by Dyble, S R
Scrunching my face up with pure bitterness, my anger overwhelmed me, and with tears streaming down my face, I threw the album and watched as it landed open on the floor. I got up and marched into the kitchen before realising what I’d done. Then rushed back over to the open album on the floor and gathered it together and held it to my chest as tears clouded my eyesight even more. Falling backwards onto my bum I sat there against the cabinet and sobbed, making sure to not cry too loudly because I didn’t want to wake my grandparents.
Since losing the rest of my family, my life had stopped. I was stuck - always wondering what if. What if they were still here? Where would I have been if they were here with me as they should have been? I wouldn’t have felt like my life made no sense at all.
Staring at the ceiling with no hope of sleep or rest had become a familiar habit. I turned onto my side in my bed later that night, and cuddled my pillow. I blinked hard, still feeling the sting of my tears.
“I thought you were supposed to be researching, not staring at naked men?”
I rolled my eyes, I was just getting used to the silence.
“This is my work, now, run along will you?” I said without turning around.
“If you wanted a six pack to photograph, all you had to do was ask, Blondie. I can give you feelers first hand.”
I could feel his cocky smirk digging into the back of my head.
“You really do love yourself, don’t you? What makes you think you’re even good enough to photograph?” I logged out of the computer and stood up.
Kit was standing behind me and as I turned, I couldn’t believe he was pulling his top off. Before I could object, he pulled me forward by my hand and placed it on his abs, looking me in the eyes.
“What do you think?” he asked.
I was speechless and I became cheesed off that I’d turned into such a puddle being so close to him, yet again. He smelled so good and it was no surprise that I’d never been this close to a man like this before. Before my parents died, I’d had boyfriends but nothing serious, I had mainly gone to my friends’ parties and kissed lads for fun. That was until everything changed a year ago…
I glared at Kit and pulled my hand away.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Escort,” I bit.
He chuckled and stared down at me. Most guys weren’t much taller than me but Kit was not only taller but built like a rock. After feeling his abs, I knew that much to be true.
Maddison walked in just on time as I moved away from Kit and she stared in awe at his body, it made me want to roll my eyes.
“You loved it,” Kit threw at me.
“You wish.” I glared at him before turning to walk away.
“You didn’t seem so sure about that a second ago, Blondie."
That was it.
I flung myself around and prodded him on his chest with my finger.
“Stop. Calling. Me. That.” I said through gritted teeth. I wondered if he would stop calling me that if I told him my dad used to call me it. I settled on the fact that he would probably use it more...
I still didn’t know what was happening with this guy. It was only day two of knowing him and already he was pestering me like he knew me very well. He’d become the person I detested and waited for each morning for his taunting comments.
“Ok, Bae it is then. Or I can think of another nickname?” He smiled which infuriated me more.
“Don’t give me any nickname!”
“I have to nickname you. You’re too cute not to."
Now I was cute? I glanced at Maddison who was still standing there, shocked at our confrontation. I didn’t reckon he’d define her as cute. Nah, she’d be sexy or fine. I didn’t know why I was so pissed thinking about it.
“Whatever, you twat,” I shook it off and walked away only for Maddison to follow after me into the corridor like a puppy.
“Wow,” she giggled. “What the hell is the deal with you two?”
“The deal? There is no deal. He irritates the crap out of me. That’s it.”
“So, you’re not getting together or anything?”
How the heck had she managed to get that from what Kit and I had just said? Surely, she would be thinking the opposite.
“No,” I laughed. “We’re not getting together, we only met like two days ago.”
“Phew,” she said, looking around.
I questioned her with my eyes and she shook it off.
“Nothing,” she chuckled and to my surprise, she took my hand and pulled me with her.
The thought of Kit and Maddison together made me feel sick and mad but it shouldn’t have, people like Kit and Maddison were made for each other.
I’d heard one of the other girls talking earlier that day, she said Kit was a boxer. It would explain a lot… he was incredibly well built.
A boxer and a model like Maddison - they’d be a perfect match.
“So, if we’re gonna shoot fitness we should go to a gym or something, right? Should I call a gym to see if they mind us coming in and taking some photographs?” Maddison asked as I blinked out of my current daydream.
Maddison had pulled me all the way to the Canteen which was empty apart from the two of us.
“Yeah,” I couldn’t believe my ears, “that’d be great.”
Maddison was more helpful than I thought she’d be.
We spent the next hour researching and calling gyms, the first few said no but Maddison suggested a more higher-class gym.
“I doubt a posher establishment will say yes if these won’t,” I said.
“Let’s try. I’ll tell them that their photos will be used in our show and that they’ll get advertisement, etc,” she winked and dialled the number. I then sat back and grinned as I listened to Maddison’s very well put together proposition.
