Disclaimer: We don't own Skins, that would make us rich and I don't know about Harley, but I'm not rich.
Author Note: Thanks for the reviews guys. We realise that Emily as a homophobe is not a great (or popular) thing but we wanted to try something fresh. That was chapter one so we didn't focus too much on character development, but will in future. I hope you guys will stick it out.
Each chapter is Character Centric!
Growing Pains
Chapter Two: Cook
"That's it, bend forward and shift the weight onto your hands. Hold it there and stretch. That's it." Katie calls out to the room filled with men and women. Cook smirks and attempts to mimic what Katie was doing but fails miserably, toppling over and knocked into a woman on his left. Laughs on top of her and raises up his hand in defensive. "Sorry, love, didn't mean no harm."
"For fuck sake! Every time Cook!" Katie shouts and moves over to the pair pushes Cook off the woman and holds out her hand to her. "I'm sorry about him. He's an idiot."
"It's perfectly fine." The middle aged woman smiles flirtatiously at Cook and returns to her position on the mat. Katie rolls her eyes and returns to her position at the front of the room. Fucking Cook.
"Okay, return to your starting positions and let's start again." He chuckles to himself and rolls over on his mat, lying on his back and staring up at the ceiling. He's been working at Rob Fitch Fitness for a month now. The pay was good, but it wasn't enough. He owed a lot of money to a couple of people and the wages at the gym just weren't covering it, he'd find a way to fix it, though. He's the Cookie Monster after all. "And that's the end of the lesson, see you next week." Cook smirks and makes his way over to the sweating redhead. "What do you want, Cook?" She snapped and he winks in responses.
"Just coming over to tell ya, babe, that was a good lesson."
"And what else?"
"Your sister free tonight?" He waggles his tongue at her and she moved to grab it, he backed away in time and smirks at her in response.
"I told you, Cook. She's not fucking interested, yeah? Back off." Her hands move to her head and she sighed heavily. Grips her hair hard and lets out a light growl. "Oh, where are they? Fuck sake." She starts to search through the stuff on the table in front of her, throwing files onto the floor and shifting everything off. Cook bends back and looks at her arse in the mirror as she bent over. Nice. "Stop perving, you're fucking rank!" She hisses and he winks at her again. She growled, she really hated that.
"You love it, Katiekins. So, about your sis, yeah? She up for a tumble with the Cookie Monster tonight, yeah? Let her know I asked about her." He calls over his shoulder as he heads for the door.
Katie didn't reply, just carries on her search. "Fuck, I can't have lost them again! Dad'll fucking kill me! Fuck!" She cries out and Cook smirked. Stops and turns back to face her.
"What you looking for, Katiekins?"
"The keys to the gym. I've lost them again!"
"You mean these?" He smirks The jangle of metal hit her ears and her eyes snapped towards him, her keys in his hand.
"You're a bastard, you know that? Give me them fucking keys, Cook." She holds out her hand expectantly and he throws them at her in response. She catching them and grips them tightly in her hand.
"Anything I can do to help."
"When are you going to quit, already?"
"Never, babe. Not while you're around." He opened the door. "Tell your sister I want to fuck her, don't forget, Katiekins!" He called over his shoulder and slams the door closed hard.
*
He jumps around like a mad man, the beat running through his body and causing adrenaline to pump through his veins. He fucking loves clubbing. Drinking is the second thing on his list and he grabs a bottle of beer from the side and takes a sip. "Alright, babe, up for it?" He grabs his crotch and gestures at a pair of passes girls. "Nah? Your loss then, babe." He calls after the pair and they laugh at him. Fuck them. He moves on through the ground and looks for another opportunity. That's what he's all about; opportunity. He smirks when his eyes travel over a brunette dancing around a couple of blokes in the corner. Mint. He pushes through the crowd and leans on the wall next to the brunette. "Having a good time?"
"Yeah, thanks." She keeps dancing and doesn't really look at him, he's not phased though. Persistent is the Cookie Monster's middle name.
"Bet I could give you a better one." He moves and dances next to her, his arms moving around her body but not actually touching her.
"I'm fine, thanks." She replies and turns her back to him. He smirks and grinds up into her arse.
"Come on, luv, let the Cookie Monster get you a drink?"
"Fine, you can get me a drink, but that's it, okay?" She concedes and he smirks. Half way there. He makes his way over to bar and orders a drink for the girl, brings it back and hands it to the brunette. "Thanks." Turns away from him again. He sighs. Okay.
