I wake up with a smile on my face. It feels great to be single again. Even the air is much lighter than yesterday. I go to the kitchen to make coffee and jumpstart my hungover brain. When I plug in the coffee maker it refuses to work. Great. I glare at the little machine from hell that is intent on souring my amazing day.
I get juice instead and walk back to my room. I am intent on finding a new apartment in Mayfair because I've been commuting for hours to and from Tottenham from my college classes at the London College of Fashion. After hours of searching, I find a house that's very close to the college. I'll have to share the place with another girl, which isn't ideal, but it's affordable enough, and it has been recently renovated.
I close the deal swiftly and start packing. I would much prefer to move in the morning. At six Andre comes to help me move. We haul boxes into his car until it looks like it's going to burst. "How much stuff did you have in that house?" He asks me incredulously.
"A lot." I say with a wince.
The drive to the house is painfully elongated by traffic as people commute to work. He parks in front of a row of identical houses with white facades, they look so much like cartoon houses. A small well kept yard with colorful and fragrant camellias flanks the walk up to the front door. The whole property is full of life; something I haven't been for the past two weeks.
Before I even knock, the door flies open exposing a lady around my age beaming at me. "I've been expecting you, come in." She engulfs me in a hug. I am taken aback by having a stranger depict so much affection towards me. She finally releases me and hugs Andre as well. He looks as surprised as I did.
"I am Jade. It's nice to meet you." she says with so much light in her eyes. She is by far the most lively person I've ever met. I like her already.
"Liza. it's a pleasure." I reply awkwardly.
"Come in then." she says and hurries to our car to help us with my boxes.
"Will you manage on your own?" