Title: Getting Fitched
Rating: 15- Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll
Warning: Drama, soppy goodness, angst, romance, friendship, hard times and difficult issues will happen, not all light and fluffy... hopefully as close to Skins as can be.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Skins, I just feel as though they need a Fitch Spin-off because let's face it, they're pretty awesome.
Summary: Not everyone has a happy beginning and middle, but hopefully they can find a decent ending.

Getting Fitched

Effy

Everyone has left Effy. No-one loves her, she realises as she sits on a bench over-looking the shit part of Bristol. 'Not that there is a good part.' She flicks her spliff, watches as it rolls a little down the grassy hill.

She doesn't know why she hasn't left; she thinks maybe she is holding out for something, she just doesn't seem to know what that thing is.

She's all alone. Freddie has died. 'At least he won't make me go mental again.' She laughs to herself. Pandora, her best friend, almost her sister, left her to go to Harvard, her Mum was always out of town, she hasn't spoke to her Dad or Tony in months.

'So much for fucking family.'

She knows her family aren't the only problem either. Her friends seem to have found their own way of life. Cook found himself in jail. Not for killing that therapist, 'psychotic twat', but for running away from the police in the first place. Naomi and Emily have gone away for the summer, but they will be back in a couple of days and Effy is thankful because JJ has found his own little world with that Lara girl and her baby and Katie is also off in her own little world doing God knows what.

It seems as though ever since Effy became 'normal' again, Katie wants nothing to do with her. 'Fuck her.'

Even Karen won't talk to her. Blames her for what happened with her brother like she fucking set it up or something.

No, Effy Stonem, not for the first time in her life, is truly alone. And she hates every second of it.

She calls Cook every Tuesday at exactly 2.32pm and it's the same thing every time. 'I hate it here Ef. Fucking hate it.' And it will end at exactly 2.52pm with him saying 'I'll always love you'.

It makes her feel sick.

She walks around the streets, looking into shops, seeing people talking over cups of coffee. Friends, family and lovers. No matter what they all are, they all have someone. She sighs.

She pulls out a fag, getting out a zippo Katie had bought her before she suddenly stopped caring. It was pure black, 'Effy' imprinted down one side, 'Katie' down the other. She runs her fingertip down Katie's name, she does it every single time she uses it, it's become a habit.

A habit she likes.

'God, I miss her.'

It's not the first time she thinks it, she thinks it a lot. She hates the way things turned out just over a year ago; hates the way they've turned out even more now. She thought her and Katie were getting somewhere, thought that Katie was going to become the new Pandora in her life. At least last year there was a reason for Katie completely ignoring her.

'Oh this shit is too depressing, even for me.' She wanders around the shops, trying to think of something nice to give her when she shows up at the door, but she can't find anything that doesn't say either 'I'm a pathetic loser who needs a friend' or 'I want to jump your bones'.

She doesn't think Katie would appreciate either one.

Flicking away her fag, and sparking up a new one almost straight away, she heads over to the Fitches', hands shaking and breathing heavy.

She raises her hand slowly to the door, but pulls it back last minute, sighing. Effy doesn't chase for friends.

She sits on the doorstep, if someone finds her there, she isn't technically chasing anyone.

'Yeah Stonem, and Cook is the next Mother Fucking Teresa.' She scoffs to herself, pulling her lighter out of her pocket, igniting the gas inside and swaying her fingers back and forth over the heat, leaving small, black marks on her fingers.

She doesn't hear the front door open. "Are you just going to sit there like a twat or come in?" The voice makes her jump. She turns around to see a shaggy, blonde haired boy around the age of fourteen. Two years of knowing the twins and she'd never met their family, apart from that dreaded barbecue that she didn't think counted. She feels surprisingly guilty for realising this. She stands up on shaky legs, following him in to the kitchen. "Effy right?" She nods. "Tea?" She nods again. "Emily is still on holiday as you've probably guessed and Katie is at work. She should be back in about ten minutes though if you are going to hang around."