He pushes through the crowd of people and finds a podium, pulls himself up and starts to dance with the girls on the platform. He feels the brunette's eyes on him and smiles. That's it, she looks for the centre of attention and that's what he is right now. She sways towards the platform and stops at the edge, he jumps down. She smirks at him and pulls him to her, wraps her arms around him and dances. The rest is history.
*
She was a fucking good shag but not good enough for this. Cook groans as the arm presses harder against his neck. "Who is this little fuck, Cheryl?" The bloke in front of him spits and looks back at Cook. Cook grips harder on the man's arm and tries to push him back.
"Some kid from the club last night." She's quieter now, well, quieter than last night. Cook smirks to himself at his private joke and the guy's head snaps towards him. "What the fuck are you smirking at, boy?" Cook gasps out something and the guy takes that as a shine to loosen his hold on Cook's neck. He does and Cook drops a little bit back onto the floor and rubs his neck fiercely. "Well? What's so fucking funny?"
"Nothin', mate."
"I ain't your mate."
"Bryant leave it." Cheryl begs. Bryant? That's his name, then.
"What's your name, boy?"
"Cook."
"Well, Cookie, you slept with my wife."
"Sorry, man, I didn't know. She came onto me," Holding his arms up in defensive. He didn't know, honestly. "I didn't do nothing wrong."
"You fucked my wife, kid. You fucked her. What are you going to do to fix that?" Bryant moves away from Cook and opens the mini fridge, pulling out a beer and moves over to the kitchen to open it.
"Nowt."
"Oh, really? Well, you could do nothing and I could kill you or you could think of a way to make this better. Which one sounds better to you, Cookie?"
"I'm sorry, man, but I just fucked your wife. Shouldn't care a bit more?" Cook asks and moves across the room, wanting to keep the door in his sights.
"People fuck my wife all the time, Cookie. She's a whore. That's what she does, but when people do it without my permission, well, that's when I get angry. You fucked her without permission, Cookie. You owe me now because I own you."
"Piss off."
"Brave boy! Wanna test me though?" Bryant moves over the desk at the far end of the room and pulls out a gun. "You fucked the wrong girl, Cookie. You're mine now."
Fuck. Shit. What the fuck has he got himself into? Stupid fucking bitch! Why didn't she tell him that she was married? He looks over at Cheryl and watches her eyes, she mouths 'do it'. Fuck. "What do you want me to do?"
"I need a new pusher. They're a new kid out there now, he's competition and I need an extra pair of hands to shift what I've got stocked here. I'll pay you, not a lot, but a bit. I'd ask if you're interested, but you're going to do it." Cook looks at the gun. Trapped.
"Fine, what do you want me to push?"
"Why, drugs, of course." Bryant replies and throws a bag of weed at him from the draw. Fuck sake. He wanted a new start, not this shit again.
*
The drugs start to interfere with his actual job. A couple of days after he started pushing for Bryant the punters started coming to his work claiming that Bryant had sent them there. Cook tried to take it up with the bloke but he said that he had to push it whenever he could. Katie watched him like a hawk, it was like she knew that he was up to something no good. "That'll be a fiver, mate." Cook mutters and the guy nods, handing him a fiver under the desk.
"What are you doing, Cook?" Katie calls and his head snaps up, tries to act natural. Smiles sweetly at her.
"My job, Katiekins." Winks at her and she rolls her eyes. Shit.
*
"Looking for a good time, Blondie?" He mutters in Naomi's ear and she tenses up.
"Fuck sake! Not you again!" She hisses and turns away from him, matches towards the other end of the club but he follows.
"I didn't mean that, babe, well, I did mean that as well but I was talking about another sort of good time, if you get me?" He holds up his hand and lets a package hang down from it, a green substance inside.
Naomi turns her head to the side and bites her lip. "How much?"
"For you? A blowjob." He smirks and she scowls, spins round again and marches off again but he grabs her arm and pulls her back. "Alright, babe, fifteen for this lot and we'll call it a deal." He needs to make this money otherwise Bryant will go mental.
"Okay." Naomi hands him the cash and then she's gone again. He smirks after and leans on the wall behind him. Puts the money in the bundle from his pocket and scans the crowd for his next target. It's some shitty Uni party and basically the whole of Bristol is there, well, all the people that attended Uni at least. What was up that blonde's arse anyway? He spots two familiar redhead's from across the room and makes his way over.
