by K E Osborn
I pull my phone out from my pocket and swipe the unlock screen to see a picture of me with Indi from the other night. I took it of us lying in bed. She’s in the crook of my arm and she is makeup-less and all disheveled from making love and to me, she looks utterly fucking perfect. Undeniably beautiful. I smile and open the message app and type in something quick.
Me: Hey baby, I know you’re working. Just wanted to let you know I’ve finished the show. It was incredible. I’m at the after-party now, and I’m hoping to leave in an hour so I might be able to chat with you when you get off work. That is if you’re not too tired. I hope you’re having a better night tonight. Miss you. xo
I hit send and decide seeing as how everyone has paired up and is talking amongst themselves, I may as well get a drink. I slide out from the booth and walk up to the bar looking at Facebook on my phone. I sit down on a red velvet stool and wait for the bartender to serve me. The room is packed and there’s a heap of people here, and I have no idea who they are. I notice the other bands and people with lanyards around their necks with VIP written on them. I guess they sold VIP tickets to this concert and seeing as we filled in and aren’t well known yet, the VIP guests are leaving us alone. The room has a nice feel about it and everyone seems to be having a good time. I feel like I’m on quite a high when I get a shiver run up my spine. You know that feeling they say when someone walks over your grave and it makes you shudder. I look up from my phone as I feel a set of eyes roam over me and I look up to see a woman sitting on the stool next to mine. She’s brunette and her figure looks familiar, but her hair has fallen down around her face. I turn back to my phone and then the waiter comes over.
“What can I get you?” he asks.
“Just a coke thanks, mate.”
He comes back and the menacing vibe I had is still with me. I think I need to get back to the booth, so I take my glass and move to walk off when the woman beside me speaks.
“Caleb, don’t you recognise me?” a familiar voice chimes and I turn toward the woman. She turns to face me and I notice immediately that it’s Sasha. She’s dyed her hair a darker brunette, so much so it’s almost black. That’s why I didn’t recognise her.
“Oh, hey, your hair, it’s darker,” I say and she smiles so wide it kinda freaks me out.
“You noticed?” She flicks her hair over her shoulder.
“Yeah. So ah, what are you doing here?”
Her smile falls. “Not happy to see me?” she asks and I furrow my brows.
“No, it’s not that. Just surprised is all.”
“A good surprise?”
“Yeah, well, anyway, I better get back to my mates,” I say and turn to walk off.
She grabs my arm and forces me to stop. “Wait, don’t you want to talk?”
“About?” I ask and she frowns.
“Well, don’t you want to come back to my place?” she asks quietly.
I let out a small laugh, I think I’m in shock. “No Sasha,” I simply say.
“Well, I’ll come back to yours then?”
“No, I don’t think you understand me. I’m with Indi now, and I’m not going to cheat on her. Not with you, or with anyone. I’m sorry, I love her too much to throw it away.”
“If you really loved her you wouldn’t have slept with me,” she says really loud, so loud that people stop and look over at us.
I take a deep breath and bite my bottom lip as my heart starts to race. “Sasha, I know you want more from me, but I can’t give that to you. I’m sorry,” I say and pull my arm forcefully from hers and go to walk away.
“You’ll be back,” she yells out loudly.
“Leave me alone,” I call back to her. She scowls and huffs and then turns away from me and walks to the other side of the room.
Suddenly, my great mood has dissipated and now I just want to get to Indi. Sasha seems a bit like a wild card and right now I need to feel like I’m in control. I walk over to the booth and say my goodbye’s then make my way to my car to start the just over two-hour drive back to London. I need to be with Indi tonight. Sasha has unsettled me, and I just want to hold Indi in my arms and know that everything is okay. I’ll have to keep my eyes pinned for Sasha though. If she keeps showing up at our shows, we might have to put a ban on her. I would hate to do that so early in our career, but if it’s the only way from keeping my dark secret from Indi, then that’s what I need to do. Because Indi finding out I slept with Sasha the night I almost slept with her, would break Indi’s heart. I don’t know if she would forgive me for that, no matter how hard I begged, and in some ways I wouldn’t blame her.
I pull up out the front of my home and park my car. It’s just gone three in the morning and I’m pretty sure Indi is knocking off work soon. I grab my phone and send her a quick text.
Me: Hey baby. Just got home. Would love some company if you’re up to it? Come over when you’re done?
I hit send and move quickly inside to get away from the crisp cold morning air. I close the door behind me and my phone beeps, so I quickly bring it up to take a look.
Indi: Sure babe, I’m leaving the hospital now. I’ll be there soon. Hope the after-party wasn’t a complete dive and that’s why you’re home early. Chat when I get there. See you in a bit. xoxo
I smile and I feel like a weight has been lifted from me for some reason. I really want to see Indi, just to make sure everything is okay. Seeing Sasha and the way she acted tonight has really unsettled me, and I’m starting to think maybe I need to tell Indi what happened before something terrible occurs and Sasha gets to her first. Although, I have no idea what the deal is with her. I’ve slept with her once, seen her twice, well three times if you count tonight, and she’s acting like we should be sleeping around behind Indi’s back. Like it was a deal we’ve made or something. Which I know we haven’t, I would never do that. I just think maybe Sasha has a screw or two loose. And, to be honest, I’m going to do everything in my power to avoid her from now on. Indi means too much to me to let someone like Sasha get in the way. I type back a quick text as I make my way to the lounge.
