Chapter Text
I’m not being funny brain, but could we really try and get some work done today? Emily said under her breath, pulling her fingers through her hair. She was sitting in a small cramped café, she had drained her unbelievably sweet cup of tea almost the moment she had sat down and was now pouring over a leather bound book of blank paper. She had bought it a year and a half ago, at the start of her first year at university, with the intention of filling it with poetry by the time she left. She had eighteen months left to go and the book was half full. That would have been fine, she had plenty of time to fit her work in and fill the book. But she was stuck; living in a city was grinding on her. Not that Oxford was a bad place, but being country bred the constant sound of people was distracting her.
She looked up and glanced round the room. It was pretty crowded, being February and cold the café was doing good trade. The fact that it was sleeting didn’t do business any harm either, she thought. Every table was full, apart from her own and one other, which only had one person facing her on it. Her eyes rested on the man sitting at it. He was reading a book, not very well by the look of it, it was upside down. She raised an eyebrow, why would he be reading a book the wrong way up? Perhaps it was one of those ritualistic spell books where you had to turn the book round to read it? He didn’t look like he would be interested in that kind of thing, but then you could never tell. He had a well-fitting black suit jacket on, over a navy button up shirt, which with his dark hair swept back, make him casually smart. Very nice. She tilted her head to see a long black coat draped over the back of his chair. Extra nice, I bet he looks good in that. At that moment he shook his head, as though he was bringing himself to his senses and turned the book the right way up. It was then that she recognised the book. Ooh Beyond Decay, that’s one of my favourites, maybe I could go and discuss it with him? Or would that look a bit creepy? Particularly when you only like him for his coat….or…well all of his clothes actually. And his face isn’t that bad, it’s difficult to tell when he’s looking down. No, no, that’s enough now, do some work!
She slumped in her seat. This is a nightmare, I can’t live somewhere with this many people, I can’t think clearly at all. She sat up properly and rapped her knuckles on the table, earning her a few dirty looks from the people on the next table. The sugar rush from the tea was starting to affect her and with one last pull on her hair she decided it would be better to go outside. She shoved the book into her bag and fought her way through the crowds of people to the door. She’d been wearing her coat indoors, but had to do it up when the cold wind started blowing it about her. She hurried down the road and into a green space about the university buildings. Due to the weather there were very few people about outside, and those did not hang around. She headed for the nearest tree and sat under it, her long green coat bunched under her. It wasn’t dry, but she didn’t mind, it was quiet thank God. She leaned her head back against the trunk and closed her eyes, breathing in the chill air and soaking up the peace. She didn’t want to damage her book so she left it in her bag, she’d hopefully be able to write when she got home, if the boys were not being too rowdy.
‘Are you ok?’ a deep voice said from somewhere above her. She opened her eyes to see a dark haired figure in a long black coat standing in front of her. It’s him, it’s Mr upside down book.
‘Erm, yeah I’m fine, just sort of…sitting under a tree…as you do…’ she said awkwardly. Damn I underestimated his face, it’s better than any of his clothes.
‘I saw you in the café down the road, you looked a bit stressed.’ He said; she blinked at him. Him and his gorgeous face. But wait… was he watching me?
‘I could say I thought the same about you. Not many people read a book the wrong way up.’ He laughed to himself and sat next to her. Is he actually blushing? He was, pink was colouring his cheeks and he lifted a hand to rub his face.
‘You saw that then?’
‘Yeah, sorry, I’ve been struggling to write and I looked up and that was the first thing I noticed. That and the stinking crowds.’ She said dully, pulling her coat round her a little more as a gust of wind hit them.
‘Yeah, they can block the creative juices; you couldn’t hear yourself think in there.’
‘Tell me about it, do you write then? Or maybe some other arty thing?’ she asked
‘Yeah, I’m an author.’ he said casually, but Emily’s interest had been caught and she exclaimed
‘Really?! Wow, anything I’ll have heard of?’
‘I wrote the book I was pretending to read…’ he said reluctantly
‘WHAT?! You wrote Beyond Decay?!’ Emily blurted, interrupting him.
‘Yes, you know it then?’ he was frowning at her, surprised that she had recognised the book from across the crowded room.
‘It’s one of the best books I have ever read, the amount of research that must have had to do about Richard the third. And the characters are all so three dimensional. And the twist at the end…I swear I have read it ten times and I still never think it’s going to end like that!’ She said, sighing at the memory of the many enjoyable hours she had spent turning the pages of her own battered copy.
‘I’m glad I have a fan.’
‘I’m sure if people read it they would love it. I keep trying to get Aid and Dean to read it, but they don’t read much when they have Uni work to do.’
‘Aid and Dean?’ He asked, now raising an eyebrow.
‘My housemates. We’re all studying here, but we’re “mature students”, although I use that term very lightly, so we started to rent the house together from our first year.’
‘And you study the same things?’
‘Er, no. I’m sorry but this is really weird, you’re my favourite author and you’re asking me questions. This is the wrong way round.’ She said, suddenly remembering the backwards nature of their meeting. ‘Why did you follow me anyway? Surely not because you were worried for my mental state?’
