My Fanfic... ~Brighter~

[kelserchief]

Joel


Her car was as I had expected it: immaculate. She seemed like an organised kind of person. It was just the impression I got from her. Running a shop was enough responsibility to whip anyone in to shape I imagined.

"Nice car." I complimented her, feeling foolish for just showing up like I had. Even if she had have remembered the night was I really expecting her to fall head over heels for me just because I had held her hair back while to vomitted? Hardly the romance of the century.

She smiled, not taking her eyes off of the road. "Thanks. I just need to fill up on gas."

We came to a halt at the lights, and waited as pedestrians crossed. "How bad was I last night then?" She asked, seeming alot easier around me than she had previously. I noticed how pretty she looked with no make-up on and found myself smiling at her.

She accelerated and changed gears. I wasn't about to embarrass her and remind her about coming on to me. "You were quite drunk." I nodded. She laughed knowing that I was trying to cover her up.

"That means I was really drunk." She turned around the corner.

I just smiled knowingly and nodded. "Kind of."

"I apologise then, because I have a tendency to go a bit loopy and not know what i'm doing."

Did she remember and was trying to excuse her behaviour or was the drink showing how she really felt?

"You don't need to apologise."

She passed me a quick smile and returned her gaze back to the traffic ahead. "Thank you. Thanks for getting me home. I'd probably still be out and about now." She stifled a laugh.

"What can I say? I'm always willing to help a damself in distress." I joked as she pulled in to the petrol station.

She turned off the ignition and opened the door. "I'll only be a second." She stepped out and went to the pump.

My eyes were wandering around the car. It looked new. No mud on the passenger or driver's side. The smell was fresh from the fragrance hanging from her rear view mirror. There was nothing on the dashboard. From appearances it seemed that Nyx was simplistic. She didn't like clutter. A minimalist.

I saw her at the booth paying for the gas and then returning. She climbed back in to the car and slammed the door shut. Shoving her purse into her handbag and throwing it on to the back seat. She turned to me and took a deep breath. "I was just wondering if you would like to have dinner at my house tonight? It's okay if you have already made plans. It's short notice I know. I just feel awful for blowing you off like I did after that night we went out-"

"I'd like that."

"Really?" She sat back and exhaled heavily. "After the way I acted last time i'm surprised you would even get in my car."

I scrunched up my nose. "It takes more than that to get rid of me."

[kelserchief]

Nyx


I drove up my drive and put my gear in neutral before turning off the ignition. "Here we are." I opened the door and stepped out, walking to the back seat and pulling out my handbag.

"Doesn't seem like yesterday I was just here." He laughed.

I smiled warmly at him. He was a good guy and I did feel guilty for dismissing him like I had. He didn't deserve it. I just had my own issues. "Don't. You're making me feel bad." I rummaged through my bag for my keys and pulled them out.

"I didn't mind. It's a change from the norm." He shoved his hands in to his jean pockets and buried his chin in his military jacket. The khaki suited him, and made him look very casual. I unlocked the door and walked in, putting my keys in a bowl I kept there so I would never lose my keys. Hanging up my coat, Joel followed me in, wiping his feet on the mat. "Nice house."

I looked at him, my hand held out to take his jacket. "I thought you had been here last night?"

"Yeah, but I was too busy baby sitting to notice much of your house." He laughed. I just smiled, forgetting all about the hangover that had been killing me at work. Maybe Joel was some kind of medicine. I walked through to the kitchen and he followed. "Must have cost a pretty penny or two." He looked around the room.

The kitchen was cottage style, with low rise beams, stone floors, old barn like doors. I liked the authenticity of it. As soon as I had stepped foot in the kitchen, I fell in love with it.

"I don't work every hour that God sends for the sake of my health." I joked, pulling out a bottle of rose from the refridgerator. Reaching up to the cabinet, I pulled out two glasses and the corkscrew.

"Let me." Joel took the bottle from me and twisted the corkscrew in, pulling the cork out with little effort and pouring the cool liquid into the glasses. "There you go." I took a sip from my glass and replaced it on the worktop.

I raised a finger to my lips in thought. "What would you like for dinner?"

He shrugged. "I'll have whatever you wanna cook. Just make something simple."

I twitched my nose, thinking. "I'll just make lasagne with vegetables if that's fine with you?" He nodded, so I took out the vegetables and placed them on the side with the chopping board.

"I'll help you with that." He took the knife off of me as I took it out of the drawer.

I went to take it back but he pulled away. "You're my guest, i'll do the cooking."

"No, I honestly don't mind." He smiled. He had a beautiful smile. He wasn't clean shaven and his eyes glinted as he smiled. His brown eyes were so deep I felt as though I could get lost in them. His messed up hair complimented his casual look.

I took out another knife and began peeling the skins off of the onions. "So where do you live?"

"My brother and me rent a flat down Bayside. It just a basic little place. It gets a bit crowded sometimes, especially with two guys living together. I mean it's big enough for us. Not like this place though. This place is huge, i'm surprised you don't get lost in it." He laughed at me. "I'd love a place like this."

Chopping the onions while he peeled carrots, I turned to him. "You could get a place like this. There is nothing stopping you. You just gotta budget well and not slack. Anything is possible."

