Chapter 9
The cobblestone streets are dimly lit by lamp posts, an orange glow pooling below.
Teenagers are skating in a garage car park across the road from me.
Kai and I always wanted to be skater kids.
I don’t think that was the right hobby for us to be honest - I have the balance of a giraffe on roller skates.
There’s a white concrete staircase next to the Rainbow Book Shop that leads up to a white front door. I honestly need a drink in me after that therapy session. Everything just spilt out of me. I want nothing more than to drink the night away.
I’m not going to lose control, though. I take a deep breath and press the doorbell, hoping it’s Teddy who comes to the door.
It isn’t.
“D is gonna kill me, please hide me,” Elijah says quickly as he cowers behind me. A girl with straight blonde hair and a graphic tank top walks out the door and shoots Elijah a glare.
“It is not that hard, Eli, oh my god. I even bought the good ones! And why did you — oh hey,” she says, interrupting herself when she notices me in front of Elijah.
It’s Daisy from the boba tea shop! I had no idea she’s friends with Teddy and Elijah.
She studies me before saying, “It’s Noah, right?
” She furrows her brow as a stray thought seems to cross her mind.
“Wait, you’re…” She trails off. Elijah still cowers behind me for protection as Teddy introduces me.
“Daisy, this is Noah, my… um… work Colleague.”
“Work Colleague?” Daisy and I say in unison. Like what the fuck? I thought I might have been introduced as at least a friend. Elijah pats me on the back and flashes me a smile.
“Well, this is going great so far,” he jokes, leading me inside.
Their flat is small but cosy. The living room is at the front of the flat. Candles and plants surround multiple couches and bean bags, with a large TV at the front. Cat from the boba tea shop is also here. Cat and Eli are chatting on the couch.
“Noah, I told you to buy a book. How did you end up getting a job?” Daisy laughs, guiding me to the kitchen. Teddy follows behind, just watching this unfold.
“It just sort of happened,” I tell her as she takes a sip of her wine. “Teddy couldn’t resist my charm, I guess,” I add, not realising how flirty that sounds until I say it. Teddy sips his cider, his face going red. Cat comes in from the living room and starts pouring herself a glass of Rosé
“Ted has been saying a lot about you. Like, a lot a lot,” Cat says as I feel a soft smile appear on my face.
He talks about me?
Wait. What has he said?
“I hope it’s all good things!” I laugh, and everyone joins in. Their flat is lively but not too loud. I feel my shoulders slowly relax as I let myself breathe like a normal human being.
“Oh, it is. Trust me,” Elijah says as he grabs some crisps from a big bowl. Teddy looks incredibly embarrassed. He continues sipping on his cider.
“Well, Noah, you’re welcome to have burnt pizza and some uncut garlic bread,” Cat tells me, pointing to the dining room table. There’s a small spread of food, but it doesn’t look very appetising. A bouquet of yellow roses in a gorgeous glass vase catches my eye. Mum would have loved them.
“No one told me I was supposed to cut them! And it’s your girlfriend that decided to one v one me on Mario Kart.”
“Eli, you were in the middle of cooking!”
“But it’s Mario Kart,” Elijah mumbles with a mouthful of crisps. Everyone moves to the living room while Teddy opens the fridge for me.
“Pick your poison,” he says with a smile. I look in the fridge and see all sorts of alcohol, but I hesitate. Do I really want to get drunk with a bunch of strangers? I see a bottle of rosé, though, and I can’t help but take it. One glass won’t hurt, right?
“Do you have a glass?” I ask Teddy, who reaches into a cupboard up high and grabs me one. He hands it to me with a smile. He’s done nothing but smile since I got here. But then again, so have I.
“So what do you think of them? Crazy, right?” Teddy says, pouring me a glass. He places the bottle back in the fridge. I grab the glass and look over at the three of them playing Mario Kart together.
“Crazy is the right word. But I like crazy,” I tell him, taking a sip of my wine. The flavours of cranberries and strawberries fill my mouth, and I can’t help but do a double-take.
“Oh, that’s really nice, actually.”
“Yeah, we have good taste,” Teddy laughs as he finishes his cider.
He places it in a recycling bin and grabs another.
It’s peach-flavoured and has a picture of a snake on it.
We clink our drinks together, our eyes catching one another’s.
We flash each other a smile before Elijah comes over to us with a controller in one hand and a cider bottle in the other.
“You guys better not be flirting, I’m not ready to be the third wheel on shift,” he laughs as he grabs another handful of crisps.
“Oh my god, Eli,” I say, covering my face.