“That sounds great, thank you very much!” She hung up and beamed at me, ticking her paperwork.
“They said we can go tonight but will have to ask each individuals permission before taking any photos.”
“Whey! Well done!” I smiled and gathered up all of our paperwork from the table as we both laughed, for a second it felt normal like I was just an average person.
“Do you wanna give me your number and we can meet up later?” she asked.
“Yeah, sure,” I handed her my phone with my number on and she sent me a text so I could add her number to my contacts.
Although we planned to meet up later that night at the gym, I ended up staying behind with Maddison after college to help her with some of her work.
“Don’t you both have dates tonight?” Chris sat on the corner of the table and grinned at us.
I carried on writing on the Mac whilst Maddison answered.
“I wish. We’ve been given a slot to photograph at Policies Gym tonight so we’re going there soon. Perhaps you can put me with one of the guys next time so I can bag a date, Chris? No offence, Eve,” she grinned.
“None taken,” I said casually.
“I’ll see what I can do,” he chuckled. “What about you Eve, no date tonight?”
I scoffed “Me? No...”
“You make it sound hard to believe that a girl like you would get a date...”
“That’s because it’s true...” I snorted.
“Beautiful girl like you, I bet you have them chasing after ya.”
I wish I’d ended the conversation sooner, I had no idea what to say, so I just shook my head and laughed it off.
Chris eventually left which meant another awkward encounter with him was over.
“That was weird...” Maddison commented.
“Tell me about it…” I blew out a breath and proceeded to type on the keyboard.
“He totally likes you- I mean like, like.”
“What?” I scrunched my face up and shook my head.
Maddison must have been crazy to think any guy, let alone our tutor would be interested in me.
“Don’t downplay yourself, girl, you’re hot. You’ve got great hair, great e
yes and killer hips. Plus, I know what I see,” Maddison looked at the door casually that Chris had just left through.
“Anyway, we should get going, right?”
I nodded and saved my work before turning off the Mac as Maddison got up, I was still in shock from what she’d said.
At the gym, Maddison started taking photos straight away. It wasn’t too busy and I was thankful for it. The few guys that were here kept looking at us and chatting amongst themselves, probably about the concept that Maddison (being a model and beautiful) was here to photograph them.
She had no reservations when it came to chatting to them, either, and photographing them. She handed the camera to me when she was done and headed off to look at other parts of the gym. I walked over to a middle-aged man and explained what we were doing. He didn’t mind me taking photos so I got to it. Instead of just capturing him, I got down to the floor and took a picture of his legs as he ran on the treadmill, making sure to get the background in. I smiled when I got the shot I was after and thanked him. On the Mac, I planned to make either his legs or the background stand out. It wasn’t only about the physical side of fitness but the environment in which it took place, too. Great, I had photographed one thing and I looked around the gym blankly to try and find my next shot.
“Eve, you’re not gonna believe this!” Maddison called after me and drew me over with her hand signals.
She giggled in excitement.
“It’s Kit. He’s here.”
Oh, dear lord...
“We should go,” I turned to leave post haste but Maddison held my arm tight and took me with her in the opposite direction.
“Oh no, I really should go,” I pulled away but she wouldn’t give in.
“Don’t be such a fanny, I can’t go alone, I’ll look like a weirdo.”
“Like having me with you will make it any less weird?”
“He’s in here.”
We walked up to a room that had a glass wall so we could see inside and my eyes widened when I saw what Kit was doing.
“He’s teaching those kids,” Maddison said.
On the other side of the glass, Kit was coaching kids - teaching them how to box, to be exact.
I guess the sources were right about the whole boxing thing…
I couldn’t help but be drawn in by the sight of him in long shorts and a vest, I’d have been a fool to not find him irritatingly attractive. How could such an asshole be so good looking? It wasn’t fair.
He happened to notice us standing there and he took a second glance in our direction. Telling the kids to carry on practising, he walked over to the glass holding his arms up like a god.
“Couldn’t resist, ai?” He winked and grinned at us both.
Maddison giggled and I gave her the side look.
Kit moved his hand towards himself - directing us to come in and I followed after Maddison, reluctantly.
Why did he have to be here of all places?
“Come to shoot some real fitness? Let me just take my top off,” he joked, looking at me.
“Don’t scare the kids,” I said under my breath.
“Go on then! Get to it...” I told him and he smirked before moving back to the kids where he held up two punching pads for one kid to hit.
“We’re gonna have to get the parents of these kids to sign those forms before we go,” I told Maddison.
“What forms?” Maddison was too zoned out watching Kit work out to even listen. I just rolled my eyes and tried not to turn into a dribbling mess like her but even I found myself taking more pictures of Kit than the kids.
