FicWad

“You should have stayed with her.” Tomo mused.
I saw in Tomo’s apartment, it was dimly light and green. His girlfriend had candles lit around the room and the curtains drawn, I realised that I was probably interrupting them by showing up. “I was stupid not to.”
Tomo sipped his drink slowly and nodded, “She sounds like a nice girl- maybe you did the right thing, what’s her name again?”
“Yeah maybe you’re right. Violet.” I sighed, wishing I had decided to knock on her door.
“You’re back with Violet?”
“You knew about Violet?!” I yelped.
“I was the only one who did.” He chuffed.
“Tell me what you knew!” I demanded.
Tomo raised an eyebrow, “You don’t remember her at all?”
“Em,” He began nervously, “You met her when you were writing the last album, and you wrote a song for her. Sent her letters constantly on tour- I remember you put the ring in one- you remember asking her to marry you right?”
I shook my head, I could almost imagine what I was like, the memories were there, but they weren’t clear. My head hurt with the concentrating, “what else?”
“She said yes… You fucked her sister Lauren and then you had the car-crash.” Tomo tugged his sleeves awkwardly.
“What is it?” I said, squinting at his hands.
“I’m with Lauren now…”
“WHAT?!”
“Sorry…”
“How long?”
“A few weeks.”
“She’s with someone!”
Tomo nodded, sitting back and tilting his head over the back of the lime sofa, “She said she’s going to dump him.”
I shook my head in disbelief, “Right, okay. Em, is there anything else about Violet?”
“I remember you wouldn’t tell Shannon about her.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged, “You said it was safer if he didn’t know.”
“… Safer?”
Tomo looked around his nervously, “Listen, Violet told you something the day before the crash and then you lost all your memories? I’m just with Laurie to watch your back.” He nodded.
I understood, giving him a rough man hug, “Do I still get to be best-man?”
I winked and stuck out my tongue, “Maybe.” I grinned, pieces began to join in my head- all I needed to know was what Violet told me.
“Hey, by the way, not sure if you remembered but you have a gift for Violet under your bed.”
“Do I?”
“Yeah, you never told me what it was though.”
“I’ll check it out.” I smiled, “Do you know what Sneck Up means?”
“It means go hang yourself, why?”
I pulled the bloodied up sheet from my back pocket. He inspected it thoroughly, “Violet got one of these a while ago mate.”
“Fuck.”
“Yeah…” He said unsurely. “Do you love this one? I mean love her again?”
“Yeah I do, well I think I do, I remember feeling in love with her.”
“What?”
“Before I met her I had a space inside me but now…” I thought, “It’s gone.” I smiled.
“She still into Shakespeare?”
“Damn straight.”
“What is it with their family and Shakespeare?”
I shrugged, not knowing Laurie was obsessed with Shakespeare too, “No idea.”

I leaned up against the cold wall, my back instantly rested and my shoulders sunk down, around my eyes burned but I wouldn’t let that get to me, “Thanks again for letting me stay Violet.” I chirped down the hallway.
Violet had been able to find a nice place to rent out, it was a cheery cottage with one bedroom and a garden you couldn’t swing a cat in.
“You’re welcome of course.” She said politely, I didn’t know where else to go- Shannon and I had a huge fight and I couldn’t stay in Tomo’s with Laurie there. Things between me and Laurie were bad enough without making things complicated!
“No, no, no,” I insisted, “I’ll make up the bed.”
Since Violet and I weren’t officially anything I had agreed to sleep on the couch, I understood but I just wished that I could stay in her room with her.
“Its fine Jared, just relax okay?” She smiled, fluffing a pillow against the arm of the sofa.
“Yeah okay…” I moaned; sitting on the blankets she had put on the sofa. “Can we watch a movie or something? If you want…” I asked.
I looked for a second at Violet; she was in front of a window, the light outlining her frail silhouette. Her hair now hung at her shoulders, her curly fringe resting symmetrically on each side, the rest of her hair was a frizzy mess, but it looked beautiful against the shape of her face.
“Sure, King Kong is on tonight.” She replied, walking out into the small kitchen. I instantly jumped up and followed her into the shiny white room. I stood close behind her, “If you want I can go get popcorn and drinks?” I suggested, hoping she would turn around into me.
“There’s some here already Jared.”
“Oh… Ice?” I pushed.
“Just go sit down Jared.” I heard her smile.
“You sure, I don’t want to be a lazy guest now…”
“I insist.” She said, putting a ragged tea cloth onto the counter-top and turning an inch towards me.
I looked at her scared hands for a millisecond, “Does it still hurt?” I asked in a calm voice.
She turned and flashed me a look with her sorry grey eyes, “Not anymore.” She whispered.
She pulled me into her arms and hugged me tightly, her head resting on my chest for a split moment before resuming her façade, “Em, the film is on in a few.”
I nodded and smiled at her, keeping her close beside me, “We should go watch it.”

“Eww! Eww! Eww!” Violet screeched as the giant bugs attacked the people in King Kong.
“Is it over?” She cried, huddling behind a pillow.
“Almost…” I said, trying to contain my laughter.
“Now?” She asked, peeking over the rim of the pillow.
“No… Now.” I laughed, pulling her into my side subtly as she flinched and cowered at the sight of the giant centipedes.
She sighed and pushed the pillow down, she looked tired and flushed, “You okay?” I smiled, wrapping one arm around her casually.
She bit into her bottom lip, tugging it with her teeth, “Jared, what was it you and Shannon fought about?”
My stomach felt raw and unsure, “Em, well we just didn’t see eye to eye over something.”
“Which was?” She peered up and me and tugged on my heartstrings, my palms felt sweatier and twitchy.
“When we’re going back on tour.” I lied, exhaling deeply.
She turned her gaze to the television, she looked lost in the film for a single moment, I wanted to make a move, unsure but I was close to her now, I had the chance, the night was still young.
“You look really beautiful tonight.” I grinned, trying to get rid of the space she was creating.
“Drink up the monarch's plague, this flattery?” She said, turning a pale and shy pink in the cheeks.
“ Or whether shall I say, mine eye saith true.” I grinned.