Call It What You Want - An Aaron Ramsey Fanfiction

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"No way!” Beth squealed, “He took you home?!”

“Did anything happen?” Roxy asked.

I shook my head, “He just took my shoes off and left me on the couch.”

“Did he say anything?”

“No.”

“Did you say anything? Did you scream at him?”

“No. I guess I did all that last time I saw him…”

“Wow. That’s big of you.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t try anything if you were that drunk,”

I shook my head again, “Aaron wouldn’t do that. “

I was sat in Roxy’s apartment with her and Beth. It was nice. We were sharing a bottle of wine and Roxy had chocolate and nibbles on the table. I had just told them the whole Aaron story and it made me realise we hadn’t even been together that long but so, so much had happened in that period of time.

It kind of made me feel better though. They cooed and awed at the right places and I could tell from what they were saying that they knew how I was feeling. It was comforting.

“So when are you going to let him out of the doghouse?” Beth asked, licking the spoon from the Ben and Jerry’s.

“Erm. I’m not.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Come on! You’re obviously still in love with him”

“I’m not. I’m fine.”

“You need to stop denying it!”

“Look, I appreciate you trying to help… but I think you misunderstood… we were more in terms of fuck buddies than long term partners.” I thought back to when Aaron called us fuck buddies and how that started everything off.

“Sweetie, it’s okay to admit he hurt you.”

Beth nodded in agreement.

“He didn’t hurt me. People don’t hurt me.”

“Why are you drinking so much?”

“I get bored.”

They seemed to get the picture then and changed the topic. Despite the fact I snapped at them we still had a good evening. We bitched about other people in the office and then watched 80’s films.

*

On the way home my phone started ringing. “Hi,” I said smiling, it was Kevin.

“Oh, hi”

“Why do you sound surprised?”

“I was expecting to get answer phone, are you in tonight?”

“Yeah I went round to Rox’s. Girl’s night in.”

“Oh, that sounds nice.”

“Yeah, it was.”

“I just called to remind you it’s my birthday thing tomorrow.”

Shit. “Oh yeah, of course. We’re going to that new restaurant, right?”

“Yeah, 8pm remember?”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”

“Good,” There was a pause, “So, whose Roxy?”

“Oh Roxy, she’s someone I work with. And Beth was there too.”

“That’s nice.”

“Look, Kevin I’m sorry. When I’m like that… I don’t realise I’m going to yours…”

He didn’t reply,

“So… yeah…”

“Do you know why you end up at mine?”

Yes. “No.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve got to go on the underground, catch up tomorrow, yeah?”

“Yeah. See you there,”

*

I said to myself I would arrive at the restaurant early so I could talk to Kevin before everyone else arrived. I ended up being late to being early. I pulled a dress on and ran out of the door without even re-applying any make up or doing my hair.

The longer I was with Aaron the more his lax attitude had rubbed off on me and now lateness was a habit I couldn’t get out of. Especially now. Time would slip by before I noticed.

I ran into the restaurant and I was relieved to see it was just Kevin. “Hey,” I said smiling, “Happy Birthday!”

“Hi! You look lovely,”

“Thank you.”

I sat down next to him, “So, are we going out after the meal?”

“No.”

“Oh. Why?”

He looked up at me, “You don’t really need to go out another night, do you?”

I bit my lip and looked down at the table. “So… Who else is coming?”

“There’ll be eight of us.” He reeled off a list of names who I vaguely knew, some people from the office and then stopped, “And one other…”

“Who is…?”

He coughed and then looked at me.

“Excuse me, Kevin”

“Aaron.” He said looking at me innocently.

I pushed my chair away from the table just as a group of people arrived. I couldn’t get away as they took their seats around me.

“Anais, stay, it’s my birthday,” Kevin said.

“Since when are you friends?” I hissed.

“We used to talk when he came round with you. If you weren’t so self-absorbed you probably would have realised.”

“You think I’m going to say after you just called me self absorbed.”

“Anais. Just grow up and stay. For me. We haven’t seen each other in ages.”

I thought for a second, “Fine, but I’m not sitting near him”

The other guests cleared room so I could sit at one end of the table and there was an empty seat on the other end.

I think I felt his presence inside me before I even saw him. I felt like my skin was pricking and there was a pit in the bottom of the stomach. It was like I was about to go to the dentist or take an exam or something.

I looked up to see him at the door talking to a waiter. At the same time he looked up too and our eyes met. My breath caught slightly as he continued to stare.