsteps and watch as the handle moves.

"Autumn?" Joe looks at me as he opens the door. "I, uh wasn't expecting you."