Problems in Paradise

Chapter Eight

A/N: Thank you so much for reading so far! I'm still not sure how many chapters there's going to be, but I hope you'll still carry on reading and commenting :) thank you, and take care! Love Maddie, xoxo

Morgie woke up late. The sun was shining low through the curtains, highlighting Laurel’s empty bed, the empty chair. She sat up, bleary eyed.

Why was she so tired? Her mind ran over last night’s events, vague memories finally slotting together to create a crisper picture in her mind. Ah yes.

She could still feel Oscar’s arms around her. The lingering feeling of his touch upon her skin still haunted her, the way there’d been an almost awkward silence at the end of their goodnight hug, like that moment at the end of a first date, where the atmosphere almost seemed to be a prelude for a kiss.

She rubbed her eyes. He’d been so endearing, with his smile, his sudden bouts of seriousness. There had been a hint of vulnerability there, one which she wondered if he’d been striving to hide, but it was there, peeping out at her, practically begging her to explore more.

She’d wondered if the connection she felt with Oscar had been purely physical, a match of senses of humour. But last night had made her realize that there was more to it. They thought the same way, had the same ideology. In short, they understood each other: he just got her, and she just got him.

‘Murrrr.’ Flopping back onto her pillows, Morgie pulled the duvet over her head. She was too sleepy to be over analyzing.

April appeared from around the corner, dressed in just a towel, her hair wet. ‘Alright, sleepy head?’ she asked, with a sunny smile.

‘Tired,’ Morgie replied.

April plopped down onto the bottom of the bed, touching her friend’s shoulder. ‘I should think so too,’ she said. ‘You came in late.’

Morgie peered out from underneath the covers. ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘Did I wake you?’

April shook her head. ‘No, no. I hadn’t been in long. Where were you?’

‘So you didn’t go and sleep with George, then?’ inquired Morgie cheekily.

‘No!’ April said indignantly. She grinned. ‘Now, where were you, my dearest?’

Morgie tilted her head. ‘Are you sure you didn’t sleep with George?’ she asked. ‘You’re rather full of the joys of spring. The morning after glow, perhaps?’

April gave her a shove. ‘Stop changing the subject.’

‘Alright, alright.’ Morgie sat up sleepily, her hair all tousled all over her shoulders. ‘I was walking along the beach,’ she said vaguely.

‘On your own?’ probed April.

Her friend wrinkled her nose. ‘Mm. With Oscar.’

‘For all that time?!’

‘Yes,’ Morgie admitted. ‘Is that… shocking?’

April nodded. ‘Yes! What were you doing?’ She paused. ‘Oh. Oh. My. God. Did you have beach sex?!’

‘NO!’ Morgie hurled her pillow at her friend. ‘Oh my god, April, you are scandalous!’

April passed a hand over her forehead. ‘Phew,’ she said. ‘That would be cheeky, even for you.’

Morgie pulled a face. ‘Thank you so much for your faith in me,’ she replied. ‘No. We didn’t even kiss. We just… talked.’

April tilted her head. ‘Hmm.’