chickadee
New Yorker
Yoohoo! I'm back! No, essays and uni work cannot stop me writing U2 fic! Well, actually, they did for a while, which is why I've been quiet on the fic front. But now I have more! Thanks for all the comments saying you wanted more, it was really sweet.
As always, it's NOT TRUE!
********************************
Chapter 12
Hello again! It’s been a while. Three days since my date with Larry. And he hasn’t called.
You may be wondering, with good reason, why I seem so cheerful in this situation. The truth is, I don’t really know. I think I might be going crazy. I’ve been stuck in the house cleaning and dusting to keep it looking presentable and apart from Adele quizzing me about Larry, nobody has phoned. Not even your standard double-glazing salesman. And it’s not been much fun.
Nobody told me this actually happened. You hear about girls waiting in vain for boys to phone but I always assumed that was silly magazine problem page made-up stories. Apparently not! Apparently, in real life, men don’t bother getting in touch and women are left in the vacuum, wondering what they did wrong.
Maybe that’s just me. But the thing is, our date went so well! You may remember. After we’d kissed in the rain, we kissed some more and then Larry hailed us a taxi and took me home, kissed me again and said, “I’ve had a great night. I’ll call you really soon.” I went inside and promptly melted in a puddle of squeal on the sofa, making Molly very concerned for my sanity.
I don’t know what ‘really soon’ means to you but to me, it means sooner than three days!
Never mind. Today, I have something to take my mind off Larry. I have a job interview! It’s at that bookshop I handed an application into. I know; I was amazed too. I’m wearing my smartest black trousers, an ancient pair of flat black shoes and a blue shirt I found after a morning’s worth of rummaging, and I’m on the bus heading into town. It doesn’t take long and soon I’m stepping off into the (thankfully dry) Dublin afternoon. I walk along to the bookshop, trying to settle the nerves that have suddenly appeared. Maybe if I think about Larry it’ll help… Nope, no help there, I just feel sick.
In the bookshop, I am introduced to the manager and have quite a pleasant interview. She asks me lots of the usual questions like why am I good for this job, what are my best qualities, et cetera. I get a chance to blab about my favourite books and we seem to get on well. By the time I leave I feel quietly confident that I’ve made a good impression and done myself justice, and even if I haven’t got the job at least I gave it a shot.
See? Philosophical. Why can’t I be like that where Larry is concerned?
I leave the shop and walk down to the Liffey, where I sit on a bench by the river and watch people go by on the other side. The sun’s out and while it’s not exactly hot, it’s much nicer than in recent days. And autumn’s really on the way. Y’know when the leaves start thinking about changing colour and the wind gets a bit sharper? That’s how it is in Dublin now. Very nice and all, but I can’t give much thought to it because my thoughts, as they always do nowadays, turn to Larry. I wonder what he’s doing right now? What is so important that he can’t be bothered to phone me? I mean, is a two-minute chat too much to ask?
But then, what if he got home and decided kissing me had been a huge mistake and actually, he didn’t fancy me at all? Well, it’s possible, isn’t it? Adele used to do that to guys all the time before Dan. I’m pretty sure she still does, in fact.
I catch the bus home soon after, feeling uncertainty weigh me down. God, I’m so melodramatic, aren’t I? Don’t worry, I’ll stop and just say I got home, put on my really comfy clothes, fed Molly and then checked the answering machine…
“Hi Rachel, it’s Larry. Um, just wondered if you wanted to come down to the studio tomorrow. Sorry I didn’t get in touch before now but we’ve been busy, we still are really but I want to see you so if you’re free maybe come down. Okay, bye.”
Oh my goodness, what a cute message! I’m grinning at the phone like an absolute fool and all I can think about now is the way Larry’s lips feel against mine (which, for the record, is really, really great).
