11 | london calling

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CHAPTER 11

Light began to pour through my windows slowly as the sun rose in a haze of pink, yellow and orange.

I ignored it and squeezed my eyes shut tighter, never one to get out of bed a second before I absolutely had to.

A sharp buzzing sound ruined my plans and forced my eyelids open, shocking me out of my sleepy state.

Rolling over onto my side to pick up my phone even though I knew it was frowned upon first thing in the morning, I glanced at the screen.

Keeping hold of the case I created myself, a beautifully messy collage of beige and brown tissue paper, I scrolled down.

There were a few notifications, most from the various social media that I was regularly active on.

I often received them for comments, likes and private messages, so that wasn't particularly out of the ordinary.

The most recent of these notifications however, was strange because it was a message from an unknown number.

I scowled.

If I just woke myself up because of a random spam text chain, I am going to be livid.

I irritatedly clicked on the notification, watching as my phone changed from the photo of the beach that I had set as my lockscreen, to a white background.

The clean slate of white was interrupted by a grey speech bubble.

Squinting slightly, I read the words "Hey gorgeous."

My fingers went to block the number deciding that it was probably some creepy old man, but paused in mid air as my mind flashed to a memory.

My back was pulled flush against a wooden chair while the sun bathed my face and clean air filled my lungs.

I was seated opposite the guy I now knew as Gabriel, watching his face light up and lips form the words, "You too gorgeous."

Oh. I knew exactly who had sent me this text.

In a moment of weakness brought on by the fact that I was powerless to anything he said while flashing me that damn dimple, I had agreed to give him my phone number.

How in the span of one conversation I had broken almost every single rule I had set for myself since moving here, was beyond me.

I needed to pull it together, and fast.

Since I couldn't afford to have any distractions, I just needed to make sure that Gabriel didn't become one.

Having said that, I wasn't opposed to another friendship. As much as I loved Lucy and her company, I wouldn't mind having somebody else in my corner.

Just friendship.

It would be better for me in the long run, so I didn't know why that thought left me feeling so disappointed.

Shaking it off, I typed out the words "Good morning," adding a smiley emoji to stop it from seeming too formal.

As if he had been waiting for my reply, I received a response immediately.

"I've been thinking about you." It read.

Another one came in almost straight after, this time with the words "Like the Frank Ocean song. Listen to it candyfloss, it's really good."

"Are we at the stage in our friendship where we put each other on good music?" I teased.

"We are now." He replied, and I imagined that he typed that with a grin.

"I have to go." I texted, knowing that if I let myself talk to him any longer I would end up just staying in bed.

"Bye." He replied. "We're doing this again tomorrow, by the way."

So cocky.

I was tempted to say no just to mess with him, but secretly though, I wasn't actually that against the idea.

A smile found its way onto my face as my feet gently padded to the bathroom.

I ran myself a bath, adding enough soap to cover the surface of the water in large bubbles. Sitting in it and letting the hot water caress my skin, I closed my eyes.

I had put on 'Thinkin bout you' before I got into the bath, deciding to see what Gabriel loved so much about it.

I quickly figured it out as an upbeat male voice filled the room.

Sighing in relief, I could feel the tension leaving my body.

I looked down to see my fingers pruning, so taking the hint that I had overstayed my welcome, I stepped out of the bath to towel myself dry.

As much as I wanted to lay in the water forever, my sister Ivy was arriving in London today for a week long visit and I needed to pick her up.

- - -

Ivy was one of those people who never had a hair out of place.

You know. The kind that annoy you because they always look perfect regardless of the occasion.

So when I caught a glimpse of red heels and a matching blazer dress walking through the airport terminal, I didn't even bat an eyelid.

It was almost laughable how frazzled she made the people next to her look, strutting as if she had just come out of a catalogue instead of a flight.

We mirrored each other's broad smiles and moist eyes as we embraced, exchanging phrases like "I missed you," and "How have you been," until they were the only things we knew how to say.

"We have so much to catch up on." She squealed.

"Let's get home first. We'll talk there." I said just as eagerly.

Taking her suitcase from her and hailing a taxi, we sat and gossiped for the entire ride.

Although there were only 30 minutes between Heathrow Airport and my apartment, I had already been filled in on all the family drama, told how other people felt about my move, and stuffed full with the stoats bars that she had smuggled across the country for me.

Having Ivy as a sister was basically the same as hiring a spy.

We burst through the door in a blur of voices and laughter, so trapped in our own little bubble that we might as well have been the only two people in the world.

When I left home those 4 months ago I had worried that it would have an impact on my relationship with Ivy, so I was thrilled to find that our bond had managed to withstand the hundreds of miles between us.

We both crashed onto my couch exhausted, Ivy because of the flight and me because her suitcase felt as though she had packed for 6 months instead of a week.

She turned to face me.

"Let's start with the reason you were so absent from our last conversation." She said, raising her eyebrows playfully. "That wasn't like you."

I bit the inside of my cheek as I tried to cast my mind back to that phone call.

Oh. The painting.

I remembered being bowled over by the urge to transport Gabriel's face onto a canvas, and blowing Ivy off because of it.

"I'm so sorry." I laughed. "I was distracted."

"Don't worry about it." She said, her mouth curving into a smile. "But what by?"

I hesitated slightly but thought better of it. After all, Ivy was my sister and she gave great advice.

"So you like him?" She asked after I'd explained everything, receiving a nod from me in response.

"But you won't be with him?" She questioned, her eyebrows knitting in confusion.

"It's not that simple." I murmured.

She met my eyes with a knowing smile. "I think it's definitely that simple."

I shook my head. "He's already starting to appear in my thoughts too often and I barely know him. I need my paintings to stay my only focus."

Ivy nodded noncommittally, offering a quiet "Mm."

I could tell she didn't agree with me but I was growing tired of this conversation, deciding to initiate a new one instead.

"How are things with Owen?" I asked with a soft smile.

Ivy and her boyfriend Owen had always been the perfect couple. The kind that reminded me what a relationship should look and be like everytime I saw them together.

So when her eyes glossed over with tears and

her face became miserable, my instant reaction was to reach out and wrap my arms around her.

Once we had separated, Ivy spoke up. "Things aren't good right now."

Resisting the urge to ask why and allowing her tell me at her own pace, I sat and waited patiently.

"We barely talk to each other anymore." She said in something close to sob. "And when we do, it's either to argue or about random things that don't matter."

"And I can't remember the last time he showed me any kind of affection. He didn't even say goodbye to me before I left for the airport." She finished, wiping her eyes gently.

I felt my jaw clench at the last part of her speech. "You deserve so much better."

"I know." She said contemplatively.

I made a promise to myself then and there that I would make Ivy's visit as amazing as it could possibly be.

She wouldn't even remember Owen's name by the time that I was done with her.

I have plans for Ivy's book after this one - you'll be seeing a lot more of Jake ;)

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