Me: Yeah, the party wasn’t much. I’ll be on the lounge waiting, and then we can hit the showers before bed if you want?
I hit send and sit down on the lounge suite and relax into it, waiting for my lady to come home to me. My phone vibrates.
Indi: Sounds great to me. Be there in ten. xoxo
Me: Drive safe, it’s cold out. xo
I lean back against the lounge and relax my tired eyes. It’s really late, and honestly I can’t wait for bed, but I can’t wait to see Indi even more. I need a shower, I stink from sweating on stage, so having a shower with Indi when she gets here sounds like bliss to me.
I open my eyes from a sleep I didn’t even realise I’d fallen into to see Indi’s beautiful body walking through my front door.
“Hey rock star,” she says as she shivers from the cold.
“Hey gorgeous,” I reply. She closes the door and walks in sitting down next to me.
“How was work?”
“Yeah, we had a good night tonight.”
“That’s great,” I say as she leans in for a kiss.
Her lips are freezing, but I don’t flinch away. Instead, I kiss her harder to try and warm her up. She giggles against me and leans in wrapping her arms around my neck, pulling back slowly and looking into my eyes, she smiles playfully.
“So the after-party was a dive, huh?” she asks leaning back and bringing her legs over mine and cuddling with me. I smirk and wrap my arms around her as she cradles herself into me.
“There was no one interesting there. No one pretty to look at,” I say looking at her and smirking.
“Oh, so there were no women there at all then?”
“No, there were tons of women there. Just none as pretty as you. So nothing good to look at. I came home so I could stare at you all night long.”
She chuckles. “That’s kind of creepy you know, staring at someone all night long,” she says and
I raise my eyebrow.
“What? So it’s not sweet and romantic then?”
“No, definitely a bit on the creepy side.”
“So I should only stare at you while you’re awake then?”
“Don’t stare at me at all, you creep!” she replies and then detaches herself from me with a chuckle and stands up placing her hand out for me to take.
“And where are we going?”
“To the shower. You might look like a rock star right now, but you smell like you haven’t bathed in a year. And I don’t like creeps who don’t bathe. I’ll make you into a nice smelling non-creep,” she says and I smirk and raise an eyebrow.
“I guess this is where my balls detach and hide under the furniture. Now I know what he was talking about,” I murmur and Indi furrows her brows at me.
“What are you on about?”
I smile and take her hand standing up. “Nothing, take me to the shower and wash away my creepery, oh maiden fair.”
She rolls her eyes and pulls me toward the shower.
I was watching the television this morning and noticed an advertisement for a travelling funfair that is headed into town. I figured it would be a great entertaining way to spend the afternoon with Indi, seeing as we both have the night off. Something lighthearted to let me show off my sideshow skills, and to keep a smile on my girl’s face. Indi walks into the lounge room where I’m seated and she smiles widely as she brings in two mugs of coffee.
“So, I was thinking—”
“Oh no, did it hurt?” she teases and I roll my eyes and shake my head as she giggles to herself.
“Yes, it did. So you better pay attention or it was all for nothing,” I say and she smirks and sits down placing the mugs on the coffee table.
“I’m all ears.”
“I wanna take you out.”
“Okay, where are we going? To the movies? I wanna see that new movie with Rebel Wilson in it. She is hilarious,” she says quickly and I smile at her enthusiasm and shake my head.
“No, I was thinking something a little more carnival-like,” I say and she raises her eyebrow and purses her lips.
“Huh?”
“A funfair has come into town. Thought we could go and I could win you a giant teddy bear on the shooting game,” I say and she furrows her brows and bites her bottom lip.
“Will there be clowns there?” she asks and I chuckle.
“Are you still scared of clowns?” I ask and she slaps my arm and frowns at me.
“They’re nasty,” she says as I wrap my arm around her shoulders pulling her to me.
“If I promise to protect you from any clowns that might be lurking, will you come with me?”
“Will there be cotton candy?” She chews on the side of her mouth. I chuckle and nod. “And toffee apples?”
I laugh and nod again. “A plethora of all the terribly unhealthy junk food you might want, you can have.”
“Okay, sounds like fun. But I’m going to hold you to winning me a giant teddy bear,” she says and I put my hand out for her to shake. She smirks and places her hand in mine.
“Deal,” I say and we shake once.
Then I pull on her hand and make her fall into my lap. I twist her body as she squeals, and I lean down and kiss her quickly before she has time to react. My mouth connects with hers and I kiss her passionately like I do every time I kiss Indi. I can’t help myself. A simple kiss is something I can’t do with her. It isn’t enough. It doesn’t fill my need to surround myself in her. I’m utterly addicted, and I know this is a bad thing. But sometimes bad can be very, very good. I slowly pull my lips from hers and she smiles at me and giggles slightly.
“I love how you kiss me like it’s always going to be the last time,” she says and I move my hand to her cheek and caress her tenderly.
