Girl-Code (12 page)

‘Hi,’ Kate searches my face for signs that
I am going to break down, ‘how was your mum?’

‘Good thanks Kate, although I have news.’

I walk into the flat in Fulham and am
astounded by its luxury.  I didn’t realize Phil was so fashionable, it was
decorated very expensively in a contemporary style a taste to match my own.  It
was in an affluent area set in an amazing apartment block with an entrance area
and a security guy who sits in the foyer and monitors the comings and goings.

Kate had accompanied me, but has been quiet
for the entire journey.

‘The point of us getting a house was so
that we can socialize and spend time together,’ she grumbles, ‘now, because of
Sam, we are living in different parts of London once again.’

‘I need this Kate,’ I inform her.

‘I know, which is why I am not giving you a
hard time as I could. I will not be sharing with Sam next year that is for sure,’
she swears.  Thankfully, although I love Kate, the flat has one bedroom, which
I am grateful for. I am not made to house or flat share, I much prefer my own
company. 

The man and the van that Phil has organized
transports all my belongings on a trolley before leaving. 

‘This is beautiful,’ Kate astounds,
searching around the area.  The flat is open planned, on the second floor,
overlooking the river, we walk out onto the balcony and wow at the view. ‘I
wish my mum found a Phil.’ Kate teases.

‘Your mum has your dad,’ I smile.

‘You aren’t going to leave me behind are
you? I am sorry about Sam, Lucy, if I had known for a minute what she was going
to behave like…..’

I hug her, ‘no of course not, it’s not your
fault.  I should have stayed away from Cameron, but it wasn’t that easy we had
such an attraction…..’

‘Then why don’t you pursue him now,’ she
advises, ‘Sam has no influence on anything now.’

‘No, Cameron doesn’t want a relationship
and you know what Kate, I do!  I have only realized this through all the drama,
I want to share my life with someone who feels the same.  I need to lick my
wounds and date people, there must be someone out there for me.’

‘They would be lucky to have you Luce.’ she
hugs me.

********

Kate had informed Sam that I was moving out
and she appeared happy, ‘well, as long as she pays the rent,’ she sniped and
Kate had fixed her with a stare.

‘Of course she is, her step father has given
her a flat on the Thames.’

‘Pfff typical,’ she muttered, ‘some people
fall in shit…’

‘So tell me Sam, how are things between you
and Cameron now, I hear you are reconciled?’  Sam had the decency to flush and
shrug, ‘we are working on things,’ she repeats what she informed Lucy.

‘Good, when is he coming around?’

‘Well, obviously he didn’t want to come
around and rub Lucy’s nose in it.’

‘Oh, so he can come around anytime now,’
she murmurs brightly.

*******

I call Susie, ‘hi,’ I greet her, ‘are you
ok to talk for a moment?’

‘Sure, hi,’ Susie warms, ‘so you mentioned
a move, how did it go?’

‘Yes, I am in Fulham,’ I murmur, ‘my stepfather
gave me his flat to mind.’

‘Oh great, at least you are out of that
house.’

‘Yes, that was his plan….we are still
friends Susie, aren’t we?’

‘Of course, I didn’t know if you wanted to
be,’ she murmurs, quietly.

‘Of course I do,’ I enthuse, ‘I am sorry I
haven’t been myself the past week.’

‘I know. I am sorry you were hurting Lucy.’

‘It isn’t anyone’s fault, but my own. If
you get too close to the fire…. and all that.’

‘You fancy a drink, Simon is off out in a
bit?’ Susie offers.

‘Sure where? You are welcome around here,’
I invite.

‘Ok, text me your address, we will toast
the new flat,’ she bubbles.

********

‘Where have you been?’ Cameron scolds Simon,
‘I thought you would be here an hour ago.’

‘Sorry, I had to wait for Susie to get
ready. I just dropped her at Lucy’s new flat in Fulham.’

‘Fulham!’ Cameron’s eyes zoom in to his
friend.

