Ardent

“James let me in,” Keira shouted, banging on his front door.
”Piss off” he shouted back.
”James Aston if you don’t open this door, so help me god, I will kick this door down” Keira was used to his stubborn moods and childish ways when he was hurt, tonight was no different.
The door flung open, and James glared at her, “What?”
”Oh stoppit” she shouted, shoving past him and into the kitchen.
”Oh right perfect, like I’m not in enough pain, shove me anyway”
”James shut up, for once in your god damn life! I have hiked over here to see how you are.”
”Yeah, before you jump into his bed tonight and probably congratulate him on being such a great guy. I mean it Keira, damn it I love you but I don’t want to see you while your with him”
Keira stared at him, she knew he was serious, “He’s gone, or he will be anyway, he’s in hospital right now thanks to you. But I need your help moving his junk to his mums”
James stared at her, “Really this time? Not like last time when he was back?”
”Nothing like last time, look what he has done to you” Keira’s eyes filled up and she walked over to him, reaching out a hand she touched his face, James leant against her and closed his eyes, her hand seemed soothing. “Here sit down, I’ll see if you’re ok?” she smiled, leading him to the table.
”No really, look I’m glad you came back, but this isn’t a good time right now. Can you come back tomorrow?”
”Why is it not a..” Keira froze as she heard a woman’s voice float from the bedroom.
”James, I’m not done healing you”
Keira looked at her feet and smiled, “Your nurse”
James grinned and winked, “You know it”
Keira flicked him on the nose and dragged him to the door, “Behave yourself,” she laughed, hugging him carefully she kissed his cheek. “Thank you for everything you did” she whispered, letting him go and walking to catch the bus back home. As she walked along she felt a strange feeling about that woman, was it jealousy? No it couldn’t be, why should she care whom he chose to sleep with? Shaking the thought from her head she laughed and hurried her pace.

James touched his cheek where she had kissed and leant against the door, careful not to lean on his ribs.
”James?” the voice called to him.
James blinked and watched Keira vanish around the corner; smiling to himself he closed the door and walked back to the bedroom.

“He was busy you say” Kayleigh laughed. Keira yawned, and scratched her bed head. Waking up this morning, the reality of yesterday hit her. IT was time to get her life back.
”Yep, he was being looked after don’t you worry about him. Pass the bacon”
”Like we ever need to worry about him, he could charm a meal and a bed out of a stranger.”
”He did once,” they giggled together.
”Keira?” Kayleigh reached for the toast, “How are we going to afford to live here without Pete’s wage coming in? Do you think we should advertise for a new tenant or something? We have a spare room”
”Mmm, not sure, lets get him out first. Then we can worry about that. We are ok for now”
Kayleigh munched on her toast, and stared at the ceiling, reaching for her coffee. “It seems calmer, without him I mean”
”James? I know its bliss without him chattering on and on”
”No not James, bloody Pete”
”Yeah well, I have to finish packing his crap, then James said he will help me lift it”
”With a broken rib?”
”If he can fuck he can lift”
Kayleigh wrinkled her nose in disgust, “I hate your terminology. Right I am going in the shower” Kayleigh screamed as Keira dived for her,
”No I claimed it”
”Didn’t hear you” Keira grabbed Kayleigh who fell to the floor, laughing together they tried holding each other down and crawling away. They jumped when there was a sharp tap on the window.
Keira opened the door to James, whose eyes were wide with fury. “I told you if you ever had pyjama fights to invite me”
”We are fighting over the shower”
”Well lets share the love and al have one together?” James laughed then cried in pain as Keira poked his ribs. Turning round she saw Kayleigh’s leg disappear up the last step and the bathroom door slam.
”Bitch” Keira mumbled, walking back through to the kitchen, grabbing her coffee cup she refilled it and dived on a chair at the table. James collapsed next to her, poking at his lip, which was still swollen.
”Still good looking?” he asked, pouting.
”You look better”
”Fuck off”
Keira stared at his face, he had a cut under one eye, and a fat lip, other than that he was just James. It looked much worse yesterday, but with bloody all over his face it clearly made it look ten times worse.
”How was your nurse?”
”She was flipping my mattress nothing more” he laughed, grabbing some toast. “She was ok, good fun.”
Keira rolled her eyes, “Right as soon as I’m dressed we can leave, while I’m in the shower you can start loading the bags in the hall into the car.” James held his hands out to catch the keys she threw toward him. “You sure you don’t want a shower together?”
Keira gave James a finger salute as she bounded up the stairs to bang on the bathroom door.

