FRIDAY July 12th 2019
Lily sits in the darkened booth, eyes travelling around the room, records decorate the wall, silently grading each of the albums she recognises, this is their new local. Marlene, swipes through the screen of the Jukebox, making her selection, bouncing on the balls of her Converse, full of nervous energy.
Her best friend, nervous about a boy. No person at Uni ever seemed to keep her attention for long, and the girls had only been back in London a month. Mary and Lily, eager to meet the boy who managed to catch their friend's attention on her first week at her new job.
Lily, Marlene, and Mary met at university, Marlene, and Lily having both moved from prestigious English high schools to Glasgow had been housed together. Mary, born and raised in Glasgow, stayed in halls of residence for 'the full student experience' at her dads' insistence. Mary Macdonald became an asset to the girls, knowing all the best spots and getting them past the 'outsider' division that being English often caused. The three girls had hit it off immediately and gone on to share a flat together for the remaining three years.
The girls found it tough being separated after years of living together but the past three weeks they kept close as ever thanks to social media and facetiming.
Chat between Lily and Mary Mac 6.57pm
Lily - Mary, where are you? I don't want to meet the new guy alone! You were supposed to be here by now…
Mary - Bloody train got delayed in Edinburgh! I should have been at Kings Cross an hour ago :'( going to have to lug my case around too!
Lily – why did your train go via Edinburgh, there's a direct from Glasgow?!
Lily – There's a key in the dropbox same code, you can dump your bags on the way, pubs only five minutes down the road.
Mary – Saved me £20! That's like two drinks in London prices : / Yas, will def do that so I can rid myself on train stench.
Lily – Lol yes. Tonight's drinks are on bank of dad though so I'm going to start making my way through the cocktail list, get here soon.
Mary – Sounds like it might get messy! Is boyfriend there yet?
Lily – No, he's on his way. Marly is just setting up like 47 songs on the jukebox or something…
Mary – God help us! Right just getting into Kings x now. See u soon xx
"You're such a control freak, can't trust anyone else to set the mood…" Lily accuses, "yes, yes I am, you love me for it", Marlene replies with a satisfied smirk slipping into the space opposite her in the booth, eyes on the door.
"I only had enough change for 5 songs though!" twirling a piece of her blonde hair around her finger and releasing it, the only strand loose from her plaited crown. Lily explains that Mary had to stop at their flat first to drop off her things and then would be on her way.
Chat between Si and Marlene 7.12pm
S i– there in 5, lads were giving me hell!
Marlene – Np, we're in a booth back left corner xx
Handing Marlene, the cocktail list to peruse, "What do you fancy then? My dad gave me cash for tonight because it's the first proper night out since we moved into the flat, and he's overcompensating, but fuck it, I plan to work our way through this list, and you know Mary's already paid for the train so yeah – "
"Espresso martini?" Marlene requests with an angelic smile, "nice try, no more stimulants for you, chose something else" Lily chastised, drumming her long fingers slowly on the wooden table, after much umming and ahing Lily reminds her, she'll have a chance to try the others throughout the night so it really shouldn't be that big a decision.
There's miraculously no queue at the bar, so she returns a few minutes later, placing a mango daquiri in front of Marlene and lowering her coconut margarita just in time to hear a familiar voice behind her, "No fucking way! Red!" Lily turns to face Sirius, a sight she hasn't seen since she left for Glasgow, his ecstatic grin beaming at her.
"Si, Lily? You guys know each other?" Marlene, seeing the shocked looks of her best friend and boyfriend.
"Si, Si… You never... shit. Marly, it's, he's Sirius, we go way back, shit… went to high school together, you've heard me talk about him – and his friends…" the words trailing off as she still gets to grip with this reality.
Marlene observes her boyfriend, now enveloping her best friend in a bone crushing hug, Lily's paralyzed expression hidden from view.