"Thanks." She mumbles.

"I've heard about you. Emily had a major crush on you at one point." He laughs and Effy raises her eyebrows. "Alright, maybe not, but she did say other than Naomi you'd be the only girl she'd fuck." He puts milk and sugar in two separate cups, placing them on the table just as the kettle finished boiling. "You know, I like having a dyke as a sister, free lesbian porn. Gordon McPherson is so jealous that he hasn't got a sister that is, but is quite interested to hear what Emily and Naomi get up to. I won't let him though, that's just perverted." Effy hold in her laughter, she's heard about some of the things James has done. Watching his sisters get undressed.

She shudders at the thought. "Right."

He places a cup of hot liquid in front of her. "You don't talk much do you? Katie said you didn't. Said you like to think you're all fit and mysterious when you aren't mysterious at all. She never said you weren't fit though. I sometimes wonder if she's gay as well, but with the amount of blokes she shags she can't possibly be right?" 'Jesus what have they got this kid on?' "Well, whatever, not that I would care, the only person who cares about Emily is Mum, but that's because she is a grade A bitch according to Emily and she speaks a lot of bollocky wank shite."

Effy chokes on her tea. "So... has Katie mentioned me at all over the summer?" She tries to ask casually.

"A little, when she's been on the phone to Emily." He shrugs and her heart kind of sinks. "She doesn't really talk to anyone else. Just kind of goes out to work and comes home. I bet she can't wait until Emily comes home. I know I can't. She might make Katie lay off me a bit. Even though she obviously lives with Naomi, but with Naomi going off to University she will probably be around here a little more. Hopefully." He cringes and she frowns. "Emily always use to hit me for no reason!" 'Yeah right.' She snorts. "She did! But at least when she did it, it didn't hurt. Katie's hits fucking kill, I'd rather have Emily's any day. Plus, Katie pulls my trousers down when she walks me to school in front of all my friends the fucking cow." Effy smirks.

She downs the rest of her tea when she hears to front door open. "Oi you little bastard, what have I told you about locking the fucking door when none of us are in?" Katie shouts from the hallway, locking the door and dropping her bag down at the bottom of the stairs before heading into the kitchen and she stops suddenly, smiling tightly. "Effy. Hey... er... how you been?"

Effy checks out her work outfit. A tight red top, short black skirt and red heels. "Jesus Katie, what are you? A pole dancer?" James snickers behind her.

"Fuck off worm." And just like that James runs out, saying something about going to a friend's house now 'the smelly bitch' is back. Effy wonders why she never came here before... guaranteed a laugh. "Come upstairs, I need to get out of this shit." Katie says plainly before walking up to her room, Effy on her tail.

'Fuck, she's got a nice arse.' Effy cringes. 'I did not just think that.'

Walking into Katie's bedroom, Effy takes note of it all. The old blue tac where Katie and Emily obviously use to have posters up were now replaced with pictures of them all. Katie had just pulled off her top and shimmied out of her skirt when she saw Effy tracing her finger down a photo of Freddie and she winces. "Shit Ef, I'm sorry I-"

"Why haven't you spoken to me since Freddie's funeral?" She asks, her eyes holding nothing but curiosity.

Katie completely stops, standing so still it's unreal. Stood in her underwear, a top dangling from her fingertips. "Can we go and get a coffee or something?" She asks desperately.

Effy nods.

They sit inside costa. Katie cradling her vanilla latte, Effy sat with nothing, staring intensely at Katie. "So?"

"I fucking panicked okay?" Katie sighs. "I don't know how to handle that kind of stuff and I just... God I don't know. I... fuck! I just don't know. I'm sorry." She breaths out and shuts her eyes tight, threatening herself not to cry.

