s e v e n t e e n
" take a deep breath "
-

-

Alice got into her own car, waving as she pulled away. It was only when she was gone that Adela realised what that meant.

She was going to have to go into the house and explain to her mother where she'd been and why she'd been there.

Keeping secrets from her mum had never been something she liked doing. As a kid, she always felt like her mum knew when she was lying. Maybe it was the guilt written all across her face or the fact that she cried as soon as she was questioned.

But she had to take a deep breath and force herself to walk into her home. The place she'd grown up, had her first kiss, laughed her first laugh. It was a place of many incredible memories, but Adela found herself wanting to turn tail and run as far as she could in the other direction.

Attempting to shut the door as quietly as possible, she leant against it and told herself to grow up. She wasn't so cautious of noise as she kicked off her shoes and made her way through into the kitchen, her fingers trailing along the wall.

"Ads, is that you?" Her mum called from the kitchen. She sat on the bar stool, her glasses propped on her nose as she read the newspaper. A steaming mug of tea sat on the table, lipstick staining its rim rosy.

"Yeah, mum," Adela replied as she walked into the kitchen, dropping her bag at the door. She flicked the kettle on again and leant against the side as it bubbled up. "Can I talk to you about something for a sec?"

"It's not Simon again, is it?" Her mum asked, taking her glasses off as she turned on the stool to face her daughter.

"No, it's um," she turned to get a mug out of the cupboard as she continued, "I want to move out again." As soon as the words left her mouth, she cringed in waiting for the response.

Her mum sighed. "I guessed that this would be coming soon. I know Alice is very eager to sweep you back onto your feet and away again, in more ways than one, but this is really what you want?"

"Yeah," Adela responded as she filled her mug; an old, floral mug from a relative. "I think it's the best thing for me right now. I went to look at an apartment today."

"And?"

"I really liked it, mum, like more than I thought I would," Adela said, turning to face her mum at last. "Alice agreed that it was perfect for me."

"Is that so?" Adela nodded. "Well, I guess you're gonna have to start packing again then, huh?" She joked, smiling as she stood from the stood to pull Adela into a tight hug. "I'm proud of you, darling. Not many women out there would pick themselves back up the way you have."

"There's something else, too."

"What is it? Please tell me you're not pregnant with that arsehole's baby?" Her face flushed white as she stepped back to look at her daughter, hands on Adela's shoulders.

"I'm not pregnant, you know I'm always careful. I want to get a new job instead of working at the bookstore."

"Oh, thank God," Her mum laughed, putting a hand over her heart with relief. "Thank the Lord because you're not pregnant and you're finally getting your own job."

"What?" Adela managed to splutter out. That was the last thing she'd expected from her: relief. She'd imagined tears and anger and betrayal, but here they stood with smiles on their faces like nothing else.

"Ads, you've been working in the store since you were young. It's about time you struck out on your own," She said, rubbing her arm gently. "Besides, we both knew it was coming."

"Thank you for being so understanding, mum," She said, wishing there was a way to thank her more. With her indecisive mind, her mum had a lot to deal with. So, Adela was more than grateful to have a mum a wonderful as her.

"That's my job, isn't it?"

-

-

It was three o'clock by the time Callum and Josh finally rocked up to work. Josh looked just like he always did, but Cal looked jostled and his hair was a mess, his tie wonky and one of his trouser legs partially tucked into his sock.

Catherine's eyes locked on them as soon as they stepped foot in the office. "And where have you two been?"

"Who's askin'?" Cal questioned, stopping in front of her desk. He braced both of his hands on the wood, leaning towards her with a smirk pasted across his face. Simon was surprised she didn't smack it right off him. Although, maybe Catherine wasn't the aggressive sort despite her hard words.

If her molten eyes were anything to go by, she was far from aggressive. Simon could see her from where he sat. He often glanced over to see her either staring into space, typing away furiously, or already looking at him. When caught, she would just look away without acknowledging him or the questions that rose into his head.

"If no one else is going to chase you pair up about being late, then I'm going to do it. So, 'fess up. Where have you been?" She asked, much more pointedly this time.

Josh sunk down in his chair, leaving Cal to take the floor. Another common occurrence. Where Cal was brash and bold, Josh was quieter and knew when to bite his tongue. This was obviously a good time to be silent and sit down, but Cal didn't seem to agree.

"We went out last night and then I decided to treat Josh to a hearty breakfast like the good friend I am. You could've had some if you'd joined us last night, Cathy." He winked at her, which only made her blood boil red hot.

"I've told you not to call me that," She snapped without missing a beat. Her fingers clenched around her pen. Fire licked from her tongue as she spoke: no remorse in snapping at a friend. "Sit down and do some work before you have to leave in two hours or you won't be leaving."