"Media doesn't pay as well as some people think. Josh only works in a restaurant. That's the only reason we live together is because we can't afford to live apart."

I threw the onions into a pan with a little oil in the bottom and pushed them around. "Have you ever thought about looking for another job? Or even asked for a promotion?"

"Even if there was an opening Jacob would get it before I did."

"To be honest with you, my store could be doing alot better than it is doing. Don't get me wrong, i'm pleased with what i've achieved but there is so much more to be done. I have hardly any publicity, but I can't afford to pay people to advertise for me because then I have to sacrifice something else. It's a vicious circle."

He looked over at me and carried on slicing the carrots. "The help is there, you just need to look for it."

I grinned to myself. I could see something happening between us. He was a special guy and Carla must have been mad to cheat on him. Joel was a gentleman who wouldn't hurt a fly. He was willing to help me get home after a drunken night and having only met me twice properly previous. He was a generous guy, I could tell; giving all of the time and never expecting anything in return. She must have been insane.

[kelserchief]

Joel


We had finished the meal and after loading up the dishwasher, Nyx joined me in the lounge which was modern. She had a chocolate corner sofa perpendicular to the wall, a cream rug made the room appear smaller than it really was. The television and sound system were all wall mounted. There was a little bit of envy there but I was more than sure that Nyx deserved everything she owned and more.

I sat politely upright with my glass of wine in my hand while she sat slowly beside me and pulled her feet up on the chair and placed her glass on the end table beside her.

"I think we should get to know each other." She said playfully. "I mean if we're gonna be friends then we should, right?"

I looked at her as if she might be a little weird, but in jest. "Right."

"So, what makes you happy?" She asked, clasping her hands together and wedging them in between her thighs.

"I dunno." I shrugged. "My friends, going out for a drink. My brother. I don't know really. How about you?"

"Work. It sounds sad but Heartcore is my life." She stroked a strand of hair behind her ear. I loved the colour of her hair. It shone just like her. "I enjoy going to work. It makes me happy to work with the people that I do. I get to design clothes and sell them. What more could a girl want?" Nyx asked rhetorically.

"I'm sure there is something that work doesn't give you though." I said.

"Time off." She laughed, and I realised how sweet her laugh was. It wasn't bellowing. Modest if anything. She didn't like being centre of attention, that was obvious. "I suppose work isn't everything, but it's all that I know."

"Okay then. My turn now." I took a sip of the liquid from my glass. "What makes you cringe?"

I rolled her eyes as she thought. I was still bowled over by their greeness that I thought they may be contact lenses, but they were the same brilliant shade of green from when I met her at Jacob's. "Drunken nights, and being reminded about them." We both laughed. "I am a bit of a nerd and I make myself cringe sometimes. I sit at home and read books, and doodle. I am in no sense of the word cool."

"Well what makes you sad?" I said it without even thinking and I knew it was the wrong thing to say, especially as we were getting on so well. Andrew would always have a place in her heart.

She looked down. "Being on my own. Being reminded everywhere I go that i'm on my own. People treat me like i'm made of glass like I might break any second. That make me sad that people think they have to walk on egg shells around me. I might be sensitive but it makes me start believing that I will break too." She pressed her lip into a thin line before speaking again. "What about you?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and consciusly looked down. "Being hurt. Maybe i'm the opposite of you. People think that I can handle everything and sometimes I just wanna break down. I'm not as strong as people think I am. No one likes to feel burned by anyone."

Our eyes met, and I felt it. It hit me in the chest. I couldn't tell what she was thinking though. We were two people cut from the same cloth. Our differences made us the same in aspects. She leant in to me, and this time I didn't resist. I wanted to feel her lips on mine, and how sweet it was. So soft and gentle. Comforting. To know that there was still hope. It could be the start of something new. Neither of us wanted to be alone. We were both coming to a point in our lives where we had to move on from tragedies. It was taking the first step that was the difficult part. I rest my hand on her neck as we kissed. It felt like electric running through my body. I felt more alive than I had recently. Like she had given me life. I had been revived.

[kelserchief]

Nyx


I laid on the sofa and looked up at the ceiling. Biting my lip I thought about Joel. Did I really know what I was doing? I had enjoyed the taste of him on my lips. He was so soft. Gentle. I found myself smiling. Even though it had been months since we had thee heart-to-heart in the bar it seemed as though no time had lapsed between. He understood me, and I never thought I would find someone who would every understand me and the was I was.

I sat up, patting my knees before putting my hands in the back pockets of my jeans. I stood up and walked over to the telephone.

Joel had been gone for around an hour and I hadn't even realised how long I had been laid on the sofa. We had been there together just holding eachother and kissing. It had been perfect. No pressure. Just two people enjoying each other's company. It came to an end when he realised that he had to be at work the next day. I had called him a taxi and seen him to the door where he gave me the sweetest, lingering kiss. I'd never thought I could feel that way. Especially after Andy, it seemed a lonely life was the only one I would know. And now. So many doors had been opened.