Tomorrow is only a day away…
*
And so it’s tomorrow and I’m walking along to the studio, feeling just about as nervous as I did on our date, because it’s the first time I’ve seen him since and somehow I find that worse. I don’t know why. Maybe because I’m not sure how to act. Do I kiss him when I see him? Or do we hug? Or do we shuffle awkwardly and sneak glances at one another until we both go crazy?
I wish I had a pamphlet that told me the answer.
Argh, Caroline’s on reception! I’m stopping dead in my tracks when I see her, because well, she’s such a bitch! She was clearly very jealous of the fact Larry wanted my number the last time and I’d like to avoid a repeat confrontation. Unfortunately, she’s spotted me already and is giving me an evil stare through the plate glass door. At least, I’m assuming she is. It can’t possibly be a look of niceness, can it?
I decide to get over myself and walk in, safe in the knowledge that Larry’s kissed me and I’ll bet that’s more than he’s ever done with Caroline.
“Hi,” I say as sweetly as possible, which isn’t very given the fact we don’t like each other. “I’m here to see Larry.”
Her face hardens and I notice for the first time the harsh lipliner she’s wearing. No particular reason I mention it except well, it makes her sound silly.
“Larry. And he’s expecting you?” If her voice was any colder it’d be living in the Arctic.
“That’s right,” I reply. “Is he around?”
“I’ll just find out for you.” She picks up the phone and gives me a look as if to suggest I take a seat, but I’m not letting her loose near my love life. I hover beside the desk so I can hear everything she says.
Fortunately, I am prevented from (probably) strangling her by a shout of my name from down the same corridor I went with Edge last time. I look and can’t help smiling when I see Larry almost running to meet me, and he’s smiling too.
“Rachel! Hey.” He stops in front of me and we grin stupidly at one another for a few seconds. I’m not even blushing. But I think he is.
“Hi, I was just coming to see you. Once Caroline put me through.” I nod towards said witch-woman, who’s caught between glaring at me and fluttering her lashes at Larry.
“Oh, right.” He spares her a nano-second glance before taking my hand. “C’mon, we’re about to have lunch.” He leads me down the corridor part way until we’re out of Caroline’s sight, and then stops walking to pull me to him.
“I really missed you,” he says, his nose nudging against mine. Oh God, this is so romantic!
“I missed you,” I reply, and before he can make a move, I kiss him. Yes, my dear readers, I made the first move! I’ve no idea where the courage came from but I like it. I also like the way Larry makes a surprised, happy sort of noise against my lips before parting mine with his tongue and kissing me pretty thoroughly. He smells like the rain, all earthy and male, and it’s all I can do to hold onto his waist as we part and I feel slightly dizzy.
“Lunch,” is what he says next, but he’s smiling. I suppress the desire to ask if I can have him for lunch and instead follow him down the corridor and down a few more until we reach a large, comfy looking room, in which we find Edge, Bono and Adam, all sitting around eating pizza. When they hear us arrive in the doorway they look up in unison.
“Rachel, how lovely to see you.” Bono’s the first to jump up, coming over and pressing a swift kiss to my cheek. “Have some pizza, there’s plenty to go round.”
I thank him as Larry mutters, “Yeah, Adam only ordered about twenty,” and go over to sit next to Bono on the sofa, because he offers up the seat and also because I’m not sure I can trust myself to sit beside Larry and not jump him. Adam’s on the other side of the sofa and he reaches out a hand as I sit down.
“Larry’s told me all about you,” he smiles, and I shake his hand. “I’m Adam.”
“She knows who you are,” Larry grumbles, sitting on a chair in the corner and helping himself to a slice of pizza from one of the (many) boxes littering the big table in the middle.
“Well, unlike you, Lawrence, I’m don’t presume these things,” Adam replies, giving me a wink. I laugh despite the dirty look Larry shoots Adam in response.
“How are you, Rachel?” Edge speaks up from where he’s looking very relaxed in a slouchy armchair across from the sofa. “And would you like a drink? There’s juice going, or tea, coffee…” He gestures vaguely in the direction of the small kitchenette I can see just off the main room.