"If it isn't my two favourite twins, what can I do for you both? Coke or smoke?" Both twins push his arm off at the same time.
"Piss off, Cook. No one likes you here." Ignores it because it's the only thing he can do. It hurts but he doesn't admit it.
"Love you, too, Katiekins. What about you, Ems? Want some of the good stuff?" Holds another bag of substance up in front of the redhead's face and she shakes her head, no, and sips her beer. She's cute. He winks at her and waggles the package a bit more. "Come on, you'll have a better time."
"I'm okay thanks." He nods, he's not going to force anyone to buy anything.
"Hello, lovely ladies, how are you this evening? Good, I hope. My name is Thomas and I was wondering if either you were interested in have the best time of your life this evening?"
"Sorry...Thomas, these ladies are already being taken care of." Cook states and throws his arms around the two girls. He doesn't want someone else trying to take his money. Needs it.
"I'm sure the ladies can talk for themselves friends. Well, ladies, are you interested?" They don't want anything, Cook already knows that.
"What you got?" It's Katie that speaks up and Cook scowls. Bitch. Thomas opens up his jacket and pulls out a bag full of white powder. "How much?"
"Forty."
"Ems, you gonna pay half?" Katie asks, turning towards her sister.
"I wasn't planning on..."
"Thanks, babe." Katie grabs Emily's bag and pulls out a twenty, puts it with her own and hands it to the Thomas. He smiles at them. Cook dislikes him.
"It was a pleasure to do business with such lovely looking ladies. Goodbye." Thomas waves at them and drifts into the crowd.
"What the fuck, Katiekins?" Cook cries.
"Sorry, I don't buy off dickheads." She smiles at him sweetly. "Come on, Ems, let's go find Pete." Emily nods and smiles at Cook as she leaves. God, he hates Katie.
He watches Thomas from across the bar, lent on the bar. What's his game? Cook moves after him, waits until the kids alone before he pins him up against the wall. "What you playing at?"
"Hey, calm down!" Thomas pushes Cook back.
"This club is off limits."
"I am just trying to earn some money, friend."
"I ain't your friend. Piss off, yeah? Stop stealing my customers."
"I am going nowhere. Money is to be earned here." Thomas replies and waits. Waits to see if Cook will do anything, he doesn't. Cook just watches as the boy slowly steps back into the crowd and approaches a couple. Dick.
*
"Well, what was his name?" Bryant asks.
"Dunno, Tommy or something like that." Cook replies and puts the stack of money on the table in front of Bryant.
"Fuck sake, he took half our takings last night! Who the fuck is he?" Bryant's shouting, he's always carrying a gun for some reason and loves to swing it around. Cook's a bit jumpy when it comes to giving Bryant his daily money.
"I dunno, Bryant. Just some kid trying to make some money, yeah? But he's got a charm about him. We better watch out." Bryant sighs and throws a brown package at him.
"That's your last payment now, you can piss off. You've paid your debt." Bryant replies and Cook shakes his head, no. "No? What do you mean no? Thought you wanted this as a quick fix and then you were gone?"
"I can't. I need the money." Cook replies.
"Why?"
"I just fucking do, alright? So shut the fuck up, you've got yourself a full time pusher." He snaps and pushes the door to the apartment open and steps outside into the cold. He hears a lighter next to him and smirks. Cheryl.
"You should piss off now, Cook." It's not nasty, she's just offering him some proper advice and he knows he should. He should get out while there's not much happening and before everything goes tits up but he can't. He just can't, okay?
"Yeah, well, I've always been a coulda bloke." She hands him the fag and he takes a toke. "How's he treating you? Pissed cause you slept with me no doubt?"
"No, we have an open relationship. He just needed some new feet at the time and you were the opportunity he couldn't pass up. He's letting you go now, Cook, you should do exactly that. Just pis off now and he'll forget all about you."
"Nah."
"Why not?"
"I just can't, alright? Jesus. Can't I do something without someone asking some bloody questions? Fuck sake." He mutters, throwing the fag over the balcony in front of him and heading for the stairs.
