Chapter 21 #2
“Just a little,” Keira said, shedding her jumper.
Her t-shirt rode up with it, exposing her bare stomach.
After lifting her garment past her face, she caught Amelia staring.
Putting her jumper over the arm of the chair, Keira smirked.
She picked up her drink and didn’t say anything as Amelia’s face flushed red.
Even if she had agreed to just be friends, she enjoyed knowing she could still affect Amelia, who was now squirming in her seat.
“We should do this more often,” Keira said, clutching her drink in her stiff hands, closing her eyes, and leaning back in the chair.
“Yeah?” Amelia said, with a hint of hopefulness in her voice.
“That’s what friends do, right? Go out for coffee and be bad influences on each other’s sugar intake.” Keira laughed.
“True, true. Whenever Evie and I grab coffee, there is always cake involved.”
“Of course, you need to find the optimal cake to training ratio.” Keira leant forwards and used the side of her fork to slice a piece of apple pie, before transferring it to her mouth. Amelia’s gaze tracked her every movement. Keira made a show of licking stray crumbs from the cutlery.
“Mmmm, that is good,” Keira said, pouring on the satisfaction. A small, petulant part of her made her want to rub what Amelia was missing in her face.
Amelia’s mouth hung open a little.
The older couple on the other side of the cafe finished their shared cake.
The man picked up a newspaper, which rustled as he unfolded it and began reading.
The woman placed a large ball of yarn, attached to what looked like a blanket and a crochet hook on the table.
The man would make occasional comments to his wife about something he was reading. It just looked so…easy.
Keira shifted in her seat, knocking over her bag, giving her a flash of the neatly wrapped present nestled inside.
“Oh, before I forget.” Sheepishly, she picked up her bag and opened it as casually as possible. “I, err, got you something.”
Her heart pounded in her ears, and all her bravado dissipated.
She placed the small, beautifully wrapped present on the table and slid it towards Amelia.
“It’s not much,” she whispered self-consciously. She'd put a lot of thought into the gift, which now felt silly, considering the abrupt change in their relationship dynamic. But her heart still fluttered, desperate for Amelia to like it.
“Can I open it now?” Amelia asked, sounding hesitant.
“It’s up to you.” Keira shrugged, despite how badly wanted Amelia to open it now, so she could see her reaction.
Amelia picked up the present as if it was the most precious thing in the world.
She carefully opened the paper and slid out the cardboard box.
She turned the box over. On the front, Keira knew, was an image of a small wooden Ferris wheel, with twelve heart-shaped photo frames hanging where the carriages would be.
Amelia said nothing.
“I can return it if you don’t like it?” She spoke quietly as the pulse in her ears got louder. She didn’t know if this was okay. She’d didn’t want to cross any lines. Not that she knew where the lines were anymore.
“Keira…it’s beautiful.” Amelia ran her fingers over the box. She removed the tab at the end to get out the Ferris wheel, and tilted it, causing a handful of small photos to fall out instead.
“What are these?” Amelia put down the box and picked up the photos.
“I know that it can be faffy getting things printed, so I thought I’d do it for you. You don’t have to use them, obviously,” Keira said quickly, her cheeks heating even more.
Amelia’s eyes started glistening the longer she flicked through the photos. Keira had put in a couple from their evening at Winter Wonderland, and a scaled-down version of a Blizzards team photo. She’d included a photo of Amelia and her sister as children. Amelia’s hands started trembling.
“I got it from your socials. I hope that’s okay,” Keira said quietly, then realised it made her sound like a stalker.
“More than okay.” Amelia replied, and there was a catch in her voice.
Then Amelia put down the photographs and pulled the Ferris wheel frame out of the box. She removed the remaining packaging and set it on the table. She giggled as she slowly made the wheel turn. The sound made Keira feel like she was filled with helium.
“It’s beautiful,” she said when she made eye contact with Keira. “I love it, thank you.”
Keira grinned.
“I got you something as well,” Amelia said. She took a small present out of her coat pocket. “I didn’t know if you’d want it, or want to burn it, so I wasn’t sure whether to give it to you…”
Amelia held it out, and Keira gingerly took it, as if it was a bomb that might explode if she jiggled it too much.
She ripped off the wrapping, revealing a plush velvet box inside.
With a snap, she opened it and examined the small silver necklace that was inside; a beautifully detailed silver ice skate pendant hung from it.