“I’m fine, thanks. Had a job interview yesterday.” I don’t know why I’m volunteering this information, except that they’re so at ease and making me feel comfortable. It’s like hanging out with my mates, if my mates were all male rockstars. But you know what I mean. “Could I have an orange juice, please?”
“I’ll get it,” Larry says immediately, disappearing into the small room. I can hear him rummaging around in wherever and clattering what I assume is a cup.
“What was the job for?” Adam asks, taking a sip of tea.
“It’s in a bookshop in town. Doubt I’ll get it.” I accept the orange juice from Larry, who has returned. “Thanks. Yeah, I’m thinking about going back to uni, actually.”
“Have you been at uni before?”
“A few years ago. I was too young, not interested in the course… I failed first year and my parents weren’t amused! Just kind of gave up after that.” I drink at least half of the juice, suddenly feeling really thirsty.
“What are you thinking of doing?” Adam’s watching me, apparently interested in what I’m saying. Which is quite flattering, I’m sure you’ll agree.
“I’m not sure. I don’t know what interests me enough to stick with for four years.” I shrug, staring at my juice and feeling a bit silly. I think I’m far too fickle for uni life, really. I want Larry, and only Larry, right this second, though. I know that’s random but I just looked over at him and he looks so gorgeous. And I’m allowed to kiss him!
“There’s no rush,” Bono says on my other side. He’s looking all unkempt-sexy on his day out of public life and it’s hard not to feel a desire to climb into his lap and do naughty things to him. I’m not saying I fancy him, by the way – I got over that, honest! It’s just… well, it’s Bono! That’s the sort of feeling he inspires, I’m realising. “You don’t have to decide yet. If at all. I didn’t have a higher education and it didn’t do me any harm.”
Edge sniggers and Bono throws a couch cushion at him, knocking the cowboy hat off his head. Then we’re all laughing, none more so than Edge, who’s still giggling by the time the rest of us have pretty much calmed down. I meet Larry’s eyes across the room and feel a shiver run right down my spine…
I can’t wait to get him on his own!
TBC!
As always, it's NOT TRUE!
********************************
Chapter 12
Hello again! It’s been a while. Three days since my date with Larry. And he hasn’t called.
You may be wondering, with good reason, why I seem so cheerful in this situation. The truth is, I don’t really know. I think I might be going crazy. I’ve been stuck in the house cleaning and dusting to keep it looking presentable and apart from Adele quizzing me about Larry, nobody has phoned. Not even your standard double-glazing salesman. And it’s not been much fun.
Nobody told me this actually happened. You hear about girls waiting in vain for boys to phone but I always assumed that was silly magazine problem page made-up stories. Apparently not! Apparently, in real life, men don’t bother getting in touch and women are left in the vacuum, wondering what they did wrong.
Maybe that’s just me. But the thing is, our date went so well! You may remember. After we’d kissed in the rain, we kissed some more and then Larry hailed us a taxi and took me home, kissed me again and said, “I’ve had a great night. I’ll call you really soon.” I went inside and promptly melted in a puddle of squeal on the sofa, making Molly very concerned for my sanity.
I don’t know what ‘really soon’ means to you but to me, it means sooner than three days!
Never mind. Today, I have something to take my mind off Larry. I have a job interview! It’s at that bookshop I handed an application into. I know; I was amazed too. I’m wearing my smartest black trousers, an ancient pair of flat black shoes and a blue shirt I found after a morning’s worth of rummaging, and I’m on the bus heading into town. It doesn’t take long and soon I’m stepping off into the (thankfully dry) Dublin afternoon. I walk along to the bookshop, trying to settle the nerves that have suddenly appeared. Maybe if I think about Larry it’ll help… Nope, no help there, I just feel sick.
In the bookshop, I am introduced to the manager and have quite a pleasant interview. She asks me lots of the usual questions like why am I good for this job, what are my best qualities, et cetera. I get a chance to blab about my favourite books and we seem to get on well. By the time I leave I feel quietly confident that I’ve made a good impression and done myself justice, and even if I haven’t got the job at least I gave it a shot.