It seemed so comical now that he would be waiting for me after work. We barely knew each other, and it was a pretty risky move. I could have just rejected him point blank and he still took that chance. He took my breath away. His dark hair and dark eyes. It had surprised me that he had been on his own so long. Girls would have been after him. I felt lucky. The thought of him made me swoon. I didn't know what was going to happen next but I was dying to find out. I was living my own fairytale.

Picking up the phone from its cradle, I punched in Sammie's number and waited for an answer.

"Hello?" She answered.

"Hey Sam, it's me." I said, a smile still plastered on my face.

"Hey, what's up?" She replied.

"Nothing much, I just thought that i'd give you a call. You'll be glad to hear that i'm kind of getting together with someone."

She squealed from the other end so loud that I had to hold the receiver away from my ear. "Is it anyone I know?" She asked excitedly.

"You don't know him, but you remember I told you about the guy that Jacob tried setting me up with?"

Her voice was monotone as if I were repeating myself. "Joel? So you got it together with him?"

I looked confused, knowing she couldn't see the confusion. "How did you know he was called Joel?"

"At the club the other night, you went up to him and you saw him with the other girl, and then you seemed spaced out. We lost you in the end and we assumed you went home with him. I thought that he was with that girl."

"What girl?" I asked, seemingly alarmed.

"You was talking to him and then you saw him with some girl. From then on you went on a decline and that was when we lost you. We thought he was taken."

Had I become the other girl? Time after time, I had seen replationships being destroyed because third parties were involved and I swore that it would never happen to me. Had Joel taken me for a ride? Did he have a girl at home who thought he was working late when he had been at my house? Perhaps Joel was not as perfect as he had first seemed. He knew that I remembered very little of the previous night, so knew that I would not remember any girl I would have seen him with. His secret would have been safe and he could have been playing the both of us.

"Right." My voice trailed off.
Then Sammie started making excuses. "Maybe I got it wrong. It could have been his sister or someone. We don't really know do we?" She was trying to convince me. Sammie knew of all people that I could not cope with getting hurt again. She was trying to protect me, but if I ignored the fact that Joel could have a family else where, how much more painful would it be if I did nothing about it now?

"Maybe." I replied. "Just maybe."

[kelserchief]

Joel


The taxi ride home passed in what felt like seconds. I was walking on air. I couldn't get her out of my head. My persistence had paid off. As they say, anything worth having is worth working for. And was she worth it.

I paid the taxi driver, tipped him and strolled up the concrete path that led to the flats. Using my key to get in, I walked up the three flights of stairs and used another key to let myself in - even if Josh were in, we had both got the habit of locking ourselves inside as Bayside wasn't the most peaceful of places to live and the general residents were not the type anyone would give the chance to walk in to their home.

Josh laid on the sofa, his arms behind his head and didn't move or acknowledge my entrance. "Do you want a beer?" I walked into the kitchen and pulled open the refridgerator door, pulling out two beers as my brother accepted my offer. Pulling the caps off, I realised I was still grinning from ear to ear.

"Where were you tonight? You've gone a while." Josh asked as I handed him a beer and slouched in the arm chair.

I raised my eyebrows, feeling like a cat that had got the cream. "Guess."

Josh rolled his eyes. "How old are you?" He noticed my immaturity. He was right though. I did feel like a kid. It felt like a first crush but ten times worse.

"I've been with Nyx. It looks like it wasn't a lost cause afterall." I took a mouthful of beer, putting my elbow on the arm of the chair and resting my head on my index finger and thumb.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "What? I thought she dumped you."

"Apparently not." I looked at him. "I was at her's last night too, but she was too wasted to even remember-"

Josh looked at me with startled eyes. "You never!" He had assumed that I had taken advantage of her vulnerable state and slept with her.

"No I never. And if you'd have bothered to turn up last night you would have known that I slept in my own bed last night." I defended quickly. I would never have it said against me that I took advantage of women. "Last night I found her at the club, she was wrecked so I helped her get home. I went to her work today when she was leaving, and she invited me back to her house. We had dinner, then a couple of glasses of wine..." I trailed off.

"You never!" He filled in the gap.

"No I never!" I raised my voice a little louder than intended. "Jesus, what do you think I am? We just had a little kiss. It was amazing."

He looked at me as if I had fallen from another planet. "'It was amazing!'" He imitated me. "Are you sure you ain't a girl?"

"I knew you wouldn't understand. You would if you had met her."

He pulled a face as if I had told him that pigs flew. Unconvinced. "You have met her twice now properly! It don't just happen like that." He clicked his fingers to create a suddeness.

"It does. You just gave me an idea though. You have got to meet her. I'll invite her over." I leapt up from the chair and grabbed the telephone, punching in her number and waiting for the dial tone to end. Then her voice came from the other end and it gave me goosebumps to hear.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's me." After a couple of seconds silence I expanded. "It's Joel." Obviously 'it's me' could have been anyone.

"Oh, hey." She didn't seem to pleased to hear from me. Perhaps I had been to eager, afterall I had not left her for long.

"Hey, I know I only just left your house and everything, but I was wondering if you wanted to come round to my place sometime? Watch a movie or something." I scratched the back of my neck while I spoke, a nervous habit.