"And you're going to stop me?" Her looked her up and down, teasing, but Simon cringed as he stepped closer and closer to the line Catherine had drawn around herself.

"I will lock you in here all night if I have to," She warned, not teasing.

"I'm going to pee first, see you in two, Catherine," He said, darting out before she could make a grab for him. Simon could hear him laughing the whole way down the corridor.

"So," Simon said through the tension. "That was something else."

"Shut up," She seethed, her eyes locking right onto him. Her jaw was clenched tight and her swimming brown eyes harsh and frozen over.

Simon nodded, not knowing what else to say to ease the situation, and went back to typing away.

-

-

"What are you asking me right now? Explain again," Cora asked again, folding her arms and leaning back against the bar. In truth, she was exhausted and honestly couldn't be bothered with Chris' rabble today. It was probably easier to say yes and leave him to it so she could get some peace and quiet to do as she pleased, even catch a quick nap.

"If we can use your bar to film a video?" Chris said again, biting his lip. He felt stupid asking her after all the time he'd already pushed her buttons, but this was his last hope. It was raining today. Not just showers, bucketing it down.

There was no hope for any kind of football video that required the great outdoors. Their back up idea involved mess, but Chris' apartment had carpet and Harry didn't want to mess up his apartment.

"I didn't know you were into that, Chris." She winked.

"Is that a yes?" Harry questioned from behind, impatient as always. It had never been one of his virtues, but if he didn't shut up he might just lose them their chance at filming a video, not that he was one for consistency anyway.

"It's a yes," Cora finally said. Chris and Harry high five and she had to admit that it was nice to see him smiling and laughing for once rather than scowling, like he usually did around her. "But you can't do it in the main room. You can use the spare room we usually use for group events downstairs."

"Oh, thank God," Harry exclaimed, grinning. "I honestly thought you were going to say no from all the stories Chris has told me."

"Stories?" Cora's eyebrow shot up, her smile falling. There had always been stories about her, but everyone seemed to have one these days. It didn't bother her as much as most thought it would. It wasn't the stories that made her stop smiling. It was always the opinions people gathered from them before they even knew her or the full story.

Negative opinions that she didn't deserve to have held against her by strangers in the night.

"Um," Chris began, uncomfortably. "Yeah, nothing bad. Just about how you let me use your wifi and stuff." He glanced at Harry briefly, signalling with his eyes to shut up.

"Right, ok," Cora replied, forcing herself to meet his crystal eyes. Even now, she wouldn't back down from him, or anyone for that matter. Headstrong and stubborn no matter what anyone said to her or about her. "Just do whatever you need to do then leave. Just be done before this evening."

"Thanks again," Chris said as they lifted their bags up and followed her to the room, smacking Harry with the back of his hand as they went.

-

-

As soon a Cora left them, Chris shut the door and glared at Harry.

"Why would you say that?" He groaned, leaning his head back against the wall. "She probably hates me even more now."

"Why do you care? I thought you didn't like her anyway so what does it matter that she doesn't like you either?" Harry scoffed as if it were obvious, as if Chris' wifi connection didn't depend on her, and someone's feelings of course.

"I don't want to be cut off from the free wifi," Chris hissed as he began opening one of the bags, pulling out a plastic sheet. "Help me with this? Plus, she can be nice when she wants to be."

He wasn't lying. He'd seen Cora be nice on more than one occasion and she had even been pleasant to him several times now, today being one of those times. Maybe she wasn't as heartless as every guy in the city seemed to think she was. After all, she was still human and still has feelings, even if she did keep her cards close to her chest.

If Chris were her, he would hate the reputation he'd earned. It wasn't that she was easy. It was more that she knew what she wanted, who she wanted and exactly how to get it and more often than not what she wanted was a guy, who also sometimes already had a girlfriend back home. And when he didn't come home until late with another girl's lipstick smudged on him, smelling of her, that girlfriend was never pleased to see him.

"Sure, ok," Harry replied as they busied themselves with setting up the sheets and the rest of the equipment. "Just don't talk yourself out of it."

"Out of what?" Chris frowned, fiddling with the camera.

"Out of liking her just because of what you've heard. She doesn't seem as bitchy as all the stories make her out to be."

"You don't know her. Besides, I don't like her like that," Chris said dismissively. He didn't know why Harry was saying this or where he was getting all this nonsense from, but he didn't;t care and he just wanted to film the video and go home to bed.

Harry sighed. "Whatever, man, I'm just making sure that you're not throwing something away before it's even begun."

"Nothing will be beginning, I can assure you of that," He told him. "Right, let's get this filmed so we can go home before the crowds start pouring into this place."

-

2080 words
continuing the format like a pro