"So what, you couldn't be my friend because you felt bed? Fuck sake Katie!" She slams her hands on the table, causing a few of the other customers to look at her and causing Katie to flinch. "I wasn't even that bothered about Freddie okay? Sure I care, he was my friend, but I needed my fucking best friend with me anyway. But instead you ran. You! I run Katie, I know what happens when you run. You fuck everything up and you lose the people closest to you and if that's what you were aiming for, well fucking done!" Effy was surprised her voice stayed mostly calm through all of that, although raised enough for an employee to ask if everything was alright. "Fuck off." Effy snaps at him. She then took a calming breath. "Sorry. We're fine." He nods and then scurry's away. "Katie, if you want to stop acting like a twat, you know where I am."

She ignores the pained look in the other girls eyes as she walks out of the coffee shop and heads home, getting into bed, hugs into her pillow with her lighter resting in her palm, stroking over Katie's name over and over until sleep gets the better of her.

She stays like that for two days, hoping every time the postman comes that it's Katie knocking, imagines her phone vibrating but of course it isn't.

She thinks she's imagining the loud banging on her door and her name being shouted from outside, but she goes to check it anyway. 'Maybe I should be back in fucking therapy.'

She opens her front door, expecting nobody to be there until she is shoved back and a flash of red passes by her. "What the fuck did you do to her?" Is the angry question.

Effy smiles. "Hey Em. Nice holiday?"

Emily stares at her for a long while, wondering if she actually joking or not, but can't help herself when she breaks out into a smile. "Cunt."

"Always. Tea? I only have herbal though I'm afraid."

"That's fine, I prefer that anyway." Effy nods as she makes her way into the kitchen, Emily following her. Effy makes the drinks silently, thankful for once that she's kept the house looking decent, actually cares that she did. She places Emily's tea in front of her and she takes a seat opposite. "You didn't answer me." She smiles again.

"Yeah well, you didn't answer me either." Emily raises her eyebrow with a knowing look. 'Almost as good as mine.'

"True, but I think I'd much rather hear your answer than my own thanks."

"Fine. It was great. Now... what the fuck did you do to my sister?" Effy sighs. The younger Fitch really had come out of her doormat phase. Especially since all that shit with Naomi had kicked off. She doesn't know if she likes it or not.

She decides she doesn't when it comes to herself. "Emily..." She sighs again, unable to look away from Emily's puppy dog eyes and she silently curses. 'I'm surprised she didn't manage to make Katie spill all of her deep dark secrets.' "Look, your sister has completely ignored me ever since Freddie's funeral, everyone else has fucked off and left me and the reason she hasn't spoken to me in three months is because she 'panicked'. It pissed me off. After everything we've been through together as well. Do you blame me for being a little bit mad?"

"Jesus. You make it sound like you're together or something." Emily chuckles.

"Yeah." Effy mumbles, putting a stop to Emily's laughter.

"Oh my God." Emily whispers, but it's enough for Effy to catch it and she raises a confused eyebrow at the red head. Emily realises her mistake. "Nothing. Nothing. Look Ef, I understand that you're mad, but all she has fucking done for the past two days is phone me up on my fucking holiday crying. And to be fair, you have a bloody phone and you know where she lives, you could've just as easily talked to her. You know she's not the fucking sharpest knife in the kitchen." Effy laughs a little. "So please, just fucking talk to her, because as much as James is loving not being torchered, I'm getting extremely annoyed alright?" She says it in a voice that's playful yet serious at the same time and all Effy can do is smirk a little and nod.

"Have you spoken to JJ lately?" Effy begins to play with the cup in front of her.

"I'm actually going to go see him later on. I'm glad he only moved to Oxford."

"Hey Em?"

"Yeah?" She asks, finishing off her tea.

"Your brother told me if you were going to fuck another girl it would be me. True?" Emily looks back at her in shock, staring into Effy's ridiculously blue eyes.

"And on that note I'd best be going before the Mrs wonders where I am seeing as though I have three days with her before she pisses off to London."

"She's only going to be two hours away." Effy rolls her eye.

Emily smiles and stands up, kissing Effy on the cheek. "Just talk to her yeah?" Effy nods, watched Emily as she lets herself out.