“Amelia, it’s gorgeous.” Her eyes went wide with wonder. She traced her finger over the intricate charm, and was immediately whisked back to that night on the ice. How scared she’d been. How calm Amelia had made her feel.
“Here, can you help me put it on?” She took it out of the box and undid the clasp.
Amelia got up as Keira turned sideways in her chair. Amelia gently swept stray strands of hair off the back of Keira’s neck, and a delicate shiver cascaded down her spine. She handed Amelia the necklace. Once the clasp was secure, Keira reverently touched the pendant that hung down her front.
Amelia sat back down. Keira stroked the pendant as if it was a lucky charm.
Maybe it was.
“It seemed we had a similar thought process.” Amelia laughed, gesturing to the Ferris wheel box on the table.
“It seems like we did.” Keira laughed, relieved. This felt good. This felt more like the easy conversations they’d had before everything had gone wrong. But her body wasn't reacting to Amelia like they were just friends, and Amelia wasn't looking at Keira like they were just friends, either.
They both took a sip of their drinks. Amelia again picked up the Ferris wheel box, apparently reading the description. Keira kept a hand firmly on the necklace, grasping it like a lifeline of hope. Maybe whatever they had wasn’t completely over.
Amelia’s phone vibrated on the table, and she casually glanced at it, before nearly dropping the photo frame.
“It’s Clara…she’s messaged me back.” Amelia snatched the phone off the table.
“What did she say?” Keira asked excitedly.
“Hey, Amy. I miss you, too. I was thinking about you as well. You must have sensed it. I hope you’ve had a good Christmas.”
Happy tears flowed freely from Amelia's eyes. She seemed to be trying to type a message back, but kept wiping her eyes instead, half laughing, half crying.
In one swift motion, Keira got up from her chair, grabbed the napkins from the centre of the table, and sat down next to Amelia, handing her the napkins and embracing her in a one-armed hug.
Amelia wiped her eyes and leant into the hug, resting her head on Keira’s chest as her whole body shook.
Keira pulled her close, making comforting noises and stroking her hair.
She could only imagine the years of bottled-up emotions that were spilling out.
Once the tears had slowed, and Amelia's breathing had evened out, she sat back up, wiping her face with her hands.
“Sorry.” Amelia blushed.
“Nothing to be sorry for.” Keira removed her arm from around Amelia’s shoulders. “Are you going to reply?”
“Yes, but I don’t know what to say." Amelia laughed. "She’s my sister, how can I not know what to say to her?”
“Because she’s probably changed, and so have you. You don't know each other as the people you are now. Start there — just get to know each other. Invite her over, or ask to meet somewhere. Where does she live?”
“I…don’t know.”
“Ask her. And ask to meet up. You want to see her, right?”
“More than anything.”
Amelia typed a message and then put the phone down between them, so they could both see.
Where are you living now? Can we meet up?
It didn’t take long for the three dots to appear. It seemed like Clara was hanging off her phone the same way Amelia was.
Bristol. And yes, I would love that. Why don’t you come over sometime? Here’s my address.
Amelia’s sister sent a map location to a house in Bristol.
“Ask her if she’s free today!” Keira encouraged, invested in the interaction.
“Won’t that sound desperate or needy?”
“Does that matter?”
Amelia took a shuddering breath and typed the message.
I’m free today?
The reply came almost instantly.
So am I. Let me know when you’re on your way :)
Amelia almost threw her phone on the table. She stared at it like it was an alien object.
“I — she — I can see her—” Amelia’s voice caught. Then her eyes glazed over, chest rising and falling much faster than it should considering they were sat down.
“Hey.” Keira gently took her hand. “Hey, look at me,” she said.
Amelia took a few seconds, but eventually met her gaze. Keira smiled gently at her.
“It’ll be okay. You’ve got this.” She tried to reassure her, tracing small circles on the back of Amelia’s hand.
Amelia still looked panicked. She kept going with her ministrations, overtly regulating her own breathing to help Amelia regulate hers.
Eventually, Amelia’s breathing slowed, and she relaxed back into the sofa.
“Do you want me to come with you?” Keira asked.
Amelia looked contemplative for a moment.
“No, thank you. I think — I think this is something I need to do on my own,” Amelia said, sounding calm.
“Well, let’s finish our drinks and get you on your way.” Keira smiled, feeling such genuine happiness for her…friend. Because that’s what they were, wasn't it?
You keep telling yourself that.
Keira ignored the parts of her that urged her to kiss Amelia in celebration. To hug her and never let her go.