Freddie is sitting in his shed smoking a joint. His expression isn't giving anything away but his body language is. His fingers clench the lit joint and his fingers shake as he brings it to his full lips and inhales. He ruffles his black hair into a more messy state. Sighing, he leans back against the old car that stands stationary in the middle of the shed and looks up when his door opens.
"Alright my man, what's happening?" Cook bellowed, entering the shed in his usual boisterous manner. Freddie rolled his eyes and inhaled on his joint some more. He groaned as Cook turned on the static radio and sang along to Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart. "Smile Fredster!" Cook said, flopping down beside him and taking the joint from his friend and inhaling. Freddie shook his head and said nothing. After leaving Effy's house feeling pissed off, he just wanted to be alone so he could vent. He knew Effy brought a lot of baggage but he had no idea how complex this baggage was. It was tiring him out. But for some fucked up reason, he couldn't leave her. No. He loved her and didn't want to let her go. She confused him. One minute she'd be happy and laughing and slagging him off, the next she'd become erratic, emotional and scared. She kept him at arms length and he knew why. She was too scared to open up and let him love her. He knew about her parents splitting up – hell, he'd been there when it was happening. "TAKE ANYTHING YOU WANT, YOU BOUGHT IT ALL WITH YOUR PRECIOUS MONEY! IT'LL ALL JUST GO TO CUNTING OXFAM!.." "DON'T YOU DARE USE CUNT AND OXFAM IN THE SAME SENTENCE!" Jesus, Freddie could see why Effy didn't like love. She'd seen it with her brother and his girlfriend Michelle, always arguing. But he didn't understand why she didn't let him through. He wasn't going to hurt her. If anything, he was only going to make things better.
"Freds.. Fred.. Freddie-" Freddie's attention turned back to Cook who was sitting there looking at him expectantly. Freddie blinked. "Yeah?"
Cook frowned. "I was asking if you were up to go to Naomi's tonight? She's having a shindig. We can get some drink, pills, some clunge-" He broke off. Cook knew that Freddie would get clunge but it would be clunge of the Effy kind. Effy was a sensitive subject between Cook and Freddie, mostly due to the fact Cook had once loved her – the only girl he'd ever loved in the world. And Freddie, his best friend, had got her. She'd picked him.
Cook cleared his throat. "Yeah so um.. you going?"
"I don't feel like it."
"Why not man?"
Freddie dropped the joint on the floor and put it out with the sole of his shoe. "I just don't want to."
Cook bit his lip. He had a vague idea why but he didn't want to ask. Wiping his nose on his hand, he stood up. "Right, love you and leave you Fredster. See you tonight."
Freddie's heart sank. He knew he'd end up going to Naomi's. When Cook wanted something, he got it. Freddie said no to him more often than their other best friend JJ but sometimes Cook didn't listen. Maybe he just didn't want to.
Now alone in his shed, Freddie contemplated moving and getting ready for Naomi's. He'd have to have a shower, he hadn't had one in two days. This was what life with Effy was like. You forgot you had other responsibilities such as course work, family, cleaning yourself. Everything about her consumed you and nothing else mattered. It was one of the most twisted things about being with her, yet Freddie couldn't escape.
To be honest, he didn't want to.
(It's a bit short but I'd appreciate comments as I've never done fanfiction before! Love and leave you)