Stepping Stones

Date?

I woke up early the next morning with a big smile on my face. It didn't look too miserable outside so I dug through one of my boxes and pulled out my running stuff and grabbed my earphones from my bag.

I walked quickly down the stairs to warm my muscles up and as soon as I hit the fresh air I set off at a run. I made a mental note of the turns I was making as I ran through my new town and I quickly found my comfortable pace. Last night span through my mind. The picture I had in my mind of Jessie yesterday was hazy and unclear but I'd seen pictures of her and God she was beautiful. I ran for a good half an hour before my insides started to burn, I started to make my way back but after another 10 minutes my pace fell into walk and a fat smile grew on my face. I clutched my phone tightly in my hand as if Jessie's number was burning through the screen. Making my way back into the building I started a message to Jessie, my fingers hovered over the keyboard for a few moments before I locked it and shoved back into my pocket.

Grow some balls Beth.

I wasn't in the mood to do a massive food shop after our escapade in Tesco yesterday so I opened my laptop and added various things into my basket. I ordered obscene amounts of alcohol seeing as I was starting at my new school next week and I felt like I was probably going to need it. Gobby teenagers mouthing off in their lessons, why on earth did I ever want to be a teacher? I tapped in my card details, set the deliver time for around 1pm and went about emptying boxes. I started with the book box, taking all the dusty, unread, only-used-for-decoration books and stacked them neatly on the bookshelf in the corner of the room.

Within half an hour I'd unpacked all the boxes labelled "Living Room" on them and the place looked much more homely. I moved the scented candle I'd positioned by the TV slightly to the right and let out a sigh of relief. The rustic, brown clock I'd just put up read almost midday and I thought that I probably should go check on Lindsey to make sure she was still alive. I creaked her bedroom door open slightly and stuck my head into the room. Lindsey was laid star fished shape in middle of her double bed with the duvet kicked up by her feet.

"Linds?" I called out softly, she made a low grumbling noise. She was alive then.

"Lindsey it's nearly 12"

"I don't care" She groaned,

"Are you feeling a bit sorry for yourself?" I coaxed, sitting down on the edge of the bed, stroking her hair soothingly. She nodded into the pillow. "Do you want me to make you something to eat?"

Lindsey cranked her neck round to look at me, "the thought of food right now makes me want to hurl"

I laughed at her, and she scowled at me. "What did we even do last night?"

"You went through about 3 bottles of wine by yourself"

"I don't remember that" She moaned,

"Didn't think you would" I mocked,

"So what else happened?"

"Nothing" I said coyly, blushing a deep scarlet, there were the butterfly feelings again.

"What have you done?" Lindsey yelped, checking the skin on her arms,

"The hell are you doing?" I frowned at her,

"You look guilty, what did you draw on me while I was out?"

"Nothing you tit," I rolled my eyes, "don't worry about it" I pushed myself off of the bed and began unpacking the boxes of clothes that were spewed about the floor.

"Beth, who's Jessie?" Lindsey asked,

When I turned round to her, she was sat up right with my phone in her hands, smirking at me.

"Oh, you know, just someone from work" I lied,

"What the job you haven't started yet?"

I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out, she'd caught me out.

"That's what I thought" she mocked, "who is she then?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you... she's just some girl we met last night" I smiled,

"Jesus Christ Beth, you didn't half move fast"

"Nothing's going to happen, I don't think she's gay" I huffed, hanging a pair of trousers up in Lindsey's wardrobe.

"Well she's definitely asking you on a date"

"Will you quit looking at my phone!" I yelped, leaping over to her and snatching my phone out of her hands.

"Well what are you going to say?" She asked, burying herself in the covers again.

I glanced over the message quickly before tucking it away in my pocket.

"None of your business" I answered smugly, stalking out of her bedroom.

***

"Yeah mum, we've settled in really well... It's a nice area, we went for a kind of walk yesterday... Yeah we've been for a food shop, I'm just unloading it now... No I don't start for another week... Yeah ok, well mum I'm kind of busy so can I call you tomorrow or something? Yeah I miss you too, ok sweet, bye"

I hung up the phone and flung it on the side. Lindsey stalked into the kitchen with her duvet wrapped around her.

"Have you replied to this 'Jessie' bird yet?" She asked, drinking the Orange juice straight from the carton.

"I don't know what to say?"

"She asked you a very simple question, all you've got to say is yes or no" she laughed, she pulled a packet of sausages out of the fridge and made her way over to the grill, "right, you can stop being busy now it's making me nervous. Go stick the TV on or something and think about all the intelligent ways you can say yes"

"I hate you," I blushed,

"No you don't" She dismissed, throwing potatoes into a saucepan,

I did as I was told of course and slumped down onto the sofa. I opened Jessie's message again before finally sending a reply.

'Date?'

'I'll see you tomorrow'