Love in London

Chapter 1

The smell of his flat was like a combination of a poorly cleaned butchers-shop, and week old wet clothes, for a sparing moment James had wondered if he had somehow been transported to a back-alley garbage-bin of a particularly low-end fast food chain. Yet, his mattress rested under him, his pillow beneath his head. He opened his eyes wider and sat up. It was confirmed, this was his apartment as he knew it. Granted, with a few extra beer cans and people scattered around.

"Jesus, I guess I host a good party" He said aloud, to no-one in particular but himself.

"That you did James, mind you my head is going to be ringing for at least the next week." His flat-mate, Miles said, as he poked his head around the door. His sandy-brown hair flopped down just above his eyebrows, he looked as rough as James felt.

"Yea, tell me about mate. You look like you had a few" James grumbled as he rose out of bed. 

"Jeez, do you really remember nothing? You had a few more than everyone else. Combined that is, almost had me worrying about you." Miles chuckled as he walked the rest of his body into James's room, two mugs in his hand. "Here, thought this might clear your head a bit."

He wrapped his hand around the mug and took a sip, the familiar taste of long out of date coffee beans and a slight taste of electricity waved across his tongue. He really had to get that coffee-machine fixed.

A memory hit him like a gunshot. He had sex with his ex last night. Fuck.

"Fuck." 

"I mean I knew the coffee wasn't great but I can't change the fact the machine cost us 10 pounds." Miles said as a slight smile appeared on his face.

"It's not that. Fuck I'm dumb. I slept with Jess last night. Fuck me, I forgot she was even here. I need a walk, listen I'm sorry to leave you with all, you know, this shit. But can you please just deal with it, I'll owe you a huge one."

"Yeah mate I've got it, that's a fucking huge one. Take the time you need."

"Right. Thanks again, mate. I'm off to Hyde."

And with that, James was off.