*
"Hows you mum?" He sits on the old, weak chair next to her bed and sighs, looks down at the floor and grips her hand. He doesn't get a reply, just the sound of a heart monitor machine. Steady. "Been a while since I popped round, you getting treated right, yeah?" His eyes travelled over her weak face, closed eyes and hospital tubes. He hated this. He stands and walks to the other side of the room. "I got a job now, yeah? Keeping me busy it is. Better than what I was doing up in Derby. Gotta keep my head on now, mum. Gotta keep an eye on Paddy." His eyes drop to a picture of them. Him, Paddy and his mum, happy. Fucking ages ago that was, at Lego land with Paddy sitting on his back and his arms round his mum's shoulder, laughing, happy. Gone. His eyes well a bit and he slowly places the picture down on the bed in front of him. His lip quivers. Not fucking now.
"You alright, James?" The nurse calls as she enters the rooms and starts emptying draws. Wipes at his eyes and sniffs hard, turns and faces her.
"Yeah, Shelly, not too bad, yourself?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Hows you mum?"
"You tell me. You're the one looking after her." Cook replies and sits on the edge of the table.
"I'll tell you." She moves over and pulls the chart up from the edge of the bed, sighs sadly. "I'm afraid it's not looking that good, James. Her body's just not fitting the sickness anymore. I don't think it'll be long now. I'm so sorry."
His jaw clenches. He moves passed her fast and out into the corridor. Knocks into a guy in a white coat. "Sorry." He mutters but the guys hand presses down on his shoulder. "What?"
"James Cook?"
"Yeah?"
"Come with me." He follows him. Doesn't know why but when a guy in a white coat wants to talk to you it's usually best to listen. He sits down in the chair across from the guy and waits, picks up the snow globe on the guys desk and shakes it. Forgets that it's starting to become winter. "Well, this is awkward for me to say but I think it has to be said. You see....well...how can I put this?"
"Just fucking say it already."
"Your mother is showing no signs of recovery and, well, you aren't exactly keeping up with the payments are you Mr Cook?" His jaw clenches.
"Yeah, and what? You're guy that I spoke to said that we could have an extension, what happened to that?"
"Yes, well," He's nervous. Cook can tell by the way he doesn't look him in the eyes, well, that or he's feeling guilty for what he's going to do. "That's only viable for patients that are showing signs of recovery and since your mother is..."
"The fuck she isn't! She ain't dead yet, is she? You can't just throw her out of here onto the street. You might as well be fucking killing her!" Cook stands, throwing his arms out in anger and glaring at the blank. The guy tries to remain calm and holds out his hands in a comforting manner.
"We, we wouldn't be throwing her out on the streets. We would just be transferring her to the local hospital. She will have great care there."
"Bollocks! How long?"
"What?"
"How long till you have to transfer her over and how much do ya need?"
"Two thousand by tomorrow afternoon if you want to keep her on here with us." His jaw clenches and his eyes squeeze tight. "We realise it's a lot but for the best that's how much it costs when it's private. I'm sure you're mother--"
"I'll get you your damned fucking money." He spits and turns away from the bloke, speeding out of the office. Rage, it's all he feels. It's all he is. He pushes the door open to the bathroom area and stares at himself in the mirror. Hard piercing eyes stare back and he bows his head. He's not going to let her go, not now, not fucking ever. Breathes deeply, sucking in hard breathes. He'll get the money, he has a way, it's just fucking dangerous. His hands clench tightly against the sides of the sink until his knuckles turn white, they can't do this, they can't fucking do this! His hand meets the glass before he even thinks about it, a smashing and crunching the only thing that keeps his mind grounded. He doesn't feel the pain. Sinks to the floor and grips tightly at his hair.
*
"Alright, now, are you actually going to join in today, Kieran?" Cook watches as the man shakes his head, no, and steps to the back wall and leans on it, smirking. Katie sighs and presses her hand against the wall for support.
He leans next to her on the wall and looks her up and down. "You alright, Katiekins? Looking a bit pale."
"I can't do it."
"What?"
"I can't do it anymore. I can't deal with that guy sitting at the back and making advances at me all the time. It's fucking draining me, yeah? He's sick and my dad won't throw him out because he's got a bit of money. You're in here every day taking the piss and...I...and..." She looks like she's going to cry and Cook shakes his head. He doesn't like to see a girl cry. He pushes up off the wall and starts to walk over to the bloke. "Cook, what the fuck are you doing?" She hisses, her eyes wide with panic. "Stop! You're going to get us both in trouble."
He needs a fucking outlet and, well, he kinda likes Katie, he wouldn't tell her that though. "Oi, mate, can I have a word?"
"What do you want, lad?" He's met with an Irish accent that makes him back up a little before stepping forward and invading the bloke's personal space.
