Take My Hand by Nicola Haken Page A

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    “You’ve
got to be fucking with me,” I groaned out loud when I walked back into my
crap-hole of a flat for the first time since the tsunami. The pipes were
clearly fixed given the fact there was no water slapping me in the face, but
the place was still a sodden mess. And it stank – something like mildew
mixed with dog shit and a dash of cat’s piss for good measure. Guess I
shouldn’t have expected anything else when I’m only paying a hundred and twenty
pounds per week for the shit-heap. I would definitely be missing classes today.
    Emily
popped into my head as I rolled up the sleeves of my long-sleeved black shirt
in preparation to rip up the moldy carpet – I should really let her know
so she didn’t forget to take notes. Then I remembered I didn’t have her number
so I had to text Jared and get him to tell her instead. Good job they were
still friends or my plan would’ve been totally pissed on.
    I’ve
woken up covered in my own vomit a fair few times in my life yet nothing
could’ve prepared me for the smell that annihilated my senses when I bent down
to that reeking fucking carpet. I decided my best option was to cut it into
squares rather than try and lift it in one piece. It would’ve been awkward
enough with the added weight of three week old water.
    I’d
just finished scoring the squares when the bell downstairs rang. After drying
my hands on the bottom of my shirt I curiously hurried towards the main
entrance door - I wasn’t expecting anyone. When I opened the door my mood
instantly lifted.
    “What
are you doing here?” I asked Emily. “How did you know where I lived?”
    “I
asked Jared. Hope you don’t mind. I just thought you might need some help
moving back in.”
    “What
about class?” was my first thought. My second was silently telling myself not
to sound like such an ungrateful jackass. “Sorry. I mean that’s real nice of
you. But you really didn’t need to. I only had one case with me at Jared’s.”
    “Oh,”
she muttered dejectedly – her cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink
like they always did when she was embarrassed.
    “But
seeing as you’re here… come on up,” I offered, standing to the side and
pointing up the stairs. She smiled that sweet smile and brushed past me as she
made her way inside.
    “Oh my
God!” she squealed when she strolled obliviously into the cesspit that was my
home.
    “Yeah.
Still got a few finishing touches to make.”
    “It
would’ve taken you forever to clear this mess on your own. See? Good job I came
right?” she said, shrugging off her tan mac and laying it neatly on top of the
kitchen countertop – the only place that wasn’t wet. Then she rolled her
the sleeves of her baby-pink sweater and knelt down.
    “Whoa
whoa whoa, you don’t need to-”
    “Why
don’t you just shut up and come help me,” she scolded playfully. Wow, her
slight attempt at being masterful was kind of hot. And Jesus, seeing her bent
down like that was doing uncomfortable things to the inside of my pants. This
was getting ridiculous. I decided there and then that if my place wasn’t ready
to bring a girl back tonight, then I’d find one and go to theirs.

Chapter Ten

 
    Emily
                                                      

 
 
    Seeing the state of Dexter’s flat made me glad I came. I
debated with myself for over an hour about whether to come. We’re not exactly
best friends – we still hardly know each other – but I figured we
should change that if we’re going to be working together on our Uni assignment.
Now I just needed to get over the fact that I’d lied to our tutor and told him
both Dexter and I had food poisoning from a dodgy burger van. I’ve never told
such a blatant lie before and I still don’t really know why I did it. There
were plenty of other times and places Dexter and I could’ve gotten to know one
another. Still it might well have