Yo! It's been a loong while. But here is chapter 12 of Mrs Jones. =) Hope you all like it and please leave feedback =)
Love, Liz
CHAPTER TWELVE:
JUST A GUY…
The day David moved out had been the saddest day of Amanda’s life. He had been the only part left of what felt like family to her. After her dad had gone and her mother and grandmother years later, David had been her rock. He had always supported her and been there for her when she needed him.
Now, he was gone.
Amanda stood in the doorway looking with sad eyes at David’s empty room. The desk was still there along with an empty bookshelf, which had never contained one book; David wasn’t one for reading good, solid hardbacks - he preferred the comics in the newspapers or football magazines. The closet which had once been pink and belonged to Amanda in her younger years stood proudly against the wall, now white with blue stripes – the colours of David’s favourite football team, Blackburn. Amanda smiled as she walked in to the familiar room and sat down on the stripped double bed.
David had been thrilled when he got to paint the closet any colour he wanted and had continued by painting the walls blue and the desk and bookshelf white. Amanda didn’t mind that he redid her old room, she had a new room, her parents’ room. And as far as memories went, that was the room that should not be redone.
Amanda drew a sigh as she looked at the tattered posters on the wall. No shocker; Evelyn wouldn’t have them in her fancy top floor apartment in mid-London now would she? Amanda guessed that there were only photoshopped pictures and magazine covers of herself allowed on those walls.
She snorted as she choked back the tears that were coming back.
“Hey, what are you doing in my room?!”
Amanda shot up at the sound of another voice and turned to face –
“David!”
She quickly dried the tears that had escaped and turned to face him. He walked in hands in his jeans pocket and his curls all crazily around his head. Amanda noticed that his usual t-shirt was replaced by a knitted jumper with a white shirt collar surrounding his neck. Amanda had a feeling that this was Evelyn’s doing, but she had to admit he looked absolutely gorgeous.
“So,” he said walking slowly towards her, with a cheeky smile on his face, “what are you doing in my room?”
Amanda snorted again. “Your room? I thought you moved out?” She smiled at him.
David stopped, looking offended. “I moved out today, and already you’ve forgotten me?”
Amanda approached him. “Like I could forget you, dummy!” She hit him playfully on the chest as she sat down on the bed again.
“Ey, don’t wrinkle my shirt.”
“Honey,” Amanda giggled, “that thing there is a jumper, that thing inside is a shirt.”
David shrugged as he smiled. “Whatever.” He sat down beside her and sighed. “I’m really gonna miss this place, it really feels like a second home.”
Amanda sighed too. “I’m really gonna miss you too…” They gazed into each others eyes. Amanda felt dizzy again, and felt herself wanting to lean forward and hold him. “Um, so will the Twins.” She added hastily as she looked down.
“Yeah, I’ll miss you too.”
Amanda looked up to see David also looking down not a hint of a smile on his face. “Then why did you move out?”
David looked at his best friend and saw a face that looked hurt. He noticed that her eyes were red and a bit swollen. “Mandy, are you crying?” He pushed a strand of hair gently from her face as Amanda lost control of the tears. “Awh, Mandy mush!” He said softly as he embraced her. “Honey, it’s not like I’m leaving you.”
“Yes, you are…” Amanda sobbed into his jumper.
“I’m still gonna come visit and you guys are always welcome at E’s place.” He gently stroked her hair as he rocketed quietly back and forth.
Amanda took a deep breath trying to steady her voice. “And Evelyn agrees does she?”
David looked down at her and shrugged. “Well, you guys are my best friends and that place is supposed to be mine too now, isn’t it? So, there really should be no problem.” He smiled at her.
Amanda moved a bit away from him, so she could look into his eyes. “Yeah, you say that now. But soon you will get married and have kids and just hang with the Becks and Bradgelina and all their kids…”
David giggled. “You are so funny Mandy!”
Amanda gave him a question-mark look.
“Can you picture me in a fancy suit having cocktails and making small talk with Victoria Beckham? Oh, yes, I hear that Grapes are the new super diet. That’d be a day!”
David roared with laughter, but Amanda was not amused. “Just you wait and see you are gonna leave me as well one day…”
David pulled her in his arms again, still giggling a little. “Amanda, I am never gonna leave you! And to answer your other question, I don’t plan on getting married and having kids just yet. Trust me! I don’t think Evelyn ever wants to get married or have kids. She’s probably afraid of getting stretch marks or something. Girls…!” He added the last bit as he shook his head.
“Not all girls are like that, David.” Amanda said quietly into his jumper.
“I know.” He sighed. “But I was just underlining the point that I am never, ever, gonna leave you. You are my precious!”
Amanda tried not to move. She had twitched a little when he had called her his precious, even though she had noticed the unromantic impersonation of Gollum. Amanda squeezed herself tight to his chest. She could sit like this forever.
“David? I thought you had moved out?” Amanda and David both jumped as they heard a voice, David still held around her as they turned to face Matt.
“Now, now, what do we have here?” Matt said sarcastically as he crossed his arms leaning on the door.
