When Sparks Fly...Chapter 7

Ahh, you're all so sweet with your comments! You surprise me, I didn't think that chapter was good at all and it makes me laugh, I have no idea where I'm going with the story, but I'm glad some of you have belief in me! I think you'll like this chapter, I like it, so I hope you do and thank you so much for your ideas, keep suggesting them, I'm trying to work how I want the story to go. If no ideas, that's ok, I'd still love for you to comment!

Phoebe :D-I know you always comment, I do remember so thank you!
Amrit-bless you! Didn't mean to make you cry! Hope you're enjoying it and you're so sweet for saying that! Lol!
Finally, I think you'll like Caesar's name, Laura-Beth! You predicted it very well!
Also, thanks to everyone who continually comments and spoils me with lovely compliments, I don't deserve them by a long shot with the incredible authors on here-so thanks! And thanks to everyone for just reading my story-it's very sweet of you and I am really grateful. Hope you enjoy this chapter...!*

I stroll into my English lesson and see Caesar walking a few steps ahead of me. ‘Don’t you dare.’ I warn.

He turns around grinning as he slides into my seat.

‘Oh come on.’ I moan.

Debbie then walks in and says ‘Victoria, are you sitting down?’

‘Move it, Caesar.’ I say.

He looks up at me and taps his lap. I give up. I don’t even have the energy to argue with him. I walk to the spare seat and flop down in the chair.

‘Good,’ Debbie says ‘Ok, so I need you to get into pairs to share rooms when we’re down in Brighton.’

I grab Lola so quickly, she jumps up. ‘We’ll be in a two.’ I say loudly.

‘Girl on girl action, hey?’ Caesar teases.

See, Emily was wrong. He’s not funny, just really immature.

‘Ok girls, you can share…’ Debbie says writing down our names.

Caesar laughs at me and says ‘Did you think I was going to ask you to share with me?’

‘No.’ I say rolling my eyes. But how the hell did he know? I did think he was going to ask me or it would probably come down to us two with no one to share with but each other and that was not happening. I couldn’t spend three days solid with Caesar bugging me or sharing a room with me. No way.

I am so up and down with Caesar it would be a terrible idea us sharing. Some days I think he’s ok and quite nice, like yesterday, but others I think he’s a twat, like today.

At the end of the lesson, I leave quickly, but do not prepare myself for bumping into either Eddie or Roxy.

But I do.

I’ve bumped right into them. I catch my breath and Eddie smiles at me ‘Hey Vicks, haven’t seen you for a while.’

He’s holding her by the waist. Tightly claiming her as his own. Oh God I wish that were me.
I think I might cry.

‘How…how…how are you?’ I stutter.

Eddie looks at Roxy and smiles ‘Great. We’re great. I owe you so much for setting us up like that. That spontaneous meeting was perfect.’

I bite my tongue and nod. I look at Roxy and she doesn’t look like she loves him, not as much as I would.

‘We best go, see you, Vicks.’ Eddie says rubbing my arm. I flinch and look at them walk off. I might die.

I walk off in the opposite direction and see Caesar who waves at me sarcastically. But without a word, I walk straight into his arms and rest my head against his chest. Stunned by this, he slowly circles his arms around me and says unsurely ‘Are you ok?’

‘No.’ I say quietly.

He gently rubs my back and shushes me. ‘What’s wrong, Chick? You do know it’s Caesar, right?’

Yes I know its Caesar and I don’t know why I went to him, but I did. I was drawn to him because he was there and he was the one I wanted a cuddle from right after seeing Eddie with…Roxy.

I don’t answer Caesar for a while and just stay in his arms, closing my eyes tightly to stop the tears. After a minute or so I murmur ‘Yes and I don’t want to talk about it.’ I pull away and sit on the grass mound and Caesar follows me and asks anxiously ‘Would you like me to sit you?’

I nod and Caesar sits opposite me and says ‘Do you mind if I smoke?’

‘If you must.’