As soon as Emily is out of sight she grabs her mobile, searching through her phone book and pressing 'call'. She only waits one ring. "Hey Naoms, guess what... "

Effy grabs a long, hot shower, letting the water pelt down on her back, relaxing a few kinks that seem to have gathered there. She gets changed and walks down the street, lighting a fag, her habit of running her finger along Katie's name still there.

"Hey Effy!" She hears her name being shouted behind her. Turning around she smiles.

"Hey little dude. How are you?"

"I'm alright, just on my way to school. Walk with me?"

She shrugs. "Sure James. Where's Katie?"

"She's in her room moping about something." He rolls his eyes and even though it shouldn't she feels a little happy about it. She sees him flinch when he changes his rucksack from one arm to the other and she raises her eyebrows at him. "It's nothing. Just P.E." She nods anyway, even though she doesn't believe him.

"So how longs Katie been like that then?"

He shrugs. "Few days." She smiles. The walk to his school is quiet. They come to a field, but Effy knows a short-cut down a small road. "I like going over the field." James stutters.

"Oh come on. It saves a lot of time going this way." She drags him down the road, doesn't fail to notice when he freezes up going past one of the alleys where around six guys are stood there smoking weed.

"Hey sexy." One of them shout to her and she rolls her eyes, continuing to walk. "Hey, I was talking to you." He runs up behind her and James stiffens when he sees him.

Effy turns around. "You know what it usually mean when a girl ignores a bloke yelling 'hey sexy'? It usually means she isn't fucking interested. Jesus, how old are you?"

"I'm fifteen." He says proudly.

"Jog on mate." She winks at him, turning around and pushing James in the direction of his school, doesn't say anything to him the whole way there. She sees a short, chubby kid who appears to be waiting for James, assumes it's that Gordon lad James always talks about. She stops, gives him a kiss on his cheek and winks at him. "Have a good day little man." Laughs when she hears a 'fucking hell mate, how did you manage to score her?'

It made her day.

She stands in front of the Fitch household for around ten minutes.

"Bloody hell. Deja Vu." She smirks at the voice.

Nods. "Naomi."

Naomi comes up to stand next to her, looking at the door. "You know, if you go around the back you might actually be able to see Katie through the window." She smirks.

"I do know where her room is you know."

"Oh really? Spend a lot of time in her room do you?"

"No." Effy frowns, hears Naomi make a 'huh' kind of sound. "Any reason you're hear Naomi? The only time you ever seem to appear around me is to talk about Emily, see what a mental case is and... Oh yeah, talk about Emily."

"You may not believe this Ef, but not everything is about you." Naomi laughs. "I'm here to talk to Katie."

"You and Katie? In the same room without Emily having to split you up?"

"Yes well seeing as Emily is seeing that little worm in Oxford, I have no choice do I?" She says, her gaze flicking to the brunette for a second before looking back at the door.

"Still don't like him huh?"

"He's seen my girlfriend naked. I'll never like him."

"Not being funny Nai, but we've all seen your girlfriend... and you naked at some point." Effy laughs, recalling the times the girls were walked in on.

"Well that's a little different, you lot don't want to sleep with her."

Effy rolls her eyes. "How the fuck do you know? Maybe I want to sleep with her."

Naomi smirks, biting back the information Emily told her. The door opens. "Are you two going to stand on my front garden staring at the door all day looking like morons? Because if you are I won't be held responsible if someone calls the fucking police yeah?"

"You know you've missed me Katiekins." Naomi winks, blowing her a kiss on her way past, and Katie squints her eyes in disgust.

"God I really don't know what Emily sees in you."

"I'm great in bed." She says as she sits on the sofa.

"Sorry babe, there is no proof of that. And before you ask, no I don't fucking want any proof alright, so keep your tongue to yourself."

"Oh don't worry. My tongue doesn't want to go anywhere near you." The blonde winks again, before looking over at Effy.

'Why the fuck do Emily and Naomi keep looking at me like that?'

"So, to what do I owe the not so pleasure of your presence?" Katie raises her eyebrow.

