The others

A new chapter

Letting out a large puff of air, Joe stole a glance at the backpack which was resting auspiciously by the door. It's contents filled with all the things he would need for the next 12 or so hours which would follow.

"Joe?"

"Huh?"

"Did you hear what I said?" The person sat next to him questioned. Their voice edged with a hint of irritation as they attempted to gather the attention of the distracted young man.

"No, sorry..." He responded with a swift shake of his head, as if he were attempting to shake his previous thought from out of his mind. "What did you say?"

"I just asked how you were feeling about later? With that and the blank staring contest you were having with the front door, I'm a little worried about you."

Turning his gaze properly onto the figure, Joe allowed a content smile to spread across his features at their words. The words which were only furthered by the concerned look on their face. The glint of the morning sun reflecting off of their hazel irises. The quirked eyebrow thrown his way. And the way in which their lips were strewn into a sad smile. All of which reminding him in a very weird way, just how much he loved this particular person.

Allowing a small chuckle to escape from his lips, the young man grasped a hold of the hand which had now rested comfortingly on his knee.

"Yeah, I'm alright... A little nervous about today, but I'll be okay." He reassured as he interlocked their fingers.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" 

"I'd love you to...You know that I would, but-"

"But it's just not that sort of thing. yeah I know Joe you've told me like a million times." 

Adverting his gaze off of the ever intensifying hazel glare and onto the floor, Joe let out yet another deep sigh. His hands once again finding their way through his hair as the stress of the morning began to creep in once again.

"I'm sorry Holly. I really am. It's just the..."  

Struggling to find his words, Joe looked back onto her delicate features. The once worried look strewn across them now turned into an odd mix consisting of bitterness, excitement, and her own form of stress.

Holly was, in Joe's opinion, a great girl. They had met in a night club eight months ago, and the drunken one night stand they shared had somehow managed to blossom into a full blown relationship. On most occasions such as that one, Joe would do the gentlemanly thing of offering them a coffee or a bite to eat before they left his house with nothing but the clothes on their back, a hangover, and a few added pounds of regret. Yet on that particular night, the young man found himself genuinely intrigued by the naked woman who was laying next to him in his bed that morning. And so decided that once the black coffee she had asked for was gently buzzing in her system, to actually chat and get to know one another. And before he knew it, Joe found himself falling in love with a business consultant from Cardiff named Holly Morton. The woman who Joe felt lucky enough to call his girlfriend.

"Joe, sweety, it's fine." Holly responded as she pressed a calming hand onto his shoulder. "I understand okay."

"Thank you." Joe returned softly before pressing his lips gently onto hers.

The two of them sighed contently into one another's touch. The soft feel of her long brown hair cascading silkily through Joe's fingers, creating an overall sensation of calm to flood through his veins. Whilst the strength of his arms around her waist, allowed Holly to relax into the protection of her boyfriends touch.