‘Err no not exactly. I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?’ she stared at him. Ok, what the hell is happening? This man, who I’ve been dying to meet for five years, who can’t put his picture in his book for fear of causing mass knickers destruction –well I don’t know that, but look at him, it’s probably the reason – is asking me out? I’m dreaming.
‘Me? Are you sure?’ she asked, pointing at herself.
‘Yeah I am…You don’t have to if you don’t want to. But I’m here for a book launch in two days’ time and it would be nice to have some educated company.’ There was a pause while she thought about what he’d just said.
‘When you decided to follow me you had no idea if I was educated or not.’ She said slowly.
‘Touché, but the offer still stands.’ He said calmly.
‘And you’re not married?’
‘No.’
‘Or have a girlfriend?’
‘No.’
‘Boyfriend?’
‘I would hardly be asking you out if I had any of those.’
‘So you’re definitely asking me out?’
‘Yes.’
‘Ok.’
‘What?’
‘I would love to go for dinner.’ She said, finally running out of questions. ‘Although I find it hard to believe that you’re really single.’ He shrugged and stood up, offering her his hand to help her to her feet.
‘I’m a bit of a bore really. Apparently some women don’t find the in depth details of the battle of Hastings an interesting subject.’
‘The battle of Hastings? Is this for a new book?’ she asked brightly, looking up at his face. They were now standing under the tree; he had kept her hand in his but she hadn’t noticed. His eyes were so intense that her stomach had started turning and she lacked ability to do anything other than stare into them.
‘Yes…It’s a personal obsession of mine, well, history in general. I’ve been working on this one on and off since I was at school.’
‘I can’t wait to read it.’
‘Don’t get too excited. You might not even like it.’ He said modestly. Unlikely, I’ve liked all of your books so far.
‘I’m sure I will. When and where would you like me tomorrow?’ she said, you could have phrased that better, brain. ‘Err I mean…’ she mumbled, trying to correct herself, but he chuckled
‘Yeah I got it. How about outside that café? I’ve been eyeing up a quiet little pub just outside of town, I can pick you up from there at about seven? And drop you home after.’
‘Ok, seven it is. Wow, you understand that you’re going to be asked so many questions about your writing? Because I won’t be able to help myself.’
‘That is just fine.’ He said, not looking phased at all. She stared for a moment longer
‘I should probably get home.’ She said finally ‘I don’t think my coat is as waterproof as I’d thought.’
‘Good idea, don’t get cold.’ She turned to leave. ‘Hold on, what’s your name?’ he called after her, raising his voice over the sound of the rain that was magnified as they stepped apart. Oh you didn’t even tell him your name? What a tit.
‘I’m Emily.’ She said
‘Richard.’
‘Yeah I know.’
Emily unlocked the door of her shared house and squelched into the hall. She kicked off her boots and tip toed further into the house, trying as hard as possible not to drip everywhere. She loved their house, it was messy and colourful, and it made her feel like she was home. Dean and Aidan were easy to live with. Both of them were very relaxed, never tidied up and stayed up watching gross programs on the TV until the early hours of the morning. Sometimes she wondered how the hell they ever made their deadlines, but they did and well at that. The only issue, which was never talked about, was the first six months of living in the house when she and Aidan had been sleeping together. It was great while it lasted, really great, but it didn’t last. It was an uncomfortable couple of weeks after, but it cleared and so long as they didn’t talk about it life carried on as normal. Just without the sex. Which was probably a relief for Dean, and Emily was amazed at how much more time she seemed to have. Her poetry book had got a hammering out of mere boredom and her essays were finished way before their due dates.
‘Is anyone in the kitchen?’ she shouted as she crossed the threshold into the sitting room.
‘I am, Em’ Dean’s voice called back. ‘Tea?’
‘Oh Deano you’re a star. I need dry clothes, I’ll be back down in a mo.’ she said as she continued to the stairs and began to make her way up them. Dean and Aidan occupied the two rooms on the first floor while Emily lived in the converted attic. It may be further to walk but she had her own en suite, which given she was the only girl in the house she felt she deserved. That and the boys’ can’t half stink out their bathroom; I’d need a bloody gas mask to go in there. She had just reached the first floor landing when she bumped into Aidan on his way downstairs.
‘Fucking hell Mill, where have you been?’ he said stepping back and taking a good look at her, his dark eyes taking in every detail, from her socks that were saturated with water, to her sopping black hair.
‘Outside? It’s a hazard of living in England, it rains.’ She replied sarcastically.
‘I’m only from Ireland Milly, it rains there too. But why didn’t you get a taxi home if it’s so bad out there, I didn’t know it was raining that heavily.’
‘It’s not that bad. I’ve just been standing in it for a while.’
‘Why the hell were you standing in it?’
‘Because I thought it would be quicker than taking a shower this evening.’ She said and tried to duck past him, but he caught her hand softly with his fingers and stopped her.
