AN: Hello lovely readers, I'm back! Thank you to KayEff and TeenAgeRiot99 for your concerns regarding the rough moment I was going through and still am, although I'm gradually feeling better. I also want to thank all the new followings and favourites to my story, it means a lot, believe me!
Now about the chapter! The last one was really short I know, so this time I wanted to reward you with a chapter with more plot to it and development. I hope that you'll like it, the story is still going slow but I'm trying to work everyday on it.
Without further delays, enjoy your reading and as always any reviews will be most welcomed!
CHAPTER 9
EMILY'S POV
Riding on a bike for the first time really is scary, but eventually my fear subsided once I hold on to Naomi's waist and just focused on the journey itself. I don't know why, but being with her calms my fears as if she has always been there in my life protecting me.
I ended up being brought back to reality from my thoughts as I realized we had stopped. She parked her "Babe" and helped me get down of it.
"So Emily, was it so bad?" Naomi asks smiling.
I smile back, "No. After a while it was actually rather enjoyable."
"Hm yes, "Babe" can have that effect on you." She says playfully.
"Well I wasn't only referring to the bike, but whatever you say. You're the expert."
She blushes a bit now, "Yeah, I see." She clears her throat, "We should get going then, the pub is just right ahead."
"The pub? At this hour?" I ask surprised.
"Yes Emily, but don't worry. I don't intend to get you drunk." She says walking in front of me.
I nod in understanding, and immediately hear her say in a low voice, "Not yet anyway."
"Hey! I heard that!" I say gently slapping her on her arm. She gives me a cheeky smile that makes me laugh.
"Just kidding Ems. You're going to like this place, I promise." Naomi assures me now with a kind smile. I can't help but feel warm inside with her concern towards me.
We stop in front of a door with a sign that reads "Fishponds Tavern". It looks very old and abandoned. As if she had read my thoughts, Naomi says, "I know, it doesn't look cosy and it looks like someone hasn't been here in ages. But give it a chance yeah?"
"Oh I'll give it a go." I nod in agreement.
Once she opens the door I'm met with some voices from different people. There are some playing pool in a corner with a hanged sign saying "Uncle Keith's Pub". In the background I can hear a song playing from the jukebox, but not very loud, and as I turn my eyes to a booth on the other end of the pub that stays next to a window, I think I see Cook, Tony and… Cassie?
"Emily?" I see Naomi's hand waving in front of me, "Is there any chance you could get out of that head of yours and come sit with our friends right there?" She says pointing with her head to the booth.
"Yes, of course! Sorry." As we approach them, Cook instantly gets up, "Naoms, Ems! So good to see you my little birds!" And gives us one of his trademark bear hugs.
"Cook, you're suffocating us." Naomi says trying to wriggle herself from his arms and dragging me along. He eventually lets us go and we sit next to the others.
"Hey guys!" I say to them, "Cassie what are you doing here at this hour?"
Cassie raises her eyebrows, "I could ask you the same thing. Shouldn't you be in class right now?"
I scratch the back of my neck, "Ahm… Well the thing is…"
"Her class after lunch got cancelled, the teacher had the flu or something like that. So I thought it would be nice to bring her here to meet the pub." Naomi intervenes for my relief, I didn't really know what to say. Although I don't like the fact that we just lied, but I'm sure Naomi did it for good reasons.
"Yes that's right. So when Naomi invited me I thought "why not?", at least I get to do something different."
"Ok honey, I'm glad you came then. This is one of our favourite places to hang out. Everyone here is very nice." Cassie says smiling at me and I smile back.
"That's right. Good food, music, and people." Tony says smiling.
"And most importantly, good beer!" Cook finishes laughing out loud, "Which reminds me, two more lagers Keith!"
"Cook, don't you think you've had enough?" Cassie asks concerned.
"Ah don't worry blondie, the Cookie Monster doesn't break easily!"
"Cook you know I like beer as much as you do, but I have to agree with Cassie on this one. It's already your fifth today." Tony tries reasoning with him.
