sick of losing soulmates | gxg | dodie

f i f t e e n

"Cross my heart and hope to die
Burn my lungs and curse my eyes
I've lost control and I don't want it back
I'm going numb, I've been hijacked"
~Nicotine - Panic! At The Disco

"More friends? I swear you've made more friends in the past week than you have in the rest of your life put together! Who are you and what did you do with Belle?" She teased me playfully.

"Ouch, that hurt!" I said, pretending to be offended. "Well, are you coming?" I asked her as I wandered over to her bed and threw myself onto the bed next to her.

"I mean sure. I'm not doing anything else!" She stopped the scrolling, switched off her phone, and groaned as she pushed herself up to sitting. "I'm gonna get changed, I'll meet you downstairs in 5?" 5 minutes? That's very hopeful. Probably 30 minutes would be more realistic? I thought to myself, amused as I wandered down the stairs slowly, scuffing my feet on the worn, beige carpet, buried deep in my thoughts.

Sometimes it's good just to think. No distractions, no music, no chatter in the background that is difficult not to tune into even if it's about the most boring of things - you know what I mean.

When I was younger, we had a dog. He was small and brown and friendly, and I loved taking him for walks, because on these walks, it was just me and him and the trees and the sun and the occasion bird who would come over to say hi, and I loved that. Just having a moment to think for myself, a moment to breathe and escape the hustle and rush of reality and be in my own little forest world where it felt
like
time

just

stop p  e      d             .

And sometimes that is a good thing to do, we don't quite realise how much we're doing until we're actually not doing anything at all.

"I'm ready!" I was interrupted out of my thoughts by Sophie, who, right on time, was running down the stairs half an hour later. She had changed out of her trackies and slippers into something actually acceptable to wear outside and run a brush through her shiny black hair, and was now finally ready to go out. "Where are we going then?"

"Well." I started as we proceeded towards the door and stepped out onto the doorstep before hurrying back inside and grabbing an umbrella in defence of the dull grey sky and heavy raindrops. Properly armed, we huddled underneath as we walked onto the street and I started to explain. "Basically, you know that party I went to the night before last?"

"You think I would have forgotten?" She responded, rolling her eyes playfully as she kicked her feet in a puddle on the pavement.

"Stop! I'm wearing white shoes! Anyway, I met these two people, Frankie and Connor. They're really cool, and play in a band, and wondered if we would like to play some board games with them or something?" I continued as we reached the train station.

By the time we had arrived at Frankie's I'm pretty sure Sophie knew more about the pair than I did, and as we found number 5 on their street, I decided to remind Sophie to not act like she actually already knows their whole life story, and to act like anyone else does, if that's possible for someone like her. Of course the last past was said with some humour, as it was normally clear who the strange one really was (spoiler alert - it's me).

I knocked on the door and closed the umbrella, shaking it, then turning to meet the people standing in front of it.

"Hey Belle!" Frankie greeted me with a smile. "And you must be Sophie! I'm Frankie, this is Connor, and this guy," she gestured to the other man, standing behind her "is Noah. Come in! We're all just chilling in the band room!"

We followed her through the narrow entrance hallway, a squeeze for the five of us, and were lead through to the 'band room'. This was basically a studio, with various mics and mic stands in one corner near a computer, 3 electric guitars on the wall, a tired looking electric keyboard tucked away in another corner, and countless other random instruments and recording equipment dotted around.

In the middle of the floor were a few colourful beanbags and some cards strewn around. Sophie and I sat down on a large, baby blue beanbag, and the others picked their seats as the cards were gathered and dealt out again.

It turned out we were playing cards against humanity, a brilliant game which almost definitely ends in stitches of laughter. After just four rounds (two of which being won by Sophie - this is the only time her awful sense of humour is actually useful!) I could already feel myself tearing up with laughter.

It was a great ice breaker game, it felt like the five of us had been somehow friends for ages, but I did have one concern; Noah did seem to be looking at Sophie a little longer than necessary. He seemed like a great guy with a bold personality and a brilliant sense of humour, but it seemed clear to me that he liked Sophie. The problem with her is that she's a natural flirt. Even though she has been in a relationship with Dan for 2 years, she still doesn't fail to flirt with nearly anyone and everyone.

"Hey, I'm kinda thirsty, I'm going to get a drink. Noah, would you mind showing me where the kitchen is?" I asked, shooting him a pleading look.

"Hey no it's fine I'll-" Frankie started.

"Nah it's fine, we'll be back in a second!" Noah cut her off as he got up and followed me towards the door.

"This way!" He gestured towards the kitchen whilst he held the door open. He really did seem like a great guy and someone I could have definitely see Sophie dating... but maybe not whilst she's in a relationship!

"What's up?" He asked softly, his dark brown eyes full of concern.

"Well. I've noticed that you've been looking at Sophie. A little too much!" I said with a laugh as I got up to grab some water. "Not that I don't think you'd be a good match for her or something, but I did think I should let you know that she's kinda in a long term relationship before you start to catch feelings."

"Was it that obvious?" He asked with a chuckle. "Whoever she's with is a very lucky guy then!" He added with a smile. I was so glad he took it so well.

"So you play the drums then?" I asked as I filled up my glass.

"Yeah, for... six years now?"

"You must be great! Should we head back in then? Sorry about dragging you out like that, Sophie needs to stop flirting with everyone!"

We entered the room again, and I set down my glass on a small table by the wall before joining Sophie on the beanbag again. As I went to pick up my cards, I heard a low whispering between Frankie, Connor and Noah, and Sophie and I flashed eachother a confused look before turning back to them.

"Belle, there was another reason we asked you over here." Frankie looked at me, grinning. "Basically, remember when you said you missed singing and wanted to join a band? Well, we're thinking that we need a new singer! How would you like to try a few songs with the band, see how your voice blends and all that!"

I looked at Sophie again in disbelief, and she shot me the largest smile I've ever seen. She knows that joining a band has been a dream of mine for a long time, and this would be so perfect, I was almost doubting it was really happening at all.

"Yes!" I just about managed to say, my cheeks starting to hurt from smiling so much earlier.

"Perfect! What kinda music do you like? I think you mentioned you like Panic! during the party didn't you?" I only nodded enthusiastically in response, Panic! was my favourite band. "Do you know Nicotine?"

A/n - sorry for the long and crappy chapter but I PROMISE you the next chapter is going to be a good one! I literally can't wait to write it, so hopefully it will be up pretty soon! I know this chapter wasn't great but please don't leave yet, filler chapters are necessary for better chapters to happen lol
~dawn