Hey! I haven't written anything in years but got looking at some of the comments on my earlier stories and was inspired to do something new. I might also add updates to prior stories if there's interest. As ever any feedback and comments are super welcome. I hope you enjoy!
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It was a strange thing to be in an environment that was so familiar and yet to feel so foreign within it. Even though she came home at least twice a year it never truly felt comfortable anymore. Some of the bars and restaurants were the same but a once thriving town centre had deteriorated steadily over the last eight years until the only lively looking businesses were betting and charity shops. Pushing open the door to the local pub she gave a smile that was just shy of a grimace to the bartender as she approached the bar.
"Hey... how are you? Can I please have a gin and tonic?" She asked as she unbuttoned her coat and hung it up before taking a seat, smoothing out the thin material of her Summer dress before taking a seat, crossing one leg over the other. Reaching into her bag she pulled out her MacBook and opened it up. She wanted to be around people not necessarily engage in conversation with them. Thanking the bartender when her drink was served she tapped her watch on the reader and then settled in to work. One of the key benefits of being a mostly distributed worker was that she was able to work anywhere which meant she could come home to celebrate her parents fiftieth wedding anniversary.
One of the key downfalls of being a distributed worker was that her parents absolutely did not understand the concept that she could be at work while sat on the couch. It was kind and well meaning but barely fifteen minutes would go by without the offer of a snack, a walk, a request for help or the suggestion they go out in the garden. If she actually wanted to focus she had to get out and as it was a small town there wasn't exactly an abundance of co-working spaces and the library had long closed. So a pub it was. She didn't have any calls so it was fine. Reaching into her bag she put her glasses on and pushed her lilac hair out of her face as she settled in to work.
A group of women entered the pub laughing in unison about an hour later and broke her out of her focus mode. Taking it as an opportunity to order another gin and tonic she sat up straight in her chair and stretched slightly, her long hair slipping off her shoulders as she tilted her head from side to side and drew her shoulders back until she felt that satisfying click. As she waited for her drink she adjusted the rings on her fingers, twisting them slightly in place before taking the cold glass and saying a soft thank you. There were so many deadlines and things to be on top of her mind felt like it was bursting at the seams trying to prioritise and re-prioritise in order to not let any of the balls drop. She was about to start going through her project updates when she felt someone come and stand next to her at the bar. Giving them a brief glance she turned her attention back to her screen only to jump when she heard her name.
"Lua?"
"Yes?" She started to respond before she had even clocked the person only to feel her stomach twist when she met their eyes. "Oh. Hi! Sorry. I didn't see you there. How are you?" It had been nearly fifteen years and yet Lua would have recognised that face in an instant. Of course, she had matured from the last time they were together but those bright, grey yellow eyes still had that mischievous sparkle.
Margot smiled brightly and leaned in for a hug, drawing Lua close and kissing her cheek. "It has been so long! What're you doing home? You moved away right?"
Lua moved her MacBook to one side before it was knocked off and embraced her lightly, smelling that familiar sweet scent of peach and pineapple that she had always associated with her. "Yeah. Yeah! I moved to London about ten years ago. How about you?"
Pulling back Margot slid her fingers into the pockets of her dark grey jeans, a string of tattoos now lining her left arm in a mosaic of different colour and illustrations. "I live in London too now. I'm just home for my brothers graduation ceremony. It's really good to see you. How have you been?"
Lua sipped her drink as she felt nervousness start to flush through her, seeing the confidence and comfort that had always come so easily for Margot. "Good! Yeah. I'm working for a start up in Shoreditch... How about you?"
"One of those bean bag places that let dogs come to work?" Margot asked with a wink.
"Something like that yeah," Lua laughed softly.
"I'm an English teacher. It's pretty good... the kids are wild." Margot admitted with a quiet laugh.