"You're wrong mate. It will be my sixth, I'm gonna drink them both." And so he does, and chugs them both down in one gulp. He then gives a loud howl, kind of like a wolf in celebration.
I look at the rest of the group and see they're all worried. Why doesn't anyone do something?
"Hey Emily. Ya know, until now I hadn't noticed, but ya are a proper fit little bird. Wouldn't ya like to get to know me?" Cook says wriggling his eyebrows at me.
I furrow my own, "Excuse me? Get to know you?"
"Yeah! Ya know, we should get together, have some alone time."
"Cook that's enough!" Naomi spats at him and gets up, "Come on Emily, let's go away from here." She says grabbing my hand for me to stand up.
"Ah that's nice! Look at you all lovey dovey. Cute!" He says in a mocking tone.
Cassie looks at him angrily and says, "You better shut up now! You've said enough already." And follows me and Naomi to the exit. As we're leaving I can't help but hear Cook and Tony's conversation.
"Nice one mate! You've really overstepped the boundaries this time." Tony says sternly to him.
"Yeah? Well why don't you fuck off then?! Everyone eventually does anyway."
Tony sighs and speaks calmly, "Because if I did, you would probably end up starting a fight or getting hurt. And I don't want that to weigh on my conscience, so, here I am."
I have to admit hearing that made me worry about Cook. Since I've met him he has always been nice to me, I don't understand why his behaviour suddenly changed. But I guess it's no use for me to get stuck in these doubts of mine. What matters now is getting out of here with Cassie and Naomi.
NAOMI'S POV
I can't believe he fucking did this! Who does he think he is to talk to Emily like that?! Ahrg I just want to punch him!
"Naomi, you ok?" My line of thought is interrupted by Cassie's voice. I look at her and try to disguise my rage, "Yeah I'm fine." I answer giving a fake smile.
She scoffs and says with sarcasm, "Sure, I can see it all on your face."
"Ahm… girls, I know it's none of my business, but why was he like that?" Emily asks a bit unsure.
I sigh and try to explain, "It's not the first time it has happened. When Cook drinks he gets a little…"
"Out of himself." Cassie finishes my sentence.
"Exactly! But this time it was too much. The way he treated you was wrong, like you were some piece of meat!" I try to explain to Emily without showing much of the rage I'm feeling inside.
"Oh I see… It wasn't my fault then?" She asks with a low voice looking down at her feet.
Cassie hugs her immediately, "Of course not silly! You didn't do anything wrong, he's the one at fault." Emily nods in her cousin's embrace. I feel the green eyed monster running through my blood. Pull yourself together Naomi, they're cousins! Besides, Emily's nothing more than a friend.
"I'll make sure he apologizes to you next time we see him." I say still a bit angry.
She lets go of Cassie's embrace and comes closer to me, "It's ok Naoms. You don't have to do it." She says touching my arm and smiling.
"I have to! You don't deserve being treated like that." I say upset.
And suddenly I feel her arms around me and my instinct is to immediately hug her, "Don't be mad. I'm fine really." I'm left speechless, the moment I felt her body around me my brain decided to stop working. Thanks a lot! But fortunately it didn't last long, because eventually she let go of me.
"Ok, I believe you." Ah my brain is back to work, thank you. Although on second thought if I had to choose between losing my ability to speak and having Emily so close to me, I think the answer is pretty obvious.
"So girls what do you want to do now?" Cassie asks.
Emily looks at me with a questionable look, "I don't know. What did you have in mind Naoms?"
"Well my plan was spending a lovely afternoon with my friends, but I guess that idea went down the drain." I answer bitterly.
"Let's not let an unfortunate turn of events ruin the rest of the day." Cassie says grabbing her phone and calling someone, "Effy? Yeah it's me (…) At the Fishpond (…) Just Naomi and Emsy (…) I know, yes (…) Ok see you soon."