"I'm playing babysitter. Emily told me not to let you sit down on your arse all day and actually eat something." Katie's face pales, forgetting for a second it was because of Effy she was being like this, but it doesn't last long.

"And you?"

"I thought you'd like to know your little brother got to school alright." She lies. She doesn't have a clue why she is there.

"Cool."

They spend the next ten minutes in complete silence. Naomi softly smirking, Katie playing with her own fingers and Effy staring between the two. "Well..." Naomi shouts dramatically, making Katie jump. "As interesting as this is... I'm going to get going. If anything happens to you will you please tell your sister I had nothing to do with it?"

"Only if it would make her leave your sorry ass." Katie jokes and Naomi laughs. It is all in the name of fun after all.

Fun. Something Effy needs back in her life.

Naomi makes her exit. "Ef, why are you here?"

"I miss you. I'm sorry for shouting, but I miss being your friend so much, and I want you back." She almost feels a tear escape.

Katie smiles at her, walks over and pulls her into a crushing hug. "You stupid cow."

Effy squeezes back tighter, making them fall back against the sofa in some awkward laying down, side-ways hug that's so uncomfortable, but they can't help but laugh. Effy smiles up at Katie. "Not as stupid as you."

Katie hovers above her, a small grin on her own face before she kisses Effy softly on the cheek, laying behind her, almost spooning her and they both fall asleep watching the T.V.

It's the way James finds them when her gets home five hours later.

Her neck hurts. Like feels seriously stiff when she opens her eyes to see James staring at her. "Hey little man, what are you doing back from school so early?"

"Early Ef? Bloody hell how long have you two been asleep?"

She groans, looks at the clock, groans again. "Shit."

"I'll say. Mum will be home soon. I didn't think she'd like to see you and Katie in that position." Effy frowns.

She checks herself over. One of Katie's hands is on her rib-cage, the other on her thigh and she's gripping her tight, snuggling into her back. "Fuck. Good call." She manages to untangle herself from Katie, but not without waking her.

"What's going on?" 'God she looks cute all dazed.' Effy smiled affectionately before catching herself with shock.

"It's cool if you two are seeing each other yeah... but does that mean I'm going to be gay too? Because I promised Dad that I only joined the netball team for the pussy and if I end up liking dicks he's going to think I lied. But then Gordon McPherson said that even though brothers and sisters are opposite, they sometimes like the same things, and I'd fuck both Naomi and Effy so I guess that means I like what you and Emily like right?"

Effy stares at him in shock. She can't describe the look on Katie's face. "James. Listen to me very, very carefully." Katie starts, and James looks a little scared. "Effy and I are not now, or ever will be going out like that alright?" He nods. "And if you ever say that you want to fuck one of my friends whilst they are in the fucking room I will make sure you won't even have a dick to use when you find out you are in fact straight alright?" He nods again before running off. Katie laughs. "Sorry about him."

"Ha, it's alright, I imagine my brother was way worse than him." She replies, she doesn't remember too much what Tony was like when he was fourteen as he kept his life a secret from her until she turned thirteen and him fifteen. 'Slimy little fucker'. She smiles.

"Stay for dinner?"

As if on cue, Effy's stomach growled. "Erm... If your Mum doesn't mind."

"Oh don't worry, she hasn't cooked a dinner since she started drinking thank fuck. They were disgusting. Me and Emily use to have to starve ourselves just so we had to force ourselves to eat it." She laughs as they both walk into the kitchen.

"Drinking?"

Katie turns quiet in an instant. "Yeah. Even though things are back on track more or less she kind of... you know." Effy hugs her from behind, rests her head on Katie's shoulder before whispering 'I'm sorry' in her ear. "Don't tell Ems yeah? She doesn't need this right now, and god only knows what Mum will say about her being gay when she's drunk."

"Still not accepted it eh?" She begins to sway a little, still holding Katie close, making her giggle.

"She never will. She hardly even fucking tolerates it. It's even worse now she knows I can't have kids. Emily can, so it's not fair on me that in her lifestyle 'choice' she probably won't even want kids." She laughs. "How fucking ridiculous is that?"

