lust for life • james cook - skins

8 - cook

I watch Eve as she storms up the remaining few steps and into a spare bedroom. I scratch my chest, confusion clouding my mind.

Why is she so pissy with me?

I shake my head in defeat and sigh as I turn around to head back down the stairs, holding onto the banister to keep me steady. I'm still fairly drunk, I don't even remember how much I had.

I almost collide with Freddie on my way down. I smile at him. "Alright, Fredster, did you have a wicked time?"

"Not now, Cook," Freddie mutters, trying to push past me.

"Woah," I blink at him, taken aback, putting my arm out to block his passage. "What did I do?"

Freddie sighs in frustration. "I said not now, Cook."

I look around for a second in bewilderment before speaking. "Right, is anyone gonna tell me what the fuck I did?" I demand, raising my voice.

"Shut up, Cook, would you?" Freddie steps back, a look of pure irritation on his face. "You should know what you've done."

I fling my arms back. "Enlighten me then, Freds," I retort. "Cause I haven't a fucking clue."

"Of course you don't, when do you ever?" Freddie hisses. "Now, if you'll excuse me." He tries once again to push past me, but I lightly shove him back, so he has to grab onto the banister to maintain his balance.

"What the fuck is your problem, Cook?" he yells, rushing forward and grabbing onto my shirt collar.

"I could ask you the same fucking thing," I spit, staring dead into Freddie's eyes.

He lets me go roughly, his nostrils flared in anger. "Just fuck off, would you?" He aggressively shoves past me and bounds up the stairs, and enters a random room, slamming the door behind him.

I stare at him as he leaves, my breath hitching in my throat due to frustration. I angrily spit onto the floor, and make my way back down the staircase. I stop on the last step.

"Yeah, happy fucking birthday to me!" I yell angrily up the stairs. I turn back around and flop down on the bottom step, putting my head between my hands.

I always seem to manage to fuck everything up.

I don't even know what I did.

I lift my head in response to the sound of footsteps approaching. It's Naomi.

"Finished with your little cat fight?" She asks me wryly, stopping right at my feet, and staring down at me, her arms crossed against her chest.

I groan in frustration, glancing up at her. "I don't even know what I did."

Naomi taps my side lightly with her foot, and I scoot over. She sits beside me and places a fag in her mouth.

"Want one?" She offers, holding another up to me. I nod gloomily, taking the cigarette from between her fingers. I put it between my lips as I wait for Naomi to take out her lighter.

"Come here," she mumbles through the cig. I hold the end of my fag close to hers as she holds the flame up to both of them, waiting for them to light.

I lean back as I inhale, then breathing out in satisfaction.

"So, what happened just there?" she asks, tapping the ash off the end of her cigarette.

I shrug, my free hand playing with the fabric of her cardigan. "Dunno," I mumble. "Freddie's being a cunt. And Eve is all pissy with me too. They won't tell me what I've done. So go figure."