There were a few moments silence before she replied. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

I had been too eager. I should have learned after the first time. She didn't like pressure and I knew that. Maybe destiny didn't want us to be together. "How come?" Was all that I could muster up.

"I'm not going to be the other girl Joel!" She raised her voice and it startled me a little. I walked down a little hallway to my room and shut the door, so Josh was out of earshot.

Furrowing my eyebrows, I spoke calmly. "What are you talking about?"

"I know Joel. Last night at the club. You were with a girl. That was why I got so drunk."

"I thought you didn't remember anything from last night?" I asked a little confused. Had she been duping me the whole time and she had remembered everything?

"You're not denying it." She said solemnly. "I should have known."

I panicked. The promiscuity was coming back and biting me on the behind. "No, you've got it all wrong. I didn't even know who she was." I excused.

"That makes everything okay then! Do you make a habit out of going out and picking up random girls?" She didn't give me the chance to answer. "I must have just been another one you could add to your list so you can go back and brag to your friends about. Well thanks alot. After what I've been through, I lost hope of there being a decent guy out there in the world and then I met you. Now you have just confirmed it. There are no decent guys out there. Only jerks."

"No, Nyx, please-" I stopped, realising it was the dial tone that I was speaking to. She had hung up. "Well done, Joel."

[kelserchief]

Nyx


"What a nerve!" I moaned, slamming my pen down on my desk. It had kept going around in my head. How could he even comprehend that by telling me he didn't know the girl, it would make me any calmer? It made it worse.

Liam grinned, typing away at his computer. "You have just got to be careful nowadays. There are some creeps out there."

"You know what?" I asked, not giving him chance to reply. "I'm more mad at Jacob for not warning me. I would have thought he of all people would at least have the decency to tell me what a jerk he was before trying to set us up!" I made a growling noise through gritted teeth, folding my arms and slouching down in my chair.

Liam just laughed at me. "You've just got to keep looking."

I ignored the comment and carried on ranting. "And to think that I confided in him. I thought that he understood. I told him everything about Andy, he knew how vulnrable I was. How could he?"

"He's a guy." Liam reasoned, but this didn't give me comfort like he had intended. Andy was a guy and he would never pull such a stunt. It stunned me that Liam had make such an assumption.

I furrowed my eyebrows at him. "But you're not like that." I pushed myself slowly on my office chair.

"I'm not exactly an angel either." He didn't take his eyes from the screen.

I leant forward, keeping my arms folded and leant on the desk. "Why can't I find a guy like you?"

"You wouldn't want a guy like me." He smirked. "I'm more trouble than i'm worth."

"I really thought he liked me Liam." I moaned. "It looks like i'm going to be on my own! Even you don't want me." I joked.

"I never said that." At that moment, he looked so cute, I could have fallen for him if i'd have been younger. If I were at school with Liam, I knew he'd have been the heartbreaker, but despite all of this, guys like Liam still have girls falling for them over and over again. "I'd go with you any day!" He joked.

I pulled a grimaced face. "I don't know where you've been."

"Don't believe everything that you hear." He laughed. He had a way of cheering me up. He wasn't just someone to moan to. He made a joke of everything and saw the good in everything. Liam was a diamond. He was going to make some girl very happy one day.

There was a knock out at the office door and Demi opened the door ajar and popped her head in the gap. "There is someone here for you." She was grinning widely. "He's got a big bunch of flowers for you."

I sighed heavily. "Tell him to go away." I said after exchanging looks with Liam.

"It's a really big bunch Nyx, I wouldn't turn him away."

I looked at her seriously. "Well i'll tell you what Demi, you go out there and you keep the flowers because I certainly don't want them!" I was a little more harsh than I had intended to be, but my sleep had been reduced after thinking about Joel and the damage he had done by coming in to my life.

She ushered away without a reply.

I turned to Liam, we both look dumbfounded. The nerve!

"Jesus! You sure know how to pick em Nyx." Liam turned back to the computer screen but returned his gaze to the door when Demi returned.

She took a breath first before speaking. "He says that he isn't moving anywhere, not until he sees you and you let him explain."

"Well you go tell him that this is my property and i'll call the police if he-" Liam stood up, pushing his chair back.

"I'll sort this out." With his broad build he looked as though he was going to knock Joel out, but I knew that he was no animal. He just looked a bit rougher than he really was.

I stood up quickly and moved to the CCTV monitor, flicking through the screens to see the commotion. There on screen 4, Joel stood with a big bouquet, Demi stood lengths away as to not look nosey but I knew she would not have gone out of ear shot. Liam seemed to be talking to him rationally but Joel did not seem to take the hint.

I stood with one hand on my hip and the finger of my right hand ran slowly across my bottom lip. Joel wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. What had he expected? I wasn't going to be bowled over by a few flowers.

After minutes, Liam still hadn't managed to get Joel off of the premises, so it seemed his persistence had paid off. I found myself, locking up the office door, and walking on to the shop floor. With my hands in my jean pockets, I moved to the scene and as soon as Joel caught sight of me, he tried to get closer but Liam held him back. "Joel I want you to leave the shop. I want nothing to do with you." Already I could see that Joel had caused a scene enough to stop some of the customers, possible enough to make them leave the shop.