"Does she? Want kids?"

"Yeah. In a few years when they have both finished university. You know, if Naomi isn't off shagging some posh London chick." She jokes, knowing full well the blonde wouldn't do that again.

Effy leaves that night feeling something she can't quite place.

She wakes up the next morning feeling oddly refreshed, hears banging in the kitchen and smiles at her Mum being home again. 'But for how long?'

She sighs and makes her way downstairs. "Morning Mum. Good trip?"

Anthea smiles at her, putting a plate of breakfast in front of her. "Morning love. God it was so shit. I swear once my contract is up there is no way I'm signing a new one. I miss home far too much." Effy smiles and Anthea places a kiss on her forehead. "What about you? Had a good summer?" She asks, spreading some butter on her toast.

Effy shrugs. "It was alright. Made up with Katie I think."

"Oh that's nice. I like her."

Effy smiles again. "Me too."

"So what do you want to do after you've finished work?" Effy asks Katie as they walk with James to school, over the field, before walking Katie to her work place, which Effy found out was not a pole dancing club, but working with her Mum at some wedding planning thing she re-opened.

"Whatever you want Ef. We could go out for a few drinks or we could order in, watch soppy, romantic DVD's and buy the booze in ourselves." Effy grins.

"I like that idea."

"Then we will do that. I must warn you though; I've been known to cry at even the most slightly romantic scene." Katie laughs. Effy shrugs. James looks bored.

"That's fine with me. I'll hold you and be your big strong guy who wipes away your tears." She winks, laughing when Katie flips her off.

The walk around is nice, they drop James off and Effy makes a playful show of giving him a kiss again, listening to Gordon ask how he got so lucky once again. Katie just laughs.

Half-way down the street away from the school, Katie links her arm with Effy. "I don't actually have to go to work today you know. I just told Mum I would because I was bored. Want to start early?"

"Of course. I just have to do one thing first alright?" Katie looks at her confused, but stays silent as they walk back to her house. "Can I use the phone please?" Katie nods and leaves the room.

The phone rings for a little while before it is actually picked up. "Hello?"

"Cook."

"Hey Ef. Where are you calling from? The ID won't show, they weren't going to let me answer it." He laughs lightly down the phone before Effy starts their traditional chat.

"So how's it been this week?"

"Same as every other week. Oh, we just found out one of the new guys is in for child porn on his computer the dirty fucking twat. Tell ya, me and the boys are having a field day with the one, hopefully he will kill himself by the end of the week." He laughs darkly. "Or someone else will."

"Awesome." She replies, she wasn't even really listening.

"When are you going to come and visit me Ef?"

"I'm not."

He stays silent for a while. Then takes a deep breath. "I'm still always going to love you Effy. Even if you don't phone me again. Two years from now when I'm out, I'm still going to love you just as much as I do now."

She rubs at her eyes. "Don't waste your time on me Cook. Please." She looks up to see Katie in the doorway. "Look Cook I have to go. I'll call you next week alright?"

"Okay Ef, tell everyone I said hey." She won't. "Love you." And she hangs the phone up.

"Cook?" Katie asks in shock.

"Yeah I phone him every week."

"How is he?"

"Shit." She shrugs. "I'd prefer not to talk about him to be honest."

"Why, am I missing all those times you preferred to talk?" Katie laughs, making Effy smile. "Come on then, I have a huge stack of romantic DVD's. 'Love actually' eat your heart out." Katie smiles before bouncing up the stairs to her room.

'What the fuck have I let myself in for?'

Four soppy DVD's, a bottle of vodka, three spliffs and a thousand tears later, Katie is beginning to get a little tired, willing herself to keep watching the T.V, but sleep gets the better of her.

Effy doesn't last much longer and falls asleep.

Effy wakes up around an hour later, notices Katie is still completely passed out. Can't help herself when she reaches out and strokes a lock of hair out of Katie's face.