Eyebrows disappearing into her hairline Marlene persists, "I mean, he never said his name's actually Sirius – I'd probably have worked it out then! Hey, um… Lil… Your James, 'eh… he doesn't happen to be silly tall, with a mess of dark hair, glasses and… I don't know a professional athlete that—"
"No way – "Lily feels a bit lightheaded but doesn't have a chance to assimilate or even take a steading breath before "Alright Evans?" he's right behind her, the sound of his voice sending prickles of electricity up and down her spine. Turning in his direction, she takes him in, a sight to behold - he has done some serious growing up in the last four years, "Potter..." coming out in a breathy exhale.
Suddenly surrounded by his muscular arms and smelling in his deep cedarwood scent; she feels like a teenager, her body reacting to the familiarity of his, senses completely overwhelmed. Different from her hug from Sirius this one is not crushing with over excitement, it's tender as though he believes she might not be real.
Releasing herself from his embrace she slides down into the booth, pulling Marlene with her so that she has a buffer between her and the new arrivals. Face flushed and needing to pull herself together she takes a long drink through her straw, feeling the chilled cocktail ease her nerves.
Sirius wears his habitual smirk as he takes the seat to Marlene's right whispering something inaudible to her ear, James the only one still standing inclines his head to the bar, offering drinks, a hand straying through his tousled mop of hair, "jack and coke cheers Prongs".
Chat between Lily and Mary Mac - 7.23pm
Lily – fuckfuckfuckfuck
Mary - ?
Lily – GET HERE NOW! YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE THIS.
Chat between Sirius and Remus 7.23pm
Sirius – Moony! Are you on your way?!
Remus – Still editing, why?
Sirius – You remember me telling you Marlene's supposedly beautiful flatmate who's an English teacher would be coming…
Remus – is she a troll?
Sirius – haha no
Remus – I called dibs, keep the specky git away from her!
Sirius – Yeah, I don't like your chances
Remus – Screw it, I'm on my way, £5 says I can turn it around
Sirius – Lol ok.
"So, this is 'flatmate/best friend' who's name you haven't said at all in the last three weeks?" Sirius lifts an accusatory eyebrow at Marlene, who still wears a somewhat bemused look upon her face. "Yup, this is she. How was I to know?! You introduced yourself as Si! And we haven't synced socials."
Sitting himself down, at the edge of the booth diagonal from Lily, James lets out a loud laugh "Pads, she's right. Totally your fault, at least you don't have to try to charm the best friend, she already knows you too well to approve!"
"I blame you; you prat. If you and Moony hadn't bet me that I couldn't pull off Si for a month this would never have happened, - and I did by the way - it's not like people know more than one Sirius".
Lily laughs now too, over the initial shock. "Speaking of, is Remus going to be joining us tonight?" "Bored of us already Red? you'll meet him tonight Marls, he's on his way..." Sirius muttered conspiratorially to Marlene.
Marlene had said she met this Si guy at the gym picking up his brother. "So, you row now? You always did like the water" Lily asks James, he nods "made the GB team through Cambridge, been rowing for them the past year, McKinnon's joined the training team while she's preparing for her masters at South Bank later this year I believe".
Glass tipped towards Marlene who gives him a small royal clap for his concise explanation. "You always were an excellent athlete, captained the football team and swam for the school" she informs Marlene. Lily's mouth curves into a smile, always his most ardent of champions, James' cheeks pink, heat rising around his collar.
The four sit, sipping their drinks while Marlene explains that she, Lily and Mary – who is on her way - had lived together since they were freshers. A natural progression that she and Lily would move to London together post-graduation, close enough but not too near their families, while they find their feet in their chosen fields.
Marlene's friendship with Lily had effectively picked up right where the guys last knew her. There's an awkwardness to this acknowledgement, each person aware they hadn't stayed in touch but none voicing it.
