Matthew's POV
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Usually and for most people, the sky being grey and the spatter of rain would evoke a feeling of misery in them. And quite honestly I do not blame them entirely, as people practically push past me rushing to catch their ride home out of the rain. However for a person that has so desperately needed to see something different for a long time, to see something other than palms, and the glaring sun of California. The rain and the way it sprays down from the gloomy grey sky is a welcome image for my eyes.
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The cab pulls up to us, a black shiny car that is just so London. Even though we're at the airport and our glimpses of the UK have been very limited so far, I am already imagining sketches in my mind. So I pull out my camera looking like an absolute tourist and snap a picture of the cab framed by London Heathrow.
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London cab drivers are chatty I'm realising as the gentlemen indulges us in conversation about the rain and the weather and how it is an atrocity to see so much rain in September, exclaiming that he hasn't even had a summer yet and it's already winter as he carefully places our luggage into the trunk of the car. Ross and I slip inside the black cab smiling to one another, him happy to be out of the rain and myself, well I'm just happy to look at the sites from the window of our ride. I'm sure that the driver will continue his chatter for the whole entire ride.
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"London is bloody insane for traffic" he says to us and I smirk.
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"Busy days are good though, non stop back and forth from the airport I've been all day long" he chuckles informing us that we can light up as he sparks his own cigarette despite the no smoking signs.
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"Thanks man" Ross says as he hands me a roll up. I haven't really smoked since being around Taylor and the baby however I take the cigarette and spark it up.
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"American's" the cab driver comments as he notices Ross' accent.
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"Yes, California" Ross says softly as the driver nods, and I wait for the obvious chatter about the sunshine and the beaches. It's just so boring to draw. Nothing like a forest in the rain, the buildings and the architecture of different locations or indeed the love of your life and her eyes.
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"You're staying in soho!" The driver announces looking down over the navigation. Ross had picked an apartment, full of character and charm in Soho. I looked over the glossy pictures, fireplaces in every single room and high ceilings. Close to tubes and transport, places to eat nearby and a whole load of attractions at your fingertips and agreed.
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"You'll like it, two young chaps like yourselves. You know you won't see much sun though right" he laughs and I begin to question why people are so obsessed with sunshine and temperatures that exceed eighteen degrees.
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Ross takes over the talking as we cruise past various gardens, colleges and monuments. When we eventually reach Piccadilly circus I'm glad that we didn't hire a car just looking at the road layouts and the complicated traffic signs. It's absolutely every drivers worst nightmare to be stuck in lanes upon lanes of traffic.
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However the lights and the buildings practically enchant me and I have to stop myself from pulling my camera out as I look around in awe. The sheer amount of people is not something I had anticipated, I just know that I will end up sitting on the steps somewhere and drawing something that encapsulates a moment in time. A brief glimpse into somebodies timeline, that's the thing about drawing, really you are sketching a story. People derive a lot of meaning from art, and that is entirely down to their interpretation of it, but as the artist you flirt with ideas when you use people in your sketches. Like the couple standing below the tube sign, or the elderly man waiting by the bus stand. You draw them and suddenly people imagine their lives, what they may be doing and who they are because they have become a focal point in your piece.
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"Man thank you" Ross says as he taps his card on the machine in the back of the cab.
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"Thanks" I say softly as we leave the cab stepping out onto the streets of London.
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"Guys I can help with your bags" the cab driver announces popping the boot of his black shiny car and helping us out. We had tipped him on top of his fare, and I think he was just glad to have made a little extra.
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Ross pulls his beanie on before we lift our suitcases up to the front of the apartment, climbing the rail steps over the tiled pavement as the rain continues its onslaught. I take in the red front door, the same shade as the London buses, and it’s traditional door knocker as he puts the code into the system and it beeps letting us in. And as we stand in the hall looking over the fresh cut flowers I sigh imagining being here with her, as a couple. Carrying her up the stairs and making love to her the second we get in the door. That's it really I think to myself desperately trying to put thoughts of Taylor out of my brain, we have a place to stay for the next week or so before we travel to Italy. Destination number two, sunshine and grapevines. And most importantly Taylor.
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"I claim the large bedroom" Ross jokes as we pace through the hall and he sets his case down on the large oak bed frame in the bedroom that has the views. I scoff walking into the other room which is just as nice. Period features and a fireplace, a large double bed with cushions and throws. Interconnecting en-suite with a walled in shower.
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"Man" Ross announces walking around the hall and I chuckle slightly at how he cannot just think in his head, rather he tends to speak his thoughts out loud.
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"This living room is nice" he shouts and I laugh ditching my case and walking down the hall to the first floor. The second floor opens up to a balcony over the living space, whereby you can look down at the living room from upstairs. Two large doors to your left open up to an outside balcony where one can look over the city and sit on the patio table enjoying a beer or a glass of red.
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I take the steps down to the living space and eye up the two leather sofas in a dark brown colour, a large flatscreen with bookcases either side of them. Large windows with drapes framing them and a very nice print on the wall of the British countryside. My eyes settle on it for some time, as I wonder about the countryside, the forests and the rolling hills of Britain.
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The sun has set, even though we haven't had a peek of sunlight for the whole day. Being that it's almost eight o'clock, we decide to settle our things and then go out for dinner together. The married couple were becoming, I laugh to myself as he flicks through the bookcase and I eye up the artwork for a second time.
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"Here let's go somewhere British for dinner, not Italian not Chinese just British" Ross laughs pulling his phone out as he presumably searches up places.
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"Oh two messages" he laughs and I rub my face slightly, realising that Ross' inner thoughts are going to be my soundtrack to this trip.
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"Olivia and Taylor." He says taking a seat down on the leather sofa and removing his beanie.
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"Taylor's safely in Italy. Olivia wants to join me in London" he laughs and I face palm imagining my ex, that hates me, storming into our lovely London apartment.
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"Man she would follow you to the ends of the earth. That's one thing I learnt about her she doesn't give up easy" I say laughing slightly.
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"Don't worry I'm not going to invite the redhead" he laughs stroking his blonde hair back.
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"You invite whoever you like" I laugh opening up my phone and reading Taylor's messages. Every time I read a message from her I want to wrap my arms around her. I hear her voice in my head explaining Italy and the landscape. Imagining hugging her and holding her by the pool before I close my phone and decide to send her a few pictures later of London.
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***
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We find ourselves in an establishment having walked through most of Chinatown and the bustling streets surrounding the area. The red lanterns above our heads as we perused the restaurants and the cafes, all of them still open as if it's not nighttime. However despite our travels, we ended up in a traditional British pub, and as we sit with two pints of London pride and await our food I look over the bar. Two young woman eyeing us up as they get hit on by another two young males. One of the girls, I would place her at twenty five, short dark hair with a petite frame. The other, blonde, with tall long legs.
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Instead of staring back at the dark haired woman who is watching me I look down at my phone and send over the images I've taken so far to Taylor. Some even including Ross in my snaps that I'm sure will make Taylor laugh as she opens them. Especially the one I took of him standing outside a sex shop with a thumbs up and a silly grin on his face. I take a picture of our pints and Ross laughs openly at me.
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"I'm sending Taylor pictures" I say defensively and he laughs.
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"Yeah I know, Lord you love her still so much don't you" he asks and I smile.
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"I will always love her" I admit before our mains arrive and we thank the server. The fish and chips hits the spot as I eye up the plate and tuck in.
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"Literally Taylor is married and has a child" he says almost to himself shaking his rugged hair back.
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"Yet it doesn't stop me from romanticising the life we could have shared" he admits and I nod.
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"When she left me, and that time after, I would have been fine if she had picked you" I laugh drinking my beer.
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"I said that to her, when she first told me she was seeing Jay." I admit my slightly hazy eyes looking over to the bar again, watching the guys hit on the two woman. Some British rock playing in the background as the bar gets busier, and more people begin ordering drinks rather than food. I eye the guys next to the women carefully, they’re younger maybe early twenties clad in leather jackets, one slipping his hand into his pocket as I watch the gesture carefully.
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"Was my fault, not seizing the moments with her. I was too casual. I always am. I should have made my moves more clear. Loss of my absolute life that one" he stutters as I stand from my chair abruptly and he stutters as the music swells and the lights drop just a touch. Not one stool is free by the bar, no table empty as people flock in and then mingle at the bar.
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Deserting my cod and chips, I stride straight over to the guy with his hand in his pockets, a sly expression on his face. The music booming giving me the extra confidence as I roll up my sleeves on my button up shirt and throw my curls back off of my face. The guy eyes me just quickly, his short cropped dark hair reminds me of Nate, Rachel's ex boyfriend, briefly and I almost laugh as I approach him. The brunette woman watching me gleefully as I reach them. I pull his hand swiftly away from his pocket, as he stares up at me with dark eyes full of hate. A whole bunch of pills scatter over the bar floor and he admonishes me with venom behind his voice.
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"Dick move man" he spits as me as I expose his intentions for the two young women.
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"Jesus Christ" the tall blonde girl practically gawks gazing at the date rape drugs all over the floor.
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"I'm the dick am I!?" I laugh as he tries to collect up the pills. Security, in the form of a large burly guy dressed in an all black uniform, pulls the guy and tells him he needs to leave. I watch as the guys are pulled out of the pub, and handed over to police outside, the blonde girl giving her drink back to the barman in case anything has been slipped into it.