Amanda dried her tears quickly as David got up.
Matt tapped his foot on the floor and put his index finger on his chin. “Now, I was certain that when I helped carry all those boxes yesterday that we were getting rid of you. What happened? Was E’s place too glam for you? You know you are a simple man after all.”
David pushed him slightly as he grinned. “Me? A simple man? Look who’s talking.”
Matt laughed as he pushed him playfully in return. “So, why are you back already? Found out you couldn’t live without me after all?” Matt did a little girly twirl on the spot.
David just laughed as he walked past him into the kitchen. Matt and Amanda followed, Amanda taking one last glance of David’s room before she shut the door.
She followed the two boys in to the kitchen where David welcomed himself to the fridge.
“Hey!” Matt shouted at him, and closed the half-open freezer door.
David looked dumbfounded at him. “What? I’m thirsty…”
Amanda looked curiously at Matt as well.
“Well, technically you are a guest in this house now aren’t you?”
David giggled and Amanda rolled her eyes as she pushed Matt aside and took out a bottle of coke and gestured for David to get glasses from the cupboard. David grinned in triumph as he disappeared into the living room.
“Honey,” Amanda said, patting Matt’s shoulder, “I want him to move back here as well, but denying him drinks isn’t gonna do it.” She winked at him as she too went in to the living room. Matt shortly followed.
“So, when is the party?” Matt asked David as Amanda poured drinks in silence.
David licked his fingers from having already helped himself to the chocolates that was on the table. He looked surprised at the other two. “Um, what party?”
“The moving in party…” Matt said sounding offended that it wasn’t already planned.
“Um,” David looked smilingly from Matt to Amanda, who smiled back at him, she too wondered what Matt was talking about, “there’s no party…” he said hesitantly.
Matt looked shocked and offended at the same time. Like David had said something rude to him.
“Am I supposed to throw a party…?” he asked carefully, looking both at Amanda and Matt.
Matt shook his head, looking like he thought David was daft, Amanda couldn’t help but smile. Matt really was one of a kind – even though he was a twin.
Matt gestured with his hands as he replied. “Of course you are! Moving in slash out is an excellent opportunity to party a little.”
Amanda snorted. He had never seen Matt party a little. David smiled a too, Matt however did not find anything amusing. Apparently parties were serious matters.
“You know,” David said, helping himself to another chocolate, “if anyone were to throw a party I think it should be you guys.”
Now it was Amanda’s turn to speak up. “How come? You are the one leaving us behind…” she said it in a light tone, but her stomach clenched at the thought of how true this was.
“Exactly,” David stated, leaning back in the sofa, “ever heard of a goodbye party?”
Matt’s face lit up. “Yes!” he said gleefully. “We should throw you one of those!”
Amanda giggled along with David, but nodded in agreement. “You know, for once Matt is right. We should throw you a party!”
“YES!” Matt shouted as he raised his hands victoriously over his head, just like he did whenever his favourite football team won a match or scored a goal.
“What are you all so excited about? You’re disturbing my reading time.” Marcus came walking in, with a book under his arm. He looked at his brother and then checked the date on his watch. “There’s no soccer on tonight?”
Matt got up and moved towards his brother, apart from Matt’s spiky hair, and Marcus’ bed head hair-do there looked like one of them was standing in front of a mirror. They were total reflections of one another. “You silly boy,” Matt said, as he knocked carefully on his brothers’ forehead, “we’re gonna have a party… Tonight!”
David and Amanda looked as shocked as Marcus did. “Why haven’t anyone told me yet then?” He asked, looking a little angry.
“We just decided it, brother.” Matt said, falling back in to the couch.
“We’re having it tonight?” Amanda asked, looking at Matt.
Matt shrugged. “Why not? No time like the present, and all that…”
Amanda shook her head. But as she thought about it, it was a good idea. Evelyn was out of town, Tokyo or Cairo or somewhere… Amanda didn’t really care. Evelyn would be – well, anywhere but at the party – Amanda would get her friends and, more importantly, David all for herself. She smiled to herself, maybe she hadn’t really lost David after all. There might still be a chance…
Amanda woke up by a sudden thud. It was as there was someone outside her bedroom door. She sat up and searched for the switch on for the lamp she had on her bedside table. She found it and the lamp illuminated parts of her room. She could see the door clearly and she braved herself to get up. She grasped her copy of “The Girl Who Played With Fire” that she had been reading before she fell asleep as she walked slowly to the door. There was another thud and someone was pulling on the handle, trying to open the door. Amanda was ready; she raised her hands over her head holding her book ready to smash it into whoever’s head it was that would come through that door any second. Amanda held her breath as the handle went down and the door opened.
A voice whispered. “Mandy?”
Amanda recognised it immediately, lowered her hands and opened the door wide. “David!” she said in a casual and unsurprised tone.
David walked in her room, waving as he walked past her. “Hello, Mandy!” He grinned broadly and even though it was very late she found her self smiling too. She wasn’t mad at him at all, why was that?
David walked over to the bed and started pulling off his trousers. “Um, David? What do you think you are doing?”
David kicked the trousers off and sat down a bit uncoordinated on her purple sheets. He looked at her, smiling as he pulled off his shirt. “What do you mean?”
“Um, why are you undressing yourself in my bedroom?” Amanda felt her cheeks get hot and thought that maybe she was dreaming. David looked absolutely gorgeous sitting there in his white briefs and a white, simple t-shirt.
“Oh, yeah, is it OK that I sleep with you tonight?”
Amanda got a little dizzy and was glad that there was little light in the room, she felt all hot and flushed and kicked herself for feeling this way.
“Um, in my bed?”
David smiled again. “Yes, we just all went here after the pub closed so we figured it was ok for me to stay the night.”
Amanda walked slowly over and sat down next to him. “Ever heard of the couch?”
David giggled. “Yeh, but the living room is so scary and lonely and I thought I might spend some sleeping time with my best bud, Mandy!” His arms were spread out like he was about to hug her, but he didn’t. He just continued smiling.
“How many beers have you had tonight Dave?” Amanda asked as she put the book back on the table.
“Oh, a few, not that many…” he waved the question away with his hand.
Amanda had to laugh as she smiled to herself.
Of course he could sleep her couldn’t he? They were best friends after all. I mean, what can possibly happen. It’s not like he is that stupid again even though he is drunk… Amanda thought.
“So,” David interrupted her thoughts, “is it ok?”
Amanda nodded. “Sure, just behave yourself and don’t” she pointed a finger at him, “snore!”
David chuckled and hiccupped. “Yes, because I am the snorer!”
Amanda took hold of her pillow and hit David with it. “I DO NOT SNORE!” she said with a grin on her face. She loved drunken David as well.
David put his hands up defensively. “OK, OK, your majesty, you don’t snore, you are the queen of the universe and everything you say goes.” He got up and bowed to her.
Amanda giggled again as she tucked herself under the duvet. “And don’t you forget it.”
“I won’t” David said and walked over to the other side of bed and tucked himself in as well.
Amanda turned off the light and turned over, facing David. She could only see the outline of his face and hear the steady sound of his breathing, but somehow she felt that he was smiling.
“What?” she asked defensively.
“Nothin’,” David whispered, “it’s just been a long time since we last slept together.” Amanda felt him freeze up and shortly he added: “Oh, dear, I’m sorry. I forgot. That is not going to repeat itself, ever!” he said sounding very sober all of a sudden. And strangely enough Amanda was saddened.
“Mandy?” David asked again.
“Yes.” She answered and turned over to lie on her back, resting her hands on her stomach.
“I,” he started, then coughed and Amanda could feel him half way sitting up, resting his head on his hand, still facing her. “I am really sorry about that, you know…” he sounded so sad, that Amanda actually felt bad for him and turned around again. “Look, David,” her hands searched for his shoulder and found it, “like I told you; that mistake took two people. I am not mad at you!” she said comforting.
“You’re awesome, Mandy, you know that?”
Amanda could hear the smile in his voice and smiled back in the dark. “So, I’ve been told.”
If it was the fact that her eyes had gotten used to the dark or that David had moved closer she didn’t know, but she could see his face clearly now. He was looking at her, wearing that gorgeous smile that always made her melt. He was only three inches from her face and she fought the instinct to lean in and kiss him. She could smell his breath, it smelled like gum. Her favourite gum and it was inviting. She closed her eyes knowing that she needed to gain some self-control or else she was gonna ruin her relationship to David and lose him forever. She’d live unmarried and childless if she could still keep him in her life.
“I love you, Mandy.”
Amanda’s eyes shot up, and she could swear that his face was even closer now. The words had been filled with so much love that Amanda almost started to shiver; her breath became unsteady and faster. She needed him to back away. She pushed him gently a few inches away and sighed. And then she started to cry silently.
“Mandy,” he whispered again, “are you sleeping?”
Amanda shook her head and breathed a laugh. “No, I love you too, you know.”
“Do I sound cocky if I say I do know?” he asked with a smirk.
Amanda laughed again and mirrored his position. “Just a little.”
“You’ve always loved me haven’t you?” his voice was suddenly serious.
Amanda was taken aback. Did he know?? Amanda couldn’t see how. Only Katie knew and she would never tell. “Of course I have,” she encouraged herself to say, “you are my best friend you know.”
David got all quiet. Amanda could hear him breath a bit heavy and she felt the urge to want to kiss him again. Damn it woman, pull yourself together, he’s just a guy! He might be the guy, but still just a guy, she thought.
That’s when it felt like her head exploded as she felt David’s lips on hers. She hadn’t the strength to fight it. She had no will to stop it. She knew deep down that this might just be the end of their friendship, but at that moment she didn’t care. He really was everything she wanted and she wanted him now. Period!
I noticed some phrases where you seemed to draw out what you were going to say in as many words as possible, or mention something that doesn't need mentioning. Examples are: "Looked with sad eyes", which is unneeded since we know she's sad. "Drew in a sigh" which could be condensed into "sighed". With "Choked back the tears 