He smiles and lights up and blows to the side. As he tilts his cigarette to his lips, I notice a small black tattoo on the inside of his wrist. I’ve never noticed that before.

‘What does it symbolize?’ I ask, pointing to his wrist.

He looks down and smiles ‘Hope.’

‘Why?’

‘Double meaning, really. I need a lot of hope in my life and my niece is called Hope.’

‘You have a niece?’

He nods.

‘How old is she?’

‘Two.’ Ah, bless.

‘Brother or sisters child?’

‘My sister, Ashlee’s.’

‘Are you close?’

‘Pretty close.’

I smile ‘See, you are soft.’

‘Only to her, so don’t get excited.’ He teases.

‘Did I say I was?’

He smiles ‘Don’t know.’

‘Is she older or younger?’

‘Younger.’

‘How young?’

’17.’

‘And she has a child!’ I say rather shocked.

Caesar laughs ‘Oh yeah, sorry Ms Traditionalist. A bit unconventional for you, hey?’

I smile ‘Was it planned?’

‘No, she was just young and stupid.’

‘Is that why you don’t want kids?’

‘I guess that could be another reason, but I don’t think I want them.’

‘Why not?’

‘They are a lot of work, Ash doesn’t have a life. She puts all her life into Hope and that’s all she’s got now. She’s stuck being a mum, she has no freedom or anything. I feel bad for her, but I just don’t think I’m the family man; I couldn’t provide for a child. I’m just too selfish; I wouldn’t want to be tied down all the time having to raise a child.’

‘Yeah, you are selfish.’ I say rolling my eyes. ‘Are you good with Hope?’

‘I like to look after her, yeah, but I always have the reassurance of giving her back at the end of the day. I couldn’t do it myself.’

‘I think you doubt yourself. I think you’re just scared.’

‘No I’m not.’ He tries to say firmly.

I raise my eyebrow and shake my head. ‘What’s her full name?’

‘Hope Jane Matthews.’

I smile ‘That’s lovely.’ I pause before saying ‘Is your real surname Matthews?’

A huge grin appears on his face and he nods ‘It was.’

‘What’s your real name? The one you were given at birth.’

‘Why should I tell you?’ He teases.

‘To cheer me up.’ I say wobbling my bottom lip.

‘Oh don’t go all emotional on me.’

‘Tell me then or tell me why you changed it?’

He looks at me long and hard and says ‘No one else knows except one person here.’

‘Oohh really! It’s like a huge secret then!’ He sees my face light up and he smiles too.

‘Yeah, so you can’t tell anyone.’

I nod.

‘Shoot.’

‘It was a dare.’

‘What?’

‘I changed my name for a dare.’

‘You’re kidding me.’

He shakes his head. ‘Nope.’

‘Why!’

‘Why not?’

‘Wasn’t your mum angry?’

He laughs ‘Yeah, but I like my new name.’

‘How did it happen?’

Caesar starts picking up grass strands and says ‘My mate dared me to change my name and I said I would if he did. He got to choose my name and I chose his.’

‘So what is your full name?’

‘Well that’s awful since I know yours.’ He chuckles.

I smile ‘Well I’ve not been stalking you to find out.’

‘Good, I’d think you’re weirder than you already are.’ He teases.

‘Oi!’

He laughs then says ‘Caesar Salad King.’

My jaw drops ‘No way.’ I say in shock.

He nods.

‘That’s stupid! I don’t believe you.’

‘Well thanks.’ He opens his pocket and brings out his driving license and it does indeed say ‘Caesar Salad King’.

‘You’re mad.’ I say.

‘Thanks.

‘So what’d your friend’s name? Is it any worse?’

‘It’s hilarious, Mac Flurry Donald.’ He bursts out laughing but I’m stunned.

‘How old were you?’

’16.’

‘Were you drunk?’

‘Chick, you think I drink all the time, seriously, I don’t and no, I wasn’t. I was completely sober.’

‘So what’s your real name?’

‘Caesar.’

‘Come on, tell me.’

‘I’ll save that for another day.’

‘Oh come on!’

He smiles and says ‘Another day. So, tell me a bit about your family. Any siblings?’

‘Yeah, two brothers.’

‘Are they protective?’

‘No, not really.’

‘How old are they?’

’26 and 24.’

‘Ahh, you’re the baby of the family.’ He grins. ‘Any nieces or nephews?’

I laugh at the thought ‘No, thank goodness. Andy’s current girlfriend is horrible and Ryan’s off traveling and isn’t in a relationship. Is your sister still with Hope’s dad?’

‘No, don’t be daft.’

‘Why is that daft?’

‘Well no one ever stays together and especially when your 15 and knocked up.’

‘Were you angry?’

‘A bit, I thought she was stupid but Hope’s a beauty now.’

‘What does she look like?’

‘Blonde and curly like yourself.’

‘Is she gorgeous like myself?’ I tease.

He laughs ‘Calling yourself gorgeous? You’re so vain, Chick.’

I laugh and Caesar smiles at me, and then asks ‘What are you up to this afternoon?’

‘Nothing, why?’

‘Fancy coming to my place. All I’m going to do is doss about.’

‘Um, ok. Why not?’

Caesar stands up and says ‘I’ve got my motorbike, so we’ll use that.’

I nod and follow Caesar but before we get to his motor bike, I say ‘Thanks for sitting with me. It was really sweet of you.’

He rubs my arm and says ‘That’s alright. We’re friends, well most of them time.’ He winks.

I smile and link my arm with his. ‘Yeah, most of the time.’

When we get to his bike, I ask ‘Do you flat share with anyone?’

‘Yeah, Mac.’

‘What uni were you at before this?’

‘Wales, Cardiff.’

‘Why did you leave it?’

‘I didn’t enjoy it and Mac kept going on about how much he liked it here so I thought I’d swap and so I did.’

‘What’s Mac like?’

‘Hard core.’ He says laughing. I slap his arm and he hands me a helmet. I put in on and laugh.

‘Cute.’ He comments. He sits on first and revs it up then says ‘Get on, Chick and hold on.’ Caesar speeds off and I hold on so tightly in the hope of not falling off. Soon enough we’re at his home. It’s not far from mine and he’s got a nice flat in quite a nice area.

We walk up the stairs and Caesar calls out ‘Mac, are you in?’

Mac then appears bare-chested and in boxers. Well, that’s a way to greet someone. ‘Get some clothes on, mate, Victoria’s here.’

Mac smiles at me and waves ‘Hey.’

Caesar opens the window and says ‘What can I get you?’

‘Um, water?’

‘Well aren’t you a firecracker.’ Mac teases. I smile sarcastically and Mac says ‘I like you already.’

Caesar looks at me standing in the middle of their living room and says ‘You can sit down.’

‘Um, I’d rather not. Your place is…’

‘Nice?’ He tries.

I can’t hold back my true feelings as I say ‘Vile, look how cluttered it is and I don’t even want to see what is under the sofa or even move from my spot. We’re going out.’

‘What?’ Caesar asks rather confused and a bit offended.

‘I’m going to help you clean your flat.’

Mac looks at me in disbelief and says ‘Are you a cleaner or something?’

‘For you, I will be. Caesar, come on, let’s go out and get some cleaning stuff because I swear this must be bad for your health.’

Caesar smiles at me and says ‘Chick…’

‘I mean it, get your coat and wallet, you need help.’ Caesar laughs at me but I’m deadly serious. ‘Get your wallet, Caesar. We’re going to clean your flat this afternoon.’

Mac laughs and says ‘Are you going to be dressed up in a maid’s uniform then?’

I look at him and Caesar grins ‘You two are way too horny, but if that will help clean your flat, then I will.’

Caesar’s jaw drops and I look shocked ‘You wish, Caesar! Get your are moving, we don’t have all day.’

‘I quite liked that idea.’ He teases.

I roll my eyes and say ‘I wish I hadn't say anything now.’

He hands me the helmet and grins.

Horny guy.