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"Here" I say softly looking over at the barman.
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"Can I get refills for these two and two more pints please" I say to the barman and he nods setting on the drinks quickly as I pay for them.
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"Thank you" the brunette says softly as I look up from the card reader.
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"Not a problem" I say to her as she watches me closely.
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"Hey, whats your name?" The blonde girl asks as she swishes her hair back clearly thinking herself the more attractive option of the two of them. Giving me her best grin as she takes the refill of her drink and I retreat back.
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"Matty" I explain and she nods smiling to herself.
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"Matty and..?" She asks looking over at Ross.
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"Ross" I say over my shoulder walking away and back to my food.
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I slide back into my chair as Ross looks up at me expectantly. Ignoring him I tuck into my food and grin to myself as I see a message from Taylor pop up on my phone.
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I'm sorry Matthew, but I need some pics of you also, please tell me you guys went into the sex shop. We all miss you. Taylor
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“Hey Ross” I say and he looks at me bemused.
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“Can you take a nice picture of me so I can send it to Taylor” I say and he laughs.
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“How’d you know, Mathew? The guy and the pills how did you know to intervene” he asks me incredulously pulling his phone out and aiming it at me.
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“I was just people watching” I admit and he grins.
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“Sure” he says laughing as I try my best to look okay in my mugshot.
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“Try and look hot, dude and less moody” he laughs.
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“Moody is hot” I tell him as he rolls his eyes taking the picture and sending it through to me.
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“Why the picture” he laughs and I smirk.
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“Taylor didn’t want to just see your mug.” I laugh and he acts mock surprised throwing his hands in the air before he grasps his knife and fork again.
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“That’s a great picture though the sex shop one” he laughs as blondie from earlier approaches him. Pulling up a chair and taking a seat at our table as I send through the picture to Taylor with a kiss.
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“Hey there Ross” she says confidently and from first impressions I know that she’s not his kind of girl. In her demeanour, which is commendably confident and her dress which is far too short. He eyes her and looks down at his food clearly miffed by the whole experience.
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“Hey ugh congrats on not getting your drink spiked” he giggles and she finds him irresistible, meanwhile the other girl takes a seat next to me wordlessly. Women are somewhat off the cards for me since I tend to break everything good about their character when they cannot live up to the standards of the love of my life. So in that respect I look at the girl, who quite frankly is far too young for me, and then I clear my throat and wait for Ross to continue the introductions.
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“Ross and Matthew, well would you like to know our names or not?” Blondie says taking charge of the entire conversation for everybody. I notice she swishes her hair back again, it’s a habit and I don’t like it. Already she annoys me and I cannot wait to be back at the apartment on the balcony smoking and drawing.
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“Go ahead” Ross says simply as he rests his fork down and looks up. The bar only gets busier as I see people beginning to dance around and enjoy themselves. I think about Taylor and how she would most likely be dancing among everybody else.
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“My name is Katherine. This is Aimee” blondie says clearly pleased as punch as Aimee looks up at me rather shyly.
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“The correct response to that is nice to meet you, you have beautiful names!” Katherine laughs and Ross strokes his blonde hair back, undeniably cool.
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“Very British” he says sipping his beer a wry smile on his lips.
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“You guys aren’t though right?” Katherine jibes with him, fishing for information.
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“No we’re actually Californians” he explains and she gasps like she’s struck gold.
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“Cali” she exclaims and he practically jumps at her shrill voice.
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“Yes California we’re just visiting the UK” he explains softly and Aimee nods.
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“Are you footballers? Or like models or something?” She enquires bizarrely and I begin to question her sanity. The music swells and I can feel the heat of all of the bodies in the bar suffocate me.
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“We’re not soccer players, no. And most definitely not models” he laughs downing the rest of his beer, as she brushes his arm laughing.
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“Soccer!” She laughs imitating his American accent.
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“It’s just guys that are like models or footballers travel right” she explains surmising her thought process and leaving the whole table lost for words. Ross places his beer down and I begin rolling cigarettes for our exit.
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“Yes I guess. But far from it. I’m a writer, Matthew’s an artist” Ross explains as I eye him quickly wondering what his game might be with these two women and not wanting to play any part in it.
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“I love writers” Katherine beams as if it’s fate and Ross smiles gently before he stands. I follow his lead like the ultimate wingman, rising from the table and slipping my leather jacket on. Before I hand him a cigarette as we push our way through the coach and horses to the entrance.
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“Man what happens in London…” Ross whispers to me and I laugh shaking my head as the two girls follow us out.
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