"Nyx, let me explain." Joel said, stopping struggling against Liam. He was no match.

I shook my head. "I'm through with second chances. I'll be d**ned if i'm gonna let someone else hurt me for a third time. Now get out, or i'm going to call the police."

He looked desperate. I could see it in his eyes. "Nyx, please."

"I think you had better cut your losses." Liam said sternly, hoping his macho exterior was enough to intimidate Joel away.

"Please." He was near begging. I pressed my glossed lips into a thin line. Would I sleep easier if I heard him out and gave him the chance to explain?

"Two minutes." I said with a monotone. Walking closer to him, I rested a hand on Liam's shoulder. "It's okay, i'll talk to him. You've got work to do and I can't afford for him to lose me any more customers."

Joel looked ecstatic. "You wanna talk?"

"Two minutes." I repeated.

[kelserchief]

Joel


She walked in front of my, her arms still folded across her chest. With her height and slim figure she looked like a child who had been told that they couldn't have a candy bar before dinner. She sat down on a bench opposite the entrance to her shop, her arms still folded. "Go on then." She said sternly, not looking at me.

I sat down slowly, placing the flowers beside me. I cleared my throat before I spoke. "I know what it must have looked like." I began. "I'll admit that I had perhaps given the girl hints of interest but then I saw you and I knew any temptations I had towards her vanished." I licked my lips, struggling to find the words, even though I had rehearsed it from the moment she hung up the phone the previous night. "I really like you. I know it's hard for you to believe, but I didn't want you to think for a second that I had used you. Do you think Jacob would have tried to force us together if he thought I was that kind of guy?"

She finally look at me, and I saw her body relax. I was getting through to her. There was an understanding in her eyes and I think she finally started to realise my words were the truth.

I continued. "Jacob wouldn't do that. He has nothing but respect for you. He wanted to protect you. He wants nothing but the best for you."

"You're saying you're the best I can get?" She looked at me, with no sign on her face of a joke nor a seious question.

Pausing before I replied, I studied her face. She still looked as beautiful as the first time I had seen her. "You could do better than me, yes. You deserve better than me, yes. But that isn't for me to decide."

She pressed her lips together and I thought of how mine had been on her's the previous night. I had never felt like that. I never knew I could. Even though our relationship so far had been brief, she had turned my world upside down, and I knew that no one else could even compare to Nyx. She was the girl for me. I could only hope she felt the same for me.

"I don't want any better." She said finally, after much deliberation. "I really like you too, but I just don't want to be hurt again. I wouldn't wish the way i've been feeling on my worst enemy. We could make a go of things and take the chance or we could end it there and neither of us have to worry about getting hurt." She looked me in the eye. "Do you wanna carry on even though I could end up hurting you?"

I nodded without a second thought. "I'm willing to take that risk. I want to make a go of this."

She nodded as if appreciating my answer. "So am I then."

My smile must have said it all because she threw her arms around me and pulled me close to her. I held her tightly and smelt her perfume. Sweet. Just like her. We pulled away and I could tell that she felt a little embarrassed, realising we were in the middle of the city centre. She stroked her hair behind her ear roughly. The redness of her hair shining in the sun. She mesmerised me. She was amazing.

"So what's the deal with your body guard in there?" I smiled, nodding my head towards her shop.

She looked at me a little confused and then must have realised who I was talking about. "Oh you mean Liam?" She giggled. "He's just a little protective. He knew Andy so I guess he doesn't want to see me hurt again. He's like the older brother I never had."

I could tell just from her voice that she was fond of Liam. It was good that she had so many people around her who cared for her, even if she didn't realise it sometimes. I wanted to be there for her.

"Hey, I thought you were working today." She said, furrowing her eyebrows at me.

I looked at my watch. "I am. Jacob's covering for me. I should be getting back really. They think that i'm doing an interview with a local band." I smirked mischeviously, then I turned serious. "But I had to see you and explain. That couldn't wait."

She held a hand up, shielding her eyes from the sun but still squinting her eyes. "I appreciate that." Her lips curved into a faint smile. "I'll let you get back to work." She stood up and took my hand. Her skin was soft. So gentle. It felt like a high school crush. Almost as everything was for the first time. She led us to the entrance of her shop and turned around once she reached the wall. Leaning up against the wall, her eyes glistened as they peered into mine. "Just don't be a jerk again, Joel. I really like you and it'd be a shame."

"I won't." I said seriously.

She ran her hands over my shoulders and then around my neck, pulling me in closer to her. I felt my body pressing up against hers as Nyx leaned up to me and kissed me softly. Resting one hand against the wall, my other wandered to her waist, pulling her harder into me. Then she pulled away, giving me a mischevious yet shy look. She pulled her hair behind her ears. "Until next time." She smiled sweetly at me, before walking backwards into her shop.

I raised a hand to wave her goodbye and knew each time was going to get better than the previous.

[Corbinfan16]

I've just read this the whole way through and......wow!

This is breathtaking, so emotive.
Brilliantly written, the characters are so believable.

I hope Joel and Nyx manage to make it.

Looking forward to the next chapter!

P.S. Glad you liked the beginning of 'I Don't Dance'.