It's not long before the sight of not one, but two of their friends draws her attention, stumbling towards them in an uncomfortable 'why are you following me' kind of way, neither knowing the other has the same intended destination, "Reme!" Lily springs from her seat, flush against the wall, giving Marlene, and in turn Sirius a shove to get out, bouncing into his arms, soon spinning in a seamless motion.
"Don't mind me, seven hours on the fucking train to get here but this guy gets a real welcome!" Marlene introduces Sirius and Mary, then Mary to James. As her eyes land on him they dart straight to Lily "No fucking way!"
She manages to overcome her outburst and shake James' outstretched hand, him looking at her with mild concern "Fuck, sorry" Mary apologises, "Saw a photo once, face to a name you're Lily's James?"
His curious eyes skim to Lily who worries her lip between her teeth, she should have probably warned Mary, but she'd still been processing, she'd forgotten that once upon a time Mary found her looking at a photograph of the bespectacled teen when they'd been unpacking their new flat, years ago. "I've certainly been called worse" replies James, sending a knowing wink to Lily.
Introductions complete Lily offers to fetch Mary a cocktail from, informing the table that they're planning to work their way through the menu – curtesy of bank of dad. Mary mollified after her less enthusiastic than she'd hoped welcome asks for an Espresso Martini and is met by an outraged Marlene when Lily agrees, "I can't have one, but she can, you witch!", "She's been travelling all day, the caffeine will do her good and she won't act like a toddler whose tweaked on sugar!" Lily counters.
Sighing in admitted defeat Remus slaps away a smug Sirius rubbing his fingers together ushering him to pay up. "I'll help, think we should join them on their quest?" Remus suggests, James opting for a Mai Tai and Sirius a Cosmopolitan, both happy to acquiesce.
Leaning on the bar as they wait for the order to be made, "This is surreal, I can't believe it's been 4 years, almost. You look well Lily, much the same to be honest, are you here permanently or just for summer?" Remus and Lily had always gotten along so well, him the more sensible of the lads, both academically inclined, they'd been prefects together and shared Valedictorian at graduation.
"That's me back, renting a flat ten minutes from here and interviewing for teaching positions before the new school year starts."
Remus had studied education too he tells her, deciding after completing his three years at art school that he wanted to teach. Asking a few leading questions, he learns that Lily had completed a five-year course over four years, gaining a joint English and education degree and somehow managing to fit in all the required hours in a school environment. Her overachieving coming as no surprise to him.
He tells her of an independent school in Richmond called Hogwarts currently doing a recruitment drive, he'd been given the job during the interview with the headmaster. "How mad would it be if we both end up at the same school, he told me they were hoping to diversify their learning platforms, sounded pretty cool. Seems they want young blood, said if I knew of any other recent graduates to pass the details along…"
They return to the booth five minutes later with a tray of colourful drinks, the addition of Mary and Remus fills the booth, three either side, Mary sitting next to Marlene at the open edge, Lily motions for Remus to slide into the middle of the remaining space, next to James - the excuse that she wants to catch up with Mary; he plays along.
Passing James and Sirius their cocktails, they can't help mocking Remus for his Old Fashioned. Marlene makes a toast "To a sirius-ly weird coincidence bringing us all together" the group all laugh at the terrible pun; two thirds of the table has heard a hundred times over.
Remus toasting a second time "to checking out your girlfriend on social so you know if you have mutuals…" laughter emitting from the other occupants of the booth.
Mary is bouncing excitedly, "so when was the last time you lot saw each other? You never visited?" Nervous glances dance between the old friends, "pretty much the day I left for Uni—" Lily says, Remus squeezes her hand under the table in support.
Saved from further discomfort by the song changing, Marlene lets out a loud squeal - it's the first of her selections. Taking a quick guzzle of her drink she stands, swinging her hips to the beat.
She insists on getting someone, if not everyone up to dance to Aerosmith's 'Love in An Elevator', Mary joins her, her chestnut ponytail bopping to the music. Surprising more than one person around the table Remus gets up too "This song is a classic" he says in defence. Lily gets up to let him out and slides back into the leather booth.