"Wow. I bet... I couldn't do that," Lua admitted, shaking her head. "But that's great. I always remember you loving to read." Lua said without thinking and for just a moment she was transported back to a much more tender moment. Laying in a field just off of the golf course, the sun shining brightly as she rested her head in Margot's lap, Margot's fingers carding through her hair lazily as she read aloud from The Price of Salt. At the memory Lua could feel her face getting a little hot and so she turned back to her drink. "Congratulations to your brother anyway."
Margot didn't respond to the reading comment, her eyes just lingering on Lua for a moment as she took her in, a little knowing smile playing on her features for a moment, letting the silence hold for just a little moment. "Yeah we're super proud of him. He's going to go doss around for a year after this but it's well deserved." She smiled only to look over her shoulder when her friends called her name and asked why their drinks were taking so long. "I had better get the round in or they're going to get fairy," she admitted with a soft laugh. "I don't think I have you on instagram. What's your username?" She asked as she pulled out her phone.
Lua wasn't the most avid social media user, preferring to observe more than post but she at least had an account and so she gave her the username and picked up her own phone to follow her back when the request came in. "Good to see you." Lua affirmed.
"Yes! Definitely. If you're around for a while it'd be good to meet up? Catch up properly?" She said and then leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Lua's cheek before picking up the tray of drinks that had been prepared for her and giving Lua a wink and a wave before heading back to her table.
Lua turned back to her laptop and breathed out slowly, unaware of how tense her body had become the whole time they were talking. Picking up her drink she took a sip, enjoying the soft rattle of the ice as it moved around the glass. This was okay. It was absolutely okay. Stealing a glance over at the table she saw Margot sat in the middle of the group holding court, all of the other women hanging on every word like flowers turning towards the sun. Turning back to her screen she tried to get her focus back into her work but each time she tried she found herself looking back over at the table. Not wanting to look like a creep she packed up her things, paid up and headed out.
Back in her childhood bedroom Lua opened the window to let some of the cool night air in as she changed into her pyjamas. It was unusual for it to be that warm in the UK but this Spring had started off warm and seemed set to only get warmer. Pulling up her delicate white cotton shorts and a camisole she stretched out in bed and replied to a few messages she had received when she was out. The notification of Margot following her back caught her eye and even if she knew it was a bad idea she couldn't help but look. She had over eight thousand followers on instagram which seemed like a lot for a teacher but as Lua scrolled through she could understand why.
Margot had always been beautiful, even when they had first met even despite the dowdy, old fashioned clothes her parents had permitted her to wear and her beautiful white blonde hair that was always firmly plaited back from her face her delicate bone structure and beautiful smile that lit up her whole face had shone through. Over time Margot had ditched the boxy, floral calf length dresses and switched to cigar cut trousers and fitted shirts that highlighted her curves. Her long hair that had previously gone down to her waist now sheared into a short shaggy bob with bangs and it all suited her beautifully.
She had grown into a stylish woman who lived her life out loud and Lua couldn't help but be happy for her given where she had started. Despite herself she couldn't help but linger on some of the bikini photos she had posted before scolding herself for being a creep. Reaching for her glass of water she leaned across the bed while still holding her phone and as she sank back against her pillows she realised she had liked a photo. Panic flashed through her when she realised the photo was from three years ago. She went to unlike it but realised the damage was already done as she'd still get the notification. Even though she was alone she could feel her skin flushing pink at the mortifying truth. A woman she hadn't seen in fifteen years who had pretty much ghosted her after their time together was about to see she had been scrolling through her feed. There was nothing she could do now so it was best just to put the day to an end. She was about to take a sleeping pill so the spiralling thoughts of doom and despair didn't keep her up when she saw a message:
Margot: Hi. I love that photo too. Almost forgot about it it was so long ago...
Lua: ...I am dying please do not make it worse.
Margot: If it helps I've been scrolling through yours too. I actually went back eight years but that's mostly because you only have about fifty photos total.
Lua: I don't really like social media.
Margot: Clearly. Pretty hard to get an understanding of your life since I last saw you when there's no content
Lua: Do you think I've got a good picture of your life from yours? I've got a highlights reel.
Margot: What do you mean? My life is literally just holidays, parties and very beautiful breakfasts