Just watching Kit was something else, the way he moved was not only determination but inspiring to watch. He truly spent as much effort as he could with each kid and showed each of them a demonstration. They lapped it up and unfortunately, so did I. I was fascinated by him and for a short while, I probably resembled Maddison - swooning over him like a foolish teenage girl. It was short lived though because to our shock a brunette bombshell walked in quickly and took Kit aside. She lifted onto her tiptoes and planted a kiss to his lips and ran her fingers through his hair as the other kids were busy practising in pairs. I heard Maddison gasp beside me and before I could look at her, she was gone, she’d left the room and was nowhere to be seen.
I rushed after her and found her outside.
“Fuck sake,” she was cursing to herself and I looked around before approaching her.
“He’s got a fucking girlfriend,” she said.
“It would appear that way.” I agreed.
Maddison didn’t seem upset but pissed off and it confused the hell out of me.
“I didn’t realise you were seeing each other?”
She scoffed. “We’re not seeing each other. I just slept with him and he forgot to think about his girlfriend in the process!”
“What?” I moved closer to her, we’d only known him one day, how the hell had she managed her way into his bed in such a short amount of time?
That meant, after I rejected Kit at my door, he had somehow worked his way into Maddison’s knickers.
He worked fast.
The thought made me feel sick to my stomach.
“Damn, what a fucking arsehole,” she said.
I took a few seconds to gather everything. “Look, you weren’t to know. It’s not your fault.”
“I hate guys who do stuff like this, why fuck over someone like that?”
I hated cheaters too but it was as if Maddison was speaking from personal experience.
“Someone should probably tell his girlfriend,” I said.
She nodded. “I wouldn’t know where to find her, or how to approach her. She looks scary as shit herself.”
I nodded, the way Kit’s girlfriend looked at us as she entered the room made even me nervous. Unless she just had a serious resting bitch face.
“I need some food,” Maddison said randomly and it shocked me, I wasn’t expecting her to bring up food.
“Sounds good,” I agreed, watching her next move.
After eating at the café across the road from the gym, we decided to wait outside the gym and out of sight so that when Kit’s girlfriend left, we’d be able to approach her. We were careful to stay out of sight and we both sipped on our drinks, watching like a set of stalkers.
This girl deserved to know, even if it would hurt her. No girl should be treated like a mug like that and we were determined to set her straight until we saw her leaving with Kit. He had his arm around her shoulder and I stared in disgust as he led her to his car and looked around. We both bobbed our heads, careful not to be seen and cursed when they left.
“We tried,” Maddison said, defeated.
* * *
I wasn’t surprised when Maddison didn’t show up to college the next day, and I was thankful that Chris arranged for us to work on our projects because that meant I could stay away from Kit and I did just that all morning. I hurried out of the classroom before he could even notice and I found a quiet spot at the back of the library until dinner time, when I got a text from Maddison. She said she wasn’t feeling well but I knew too well that she was purely avoiding Kit.
It wasn’t until dinner time, waiting to scan my items through the self-service at Tescos, that I felt him near me.
“What do you want, Kit?”
“How did you know it was me?” he asked, amusement in his voice.
“Because I can sense you like a bad smell.”
“That’s nice,” he chuckled. “So, you’re telling me I smell?”
As a matter of fact, Kit smelled amazing which was probably the only reason I knew about his presence. I wasn’t going to linger over the fact that having him near made my body stand on edge as well, because that shit wasn’t going to wash with me.
When it was my turn, I moved over to the counter to scan my items and paid quickly, it wasn’t until I was outside that I realised Kit was still beside me.
“Don’t you ever hang out with anyone?” he asked.
“Nothing, I was just curious as to why you wanna be alone so much.”
He didn’t know me like everyone else did. I was alone because that was how I’d been left. After my parents died, I never got close to anyone because I knew they could be taken from me within a second. I lived alone with my grandparents who took me in after my family had died and I had no choice but to care deeply about them but given the option, I’d rather not allow anyone else to come into my life that I could lose.
“I’m not always alone,” I lied.
Kit didn’t believe me, and I knew he didn’t because he gave me a side glance that told me as much.
“So, did you get any good shots yesterday?” he asked, pointing to my camera bag that I had to my side.
I really didn’t want to be talking to him and as I sat down on a bench, I didn’t answer his question.
“You’re only here because you know what I saw yesterday and naturally Maddison told me what happened between the two of you, what do you want Kit?”
Kit hadn’t taken the seat beside me but instead, he stood over me, looking confused.
“What?”
I couldn’t believe he was playing stupid.
“You have a girlfriend and you cheated on her with Maddison, she deserves better and I don’t take nicely to cheaters so I’d appreciate it if you left me alone.”
