Astrid tried her hardest, she really did; she carefully pressed open the door, holding the handle down all the way before slowly letting go so that the lock didn't make a sound. She even tiptoed down the hallway to be as quiet as she could be whilst walking past Niki and Sophie's bedroom doors.

But none of it was worth it when she walked into the kitchen only for the two to be sat at the breakfast table waiting for her.

"There she is," Sophie teased, "and what time do you call this?" Her eyes tracked down Astrid's body, taking in the shirt that was a bit too big and that she definitely wasn't wearing yesterday.

"Out all night, not even a call to settle our minds" Niki chorused, a drawl to her voice as she held a mug in both hands, slowly shaking her head, playing the part of a disappointed mother.

"You only noticed this morning" Astrid quipped back, dropping her bag to the floor and hanging up her leather jacket.

The two couldn't keep their act up any longer, Niki's smile coming first before Sophie join in on the light giggle.

"Tell us everything" the latter insisted, leaning over the counter to place a glass in front of the seat they wanted her to sit in, which she did with an eye roll.

"There's nothing to tell," she sighed, taking a sip of the drink before pulling it away with a grimace, orange juice with pulp, her worst nightmare.

"Shit, sorry, wrong one" Sophie pulled the cup from her hand before placing another down, this one clearly apple juice.

Astrid smiled lightly at the two as they continued swapping around drinks, Niki jumping up when the kettle blew to make Astrid a cup of her own.

"Actually though, tell us" she insisted as she poured just enough milk in to satisfy her friend.

"I've already told you, it's nothing"

"It has to be something!" Sophie spoke erratically, "you've never stayed over before..." her brows furrowed, "wait you have never stayed over before, we're not just that shit at checking on you that we never noticed"

"No," Astrid replied with a laugh, "I've never stayed over before"

"So there must be something to tell," Niki told her, Sophie backing her up with a point and nod.

Astrid wished there was something to tell, but she doubted there was.

After George's rather begrudging conversation on the phone they had gotten up, Astrid had gotten changed rather quickly, opting to keep the shirt, then had been on her way.

George had pulled her back before she opened his front door, hands on her waist as he pressed a kiss to her lips, not enough to go anywhere, but long enough for both of them to be satisfied, asking her to stay for just a little longer. To be completely honest, Astrid had been waiting for the moment that George would pull her back to bed, desperate to get what he hadn't the night before.

But that moment never came, it was like he had just enjoyed her company for the night, that he hadn't just called her over for a quick shag then a short wave as she left.

It was bizarre in a way, definitely not their usual sexual meetings, this one felt like he actually wanted to spend time with her outside of that.

And it scared her, a lot.

"So it must be getting serious," Niki pushed, "staying over, it's big" she obviously had no malicious intentions with her words, but they still ate Astrid up from the inside.

"It's not that big..."

"What?" Sophie obviously hadn't caught the sadness in her words, "it's big, whoever this guy is must be pretty interested" her eyebrows wiggled.

"Not really, we didn't even do anything. We just talked and didn't even, you know"

Although Astrid was no stranger to talking about sex, but it didn't seem like the right time to be suggesting things like that.

"Well, is that not a good thing?" Niki questioned, "it shows he actually has an interest in you past sex"

"Maybe..." she trailed off, not liking the idea of getting attached to somebody like George.

He'd told her a few times about moving to America and how focused he was on getting there, so she didn't want to get too attached to the idea of them being together.

She would have to put up with the idea that soon enough George would be gone, and she'd never see him again, so there was no use getting attached.

At least that's what she kept telling herself.

——————

Written: 11th May 2022

Published:16th May 2022

Im now 19, such an ugly number