Sirius catches Lily's eye over the rim of his glass as he takes a dignified sip, "She put on like the next five songs, before she ran out of change…who knows what'll be next, her tastes are …'eh… eclectic" Lily rambles, finding it necessary to say something. Sirius takes this as his cue, "Empty your pockets Prongs, smash only, let's see if we can balance out the tunes a bit.."
James squirms to get his hand in his well fitted jeans pocket, Lily realises she is basically staring at his crotch as he does so, causing her to nearly choke on her drink. "£2.80 go wild", Sirius gathers the coins from the table, asks if either of them has a request and heads over to the back wall where the jukebox lights the corner.
"It's good to see you Lil" The old moniker falling from his lips effortlessly, her eyes drawn to his mouth as she thinks it, "You too James", she replies genuinely. It comes out quieter than she intended, and he shifts closer to hear her, the heat of his leg resting against hers, through two pairs of jeans, erupts butterflies in her chest.
They make small talk, discussing their courses, commenting on their friends dancing, pointing out the questionable records on the wall, she asks after his parents, falling into conversation easily; they always could just talk for hours.
The rest of their group are gone for the next three songs at least and both James and Lily have finished their drinks, scouring over the menu for the next round, they tell the group they've decided to just pick six drinks and hand them out randomly all in the name of fun.
As they rise to head to the bar James removes his blazer, the sight of him in his form fitting navy button up showing just how much his muscles have grown, and Mary nudges a transfixed Lily to get her to move out of the way, motioning a little to Lily's lip "drool" she mouths.
"I've never seen her like this, all cartoon hearts for eyes and tongue rolling out of her mouth" says Mary to the table, "what have you done to her Marly?!" Sirius and Remus share a laugh, "This was our life for like three years, more maybe, you know minus the expensive cocktails and with more PDA".
Remus looks back towards the bar fondly, admiring the sight of the couple leaning closely together as they tell the order to the sever, he always liked them together, it made him hopeful.
"The look on her face when she found that photo in second year… but that's years ago now, and a few guys ago. Were they quite serious? Why did they break-up?" Mary casts a look over her shoulder to make sure Lily isn't near "She never really said, likes to keep things close to her vest that one".
Remus and Sirius exchange a knowing look, but neither enlighten Mary.
There's always been undeniable chemistry between Lily and James, even after all the years that seemed obvious, but it went beyond the physical, they just clicked, they were both the best version of themselves when they were together, or at least they had been.
Returning to the table with the tray of drinks, "Two shots each and a cocktail chaser, pick your poison" Lily states placing drinks in front of each person, then dutifully supplying wedges of lime and a saltshaker. "Salt, shot, lime, repeat. Go!"
Marlene and Remus are playing two lies and a truth, getting to know each other, Lily only part listening as Mary grills Sirius about his intentions, James hiding his grin in his hand.
Looking at everyone else's glasses as she takes a drink of her fruity concoction, Lily pouts her lip petulantly, "Mine doesn't have a cherry", the glass barely retuned to the table when James plops the cherry from his own drink into her glass, sending her a winning smile. Without breaking eye contact she catches his hand in hers and brings it to her lips, "a true gent thanks Potter".
James, flustered from the unexpected brush of her lips rakes that hand through his messy black hair, but it doesn't remove the tingle on his skin where the essence of the kiss still lingers.
Approaching ten o'clock, everyone is well past tipsy, enough so that when 'Pour Some Sugar on Me', Sirius' first song selection comes on everyone abandons the booth to get up and dance.
A rapid change in style follows when Nirvana comes on and as they had many times in their teens, Lily and Sirius embark on an epic air guitar battle to 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', Marlene loyal friend, crowns Lily victorious.
At the risk of Sirius taking a sulk no more than ten seconds pass before Marlene leans to whisper his very dirty consolation prize, then taking him by the hand down the hallway leading to the bathrooms…
Looking around for someone to share her bafflement at the deserters, Lily sees that Mary and Remus have returned themselves to the quiet of the booth and are currently getting acquainted with each other's mouths.