[kelserchief]

[glow=red,2,300]Lol... i didn't realise how much I had typed up and not posted... it's been ages!!! I'll put a couple of chapters on for you to carry on

Thanks for reviewing... it's good to get feedback... hope you update soon too ;D[/glow]

[kelserchief]

Nyx


I pulled on the handbrake and turned the music up on the stereo. I sang along as I tapped on the steering wheel, before taking off my brakes and moving off. Joel had been on my mind since he turned up at the shop. Liam had been confused. Afterall I had almost got the police out to remove Joel from the shop and then next we had made up. I couldn't stop gushing about him.

Putting my foot down, I carried on grinning to myself. And to think that I was in debt to Jacob for this. I thought the highlight of my life had passed by, yet I felt reborn.

I parked the car across the road, and after grabbing my handbag from the passenger seat, I weaved my way through the traffic and approached the flats. Holding my hand in front of me, I went to push the door, realising that it was locked. "d**n." I shoved my hands in my pockets, pressing my tongue against the inside of my cheek. Banging on the door seemed like my only option. I wanted to surprise Joel by just turning up, if I had to call him to get him to let me inside it would be ruined. There was no response. I booted the door with my foot and stood with my arms crossed, trying to think of another plan. With that, someone approached the door from the inside.

"Hey!" I smiled politely, all of a sudden feeling guilty for disturbing the peace. "Do you know Joel? He lives on floor three. I'm a friend of his, and it's his birthday so i've travelled from the other side of the country to surprise him. Is there any chance you can let me in." I lied, saying the first thing that came to my head.

The elderly woman looked me up and down, obviously evaluating whether I looked like the type that may be taking advantage of her vulnerability to let me in, so I could steal or cause any other kind of trouble. I obviously appeared no threat as she pressed the button from the other side to let me in.

"Thanks." I said. "And i'm sorry for disturbing you."

Still the woman said nothing but went down the corridor and returned to her flat. I looked around at the concrete walls which had paint peeling off of them. The doors didn't look very strong and the lift was out of order. Raising my eyebrows, I stepped quickly up the six flights of stairs to the third floor. "3E. 3E." I muttered to myself, looking for which door belonged to Joel. "Here we are." I stepped back and took a deep breath then banged my fist against the door. No answer. I banged again.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming." I heard Joel's voice come from the other side of the door. The door was thrown open and Joel looked more than a little embarrassed. "Nyx!" He stood there with nothing more than a towel around his waist. "What a surprise."

"That was the idea." I walked up to him and pressed my body against his, my arms wrapped around his waist. My lips found his and we stood there for a moment just kissing.

Joel pulled away as one of his neighbours walked by. "Maybe we should go inside." He took my hand, led me into the hallway and shut the door.

"I hope you don't mind me turning up like this." I made an attempt at an apology incase I had inconveened him in any way.

He shook his head quickly. "Of course I don't." He stopped us just as we reached another door, obviously leading through to the main living area. "You look so beautiful." I blushed a little at his comment. He leaned down to me and kissed me softly, this time letting his tongue into my mouth. His hands rest on my hips. I pulled away and looked in to his eyes. For a moment I wondered if it were possible to see a person's soul through their eyes.

"Who is it?" A guy's voice came from through the door, and it opened from the other side. He looked bewildered to see me. "You must be Nyx." He grinned at me. I smiled embarrassed, covering my mouth. "Nice to meet you, i'm Josh. You had anything to eat?" I shook my head. "I'm just making something to eat, you're more than welcome to have some if you like. I've probably made too much anyway."

I shook my head. "Oh no I'm fine. I'll leave you two to your dinner. I'll come around another time."

Joel took my hand. "We don't mind. I'd like you to stay."

"Okay." I smiled sheepishly, following Joel through to what was the living area. The room wasn't messy but it most certainly wasn't tidy. They were a couple of guys in their twenties. I wouldn't have expected them to be particularly house proud.

As if he had read my mind, Joel spoke. "If i'd have known you were coming i'd have tidied up."

"It wouldn't have been much of a surprise would it?" We both laughed as he led me to the leather corner sofa. I sat down.

He gave me a quick kiss before walking to another door on the opposite side of the room. "I'll just make myself decent."

I sat grinning to myself, alone in the lounge. There was football on the television with a few beer cans on the coffee table. Crossing my legs, Josh popped his head around the corner. "Do you have coffee or tea?"

"Coffee please. No sugar and no milk please." Josh left again.

I sighed to myself. It all felt so new. The only guy I had been with had been Andy, so thing were almost new. There was a certain excitement with Joel and I didn't quite know how to explain. I began playing with my hair, feeling like a teenager again.

[kelserchief]

Joel


I quickly splashed on some aftershave, and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I had thrown on a pair of jeans and a plain brown t-shirt. Exhaling heavily, I couldn't get over the butterflies that had appeared in my stomach when I saw her standing at me door. Even though she hadn't particularly dressed up, Nyx still managed to look amazing. She was just one of those girls who didn't need make up or fancy clothes to look good, and I think she knew it.

Walking out, I looked towards her and she smiled up at me. "Can I get you a drink?"