“Anyway, if we’re going to be friends, you need to tell me something,” Elijah says. I feel my palms become slick. What is he going to ask me?
“Do you play Mario Kart?” He asks.
Why did I think it was going to be something worse?
“No, definitely not. Never,” I say sarcastically. Everyone laughs, especially Elijah. His laugh is loud too. I love that. He pats me on the back and looks at Teddy.
“He’s funny too? Maybe I’ll date him,” Elijah jokes.
“We’re not dating, guys, he’s a work—”
“Not yet you’re not,” Cat retorts, waving her controller in the air. The three of them laugh among themselves as my mind races through all their jokes. Something is apparent.
Teddy definitely has a crush on me.
Oh shit, Teddy has a crush on me!
“Do you have a crush on me, Edward?” I say, leaning against the kitchen island. I’m trying to tease him, but it just comes off as flirty. What is going on with me tonight?
“I’m not saying anything without my lawyer present,” He jokes, sipping on his cider again as he looks anywhere but my face.
I think the alcohol has already reached my head - I don’t really drink anymore. The buzz is giving me confidence I didn’t know I had in me. Now I remember why I used to drink the way I did. It may also be the fact that I feel so comfortable with them already. Everyone’s being so friendly.
I can’t lose control, though. One or two glasses will do just fine.
We play Mario Kart for an hour. I won a lot of the races, much to everyone’s dismay. Elijah was outraged as he used to be the “Flat Champion”. I told him I’d like my trophy please. He didn’t like that.
It’s all in good fun, though. I think I’ve made a good first impression. Everyone seems to like me, unless they’re lying.
I try to put that thought out of my head.
I go into the kitchen to grab another drink, Teddy follows behind me.
“Thanks for inviting me, I’ve had a lot of fun so far,” I tell him, pouring myself another Rosé. I’ve ended up having a couple more than I thought I would.
“Of course, I think you’re cool. I don’t hire people if they’re just going to be work colleagues; that’s weird. I want someone I can be friends with, you know?”
“Does that mean you’re going to stop introducing me as ‘Work Colleague’?” I ask him, playfully punching him in the arm. He dramatically pushes himself back, as if I hit him really hard. He’s rubbing his shoulder while breathing through his teeth.
“Oh, grow up, I didn’t hit you that hard,” I laugh, my cheeks are beginning to hurt, but I can’t stop laughing and smiling.
“I think you broke it actually,” Teddy says, looking at me with a straight face, but soon breaks with a small laugh.
“Oh no, how will you ever play with yourself now?” Elijah pipes in, laughing at his joke. Teddy gasps, his eyebrows raised.
“I don’t play with myself!” He shouts, watching Elijah grab himself another cider from the fridge. He takes a sip before facing me.
“He forgets that I literally live with him.” We laugh at him as he goes bright red. It’s cute how embarrassed he is. I love how funny all his friends are. They just take the piss out each other, and they’re letting me join in! I’ve never felt so honoured.
“Me and Cat are going out for a cig, do you want one?” Elijah asks, a cigarette hanging between his fingers. I nod.
“Enjoy getting cancer,” Teddy laughs as he heads into the living room.
“Yeah yeah, fuck you too man,” Elijah curses, giving him the middle finger.
I notice he has an arrow tattooed on it.
Daisy sets up a game of Mario Kart for the two of them.
Cat gives Daisy a kiss before she joins us.
There’s a balcony at the back of the flat that we squeeze into.
There’s a small table that fits two, but we choose to stand.
“So we haven’t scared you off yet, that must be a good sign,” Cat tells me as she struggles to light her cigarette.
“Hold on,” I say. I stand next to her and make a wall around her cigarette with my hands. The palms of my hands light up orange as the tip finally lights. She begins to inhale and gives me a thumbs up before exhaling.
“Thanks, Noah.”
Elijah and I light our own, and we all lean against the balcony. The sound of waves from the beach across from us creates a beautiful atmosphere. The street looks so peaceful from up here.
“So, how are you liking the bookshop?” Elijah asks me, blowing his smoke out the corner of his mouth as he faces me.
“I really like it, to be honest. I always wanted to work in a bookshop,” I tell him, my head thinking back to days on the beach with my mum.
We would read romance books and eat snacks all day in the sun.
We always had a nice tan, although I did get burnt quite a few times.
I think it was probably her who made me like books so much.
“He worked so hard to get the place open. A lot of sleepless nights,” Cat tells me, flicking her ash off the balcony.
“Yeah, it’s his baby for sure,” Elijah laughs. I smile softly at him, the alcohol is making me sleepy. I yawn, covering my mouth with my hand.