19:34pm.

         "This is a disaster."
         "It's not a total disaster, Kels. You've still got time." Mill's voice crackled through Kelsey's phone, the faint rumble of work in the background. "Has he even read the message?"

        "No!" Kelsey cried, her head buried in the pillow. Her phone had dinged a few times since she sent that message but it was only David and Cameron sending comfort and well wishes. "How is it that he's been trying to get my attention for four years, yet can't find the time to answer me this one time! He's a grade A fu-"

       "Fucker. We already know that- Oi! Leon! Make sure you put away the delivery tonight will ya!- Sorry Kels, as I was saying, Jake is an asshole, a fact that is unsurprising. You've given him the opportunity to be a man and he's fumbled it. He could still message but take this as a win, hon. He's out of your life for good now."

       "I want my apology." Kelsey slurred, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling, her eyes darting from black spot to black spot.
      "Kels, are you drunk?"
       "No."
      "Kelsey."

      "Ok maybe I'm a little tipsy. I was just nervously sipping wine." Kelsey paused "And then I ran out, so I took a stroll to the closest shop to pick up more."

      "Kelsey Owens! What have I told you about day drinking! Not-"
      "Not to do it alone." Kelsey laughed. She heard Millie chuckle into the phone before letting out a sigh.

      "I wholeheartedly trust in whatever decision you make Kelsey. I'm not going to tell you what to do, just make sure you come back here happy with how you left things."

      "I will. Then we can all meet up and laugh about this." Kelsey smiled. "You've probably got to head back to work right?"

     "Oh yeah, David wanted me back on the bar 5 minutes ago. I love you Kels, truly. See you tomorrow!" Millie made a kiss noise to the phone and Kelsey repeated before ending the call.

     She laid flat out on the bed, eyes staring unblinkingly as her fingers played with the ring on her right hand. It's smooth golden band twisting easily, Kelsey made a note that she needed to get it resized.

       It belonged to her late grandma; an emerald set in a halo of diamonds. 'A beautiful ring, for a beautiful lady' her grandma had said as she gave it to her. The dementia slowly took over but the ring was a constant reminder for Kelsey that her grandma will always be there to hold her hand, even when she could no longer recall who Kelsey was.

       Kelsey's world crumpled  the day she got the call from her dad to tell her that her grandma had passed, but amongst the pain and heartache Kelsey found comfort that her grandma was finally at peace.

      As the thoughts and memories swirled amongst the ceiling pattern, Kelsey wondered what advice her grandma would give in this situation.
Firstly, Kelsey knew her grandma was not overtly fond of Jake so she'd be saying;

       'Good riddance, you're done with him. Why on earth would you want to see that face again, love?' A fantasy dialogue that made Kelsey audibly chuckle. Twisting the ring further she knew without a matter of a doubt what words of wisdom her grandma would give her.

      'Go get what you want.'

    Kelsey sat suddenly upright, reaching for her hair brush and fumbling her make up case out of her bag, she scurried over to the vanity table, nudging the side table slightly causing the two wine bottles to clink together.

     She was going to get exactly what she came here for. Jake tried to paint her as the psycho ex girlfriend to all of her mates once she ended things with him, so why not live up to that reputation whilst in town?

     As she smoothed down her hair and reapplied concealer to her under eyes, Kelsey grabbed her phone and sent one last message.
This time there was no swell of fear or anxiety as she clicked on the conversation, her last message still unread.

         I'm coming over to chat.

                                                                                                                                             .............

    GAME OVER. The words flashed red on the screen, the same words that have been taunting Sean all afternoon. This boss fight was kicking his arse and he had no clue how any child would've been able to beat this game when it first came out.

    Glancing at the alarm clock beside the bed, Sean was taken aback by the time; 19:45. Tapping the controller in thought Sean considered his options; make dinner, then shower or vice versa? Either way his evening was going to end with a couple of beers whilst sitting outside scrolling through some dating apps.
A couple of guys from work had been teasing that he's too high strung and needs to relieve some stress, if he could catch their drift. They gave him a slew of different dating apps to sign up to, which Sean did semi reluctantly, and he had promised he'd make them public during his time off. Maybe this seaside town had some hidden treasure, but his hopes weren't high.

       "Shower first." Sean grumbled as he stood up, turning the PlayStation off in the process. This whole dating app thing was already making him feel filthy, he was never a one night stand guy, his brother Jake was the one to always be chatting to a different girl every other week.

     Sean's eyes landed once more on the photo from Spain, maybe that's why his mum kept that photo up. Kelsey was the only 'real' relationship Jake has had thus far. Maybe it was to remind him of the one thing she's disappointed in Jake for.

     Not like that's stopped Jake from doing what Jake wants, Sean's sure the countless girls that have been inside this room have barely had the time to notice the photo of Jake's ex hanging on the wall, with Jake's arm wrapped protectively around her waist.