Doesn't understand why she can't seem to move her hand away, her fingers trace Katie's cheeks and lips, over and over and Effy isn't sure how much time passes.

Her eyes move to Katie lips, and she feels herself move forward, just slightly, before everything she is doing registers and she shoots back. "Oh my God." She exclaims to herself. She rushes out of the bed, staring at Katie the whole time, opening the bedroom door as quietly as she can before rushing down the stairs.

"Katie? Honey?" She hears an older voice shout, realising it's Katie's Mum. She turns to face her. "Oh Effy sweetheart. Nice to see you around." She slurs a little, wine glass in hand. "Katie hasn't mentioned you at all over the summer."

'Yeah, cheers Katie, way to feel loved that is.' She rolls her eyes. "Well I guess we've both been a bit preoccupied with our own things you know? Katie is upstairs asleep, I'm just going to go and see Emily now."

"Oh well won't you please tell her I said hi and if she ever decides to leave that Naomi girl she always has a room here."

Effy hides her glare well. "Of course Mrs Fitch. It was nice seeing you. Can you tell Katie my Mum needed me please?" She knows she is asking Katie's own Mum to lie to her, but with the way she was slurring, she isn't sure if she even noticed that she did lie.

"Yes love. You too, don't be a stranger now, and please, call me Jenna." Effy nods and tries not to literally run out of the door.

She is taking much needed calming breaths as she walks her way to Emily and Naomi's house, her legs shaking. 'I can't like Katie. I just can't. Me and Katie are not the couple type. Together. Because Katie is totally the relationship type but me... oh no. Not in this lifetime. So no! I cannot possibly fancy Katie. No way, no how. Nu-uh. Nope... oh fuck. Who am I kidding? I'm hot for Katie Fitch. Katie. Fucking. Fitch. God, how did this even happen? One second we are friends, the next enemies, friends again and then we don't speak for three months. Am I the only one confused about this? Lord Jesus help me.' She rolls her eyes at herself

Her train of thought lands her outside the blue door she is dreading. She takes another shaky breath before knocking, hears a 'one second' from the other side of the door before it opens to reveal a grinning Emily. "Ef! What brings you by?"

"I fancy your sister." She blurts it out, obviously quite loud because she hears a muffled 'damn it' from inside. "Shit. Sorry I mean... fuck. Sorry."

"Wow, the great Effy stumbling over her words. This is a nice sight to see." If it's possible, Emily's grin gets even bigger before she sighs. "Come in then." The both walk into the kitchen where Naomi is chopping up some vegetables. "Pay up bitch." Emily winks at the blonde, who mumbles in response.

"Wait! You bet on if I like Katie or not?" Effy asks in surprise.

"Don't be silly Ef. We both know you want Katie as your snuggle bunny." 'Snuggle bunny? Really Naomi?' Effy rolls her eyes. "We... well I didn't think you would figure it out and come and talk to us until at least tomorrow morning. Em here, being the oh so perceptive one that she is guessed you would come by tonight."

Effy sees Emily's smugness out of the corner of her eyes, doesn't say anything but glares at her. Emily takes over chopping and Naomi goes to sit next to Effy. "So what do I do? I mean, I don't even know if it's because I'm just glad to have her back in my life or if it's because-"

"Oh no. You want her. But babe, Katie's straight."

They both turn to Emily when she scoffs. "Sure she is. So is Effy. And so were you when you pretended to be from the age of twelve." She then mumbles to herself. "Some people are so clueless."

"What?" Effy and Naomi ask at the same time.

Emily puts the knife down. "Listen. Katie may think she is completely boy mad, which in a way she is. But anyone can change teams if a certain person comes along, she just doesn't realise it yet. Plus, she hasn't even been looking for a boyfriend since Sam." She rolls her eyes as she says the name.

"What about Thoma-"

"Oh god no Naoms. She was just looking for attention and that is the story I'm sticking with." She makes a 'shuddering' sound, obviously repulsed by the idea that was Katie and Thomas. "Just don't push her Ef. Be your usual erm... charming self, you know, when you actually speak, and she might warm to the idea without her even knowing it."

