Turn Around

 

Chapter ten

Day thirteen, Tuesday

 

“What the hell is taking so long? You were meant to be out of that damn meeting hours before the end of work..” I was muttering to myself under my breath as I shuffled about the entranceway of the building. I had long since given up standing by the stairs, looking up expectantly; it felt like I was waiting for my date on prom night. Instead I was mixing up wandering the perimeter and sitting in one of the chairs in the lounge area. Having options of what to do kept my mind busy, one foot in front of the other instead of leaving my mind to pluck out some of the nasty feelings that were crammed away. Tonight was the perfect chance to make a good impression, show them all I didn't just fall over all the time and hopefully, if I was lucky enough, make friends.



Every other person that I worked with had long since headed home for a quick change of clothes and bite to eat before making their way to Walker's place. A few had organised to take public transport there together and were going to be ordering a taxi and sharing the bill on the way back so everyone could drink. They really were a helpful bunch, but Sem assured me that it was mainly because they didn't like being drunk around stone cold sober people.



Just as I was contemplating going up to whichever floor he was on and telling his co-workers they needed to fuck off, there was clattering from the top of the stairs and he came rushing towards me, becoming red in the face. I made a half assed attempt to get out of his way but he grabbed me by the arm, swung me around, and we were outside, the cooler air chilling my ears.



“Where the fuck have you been?” I asked as I stumbled about, trying to keep up with him. The problem was that I didn't recall where he'd parked and the parking zone was so gigantic I felt I was running around blind.



“Meeting over ran. But never fear. I have a plan!” Oh great. Did he think he was superman? We found the car. “I figured there was a chance that the meeting would run way late so you'll find a bag with some clothes in for you to change into and another with some snacks in because it's not wise to drink on an empty stomach.” He was already getting into the car, leaving me stood there.



“Where am I meant to get changed, oh wise one? In the carpark?!” I clambered in to root through the bag of clothes and, to my surprise, he'd picked out something nice and casual but wouldn't make me look like I'd been homeless for the last three years.



“In the back seat of the car while I drive. You have no idea about all the things normal people do, do you..”



I ignored the remark, closing the door. By the time he was stopped at the first red light of the short trip I was already stripped down to my underwear and, looking up to try and fathom where we were, I spotted him staring at me through the rear view mirror. Perv.



“Shouldn't you be concentrating more on when your lights go to green, Sem?”



He coughed and spluttered, put his sights back on the road and we were soon moving again. When the engine was switched off my stomach twisted. Getting out of the car, Sem gave me a good once over, making a point of smoothing down my jeans.



“You going to be okay?”



“I just really need to pull off looking normal tonight.”



“Well, that's going to be a hard thing to do for someone like you.” Well how rude. Ready to complain about his attitude, with a huge speech coming to mind about how he shouldn't take his shitty job out on me, I was put off with the lightest of kisses. He stayed close to me, nose to nose, and I ended up pointing wildly up at the block of apartments.



“Sem, everyone can see!”



“Nah. Of course they can't. There's no lights on out here and everyone will be busy inside. Even if they do see us, they won't be able to work out that it's us.” But with so many lights on all over the place, someone had to spot it.



We took the stairs of course, and I was thankful that Walker lived only on the fourth floor so it wasn't a mega trek. Finding the exact apartment was simple thanks to music pumping out and we walked in without knocking, Sem taking the lead. People were everywhere; we were late. The place was nice enough, though I wondered how much of the general clutter people had was hidden in cupboards somewhere... Maybe Walker was just a de-clutter bunny. The only vibrant lights were from the bathroom and the little galley kitchen, everything else dappled in softer, low lighting coming from lamps and what looked suspiciously like christmas fairy lights.



Sem was guiding me down the hall and towards the main living room area when Walker popped out of the kitchen.



“Oh, hi! We were beginning to wonder if you two had gotten lost.” He was dressed casually in a t-shirt and jeans, no shoes. There was an awkward exchange as Sem handed Walker the booze he had brought, claiming it was a joint gift, and Walker handed us both drinks. “The guys have come up with a schedule for the evening so make yourselves at home and please, please eat. People brought way too much food and I'd hate to see it go to waste.” He was just so... Kind. And happy.



We moved into the living room to find people talking in small groups, though when we were spotted, the vast majority turned on us and a woman clapped her hands together excitedly. “Let's play! Everyone is here now! Let's play!”