She shook her head, her hair falling over her shoulders. I liked the way she always wore it down. "Josh is making me one." With that, Josh approached from the kitchen, with a mug in hand.

"Did you want one Joel?" He asked, realising his brother was in the room now. I shook my head and he turned back to Nyx, handing her the mug. "There you go. One coffee, no sugar, no milk." She thanked him and then he turned around and walked back in to the kitchen.

"Your brother's a sweetie." She said, taking a sip of the black liquid.

I stifled a laugh. "It's only because you don't know him yet."

"Actually, you know what?" Josh called from the kitchen and approached with a towel, wiping his hands. "I think i'm gonna go round to a mates house. Give you two some time on your own. I don't wanna feel like a spare part, that's all. You know what they say - three's a crowd and all that."

All of a sudden I felt a little bit embarrassed. I didn't want Nyx to think that I was going to try and have my wicked way with her, because although I had undressed her a thousand times in my head already, I wasn't about to try anything.

"You don't have to just because i'm here, I mean, me and Joel can leave." She offered, obviously feeling as though she was intruding.

Josh held up a hand, moving to the arm chair and picking up his jacket which had been thrown over the back of it. "It's fine. I owe some guy some money anyway. If I leave it much longer he'll probably start adding interest on to that." He started walking towards the door we had come in through. "Joel, the pasta is on the boil. It's all more or less ready to dish up now." He opened the door and shouted over his shoulder. "Have fun."

The minute he closed the door I felt a little bit awkward. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate Nyx turning up out of the blue, but if i'd have known she were coming, I would have been more mentally prepared. As it was, I had a beautiful girl sat on my sofa and I didn't know what to do. Carla had been the only girl I had been with, and that was all I knew. I was new to the dating circuit -as was NYX- so we were probably scoring even.

There was a heavy silence between us until I broke it. "I had best go dish dinner up."

"I'll help." She stood up carefully, not spilling any of the steaming liquid in her mug.

I shook my head. "That's okay."

"You helped when you came around to mine, i'll help you now. Besides, there ain't that much to do." She followed me through to the kitchen. "Where are your plates?"

I pointed to an overhead cupboard and she pulled out two plates. "I hope you like bolognese. It's all Josh seems to be able to cook. You see us guys aren't very creative."

"Bolognese is fine." She placed the plates on the worktop beside to cooker.

"Josh is the cook, i'm useless."

She laughed at me. "We'll have to domesticate you then won't we?"

"You can try." She slapped me playfully. There was a knock on the door. "You wouldn't think that only residents were allowed in here would you?"

"Is that a swipe at me?" Nyx looked at me, with what I hoped was a joking look. She had sneaked into the flats without a key so it did sound like a dig at her. I walked through to the hallway and threw open the door to see Carla stood there.

"Hey baby." She leant against the doorway. Her blonde hair tied tightly back. It had been a long time since I had last seen her, and I didn't want to see her any more. "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

I stood firmly in the doorway and shook my head. "I don't think that's a good idea do you?"

"Listen, I have had some time to think, and I made a mistake. I shouldn't have cheated on you." She stretched out her hand to touch me, but I moved away. Seeing her like this tore me up inside. I had been so in love and she abused that. She knew how to play me. "But i'm sorry Joel. I really am."

"It doesn't matter now."

"Have you got someone in there?" She heard Nyx pottering about in the kitchen.

I looked at her square in the eye. "You think I haven't moved on from you. You thought that as soon as your new bit of stuff got bored of you, i'd be sat here waiting. Think again Carla."

Her face became screwed up. She hadn't expected me to move on. Our entire relationship consisted of her telling me to jump and me asking how high. It was a shock to her system.

She leaned in closely and spoke low. "This ain't over yet Joel. Not until I say it is."

[Made2LuvU]

ooohhh... this is getting better by the second! can't wait for more!

[kelserchief]

Nyx


I woke up in the dark. There was a cover on top of me, and I didn't realise where I was. Then I realised that I was laid on the sofa. We had watched a movie, had a little cuddle on the sofa, and I must have drifted off. We had drank a few beers so I would never have dared to drive home. Joel had booked me a taxi, but I must have fell asleep before it arrived.

Had I outstayed my welcome?

With that, I heard a rattling at the door. I sat up sharply, my eyes fixed firmly to the hallway door. It opened and I held my breath, my heart banging against my chest. The silouhette creeped across the room, unaware of my presence, and I made a point of trying my hardest to go undetected, but with little success.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" The lights came on and to my relief, Josh stood there looking nothing short of wasted. I shook my head. "Why aren't you in bed with Joel?"

"I must have dozed off, we were watching a movie-"

He cut me off. "He could have taken you to bed though eh? He could barlely keep his eyes open and he swayed from one side to another. The smell of alcohol was enough to make me want to vomit. "A fine bit of stuff like you, he should have had you in there like a shot."

Where had this come from? Was he trying to get me against his brother? It made no sense. It was hardly going to do Joel any favours that his brother could be so... honest.

"Well that's where Joel is different. He respects me." I covered myself underneath the fleece.

He staggered over to the armchair and leant over. "He's a guy."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" I snapped, giving him a glare. "What are you saying?"