"What's your name, mate?"
"Kieran. Why?"
"How old are you Kieran?"
"Forty, why?"
"Do you think it's acceptable for a forty year old man to perv on a nineteen year old girl?"
"Well, I..."
"Well, you what mate?" The whole room is silent and looking on at the pair, Kieran is shuffling and pressing back against the wall. Clearly intimidated by the younger man. "Cat got your fucking tongue? Well, I tell you what, if I even catch you looking at that girl," Points to Katie. "ever again? I'll cut your cock off and shove it your arse, got it?" He grabs Kieran's shirt and pulls him close. Kieran nods his head up and down fiercely and Cook smashes his hand into the wall next to his head and then drops the guy to the floor. Doesn't turn back to look at Katie, feels better now, only a little though. Katie stares after him wide eyed.
"Hey, James, what was that about in there?" Rob asks grabbing his arm but he shrugs it off and carries on walking.
"You're daughter was getting perved on. I sorted it."
"You assaulted a customer."
"Piss off, man! He was making your kid cry!"
"Sometimes you have to--"
"Nah, you fucking don't! Family comes fucking first."
"James, you assaulted a customer. I have to--"
"Yeah, I know, I'm fired. See you around, Rob." He calls over his shoulder as the automatic doors slide open for him. Sometimes he forgets what cunts people can be.
*
Getting fired just means he can start working earlier. He arrives at some shitty bar and makes a little, not enough, but more than usual. The next on his list are the clubs in the evening, but of course, Thomas is fucking there. He watches as the kid pushes through the crowd and opens his arms wide to some unsuspecting girls. They smile at him and he makes the deal, Cook watches and clucks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. Thomas wants to play. He tries extra hand. All the come on's he can think of and all the persuasive talk her knows, he makes a bit extra but he really strikes it gold when he lands some posh girls. They a loaded and give him a fuck load of cash, he slips it into his bag and smiles to himself, he's fucked Thomas over tonight. Moves to bar and orders a shot, leans over to receive it but is knocked out the way as someone speeds past him. He doesn't notice at first but his bag is gone. "Fuck!" he whispers. "Shit! Fuck!" He cries and drops the shot to the floor, turns on the spot and storms after the ripple of bodies in the crowd. Pushing hard against the bodies he stumbles and falls, doesn't hit the floor, though, lands on a knee and pushes himself back up, through the crowd and out into the streets of Bristol. "Cook, what the fuck?" he hears Katie call after him and catches a glimpse of her and Emily as he sprints past. No time. She hates him anyway.
His head snaps back and forth. FUCK! He catches a glimpse of the runner just turning round a corner. He's never ran so hard in his life, his feet slamming against the floor so hard that he feels like he might crack the concrete. His hands wrap round the metal rail as he pulls himself up the stars after the runner, his arm catching on a jagged corner and cutting him. "Fuck!" He cries out and presses down hard against the cut. That was his knew coat as well. Breathes deeply and then pulls him up the other side of the rail, jumps over it and sprints up the last couple of stairs until he stops dead on in front of the boy. "Hand over the bag, Thomo. No one likes a sore loser."
"Fuck you, man! I need this money!" Thomas calls in reply and looks behind him. The gaps too big, he can't make the jump.
"Yeah, well, so do I and I earned it so hand it over." Cook holds out his hand and Thomas holds the bag tight against him, shakes his head no. "Come on, mate, you can have the club tomorrow night, just give me my fucking money!" his temper is getting the better of him.
"I need this!"
"So do I!"
"Not as much as me!"
"Oh, really? And why the fuck are you so special?"
"If I do not get this money then tomorrow my family will be evicted from our home and we will be forced to live on the streets. My brother is sick. He is very ill and he needs help. He needs to be warm and if we do not have a home he will not be warm and then, then he will die." Shit. Fuck sake. Cook stops, just stops and stands up straight. He walks away from the boy and leans on the edge of the building, hands gripping the ledge, he sighs. Why was he cursed with a heart? His hands are shaking but he grips harder until they stop, turns his head towards Thomas.
"You lying to me, Thomo?" His voice is serious.
"No!" Thomas shakes his head from side to side.
"Keep it."
"What?"
"The money. It's yours...but if I find out you've been lying to me, man, I'll come for you, alright?" Thomas nods his head and smiles widely at the boy.
"Thank you! Thank you so much! You do not know what this means to me! To my family!"