After she finishes talking to Effy she turns to me and Emily, "Ok girls, change of plans. We're going to meet Effy at the water park. The weather is great today, so let's enjoy it properly while it lasts."
"Sounds good to me. I haven't been there in ages." I say smiling.
I notice Emily's uncertain look, but she eventually decides, "Ok, let's go. I'm curious about the place and plus it has water, so maybe we can swim." Emily says.
"Just make sure you have your bathing suit this time Ems. It would be a shame not being able to try the water." I say smirking.
"We'll have stop by the house on our way to the park Emsy. You and I need to change and grab some things." Cassie says to her cousin.
"Yes you're right." Emily answers and turns to me, "Do you mind if I go with Cassie and we'll meet you at the park?"
I begin to speak but Cassie interrupts me, "There's no need for that. Naomi can come with us."
"I don't think that's a very good idea. If my father caught us with her we'll be in trouble." Emily says with worry and I think I see a bit of fear in her eyes. It hurts me a little to see her like that because of me, so I decide to intervene, "It's ok girls, I don't mind. I had to stop by my house anyway." I try to disguise my discomfort.
"Are you sure?" Cassie asks uncertain.
"Yeah really. I have a few things I need to take care of, so I'll meet you later." I say hopping on the bike and putting my helmet on. I start the engine and wave them goodbye without even give them the chance to say something more. As I drive to my house I try to focus on the rush that is for me to ride, but it's difficult to stop the voices in my head screaming that Emily didn't want me around her house. I just hope that going to the waterpark and being with the others will help getting my mind off of this.
EMILY'S POV
Cassie and I ended up calling Alfred to come get us and take us home. As we arrive Cassie and I went up the stairs and to our closet to get the clothes we needed. While I was packing my bag I felt her stare which was making uncomfortable, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
She sighed before answering, "Emsy you know I love you, but sometimes you can be really thoughtless about other people's feelings."
I look at her confused, "What do you mean?"
"Just now when you said Naomi shouldn't come with us because your father would be mad."
"What is wrong with that?! It' the truth!" I try to justify myself.
"It might well be, but it doesn't change the fact that you basically said that she isn't allowed in our house!" Cassie says a bit harshly now.
I'm taken aback by that, I wasn't expecting it. I feel a lump growing in my throat and I'm starting to get anxious, "Do you think I might have hurt her?" I ask with a low and husky voice, more than it usually is.
I see my cousin's expression soften, "Honestly, knowing Naomi well like I do, the hurry she left with on her motorcycle showed exactly that."
"I see…" After hearing the confirmation from Cassie, my anxiousness subsided to only be replaced by a heavy feeling of guilt and sadness. Probably noticing that, Cass continues to say, "Hun, I know you didn't do it on purpose, but sometimes your naivety gets in the way. You have to be more careful of how you sound like to others, ok?"
I look at her and give her a nod and a small smile, "Ok, I will be more careful. Thank you for letting me know."
"It's ok, you'll get there in no time." She says smiling at me and turning her attention to her bag, "Well I'm ready. You?"
"Yeah, I am too."
"Good! Then let's go and call Alfred, he must be on his break." She says picking up her bag and walking into the corridor, but before we reach the stairs I have the urge to grab her arm and stop her.
"Cassie wait! I don't think it's a good idea for me to go after what I just said to Naomi…"
She turns to look at me and it surprises me how calm her voice is, "On the contrary. It's a wonderful idea because you get to apologize to her."
"Oh…" I consider it for a few seconds and eventually say, "You're right. I do owe her an apology." I smile at her.
"Good. Now let's go slowpoke, they're probably already waiting for us." Cassie says laughing and getting down the stairs.
I laugh behind her and say, "Slowpoke? Really?! Are we seven again?"
We both giggle and make our way outside, waiting for Alfred to pick us up.
AN: Well there you have it, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If in any way you think I can improve my writing or you just want to leave a compliment, you already know the drill, all it takes is writing a review. See you next time!