Oxygen (Catfish And The Bottlemen/1975)

Katie

I woke up late and yet, earlier than all my friends. Perhaps it had been a rougher night than I remembered, perhaps they were just taking advantage of the long journey up north, having a lie in tonight before the Glasgow show tonight.

I liked Scotland, not for the reason everyone was always quoted for loving Scotland, not because i liked the gigs particularly. I liked it specifically because of Paul Mccartneys Scotland phase, I liked the idea of escaping to the highlands for a little peace and quiet. When everything else got a bit much, the wind and the cold and the dramatic sloping landscapes, the still black waters which stretched out for miles. That all seemed really rather welcoming to me.

I trod softly around the kitchen, flicking the kettle on as I resisted the urge to call Ben. I missed him more than anything else I missed when we went away. When he was touring, when I was touring, whoever it was who had left the other behind, I felt his absense in everything I did. On my mind through every show was him. On the tip of my tongue throughout every song. Still simply thoughts of him.

I was humming to myself when i noticed Saffy, knees hugged to her chest in the corner, cradling a cup of tea to her chest. She had her eyes closed in a sort of meditative state, her chest rising and falling slowly softly, gently.

"Fall asleep on the table sundance?" i smirked seeing the sharp red mark which was yet to fade from her cheek.

She blinked a little, coming back to life with an almost guilty smile.

"I guess so," she said softly, "i think i stayed up talkin to Bondy all night or somethin..." she simmered taking a sip of her tea, "and you know..." she started then, her little brows knitting together to form a frown, she looked ever so serious, ever so focussed, "i had this dream last night like, it was real weird,"

"Oh yeah?" i asked sitting down opposite her, resting my chin in my hands with my elbows on the table. I was still sleepy but i couldnt wipe the sleep from my eyes.

"Yeah... I was half asleep, dead late and night and Bondy was here sittin over there tryna get me to wake up, kept telling me i was gonna get cold... And then Matty turned up, he just kinda came in all quiet like, didn't really say anything and then just... "

"Just?" I was waiting on her answer to decipher whether shed really dreamt it all up at all, or whether it really had happened, late at night, just not quite as she had thought.

"Just sorta hovered around me with his hands in my hair and like kissed me?" she looked up at me, i wondered if she was questioning it all too, if that was the only reason she was asking me at all.

"Well that wouldn't be unheard of would it," i winked trying my best to embarass her. She frowned a little deeper. "What did Bondy say?" i asked, so far him being there in the room with her was the only part i was struggling to believe.

"He didn't really, Matty said somet to him about you know, don't worry ill put her to bed for you and then, well i dont know... But thats why i know it was definitely a dream because I didn't wake up in bed... I woke up here,"

"It'd seem so," i hummed drumming my fingers against the side of my mug, "How did it feel?" i said with a small smirk when she looked up at me smirking back herself.

"How did what feel," she was trying to tease me back, knew exactly what I meant.

"Don't be such a wind up," i grinned, "go on you must know, did you like it or?"

"It freaked me out," she split a grin, kind of shy kind of gleeful, like this was something she was feeling for the first time and she was childishly amazed by herself. "Am buggin," she said giggled, "it was... My lips feel weird like..."