"Wow Ems, you sure have got a way with words when you want to eh?" Effy laughs. "Is Katie as charming as you? Because I might back-track now." Naomi bursts out laughing but it's cut dead with a glare from the red head.

"It's alright Ef. I'll just go tell Katie now yeah?" Emily begins to walk towards the door.

"No!" The brunette shouts, watching as Emily turns back laughing. 'And I came here again why?' "Right, so just be my usual self yeah? I can do that." She sighs, standing up. "I can do that."

She walks out the door still hearing Emily and Naomi's laughter. The blonde turns to her girlfriend. "You sure about this Em?"

"No. But I'll find out if there is any possibility when I talk to Katie."

Naomi walks up behind her, wraps her arms around her waist. "Please don't play cupid."

"You'll be in London, you can't stop me really." She giggles. "But I love you for trying."

"Yeah, yeah. I guess I love you too."

"I swear if she hurts Katie I'm going to-"

"I'm right behind you on that one baby."

Her Mum isn't home when she gets in. She thinks about calling Tony, but quickly pushes past it. 'He can phone me for once, tosser.' She leans back against her headboard, sparking up a spliff and relaxes, letting the drug calm her a little while she tries not to think about things. It doesn't work though; she's always been a thinker.

She hears her Mum come home, humming and singing to herself and she smiles 'just like old times' before she bounces downstairs to meet Anthea in the kitchen. "Hey Mum, what's up?"

"Oh Effy sweetheart, I have the most amazing news. Sit. Sit. I'll make you a cup of tea." Effy's smile feels splitting, never remembering her Mum seeming so happy. A few minutes later she has finished fiddling around, sitting opposite Effy. "Now love, I want you to know that I have been doing this for around a month, so it has nothing to do with the other things I want to tell you."

"What's his name?" Effy rolls her eyes and smirks.

"Am I really that obvious?" Anthea grins. Effy nods. "Keith. But what I actually wanted to talk to you about was..." She gets an excited grin on her face again. "And I promise you this has nothing to do with Keith-"

"Get on with it Mum."

"Right. Well your Dad put some money aside for you to get a house in case you didn't have a job out of Uni." 'Gee, thanks for the faith Dad.' "And well... I thought to myself why wait you know?"

"Mum... are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Anthea pulls a set of keys out of her pocket. "Want to go and check out your new place?"

"Oh my god!" Effy runs over to her Mum, hugging her tightly before pulling back. "Well what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

The house is perfect for Effy. The master bedroom is big, the kitchen is big and the living room is perfect for a party.

Not that she wouldn't be able to throw a party in a dinky little room of course.

But she loves it. It actually isn't that far away from Naomi's place. "Mum I love it. I can't believe you did this."

"Yes well. I have some things to make up for don't I?" Effy smiles, it's only a small one, but it's there.

"Mum... how did you manage to get yourself off the drugs and booze... like, what made you want to?" She frowns.

"What's going on Ef?"

Effy sighs. "Nothing... yet. I just want to know."

"Well sometime in that space, you finally figure out that it's your family that matters most, even though you are trying to forget them." She places a hand on Effy shoulder. "You wake up one morning and realise what a shit parent you are."

"What if you don't?"

"Then everything you have will be lost."

All Effy can do is nod. "So how about we go and get some furniture for this place?"

Effy can't remember a time when she had more fun with her Mum. They went for lunch, went clothes shopping and then went to DFS before heading home and packing up Effy's things. Anthea let out a few tears at some things that she was packing away. Photos that Effy had of their family.

After they managed to pack up what they could Effy sent out a text to Katie, Naomi and Emily. 'Guys, meet at Naomi's at eight. I have a surprise.' She got back three different responses.

'Yeah, cool.'

'Sure, whatever.'

'God why the fuck do I have to go there, can't you tell me now you secretive bitch?' She smiles at Katie's reply.

'Oh yeah. This year is going to be fucking good!'