“Play... What?” I looked to Sem as if he would magically know what all these people had in mind.



“Getting to know you games, of course, silly. Now, Joonas, we kind of all know eachother but we'll take part as well because otherwise that would be weird though expect people to be asking you a lot of questions. We just want to know you.” And I just wanted to run very, very far away.



People were sorting themselves out. Most had a plate with nibbles on and a drink. The sofas were full to bursting and everyone else had taken to sitting on the floor or standing right by the food table. I had been squished in between the lady with the glitter shoes and her best friend who kept touching my knee. We'd gone around most of the people in the room and people were beginning to look in my direction as glitter shoes woman went into great detail about her most recent sexual encounter. The bad thing was that no one had asked.



“So, Joonas.” I didn't know the guy speaking. He'd been asking most of the questions to get us all going. I held my breath. “Describe yourself in three words.” Oh what the hell? I think I'd have preferred talking about my most recent sexual encounter so long as kissing wasn't classed as such.



“Um..”



“That's not a descriptive word.”



“Solitary...” Well that was true. “Um...” Sem was looking at me from the food table, slowly filling his plate with a few goodies. He seemed to like dip. “Difficult... And, I guess, hungry.” That got some funny looks.



“Hungry? There's food right over there, sweetie.” The woman who liked touching my knee was patting it now, coaxing me to go over and stuff my face.



“Not really that type of hungry.”



“So how?” It was Sem.



“Well, in my career, though you cannot tell right now. And in life generally. Things just hold me back most of the time.”



People looked rather confused but stopped asking about it for a little while. And then the next round of questions came up. “Joonas! Why don't you ask Sem a question.”



My drinks had been coming to me constantly without having to get up and it would have been rude to refuse so I was feeling delightfully giddy by that point. I found him sat on another sofa arm, no longer eating, and thought hard. “Okay, okay! I got one! Sem, do you like someone, right now?”



“Define 'like'.”



“I think he means do you want to take someone specific to bed right now.” Walker had finally emerged from the kitchen with tiny cakes, handing me one with a smile.



“Ah, yes. I do 'like' someone right now.”



The ladies of the room giggled and there was a great deal of hair tossing and leg crossing going on. I had to seek refuge and as the women began to poke and prod, asking Sem for more hints as to who it was, Walker and I made eye contact and he pointed to his kitchen. Getting up with a few 'excuse me' grumbles, I made it to the kitchen and Walker partly closed the door behind us, dulling the constant chatter.



“Better in here?” He was lazily doing some dishes, trying to tidy up as he went so that he wouldn't have to do it all alone when the event was over.



“Much, thanks. They're all so crazy. And they have the balls to look at me sometimes like I'm the one out of my rocker.” I shook my head, hopping up to sit on a bit of free counter space. I don't know how long we were there but as time passed I began to feel fuzzy, everything blurring if I moved my head too fast.



“Joonas?” There was polite knocking on the kitchen door before Sem peered inside. “There you are! It's getting late and we have to walk home so I think we should be going right about now if you're ready?”



“Naw, I'm comfortable right where I am.” Walker had slipped out several times to say his goodbyes to others but I had no interest in joining him. When he was with me in the kitchen he sat on a stool opposite me, talking about simple things like the weather and more complex subjects like just what was in my glass.



“How much have you been drinking, Joonas?” I shrugged. Was I meant to be counting or something? He should have told me before and demanded that people not throw liquid at me.



“I have been giving him half soda for about the last hour if that helps. He doesn't drink much, does he?” Walker was chatting away to Sem like I wasn't even there.



“No. Not at all. Come on, Joonas. Let's get you down from there and back to your temporary home in one piece.” Sem moved to me, taking my hands and assisting in a less than dainty drop down.



“If you're worried about him throwing up or not making it back in one piece then he is more than welcome to stay here for the night. I have a sofa just like you.” Walker followed us into the hallway and Sem was shaking his head. It was funny.



“But Walker, you don't understand. You see I don't sleep on his sofa at all!-”



“Thanks for the offer, but I'll manage with him. Thank you for hosting the evening. It was very kind of you and I know a lot of people want to do it again some time but maybe I'll have to keep Joonas on fruit juice.”



As we were beginning to head down the stairs, Walker smiled and waved. “Have a nice night and I'll see you both tomorrow!” He closed the door and left me with Sem, struggling to make it down the steps.