See? Philosophical. Why can’t I be like that where Larry is concerned?
I leave the shop and walk down to the Liffey, where I sit on a bench by the river and watch people go by on the other side. The sun’s out and while it’s not exactly hot, it’s much nicer than in recent days. And autumn’s really on the way. Y’know when the leaves start thinking about changing colour and the wind gets a bit sharper? That’s how it is in Dublin now. Very nice and all, but I can’t give much thought to it because my thoughts, as they always do nowadays, turn to Larry. I wonder what he’s doing right now? What is so important that he can’t be bothered to phone me? I mean, is a two-minute chat too much to ask?
But then, what if he got home and decided kissing me had been a huge mistake and actually, he didn’t fancy me at all? Well, it’s possible, isn’t it? Adele used to do that to guys all the time before Dan. I’m pretty sure she still does, in fact.
I catch the bus home soon after, feeling uncertainty weigh me down. God, I’m so melodramatic, aren’t I? Don’t worry, I’ll stop and just say I got home, put on my really comfy clothes, fed Molly and then checked the answering machine…
“Hi Rachel, it’s Larry. Um, just wondered if you wanted to come down to the studio tomorrow. Sorry I didn’t get in touch before now but we’ve been busy, we still are really but I want to see you so if you’re free maybe come down. Okay, bye.”
Oh my goodness, what a cute message! I’m grinning at the phone like an absolute fool and all I can think about now is the way Larry’s lips feel against mine (which, for the record, is really, really great).
Tomorrow is only a day away…
*
And so it’s tomorrow and I’m walking along to the studio, feeling just about as nervous as I did on our date, because it’s the first time I’ve seen him since and somehow I find that worse. I don’t know why. Maybe because I’m not sure how to act. Do I kiss him when I see him? Or do we hug? Or do we shuffle awkwardly and sneak glances at one another until we both go crazy?
I wish I had a pamphlet that told me the answer.
Argh, Caroline’s on reception! I’m stopping dead in my tracks when I see her, because well, she’s such a bitch! She was clearly very jealous of the fact Larry wanted my number the last time and I’d like to avoid a repeat confrontation. Unfortunately, she’s spotted me already and is giving me an evil stare through the plate glass door. At least, I’m assuming she is. It can’t possibly be a look of niceness, can it?
I decide to get over myself and walk in, safe in the knowledge that Larry’s kissed me and I’ll bet that’s more than he’s ever done with Caroline.
“Hi,” I say as sweetly as possible, which isn’t very given the fact we don’t like each other. “I’m here to see Larry.”
Her face hardens and I notice for the first time the harsh lipliner she’s wearing. No particular reason I mention it except well, it makes her sound silly.
“Larry. And he’s expecting you?” If her voice was any colder it’d be living in the Arctic.
“That’s right,” I reply. “Is he around?”
“I’ll just find out for you.” She picks up the phone and gives me a look as if to suggest I take a seat, but I’m not letting her loose near my love life. I hover beside the desk so I can hear everything she says.
Fortunately, I am prevented from (probably) strangling her by a shout of my name from down the same corridor I went with Edge last time. I look and can’t help smiling when I see Larry almost running to meet me, and he’s smiling too.
“Rachel! Hey.” He stops in front of me and we grin stupidly at one another for a few seconds. I’m not even blushing. But I think he is.
“Hi, I was just coming to see you. Once Caroline put me through.” I nod towards said witch-woman, who’s caught between glaring at me and fluttering her lashes at Larry.
“Oh, right.” He spares her a nano-second glance before taking my hand. “C’mon, we’re about to have lunch.” He leads me down the corridor part way until we’re out of Caroline’s sight, and then stops walking to pull me to him.
“I really missed you,” he says, his nose nudging against mine. Oh God, this is so romantic!
