Her sweet chains

Part 40

Chapter 40

The morning dawned surprisingly brightly for January. I awoke to the smells of Jamie's breakfast preparations. As I went into the kitchen, I could spot Ashton in the living room already dressed and perched awkwardly on the edge of the sofa my duvet and pillows had already been folded up neatly and placed in a pile in the corner. I couldn't help but smile fondly would he ever stop being so tense.

"Morning Ash." I called brightly "are you going to have some pancakes?"

"No I'm alright." He called back over his shoulder "I'm going to get off home actually we haven't got a class till this afternoon."

"Huh the joys of higher education. Remind me how many hours a day do you actually spend in the classroom." Jamie called from the kitchen. We both ignored him.

"Come on Jamie's already made you some." I lied "and his blueberry pancakes are magical." Ashton pushed himself up and strode over to us smiling.

"Well they do smell good." He said. We had just settled down with our laden plates when my mobile began to beep in that annoying tone, which told me that it, wasn't a member of the pack calling. We instantly all began swinging our gazes around and shoving our hands down between cushions seeing out the elusive phone which was eventually found under the sofa.

"Hello." I said answering with a mouthful of blueberry pancakes as soon as Jamie passed me the phone back.

"Oh my god you will not believe what you missed last night." Amy instantly began, "Nate did turn up but not until about eleven and he accused me of making trying to play games just because I was dancing with Greg off my course can you believe that like its any of his business anyway who I dance with and I told him that. You should have seen him. What happened to you anyway?"

"Oh I...um well."

"Anyway after that we got into a huge row." Amy continued not caring to wait for a response.

"Amy." I said firmly interrupting her before she got into her stride as when she did she could talk for England and was practically impossible to shut up. "Look Hon I have to get ready for class."

"no you don't." she said brightly "you have this morning free that's why I'm ringing me and Lauren are going to the coffee shop since you missed all the gossip last night you have to come for a catch up."

"Oh ...I...um" I stammered desperately groping for an appropriate excuse.

"We'll see you in half an hour baby okay she said hanging up without bothering to wait for a response. Jamie smiled as I flung the mobile down and began stabbing my pancakes viciously.

"Ooh girl talk what a fun morning you're going to have." He said playfully as I glared at him.

"Jess" Amy called loudly waving at me from their table on the terrace outside the coffee shop, why they wanted to sit outside I was puzzled by until an instant later when I saw Nate sitting a few tables away looking thoroughly harassed. I gave the girls a huge fake smile as I swung my gaze around trying to locate the source of those tickles between my shoulder blades that I was feeling again. Of course, there was nobody there so I smiled reassuringly at the girls and walked into the steamy coffee shop emerging a few minutes later with a warm mug of hot chocolate in my hands. I sat down and almost instantly both girls simultaneously began chirping, away about the night before and what a great night I had missed though I noticed that neither of them mentioned Nate's name without lowering their voice significantly. I yawned and rested my chin on my hand letting Amy's voice lull me into a doze. A cool breeze blew across our table I froze straightening up my eyes widening in pure horror. Amy and Lauren continued their irritating prattle behind me. I looked back over my shoulder my concerns elsewhere. The wind had eased off but I knew he was there. I scanned the tables behind me quickly and in seconds, I had located him just behind me to the right, he looked at me and smiled ever so slightly I could barely see it but it was there. My eyes widened further and I sharply in took a breath spinning back to face the girls who I was horrified to realise had stopped prattling and were looking at me looking both interested and amused. I savagely pulled the band out of my hair pulling the ponytail loose so my hair covered up my neck. I flicked my head so my hair fell down like a dark curtain completely screening him from my view.