“You're leaning pretty hard, Joonas...” We were outside, who knew where, and it was cold. He'd settled me into his jacket and wrapped an arm around my waist and, in all honesty, I was beginning to feel just a little bit sleepy. I would find my eyes closing more often than not, only really returning to the world when shivers from the chilled wind shook my limbs.



“I am ever so sorry to hear that. Please, do not be afraid to contact a member of staff and make your complaint known.” No... I didn't know either. Maybe I was a pizza restaurant. I liked pizza.



“I'll keep that in mind, though I wasn't aware you had multiple personalities. Should have seen that one coming.”



We stopped, waiting for the green man to light up, then romped across the road.



“Take it slow or you're going to end up in the gutter or, worse, middle of the road in the dark.” His grip tightened on me, making me hug him back tightly, arms around his neck.



“Hold me! Take me! Be with me forever-r-r-r!” My legs skipped alongside his sedate stride and my singing commands got only laughter; no action. Spoil sport.



I felt him dragging me up the last few steps to his apartment and once inside he left me stood, wobbling haphazardly, as he turned on a few lamps, making a quick check of the place. “What are ya doin'?”



“Making sure there's nothing you can fall on to and kill yourself with. Please stay out of the kitchen until you're sober.”



Moved over to me to help me with his jacket and I took my chance, grabbing him, holding him tightly, so tight he let out a squeak and shuffled.



“Joonas, what are you doing? We should get you to bed...”



But sleeping wasn't on my mind. “You told me to show you I can do it. I can and I will. I am not some incapable fool like you seem to sometimes think I am.”



“I have never thought you were an incapable-”



“Shut up!” I kissed him on the lips, a closed mouth sort of kiss that was reminiscent of my first ever, back at school when I was eight or nine and some girl just walked up to me and did it. I'd never done it before, this whole starting things business. Or at least I'd never done it before when it was staged. In normal relationships and normal situations I was no kissing virgin.



“Not tired then?”



I attempted to shut him up by kissing him harder, feeling his tongue on my lips and hands on my arms, moving me away from the door and into the living room. When we neared the sofa I took control for a moment, pushing him down and quickly clambering onto him before he could complain.



“Joonas...”



That's all I allowed him to get out before I was on his mouth again, my hands on his chest, feeling the heat from his body and his heart beat over my palms. His own were fighting to get the jacket off of my shoulders. Something, perhaps the alcohol or my sheer desperation, was encouraging me on and as the tip of my tongue tasted lemonade from his own my hands were heading south. I had to shift myself a touch to get there but I finally reached his belt. Yanking fistfuls of his shirt free, I nudged it up, exposing the dark hair that worked down from his navel. I held myself back from bending down and licking down that line but, god, it was difficult. Instead I kept him busy focusing on my mouth as I nipped and sucked at his bottom lip, licking the corner of his mouth slowly. Belt unfastened and loose in my hands I was triumphant.



“Nah-ah, Joonas.” I glanced up at him but took no notice of his warning, my fingers locating the zip to his pants. “Joonas, no.”



“You mean Joonas, yes.” I corrected him and all but reached my goal, shoving a hand down the front of his pants... But I was left groping at his groin through his underwear and that was no good. Before I could correct my mistake he was dragging my hand out again, frowning at me.



“You are drunk off your head. I know you won't understand right now but you will tomorrow. You will regret doing this and I refuse to allow you to do something that will make you hate us both come morning.”



“But, Sem no. Wait.” But I was already being lifted out of his lap and carted off to the bedroom. A tiny portion of my muddled brain was thinking something good was going to come out of being laid, naked with him... But most of me knew it wasn't going to happen. He laid me down on what had become my side of the bed and took my shoes off. Undressing with his back to me, he laid a blanket over my lower half and frowned.



“Need to be sick, you do it in the bathroom. You grope me in my sleep and you'll be on the sofa.” A kiss on the forehead had me moving my head, trying to aim his lips at my own. My plan was far too obvious and he smiled. “Goodnight, Joonas. I'll have painkillers ready for you in the morning.”



I moved my hand, trying to be slow and careful.



“No, Joonas-” I placed my hand in his own and rolled onto my side to face him, closing my eyes. He never finished his sentence, simply stroking over the back of my hand before going still.

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Author notes: Much love to my beta, MissusAnn (fp).

Js: Thanks for the review.

Karen: You can now review without being logged in? :o Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like it thus far.