An equally shocked look upon his face, James suggests they play a game of pool, owing to everyone else's abandonment - they head to the two tables lined up to the left of the jukebox.
While she racks up the balls and chalks the top of her cue James fishes around for more change and sets to making some song selections. He joins her at the table and clumsily takes his cue and aims to break the balls, he hits the apex on an angle but a yellow ball stutters into a pocket and the game proceeds.
"How many times you reckon we've played pool?" Lily ponders as she circles the table looking for a good angle, "Time well spent for sure, Mary and I were notorious for hustling at the union" James laughs, hands deftly uncuffing his sleeves and rolling them up to the elbows.
Lily nearly missed her shot at the brief glimpse of his toned, muscular arms, he does it deliberately she decides, shaking her head. It's a dirty trick, that he remembers her weakness for that particular action, she's taken back to many times where this distraction of his executed in the classroom meant she'd need his notes to help her study.
She's got to stop thinking like this she chastises herself, sinking the shot and moving to the next ball, a wave of guilt passes through her, and she misses. "Head not in the game Evans?" he teases as he skims past her, Lily watches closely as he lines up the shot, shirt pulled tight over his visible back muscles, sinks it, easy.
James winks at her, her head falls back in a laugh "the ego on you", he rounds on her making to move to his next shot but hooks his finger through her belt loop to catch her as she turns away. His left thigh warm against her leg, caging her between his body and the table. Air caught in her lungs, she's certain he must be able to hear her heartbeat going ridiculously fast.
Clearing her throat "James", breathier than intended, a sparkle in his hazel eyes, tiny flickers of gold that she spent hours ruminating over these last four years. Laying her hand upon his chest, she can feel his heartbeat thundering too, "This is where I'd have kissed you, but um… I have a boyfriend".
His retreat is instant, and it feels like ice slipping down her back, "I'm sorry, I think I got a bit caught up in 'old times'" her forehead puckered, she's so sincere that his posture relaxes, weight shifting from foot to foot.
"No worries Evans, of course you'd be coupled up – you're a catch. We can do friends though, right?", he doesn't wait for a reply, the question heavy with uncertainty. He turns from her and deftly pockets his last two balls and then the black; the motivation to end the game clear.
There's no mention of another game, approaching the booth where Remus and Mary are no longer attached at the mouths but simply in hushed conversation. When Remus sees the melancholy look on James' face, he doesn't need to ask what just went down, his friends' expressions speak for themselves.
Excusing herself to the bathroom Lily leaves them and is only a few steps away when she feels Mary's arm link with her own, leaning her head on Mary's shoulder as they walk the corridor to the ladies room.
Alone in the stall Lily takes ten slow breathes, holding her fingers to her pulse in her wrist, a pressure point that has always help ground her when these sorts of feeling take over. "Sign of life or I'm climbing over" Mary says after a few minutes.
The lock unclicking echoes in the quiet room, the sight of Lily looking grim, colour drained from her face suddenly sobers Mary as well. "I can't, I don't want to talk about it."
Chat between Mary Mac and Marlene 11.02pm
Mary – SOS (L) We're in the loo but going to leave ASAP. You coming with or going back with the boy?
After splashing some water on her face, Lily plasters on a smile and heads back out with Mary. They catch sight of Marlene and Sirius exiting the disabled toilets, and that at least cause a genuine giggle.
"Filthy, I can't believe you'd do that!" Mary admonished Marlene as they round on the table, Marlene picks up her glass of earlier discarded drink and gargles with it, causing Mary to shake her head and 'tsk'. "Sorry muuuuuuuuuuuum" Marlene jests, leaning over to grab her phone from her bag, looking up from it stealthily once she sees the message from Mary.