“I missed you,” I reply, and before he can make a move, I kiss him. Yes, my dear readers, I made the first move! I’ve no idea where the courage came from but I like it. I also like the way Larry makes a surprised, happy sort of noise against my lips before parting mine with his tongue and kissing me pretty thoroughly. He smells like the rain, all earthy and male, and it’s all I can do to hold onto his waist as we part and I feel slightly dizzy.
“Lunch,” is what he says next, but he’s smiling. I suppress the desire to ask if I can have him for lunch and instead follow him down the corridor and down a few more until we reach a large, comfy looking room, in which we find Edge, Bono and Adam, all sitting around eating pizza. When they hear us arrive in the doorway they look up in unison.
“Rachel, how lovely to see you.” Bono’s the first to jump up, coming over and pressing a swift kiss to my cheek. “Have some pizza, there’s plenty to go round.”
I thank him as Larry mutters, “Yeah, Adam only ordered about twenty,” and go over to sit next to Bono on the sofa, because he offers up the seat and also because I’m not sure I can trust myself to sit beside Larry and not jump him. Adam’s on the other side of the sofa and he reaches out a hand as I sit down.
“Larry’s told me all about you,” he smiles, and I shake his hand. “I’m Adam.”
“She knows who you are,” Larry grumbles, sitting on a chair in the corner and helping himself to a slice of pizza from one of the (many) boxes littering the big table in the middle.
“Well, unlike you, Lawrence, I’m don’t presume these things,” Adam replies, giving me a wink. I laugh despite the dirty look Larry shoots Adam in response.
“How are you, Rachel?” Edge speaks up from where he’s looking very relaxed in a slouchy armchair across from the sofa. “And would you like a drink? There’s juice going, or tea, coffee…” He gestures vaguely in the direction of the small kitchenette I can see just off the main room.
“I’m fine, thanks. Had a job interview yesterday.” I don’t know why I’m volunteering this information, except that they’re so at ease and making me feel comfortable. It’s like hanging out with my mates, if my mates were all male rockstars. But you know what I mean. “Could I have an orange juice, please?”
“I’ll get it,” Larry says immediately, disappearing into the small room. I can hear him rummaging around in wherever and clattering what I assume is a cup.
“What was the job for?” Adam asks, taking a sip of tea.
“It’s in a bookshop in town. Doubt I’ll get it.” I accept the orange juice from Larry, who has returned. “Thanks. Yeah, I’m thinking about going back to uni, actually.”
“Have you been at uni before?”
“A few years ago. I was too young, not interested in the course… I failed first year and my parents weren’t amused! Just kind of gave up after that.” I drink at least half of the juice, suddenly feeling really thirsty.
“What are you thinking of doing?” Adam’s watching me, apparently interested in what I’m saying. Which is quite flattering, I’m sure you’ll agree.
“I’m not sure. I don’t know what interests me enough to stick with for four years.” I shrug, staring at my juice and feeling a bit silly. I think I’m far too fickle for uni life, really. I want Larry, and only Larry, right this second, though. I know that’s random but I just looked over at him and he looks so gorgeous. And I’m allowed to kiss him!
“There’s no rush,” Bono says on my other side. He’s looking all unkempt-sexy on his day out of public life and it’s hard not to feel a desire to climb into his lap and do naughty things to him. I’m not saying I fancy him, by the way – I got over that, honest! It’s just… well, it’s Bono! That’s the sort of feeling he inspires, I’m realising. “You don’t have to decide yet. If at all. I didn’t have a higher education and it didn’t do me any harm.”
Edge sniggers and Bono throws a couch cushion at him, knocking the cowboy hat off his head. Then we’re all laughing, none more so than Edge, who’s still giggling by the time the rest of us have pretty much calmed down. I meet Larry’s eyes across the room and feel a shiver run right down my spine…
I can’t wait to get him on his own!
TBC!
and I like the caroline thingy, that she's snobbish each time, and then a band member rescues her... 