"Why don't you just put out for him and put him out of his misery? I've seen the way he looks at you. Why don't you just crawl into his bed and give him a nice surprise?"

"Because i'm not ready! I'm not that easy. I've not known Joel for very long, so i'm not about to jump in the sack with him anytime soon, not that it's any concern of yours."

He looked at me in disbelief. "You are not seriously telling me that you came all of this way for a cup of coffee and to watch a few movies are you? I know girls like you. You're heartbreakers. You're like black widows; you get a guy hooked then you spit in the poison and you suck the life out of them."

I frowned at him. "And what are you basing this assumption on?"

"I just know your sort." He slurred. "I know your sort and what you're capable of. I just want the best for my brother."

I folded my arms across my chest. "And i'm not good for Joel? Is that what you're saying? Are you trying to make me think that i'm not good enough for Joel? Well i've got something to tell you, in there," I pointed to the room where Joel lay blissfully unaware. "Is a decent guy, who respects me, and likes me. Guys like that are one in a million. Guys like you come and go every day, but you're just a bit of fun. Guys like you are the ones girls choose for one-night-stands. Guys like Joel are the ones that girls choose to marry, take home to meet their parents and raise a family. Come back to me in twenty years and tell me which kind of guy you wuld like to be then."

"I'm tired. I think i'm going to bed." He stood up, and walked towards his bedroom door, wobbling with each step.

"not a very nice person." I muttered to myself as he flicked off the light. I lay back down and buried myself further underneath the fleece.

If it hadn't have been so late and if I didn't have any alcohol in my system, I would have just got up and walked out, but I was stuck there.

It just seemed that there would always be a hinderence where Joel and I were concerned. Something would always happen that would try to convince me otherwise. Joel was a good guy. That much was obvious. Then I thought about Andy. Each time my heart wrenched, and I felt as though I was disobeying him. As if I were being unfaithful. Would Joel ever compare with Andy? Would I always be picking at him for things that Joel did but Andy didn't? Was it worth the chance?

I clutched to the cushion and hoped things would appear brighter in the morning.

[kelserchief]

Joel


I walked into the lounge rubbing my eyes. Forgetting that Nyx would be there and I was still in just my underwear. "I didn't wake you did i?" I said apologetically, seeing her sat up but with the fleece wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She shook her head, but she didn't seem herself. "Is something the matter Nyx?" Again she shook her head unconvincingly. "Nyx?" I sat down beside her and put an arm around her waist. "Tell me what's up?"

"Ask your brother." She snapped catching me off guard.

"What? Why? What's he done?" I asked. "Did he come in drunk and wake you up? You'll get used to it, he does it all the time, give it time and you won't even realise that he is there."

She looked at me in surprise. "Come in drunk? That's an underestimation." She looked square ahead as I stroked her hair from her face and behind her ear. "Joel, he practically called me a slag."

"What are you talking about?" I looked at her confused.

"He knows my sort apparently. I lure guys like you and then I suck the life out of you according to him. He was wondering why I was sleeping on the sofa and not in bed with you."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why would he say that?"

She shrugged her shoulders, obviously taken aback by whatever it was that Josh had said to her. "I should just put you out of your misery apparently and sleep with you and bin you is what he more or less said. Because i'll end up breaking your heart otherwise."

I took her hand and leaned in closely. "I thought we had spoken about this. We're in this together. Whether we get hurt or not, I guess we're gonna find out." I softened my voice. "We'll find that out for ourselves."

"Joel, that isn't what this is about." She looked at me and I could see the hurt in her eyes. While it might not have been a big deal to most girls, Nyx wasn't used to being spoken to like that, especially when it implied she had been around. She had only been with Andrew, so comments like that were bound to rattle her cage. "You could drop me tomorrow, but I don't like being abused like that."

She had led a pretty sheltered life compared to most. That much was obvious. Her house seemed like a palace compared to my little dinghy flat so she was used to the finer things in life. She was used to having respect with her job as a manager and shop owner. People obeyed her and she did the talking down to. Her appearance was always neat, no matter how casual she tried to make herself look so having someone like Josh talk to her in that manner was hard for her to swallow.

"I can only apologise on his behalf. I'm embarrassed that you stay over and you have to feel this way. I'll talk to him about it."

"It's not just that i'm upset about the way he spoke to me. If that is his attitude towards girls than more fool him. He's going to have a very lonely old age."

I nodded and kissed her temple as she fell into my arms. I knew she was strong enough to deal with it all, but that didn't mean she deserved it anymore. Just because someone can handle a beating doesn't justify someone beating them up. "It could have been alot easier if you'd have got in to bed with me then." I laughed, evidently joking. I wasn't about to pressure her in to anything. This was all on her terms. She patted my arm playfully before giving me a quick kiss. I'm just gonna go get a wash and freshen up then I was thinking that we could go grab some dinner."

"That sounds good." I smiled as she stood up, keeping hold of her hand, pulling her back for a kiss before she walked away to the bathroom.

I watched giddily as she shut the door. At least I knew that she was determined to make a go of this. She could have walked out in the middle of the night and not said a word. I was glad she stayed and gave me another chance, even if my brother wouldn't.

[Made2LuvU]

Keep it up!!! Great work!!!