“Indi, I will always kiss you like that because kissing you any other way wouldn’t show you how much I need you.”
She sits up and snuggles into my side throwing her legs over mine in the way that has become our usual for sitting on the lounge.
“Drink your coffee and then tomorrow take me to that clown infested carnival,” she says and I chuckle and lean forward picking up my mug.
The funfair was on the other side of London. Not too far, but far enough for us to have to drive for about fifteen minutes to get there. We decided to take Indi’s car because she thought my car in that part of town could draw too much attention. I thought my car in her part of town drew attention anyway, and it seemed okay when it was parked at her house. But she was insistent, and I gave in. She also wanted to drive, so I gave into that as well and let her take over for today. It was nice to see her take charge for a while. I like it when she’s bossy. It’s kind of a turn on actually, but I didn’t let her know that.
We arrive at the funfair. Indi parks in the carpark and we make our way down toward the makeshift carnival. I love these pop-up events. They’re only small, but so much fun. It brings out the child in me. Indi and I went to one when we were younger. Dad and Mum paid for us and we had the best time. That’s when I found out about her fear of clowns. I found it funny then and I still find it funny, but I will protect her now rather than push her into them like I did when we were fifteen. I take her hand and she nuzzles into my side as we walk up to the entrance of the big parklands where the funfair is being held.
“You ready to be slaughtered in the side shows?” I ask and she scoffs and shakes her head.
“Like hell,” she replies and I chuckle and lean in kissing her temple.
We walk up to the ticket booth and I purchase two tickets. The first thing we see is a clown holding a massive bunch of balloons and handing them out to children. Indi tenses next to me and I smile as I lead her in the opposite direction. As we walk through music is filling the air. That typical carnival music, the type of music that screams out above everything for all the games and rides. It’s a sound you don’t hear anywhere other than at these places. It’s loud, it’s annoying, and it’s brilliant!
“This place is impressive,” I say as we walk into an alley filled with rides that have multi-coloured neon flashing lights strobing away in the dust-filled air. The sky is setting in hues of pinks and yellows, as the sun sets behind purple clouds that line the night sky in various glorious shapes which fill the sky with a peaceful glow. It’s beautiful and added to the radiance from the lights of the rides it’s making the night seem so much more energetic, fun and alive.
Tonight is going to be great fun!
“I haven’t been to a funfair since we went when we were younger,” she says over the loud music.
I open my eyes wide and look at her in shock. “Seriously?” I ask and she smiles and nods. “Well then, let’s get you reacquainted,” I say and wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her into my side as we walk down sideshow alley. We laugh and chat and play games, in between kissing and watching all the children on the rides. This place is so much fun and I’m having a great time. Spending my time with Indi is effortless. We mesh so well, nothing is drawn out or hard for us. Everything seems to flow and is done with a natural ease. We fit so well together, we always have. And that is why we’re perfect for each other. Even though she is kicking my arse at these sideshow games.
I load up the pellets to shoot the ducks down. I need to get three in a row to win her the giant teddy bear and seeing as I’ve failed miserably at all the other games I need to win this one. I need some of my manly dignity back.
“I want to play too,” Indi calls out over the music as I hand a note over to the vendor.
I raise an eyebrow and she smirks.
“What, scared I’ll beat you at this one too?”
I chuckle and hand over another note to the vendor while he gives her the gun with some pellets. We set up, and I bring the gun up into my sights and line up the moving duck in my vision. I have to get it, I need three ducks down and I only have four shots. I line it up, take the shot, and I hear the ping as the duck goes down. I sm
ile and look at Indi, she smirks and lines hers up. She follows the duck with her gun, shoots and misses. Caleb – 1, Indi – 0.
Yes! My manhood is still in check.
We both line up for the next shot, we take it at the same time and I hear a double ping. Two hits. Indi jumps on the spot.
“Yes!” she yells in triumph and I chuckle and get ready to line up my third shot – the winning shot. I can do this. We both line up and we aim and fire. Only one ping. I pull back and smile as I put my hand up in the air in victory.
“Sorry sir, it was the lady who got that one. It’s two each, one shot left for you, sir,” he says and I look back and frown as Indi laughs and shakes her head.
Shit! I have to get this!
I bring my gun back up and line it up just as Indi lines her up, we follow the ducks and pull our triggers. One ping and one duck goes down.
“Winner, winner, winner! Congratulations girlie, you’re a real good shot,” the vendor states and I huff as Indi smirks and pats my shoulder. I shake my head and place the gun on the bench.
“I had something in my eye,” I mumble and Indi laughs and shakes her head.
“Oh, poor Caleb. Maybe you should pick out the giant teddy that I’ve won for you, hey?” she teases and I purse my lips at her faking a scowl and slap her on her arse. She yelps and jumps on the spot and then laughs along with the vendor.
“Okay, yeah, make fun of me. That’s right, go on,” I say and throw my hands in the air. Even though I lost, again, I’m still having the time of my life with Indi. She makes everything better and even though she’s better at everything, she makes me want to be a better person, and for her I am going to be.
“Pick your prize, caveman,” she says wrapping her arms around my waist.