A week later Pete was discharged from hospital, he had been detained longer due to violence toward staff when he awoke, he had been sedated and silenced until they referred him to a psychiatrist. Not that it changed him a jot, he was straight round Keiras when he was released. Finding his key incompatible, he began punching the door furiously. Inside Keira sat wide-eyed, listening to him scream. Kayleigh swigged her wine and stared at the ceiling, while James turned the TV up. They had made James visit these last few nights, each night Pete had arrived trying to punch his way through.
Together they were all curled up on the sofa, James had his arm around Keira, while Kayleigh lat on his chest from the opposite side. While slightly crushed, James felt exceedingly happy, even though the banging on the door became more frequent.
”Oh can we just call the police?” Kayleigh cried, shuffling so her elbow dug into James hip. Dodging her whimpered, “No, you know he will be gone before they get here like the last 3 times we called them”
”Well go and let him hit you or something, we can get him sent down again” Keira laughed.
”Oh you have changed your tone” James growled, shoving her roughly, “Don’t think your forgiven for going out with a fool and dragging me into this”
”Its not my fault you invaded my space in Star Bucks I didn’t ask for your friendship.”
”No you were begging for my sex that’s why. Ohh you looked so sexy there, coffee dribbling down your face as you cursed at your telephone, I was instantly turned on”
James laughed as Keira attacked him and shouted out in protest when Kayleigh helped her beat him, defending her friend. “Ow c’mon guys think of the ribs”
They all listened hard. The banging had stopped. “Right, I’m off to bed. Behave yourselves” Kayleigh yawned, leaving her wine glass half full on the side, which James reached forward and downed in one, winking at her. Kayleigh shook her head, “I don’t know how you do it, we have had 4 bottles between us, and I’m ready to collapse” she giggled, “G’night”.
James and Keira stared at the ceiling as she clumped up the stairs, silence followed. Keira was still snuggled into James and they lay quite contently for a few more minutes.
”James, what if he is still outside?”
”I’ll get a cab home” he yawned sleepily, his yes closed. Keira leant up on her elbow and looked down at his face. Still as beautiful as the first day she saw him, even with the injuries. His defined Jaw and deep set green eyes. Though they were closed she knew they would be glinting with mischief under his eyelids. His lips set a fine line, and the stubble covering his face looked just as perfect as flowers covering grass. Scruffy but perfect, it all suited him.
”You could do with a hair cut though” Keira spoke aloud, then slapped a hand over her mouth, James opened one eye and raised an eyebrow.
”What?”
”Nothing” she laughed, “I was just thinking aloud.” Keira sighed with relief as he shut his eyes once more.
”Thinking about my hair, I knew I was never far from your thoughts.” James curled up closer to her and sighed. Stuck between him and the back of the sofa, Keira kicked out a leg gently to stop the pins and needles that were gathering, James moved his under hers so she had more room.
”James the taxi?” Keira asked, feeling his arms wrap around her.
”Mm Taxi cold, sofa warm”
”That’s me not the sofa”
”Keira warm”
Keira laughed and snuggled down beside him, her eyes on level with his she watched him a little longer, and felt his arms surround her. Such warmth and safety meant she was asleep within minutes.

Keira woke alone; looking around the living room she blinked. All was as she left it, it was 4.30 in the morning and James must have left. Slowly rising to her feet she clicked her neck and headed upstairs to her bed. “Strange for James not to say goodbye,” she thought. Deciding to buy him a goldfish as soon as possible. It was always funny to lead him into a pet shop, and show him the fish, the colour drained from him and he ran. “Why would a man be afraid of fish?” Keira giggled, curling up on her pillow. “Why am I thinking about him now instead of going to sleep?” she yawned.
”Keira shut up, empty your mind, think of the sea or something, or a bingo game, something dull. Sleep”

James lay across town in his bed, he had woken an hour or so a go in Keiras arms, that wasn’t what alarmed him though. He had given her a hug before now, falling asleep in that hug was new and strange, but still that wasn’t the nagging feeling at the back of his mind.
”I liked it” he said aloud, all his fears coming together, “I wanted to stay”
James threw his head into his pillow and groaned, this wasn’t right. Keira was his friend, nothing more. It must have been the wine. Feeling happy he had found something inanimate to blame his feelings upon, he settled and fell asleep.