‘Yeah, apparently her stepfather had had
enough of the abuse she was experiencing and gave her a flat, to get out of
that house.’

Cameron shakes his head, ‘ridiculous, where
in Fulham?’

‘Overlooking the river, looked great from
the outside.  Susie and I are looking to buy something over there.’

‘Are you?’

‘Yes, about time I made an honest woman of
her.’

‘Are you going to propose?’ Cameron
astounds.

‘I am, I love her and cannot foresee a
future without her,’ Simon admits, ‘you like Suze?’

‘Of course, but they all end up leaving Si,’
Cameron states.

‘No Cameron, they don’t,’ Simon informs
him. He regards his friend intently he looks bad, unshaven and tired.

‘Well, in my experience….’ Cameron mumbles.

‘What experience? Your mum left Cam, you have
never given anyone else a chance to stay.’

‘Lucy left,’ he reminds Simon.

‘You never gave Lucy a reason to stay
Cam…..to convince her you wanted anything other than sex.’

‘It was outstanding sex,’ Cameron mutters.

********

I lay in my new surroundings, I am glad
that Susie and I have buried the hatchet this evening I feel less tense now.  I
am still hurt and I miss Cameron despite the short time he featured in my life,
but I am optimistic for the future.

We avoided any talk on Cameron, Susie loved
the flat and wanted to know if they were expensive as her and Simon were
looking at buying a place rather than continue to rent as they do currently. 

It is a beautiful location, Sunday morning
I wander around the streets familiarizing myself with the area. I walk along by
the river and sit on a bench watching the world go by.

‘Beautiful day,’ a voice calls from the opposite
end of the bench.  I glance over and notice an attractive man of about forty,
with dark hair, the sides sprinkled with grey and laughing brown eyes.

‘Isn’t it?’ I return the smile.

‘I don’t recall seeing you around here
before,’ he states.

‘Do you recall everyone?’ I question and he
chuckles.

‘Yes I do, I am a photographer and spend a
lot of time people watching around the area.’

‘Well, I only moved here yesterday.’ I
admit.

‘Ah well then I was correct in my first
assumption.’

He leans across holding out his hand, ‘may
I be the first person to welcome you to sunny Fulham my name is Brad Thompson.’
I shake his hand, he doesn’t appear to be a murderer or the likes.

‘Hi Brad, I am Lucy Daniels pleased to meet
you.’

‘You have striking eyes has anyone ever
told you that?’ his glance stills on my face.

‘Erm….’ I flush and my stomach drops at the
recollection of Cameron speaking the identical comment at the golf bash, in
fact the word he used was, ‘mesmerizing’ my insides squirm uncomfortably.

‘Of course they have…’ he finishes, ‘and
that wasn’t a pick up line, purely an observation,’ he adds.

‘Why thank you, Brad,’ I smile, he seems
like a genuine guy.

‘Do you fancy a coffee Lucy, just as a
welcome to the neighborhood?’ he tempts.

‘Sure,’ I relent, the start of a new
beginning.

Brad and I enjoy coffee, sitting outside a
café, while the sun shines down.  The summer is approaching and I feel totally
relaxed in his company.  We chat about our jobs and our lives, somehow it is
easier talking to a complete stranger.

‘So, do you have a boyfriend Lucy?’ Brad
enquiries, his lips tilting.

‘No,’ my eyes drop to my cup.

‘Oops, sounds like someone is guarding a
broken heart,’ he murmurs.

‘Maybe bruised,’ I smile, I like Brad.

‘Well, he is a fool,’ his eyes move across
my face, ‘such a beauty.’

‘Thank you,’ I flush, ‘You?’

‘Not a boyfriend no,’ he grins, ‘or a
girlfriend at the moment. Maybe we can go on a couple of dates to reinstate
your faith in mankind?’ he probes, hopefully.

‘We’ll see,’ I don’t feel the attraction I
did with Cameron, but will I ever?  Maybe you have one chance in life, one
person that fits you like a glove and the rest you have to work on adapting to.

‘I am happy with that….for now,’ his eyes
light.