"Yeah, I'm sure I don't."
"What is your name?"
"Cook."
"Thank you, Cook."
"Forget about it." Cook snaps and walks away from the boy, slowly down the steps and then back onto the streets of Bristol. Fuck sake, everyone's got a sob story, ain't they? He sniffs and looks up at the sky. Bryant's going to murder him.
*
"What the fuck do you mean there's no money? How they fuck isn't there any fucking money!?" Bryant screams and points his gun at Cook.
"Some kid stole it all."
"Was it that Thomas kid?"
"Nah, man, someone else." Cook lies. He's covering for this kid and he doesn't even know him. He's turning into a sap. His hands are shaking by his sides. This is it. He's dead. Game over.
"Argh! Who the fuck are these people? What the hell do they want with my money? You stole it, didn't you, Cookie? You took the money right out from under my eyes and spent it, didn't you!? Didn't fucking you!?" The guns in his face and he holds his breath.
"He didn't take your money, Bryant! He just told you that some kid stole it! Listen to him for once!" Cheryl pleads but he doesn't listen. Smacks her instead.
"Shut up, bitch!" Cook drops down next to the brunette and pulls her to him. Fucking psycho. She wipes her bloody lip and stares up at her husband. The gun moves towards them again and points at Cook.
"Calm the fuck down, Bryant, mate!" Cook shouts and Bryant takes a step back.
"Maybe she's right. Maybe you're telling the truth. Yeah, we're friends, aren't we, Cookie? You'd never steal money off me would you? Cause if you did, I'd have to skin you." Bryant smiles manically at the pair and takes a step back, turns towards his desk draw. Cook doesn't know why he does it, maybe it's because he's scared of what Bryant will do to Cheryl or to him. He grabs the lamp on the table to his right and smashes it down on the back of Bryant's head, the guy grunts and then his face slams hard against the floor.
"What the fuck, Cook?" Cheryl cries. "Do you know what you've done?"
"Yeah, I know. I fucking know, alright, babe? He ain't dead so nothing to worry about!" He mutters, stepping over Bryant's motionless body and rummages through the drawers in the room; throwing out socks, underwear and drugs. He's looking for none of them. He finds it in the bottom on the cabinet and hesitates for a second. Fuck it. He grabs the brown package and pulls it from the draw and slices it open, pulls out some plastic and throws it at Cheryl.
"What's this?"
"Get as far away from that psycho as you can, babe." He mutters and gathers up the rest of his things. Grips the package tightly and slips out the door into the cold night. Breathes deeply and leans against the balcony for support. He's shaking. He's scared. He's so fucking scared and he hates it because the Cookie Monster doesn't do scared.
*
"You've got the payment in full?" The doctor asks sceptically as he looks Cook up and down.
"Yeah, man, it's all there. So, my mum gets to stay, yeah?"
"Just let me count it." The guy leans forward and checks throw the money. It takes a while and Cook spends most of the time looking at the ceiling, he looks down hopefully when he hears the guy cough but he looks at Cook apologetically and says "Lost count, sorry."
"Fuck sake." Cook mutters under his breath and looks around the room again. He's jumpy, the slightest sound sets him off.
"Okay, Mr Cook, it seems that it's all here."
"So?"
"So, your mother can stay in our care." He smiles happily and pats the bloke on the back.
"Nice one, mate. Doing us a right favour you are." Smiles and looks down as the money on the desk is swept away into a deposit bag. All for his fucking mum. "Would you like to see her now? They're just about to lock up for the night." Cook nods. The doctor leads him down to the room and he steps inside. His mother is still asleep, hasn't been awake for a long time. He takes a seat next to the bed in the weak chair and grabs her hand.
"Hows you, mum? Good. I hope they're treating you well. I got it paid off mum. I got it sorted. Get better soon." He leans over and presses a kiss to her forehead. "I fucking love you."
*
"What are you doing here?" Katie asks as Cook leans against the wall at the back of the yoga class and looks out blankly. Stares at nothing. One thought on his mind.
You'd never steal money off me, would you? Cause if you did, I'd have to skin you.
"Cook?" She asks again and pushes him gently. "You okay?"
He shakes his head and smirks at her. "I'm fine, Katiekins! Just come for class. Up for showing me how flexible you are then?" He runs his tongue over his teeth and her face cringes in disgust. Ah, the front, how he's missed it so.
Next Chapter is Katie!