     Sean recalled the last time he saw Kelsey, how she descended the stairs with a solemn look on her face. Her eyes red and puffy, evidence of tears that had fallen stained her cheeks. How she grabbed her coat from the bannister, slipped on her trainers and reached calmly for the door handle to leave. Her eyes briefly meeting his as he stood frozen in the hallway, sweat covered and out of breathe, earphones still blaring music in his ears from his morning run. He'd meant to ask her in that moment if she was ok but she didn't falter in her exit, glancing back to the door she left. Sean stood dumbstruck till the sounds of smashing furniture and his brother's feral cries brought him back to reality.

    Shaking the memory away he headed towards the bathroom. He was certain Kelsey was doing fine, rumour had gone around town that she had accepted the university offer up in London and has never returned since. A smart decision, one not too dissimilar to the one he made a year later when he got offered a job as a personal trainer by an old school friend.  A dodgy business founded on his mate's personal loan from his stupidly rich father. Luckily that's how Sean met Jaime and he helped him get into the business scene, offering him some work as long as he put the time into an online course to get the qualifications. It gave Sean purpose, something he had not felt in a long time. In fact now that he thought about it, he wasn't even sure his parents were aware that he'd changed career path.
Sean laughed as he turned the faucet to the shower, hot water flowing almost instantaneously. With confidence he was certain he had not told them about his office job and with next to no social media presence there's no way they would've found out about it either. 

    As the steam filled the room Sean was contemplated how much had actually changed for him but how stuck in time things were here: His mother running off to help his brother at any sign of distress, dragging his father along in tow. No doubt it's money related or he's changed his mind on what he wants to specialise in for his masters. Again. How he even managed to get a degree the first time was baffling, but what his brother planned to do with a degree in geography was more so.
Sean stayed out of the family group chat, but he still made sure to check in with his brother on he odd occasion. Jake had disclosed to him many a time that the uni experience was precedent to the degree itself. The parties, the girls, the sense of freedom that he just couldn't get back home. But that was the thing, he was always going to have to come home. Doesn't matter how many times he changed paths, they all lead back to here, it was never Jake's intention to get a job and make a life for himself in Durham. No, it was just to have the time of his life and then return to his home comforts. But judging by the messages he sent to Sean he was dragging out that style of living for as long as he could.

     Sean stood under the shower head, the water cascading down his face and body, lathering his hair with shampoo he watched the suds disappear down the drain along with the pent up jealousy of his younger brother.

     Staring in the fridge Sean took in what food his mum had left for him. On the middle shelf sat in a glass Pyrex dish, a homemade lasagna. A classic of his mum's dishes, a recipe she prided herself on perfecting.  The salad tray was packed with fresh, no doubt all organic, vegetables. Also packaged meats laid neatly on the bottom shelf. Sean didn't need to question whether or not the pantry cupboards were also stocked to the brim. But that lasagna is just what he needs, the perfect 'Welcome home' present.

     Removing it from the fridge he grabbed a dish from the nearby cupboard, placing a generous helping onto it. Moving across the kitchen he left faint dewy footsteps and the water droplets that weren't caught by the single white towel wrapped casually around his waist fell to the tiled floor with a soft drip. Reaching the microwave, the red numbers flashed 20:19, comforting Sean that his first day here was slowly starting to draw to a close.

     Closing the door and setting the timer, Sean returned to the fridge and pulled out a bottled beer from the door. Bringing the cap to his lips he removed it with his teeth in a swift motion, catching the bottle cap with his free hand he placed it on the counter as he took a long sip. The sound of the whirring microwave filling the void around him, the light being emitted from inside being the only source in the kitchen.
Leaning back onto the counter, Sean took another long chug. Closing his eyes he focused on the sounds around him, convincing himself he was somewhere else entirely.

       Knock, knock, knock.

   Sean's eyes shot open immediately. Surely he misheard something?  He looked over to the microwave thinking maybe the lasagne was the causing of the noise, an air pocket popping?

       Knock! Knock! Knock!

     This time louder it was unmistakeable. Someone was knocking on the front door. Confused as to who on earth it could be Sean raked his hand through his still damp hair, suddenly aware at his appearance and lack of clothes on his body. Sean slowly walked over to the doorbell camera screen in the hallway. The small display lit up and Sean could see the movement of someone standing on the doorstep, their hands fidgeting nervously with an object of sorts. He could see that they had there back turned away and were glancing back up the driveway, shifting from one foot to the other anxiously.  He reached out and held the communication button.

      "Umm, not sure if you know but Martha and Jerry aren't here at the moment." He stumbled, still shook by the sudden interruption of his quiet night.
He watched on the screen as the person jumped at the sound of his voice, a female as he could now tell, looked squarely at the camera. Sean's eyes widened as he took in her appearance. Letting go of the button he hurried over to the door in a state of shock. This was the last person he was expected to see.
He could hear her voice from the behind the door but wasn't taking in what she was saying. Swinging the front door open widely he saw her stood before him, now suddenly very quiet.

"Kelsey?!"