The Train To Nowhere

chapter 11 - ocean eyes

I took off my shoes and climbed into the bath with her. She stretched her legs out over mine, and I noticed when I got in there were multiple cushions thrown in. Clearly Rosie had known when she got into the bath she'd have a long stay. I nestled myself in, and though it was a bit of a squash and a squeeze, we made ourselves comfortable with her legs overlapping mine and my feet resting on the top of the bath above her head, lying down. Unfortunately I was at the tap end, but I put my head to one side on a cushion and found it reasonably comfortable.

"Alright, I'm listening."

Rosie paused thoughtfully, her wet cheeks now dry as she tucked some hair behind her ears. I always liked it when she did that. Then she began. With something completely off and unexpected.

"Do you remember... that party Jenny had? It was a while ago. Spring term of Year Ten?"

"Yeah?..." I replied slowly, not really knowing where she was going.

"Do you remember when we played Spin the Bottle? It spun to me and then I had to kiss you. God, we were so childish back then..."

"Wait, what?" I didn't remember anything about Spin the Bottle which baffled me, let alone kissing my best friend, which I should remember.

"You were probably so out of it you don't remember."

"Hold on - we kissed?"

"Yeah, but it was only short and wasn't even a kiss. I just kissed you on the cheek so it wouldn't be awkward."

"How do I not remember this?" I frowned.

"You'd had a lot of wine that night. I'd smuggled some from my dad's cellar and it was one of our first times drinking so we got really wasted."

"I don't remember but anyway. Continue?"

"It was just the eight of us. Everyone was getting silly because I kissed Nina and Priya had had to kiss Phil. You know, Phil before his whole weed addiction thing kicked in before GCSEs."

"Oh, yeah," I muttered, "That Phil."

"Anyway, when it landed on you I kissed you on the cheek. You were so drunk. You just giggled and then started chatting about the next basketball game or something. It was kind of awkward but more funny than awkward. I remember it being really fun at the time. Now it seems so lame. I mean, Spin the Bottle! The next day was the weekend, and I remember being so hungover the following Saturday. I went over to the corner shop to get some hangover pills and that's when I bumped into Luke. We'd really been bonding as friends when we studied Music together that year. We talked all day... well, mostly I talked-

"That sounds about right," I laughed. Rosie smiled with a look of irritation and agreement and continued.

"One thing led to another and we ended up kissing. But Monday was the day the rumour went around our year about you and me - you know..."

"Oh!" I whispered slowly, raising my eyebrows in realisation.

"Exactly. I thought Luke wouldn't believe it for one moment after the wonderful night we had but... well, sadly he did. And that's why he's always been so cold to you."

"I figured." I shrugged my shoulders.

"But I guess it must have hurt him anyway to believe the girl he shared a kiss with had sex with another guy like a day later."

"Couldn't he smell the bullshit though?" I said exasperatedly, "I mean, we're best friends for God's sakes! Everyone knows that."

"Luke didn't know that," Rosie answered quietly, "Not really. He isn't in our tutor and wasn't in many of our classes either. He didn't know me... That everyone still thinks I'm the class whore..."