Paperwork || c.h z.m {slow updates}

6. Goddamn Earrings

“Have you seen my earrings?” I asked frantically, searching hastily through my dresser for the silver hoop earrings I’d worn only last weekend out to lunch with my sister.

“Which ones?” Sarah called from her room. She’d warned me that I should have gotten ready sooner, even if it meant sitting around looking fancy all afternoon. 

I’d just said that I’d be fashionably late like a bride. 

Alfie had cut in at that point and said two things. One: I wasn’t getting married. And two: I still had no idea which date I should be going on. Both points of his were annoying; because he was right. But that was simply like him to be brutally blunt whether or not it offended me or anyone, Sarah included. 

The first time Alfie had been so blunt to me was when I’d made dinner, the night Alfie moved in, and he told me it was like eating burnt toast. Rather than be upset by his remark, I’d told him that he dressed like an old person which was followed by another insult from him, thus another from me. Sarah’d just sat there, not even bothering to try and stop the argument because she knew that neither of us would give up until the other surrendered.

While he was still blunt with her, Alfie was significantly less so with Sarah. He spoke slower around her and used more adjectives. I only knew about this because he’d told me one time before they started dating. It took me a while to process what he’d meant, and I realised - once when we all went out bowling - that he did. While Alfie had been my friend: one that I’d introduced to Sarah (and they’d had an instant connection), he’d never been that cautious with his words around me. She was gifted with his patience, I wasn’t, and I was stuck living with them both.

“Ah, the silver ones?” I called, unsurely, still looking, even making sure I checked in the pockets of the jacket that I’d been wearing the last time I had the earrings on.

“Which silver ones?” Sarah asked confused and I groaned, realising that she’d have no idea which silver earrings I was looking for because majority of my earring collection was silver.

“The... the hoopy ones.”

“No, no I don’t have your earrings, but I found your shoes.” She replied, followed by a loud bang in the other room. That would be my shoes being pulled out of her wardrobe and strewn across the room. Sarah wasn’t exactly the cleanest roommate, which was amusing considering Alfie always liked everything pristine. 

Speaking of whom, was currently sitting at the table in the kitchen, going over some filing he had to do before tomorrow for his manager. Alfie had been planning on taking us all out for dinner at the restaurant he’d been working at again, but things had gotten busy for all of us, Sarah’s day job was beginning to fail her, but nothing she couldn’t handle (well, that’s what she’d been telling herself) and Alfie with an excessive amount of paperwork and me between jobs, currently working an internship and two dates scheduled for the same time. And those bloody earrings which no one could seem to find!

Alfie cringed when he heard my shoes land noisily on the floor after Sarah has thrown them, hating when things weren’t done properly. If he were to have gone and retrieved my shoes for me, it would have been soundless, neat and there wouldn’t be dents in the floor or wall afterwards. Sarah somehow always managed to make a ruckus when she did things, yet be a very quiet person at the same time. Well, as they say, actions speak louder than words.

Tucking my hair behind my ear, I fixed my dress yet again, glancing at the digital clock on my nightstand before adjusting my watch and making sure it hadn’t stopped. Zayn was picking me up; I was supposed to meet Calum there. Zayn was due to arrive at any minute and much to my own lack of organisation, I wasn’t ready.

Also, when I’d asked them both (separately) where we’d be going, knowing exactly what I was doing and completely conscious of the fact that I was pretty much playing them both. No, not even ‘pretty much’. I was. But who would give up the chance to go out not only with one internationally known singer, but two? Not me, I certainly wasn’t about to. Too bad they’d both made bookings at seven thirty at restaurants across the road from each other. 

Rushing out of my room, with my phone in one hand and purse in the other, I looked around hurriedly for my bag.

Alfie glanced over at me, looking me up at down rather judgementally. “You’re not wearing that, are you?” He asked skeptically.

Sarah had rushed out of their room at that moment handing me my shoes. “Alfie,” she groaned knowingly, but I just scowled at him. “Cassie you look gorgeous,” she shot a deathly glare in Alfie’s direction before handing over my heels. “I think your earrings are in the bathroom. Alfie, come and help me check.” He was gonna get his ass whooped, no doubt about it. It wasn’t that I couldn’t stand my own ground, but Sarah got through to him clearer than I did.

I sat on the couch while putting on my shoes while listening keenly as Sarah scolded him for offending me.

The intercom next to the front door beeped. “My date’s here.” I called to the two.

“And here are your earrings.” Sarah replied, opening the bathroom door and pushing Alfie out in front of her.

He slowly, handed the earrings over to me. “You... you look nice.”

I smiled and took the earrings. “Thanks.” If I had rejected his compliment, he most likely would have looked over at Sarah like a grumpy, whinny five year old and I was pretty sure she didn’t need that any time soon. “Don’t have too much fun while I’m gone.” Smirking, I slung my bag over my shoulder and headed out the door.