‘Mill? What’s up?’ he said, his eyes wide and concerned. Oh this is awkward. Neither of them had started seeing anyone else since they had split. She had always just assumed that Aidan would be the first one to find someone new, but apparently not, and now this…
‘I’ve been asked on a date tomorrow night.’ She said hesitantly, he would find out at some point anyway, she reasoned.
‘Oh.’ He said, releasing her hand. ‘Oh, where?’
‘I don’t know a pub. He’s picking me up.’ She said. He looked quite taken aback and was not looking her in the eye.
‘I didn’t think you liked anyone on your course.’
‘I don’t, he’s not on my course. I met him in Hampton’s café.’
‘And stood in the rain with him?’
‘It was noisy in there.’
‘I forget you don’t like noise unless you’re making it.’ He snapped
‘You never used to complain.’ She retorted, knowing exactly what that comment was referring to. ‘Aid, life can’t stay like this forever.’
‘Oh God, yeah, yeah, I’m sorry Milly, I know I said I wasn’t going to be like this. I was just surprised. What’s he like?’
‘He seemed very nice.’ She said
‘…Good. Has Dean put the kettle on?’
‘I think so.’ He nodded and went down the stairs. Well that was fucking brilliant. She ran up the rest of the stairs and into her room, peeling her clothes off as she went. I hate having wet feet, she thought as her socks came off. She pulled on a pair of leggings and a t shirt that was far too big for her and almost came down to her knees. Yanking her hair into a bun she made her way downstairs to find both her housemates in the kitchen, a mug of coffee in each pair of hands.
‘Hey Em.’ Dean said, pointing at the mug on the table.
‘Thanks.’ She replied and picked up the mug and took a gulp. Dean and Aidan had always called her different things. It was quite handy really; she always knew who was calling her, as if the accent differences didn’t indicate that enough.
‘I ordered a pizza for dinner. And garlic bread.’ Dean said brightly. He was the eldest of the three at thirty three. But they were both as childish as the other. Aidan was six years younger than Dean and Emily was two years younger than Aidan. They all had different accents, came from different backgrounds and were taking different courses. But for all that they got along very well. A little too well, many of the neighbours thought. Nosey old people with too much time on their hands from some of the looks they would give her.
‘Awesome, how much do I owe you?’ she asked after taking another gulp of tea.
‘Dunno, a fiver? You always eat less than us anyway.’
‘Ok, I’ll leave you the money in the morning.’ They were interrupted by a knock on the door.
‘That’ll be the pizza.’ Dean said, dumping his empty mug in the washing up bowl and legging it to the door. Emily looked up at Aidan.
‘It’s alright Mill, I’m ok about this.’ He said with a half-smile.
‘The Pizza? I know, God knows what Dean’s ordered, who left him in charge?’ she said, Knowing what he meant but trying to change the subject.
‘No, I mean…you know.’
‘Oh...’ she nodded ‘Thanks Aid.’
‘What’s he done now?’ Dean said, bursting back into the kitchen holding a couple of large pizza boxes.
‘Left you in charge of the food. What have we got?’ she asked, turning to grab herself a plate from the cupboard behind her. To her relief he’d got a chicken and bacon topping. Thank the Lord for bacon, and she took her slices out of the box and went to sit in the living room. She switched on the TV and started to look for the elusive remote control.
‘Deano? Where’s the remote?’ She asked, searching under the cushions for it one handed.
‘Here.’ He said, pulling it out from where he had hidden it, down his jeans.
‘Oh for fucks sake, I told you not to keep doing that! It’s going to be all warm now and everything!’
‘Well, me and Aidan want to watch embarrassing bodies and we knew you’d change the channel if you got here first.’ He said as Aidan set the pizza box down in the middle of the sofa between them.
‘I don’t know how you two can eat while you’re watching that, it’s disgusting.’
‘I need to watch it for my course, it’s educational.’ Aidan said. It’s a biology course; it doesn’t state that watching embarrassing bodies is part of it.
‘I’m going to eat in the kitchen. Don’t drop crumbs on the sofa.’ She said finally and walked back the way she’d come. There was a small breakfast table in the kitchen; it was just big enough for four people to sit around. But as there were only three of them living there it meant that there was always an unoccupied seat. She sat in her usual chair and stared out of the kitchen window into their small dark garden while she ate as quickly as she could. The noises coming from the living room were almost as bad as watching the program itself and were punctuated with equally nauseating comments. After clearing her plate Emily got up to rinse it when there was an eruption of sound from the next room.
‘Jesus fucking Christ, has he not been able to use it? How do you function without it?’ Dean’s voice said
‘I didn’t even know that was a colour.’
‘Is that mould?’
‘It’s mould.’
‘I wouldn’t even want to touch it.’
‘Imagine the smell.’
‘I’d rather not.’
She was glad when the sound of the water gushing from the tap blocked out their commentary and left the plate to drain on the sideboard so that she could escape quickly to her room. She grabbed her laptop from her desk and sat down on her bed waiting for it to load. Stupid old laptop. When it was done she opened Google and typed in Richard Armitage.