********

Friday night, Susie insists on us meeting
for our missed cocktail evenings to celebrate my birthday of the previous week.

The usual gang are grouped around the bar
area and we are on our third cocktail when Kate walks in, ‘hey,’ I hug her
affectionately, ‘what a lovely surprise.’

‘Well I couldn’t miss your birthday drinks,’
she returns the embrace, ‘what are we on?’

‘Porn Stars, at the moment,’ Susie slurs,
‘hi Kate, good to finally meet you,’ she grins.

‘You must be Susie,’ she clinches her,
‘likewise.’

‘My two favorite friends,’ I smile at them
both.

Matthew has joined us and is enjoying the
festivities, I introduce him to Kate, who seems entranced by him.  I smile to
myself, I know Kate well and she is attracted to Matthew who appears to feel
the same if his touchy feely behavior is anything to go by.  Now in Sam’s world
he would be off limits to Kate - in mine, I say good luck to them.

Kate appears at my side with a strained
look on her face, ‘Erm Luce,’ she murmurs.

‘What?’ I somehow prevent the smile from
erupting on my face.

‘I don’t know how to say this….’ She
glances back at Matthew who is eating Kate up with his eyes, he flickers his
gaze back to me for a moment and I smile at him.  He appears to comprehend and
grins back.

‘Go for it Kate,’ I hug her, ‘he is one of
the good ones.’

‘But….girl code?’ she appears confused.

‘What a load of shit!’ I mumble, and she
squeezes me before returning to Matthews’s side.

‘You are a good person, Lucy Daniels.’
Susie pulls me towards the bar, ‘now, Mojito?’

It is about nine o clock when Simon appears
to collect a very inebriated Susie.

‘Well, it looks as if you girls have had
fun,’ he chuckles as Susie wraps her arms around him.

‘Sorry to disrupt your night Hun,’ she
slurs up to him, ‘did you have a good time?’

‘Not really, he’s out of control,’ Simon
gazes down, ‘he’s in the car, so you ready?’ he whispers.

‘Actually, he’s behind you,’ a deep voice
sterns and my heart flip flops in my chest as I take a sharp intake of breath. 
My eyes move up into a pair of Atlantic blue eyes, ‘Lucy,’ he greets me sternly
his gaze moving over my face.

‘Cam-er-ron!’ I emphasize every syllable,
mocking his cold voice in my tipsy state.

He frowns, ‘are you drunk.’

‘I certainly hope so,’ I giggle, suddenly
becoming what I can only presume is hysterical at the situation.  He appears
shocked by my response and I feel, before I see, the ice thawing.

‘What’s the occasion?’ he looks different,
harder somehow.

‘It’s her birthday, well it was last week
but she was too heartbroken to drink because you are an arse, Cameron Lee.’
Susie slurs and Simon hushes her.

‘Nice one, Susie.’ I mutter, frowning
towards her.

‘Hi Cameron,’ Kate appears at my side, with
Matthew in tow.

‘Kate,’ his eyes rest on Matthew for a
moment before flickering back to me.

‘Lucy, Matthew and I are going to make a
move, I hope that is ok.  We are going to get some food,’ her eyes regard me
carefully.

‘Of course, you guys have fun!’ I hug them
both and notice how Matthew grabs Kate’s hand as they depart the bar.

‘Well, that is a turn up for the books.’
Cameron shocks.

‘Good for them, I say.’ I mumble.

‘Come on sweetness, let’s get you home,’
Simon helps Susie on with her coat, ‘do you want a lift, Lucy?’ Simon offers.

‘No, I am fine thank you.’ I wave them
away.

‘Come on, Cameron.’ Simon instructs.

‘Think I will stay here thanks,’ he is
leaning on the bar directly adjacent to me.

‘Come on Cam,’ Simon insists kindly, ‘you
have had enough.’

‘So Lucy,’ Cameron ignores him, ‘fancy
going out tomorrow, to celebrate your birthday properly?’

‘No thank you, I have a date.’ I avoid his
eyes at all costs.