A silent conversation between the three best friends has Marlene standing up yet again and gathering her jacket "It has been truly wonderous introducing… meeting new folks and reintroducing... you chaps, but I think I may have had one too many sweet cocktails. I need chips and cheese and my bed, alone thank you Si…rius"
Taking the excuse as a valid enough reason everyone gathers their belongs with the intention to leave, just as Lily has one arm through the sleeve of her leather jacket the song changes and it takes a mere two seconds for her to realise it's James song choice.
Foo Fighters 'Everlong' booms over the speakers and Lily feels the weight of it filling her body like lead, Sirius grips her closely to his side as he catches her stumble. Clearing his throat, James rushes past her swiftly, his whispered apology lingering as he walks straight out the exit.
"He wouldn't have put it on Lily, if he'd have known, you know he didn't do it out of malice". She does know, rationally aware that James would not have put on a song that held a mountain of feelings for her, for them, if he hadn't thought this could be their chance to reconnect.
"I know Siri, I'm not mad at him. I… I'm just pissed at myself. I made a mess. Did you see his face just then when it came on? Gods." Sirius loops his arm through hers and leads them out to meet the rest of the group.
She points them in the direction of her flat, apparently, they'll have an escort home, "Red, why didn't you tell him you have a boyfriend earlier tonight? Hell, you didn't mention him once to any of us" A stray tear falls silently down her pale cheek, the summer air balmy sticking the salty tracks.
"I just.. I'm stupid, ill prepared, that Lily from years past crept up on me, I pushed every thought of him down for so long and seeing him again is hard… but at the same time it's the most at ease I've felt in a long time, does that make any sense at all?"
They've stopped at the corner near the chippy, Marlene is not to be messed with when it comes to her and her carbs, allowing herself the occasional indulgence while maintaining athletic fitness. The rest of the group join them and everyone who wants food goes inside.
Sirius, James, and Lily watch from the pavement as Mary and Marlene argue over how much is a reasonable amount of food, Remus a few steps behind them in the queue, pretending not to know them. Lily shifts her bag from shoulder to shoulder, plays with the zip at her wrist, anything to keep her hands busy.
Pulling air between his teeth, "Red, I still can't believe that Marls' flatmate is you, I mean this has been really nice to catch up, yeah? but really, when did you steal my style?" Motioning between them, breaking the tension as the trio realise that true, Lily and Sirius have almost identical outfits on, black skinny jeans, rip on the knee and a worn leather jacket.
"Siri, this is the jacket – still" she says with a laugh, he can't help running a hand over the sleeve – it was his first leather jacket when he got a motorbike at sixteen, but he had outgrown it in no time and passed it to Lily. He saw it as a testament to their friendship that not only had she kept it, but she also wore it, this jacket had been well loved.
Taking out his phone, he thrusts it in James' hand demanding he document the evidence, James snapping one photo and then another, when Sirius dips Lily perfectly he catches that too, a smile upon all their faces. Sirius wrestles an arm round his best friends' neck and forces him into the shot, swiftly turning the camera on selfie mode, the grin on his face infectious and they all end up howling with laughter.
James places his arm around Lily's shoulder in a one arm hug, "Pads is right, it has been really nice catching up, don't be a stranger yeah." Laying a kiss upon her head he releases her and makes a quick beeline for the open chip packet in Marlene's hand, drawn to the heavenly smell of vinegar "Just one Potter, or you'll face my wrath at the gym!".
Lily had forgotten all this started with Marlene's new job, not to mention she is now dating one of Lily's old friends. They were destined to see each other again, for a while anyways, so she really has to get her head on straight.
The boys walk them all back to their flat, and bid goodnight, Sirius being swatted away as he tries to follow them.
Lily incapable of doing anymore talking so she quickly excused herself after helping set the sofa bed up for Mary.
Laying in her bed, Lily lets her tears fall silently, her right hand lightly covering her chest, over her heart, whispering to herself the lyrics to their song, 'Breathe out so I can breathe you in'…