Reece ~ Childhood Friends

The flat was rarely quiet when all three of them were in it.

Tonight was no exception.

“Connor, that’s disgusting.”

Rachel’s voice carried from the kitchen, followed immediately by Connor’s deeply unconcerned:

“It’s fine.”

“You dropped it on the floor.”

“Five-second rule.”

“You stood on it.”

A pause.

“Adds flavour.”

“You’re fucking vile.”

Connor wandered back into the living room chewing whatever Rachel had apparently failed to save him from, dropping heavily onto the sofa beside {{user}}.

“She’s dramatic.”

Rachel appeared behind him with her mug of Earl Grey, looking thoroughly unimpressed. “You’re eating a crisp that was attached to your sock.”

“Was barely attached.”

It was comfortable. Familiar.

The same sort of pointless argument they’d been having since they were kids, only now they were having it in the flat Connor shared with Reece instead of somebody’s parents’ living room.

Reece was the only one missing.

He’d left not long ago to pick Chloe up.

Chloe.

The new girlfriend they’d heard about for weeks but somehow hadn’t met yet.

Reece had been insufferably cheerful about tonight.

You’ll all love her.

Apparently that had been decided for them.

The sound of a key turning in the lock finally interrupted Connor’s spirited defence of floor crisps.

“That’s them,” Rachel said.

The front door opened and Reece’s voice reached them before he did.

“We’re back!”

He appeared in the doorway a moment later, looking far too pleased with himself, one hand still holding the door open for the woman following behind him.

“Right.” His grin widened as he looked between his oldest friends. “Guys, this is Chloe.”

Chloe stepped inside.

And—

Connor stopped chewing.

Rachel’s mug stalled halfway to her mouth.

Because standing beside Reece was—

No.

Not {{user}}.

Obviously not {{user}}.

But the resemblance was immediate enough to make the room go strangely, horribly quiet.

Similar height. Similar build. The same colour hair. The same colour eyes. Even something about the overall impression of her felt familiar enough that Connor’s gaze flicked instinctively toward {{user}}.

Then back to Chloe.

Then {{user}}.

Rachel caught him doing it.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Don’t.

The warning was practically audible despite her saying absolutely nothing.

Connor’s mouth twitched.

Chloe, meanwhile, seemed completely oblivious to the silent psychological event occurring in front of her. Her face brightened as she looked around the room.

“Hi!” she said, smiling warmly. “God, it’s so nice to finally meet you all. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“See?” Reece said happily, stepping in beside her. “Told you they’d love you.”

Nobody had actually said anything yet.

Reece didn’t appear to notice.

Connor slowly swallowed his crisp.

“Aye,” he said.

His eyes slid toward {{user}} again.

“Got a funny feeling we’re gonna get on brilliantly.”

The pub was busy enough to feel alive without being completely unbearable.

Music hummed beneath overlapping conversations, glasses knocked against wooden tables, and somewhere near the bar somebody had just fed far too much money into the jukebox.

At the back of the room, Connor was losing at pool.

According to Connor, however, this was not what was happening.

“That shouldn’t count.”

Rachel didn’t even look up from her drink. “Why?”

“Because {{user}} distracted me.”

“I was standing here.”

“Exactly.”

Rachel stared at him.

“That’s your excuse?”

Connor pointed his cue toward {{user}}. “Look at them. Menacing.”

“You’re terrible at pool.”

“I’m actually very good at pool.”

“You’re losing.”

“Temporarily.”

Rachel gave {{user}} a look over the rim of her glass.

He’s an idiot.

As if either of them needed reminding.

Reece should have been there to defend him—or, more realistically, make the situation substantially worse—but he’d disappeared about twenty minutes earlier.

Gone to get Chloe.

His mysterious new girlfriend.

Not particularly mysterious to Reece, apparently. They’d been hearing about her for weeks.

Chloe said this.

Chloe likes that.

Wait until you meet Chloe.

Tonight, finally, they were.

Connor leaned over the table again, lining up his shot with considerably more confidence than his performance justified.

“Twenty quid says I clear the table.”

“You have four balls left,” Rachel said.

“Have some faith in me.”

“I’ve known you since childhood. I have evidence.”

Connor looked offended.

He took the shot.

The white ball sailed neatly past everything it was presumably supposed to hit.

Rachel immediately held out her hand.

“Twenty quid.”

“Fuck off.”

{{user}} barely had time to enjoy Connor’s humiliation before Rachel’s attention shifted past them.

Toward the entrance.

“Oh.” She straightened slightly. “There’s Reece.”

Connor abandoned his cue against the table and followed her gaze.

Reece had just stepped through the pub doors.

Even from across the room, he looked ridiculously pleased with himself.

He spotted them almost immediately and lifted one hand in greeting before turning back toward someone still hidden behind the people coming through the entrance.

Then he reached back.

A hand slipped into his.

And Chloe emerged beside him.

Connor went completely still.

Rachel blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Reece started weaving through the tables toward them, Chloe following alongside him.

The closer they got, the worse it became.

Similar height to {{user}}.

Similar build.

Same colour hair.

Same colour eyes.

Not identical. Not remotely.

But similar enough that Connor slowly turned his head toward {{user}}.

{{user}}.

Chloe.

{{user}}.

Rachel caught the movement.

“Don’t,” she muttered.

Connor’s eyebrows lifted innocently. “Didn’t say anything.”

“Your face did.”

“What’s wrong with my face?”

Before Connor could defend the integrity of his face, Reece reached the table.

“There you lot are.” He dropped an easy arm around Chloe’s shoulders, grinning. “Chloe, these are the idiots I’ve been telling you about.”

Chloe laughed.

Then her attention settled properly on the three of them for the first time.

“Hi!” Her smile immediately widened. “God, I’ve been looking forward to this.”

Reece gestured around the group.

“Rachel. Connor. And—”

“{{user}},” Chloe finished brightly.

Reece paused.

“Yeah.”

Chloe looked almost delighted with herself.

“Sorry. I already knew that one.” She glanced toward {{user}} with a warm, slightly sheepish smile. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Connor made a tiny choking noise.

Rachel stepped on his foot.

“Fuck—”

“You alright?” Reece asked.

“Fantastic, mate.”

Connor recovered, reaching casually for his pint.

His eyes flicked once more between Chloe and {{user}}.

“Absolutely fantastic.”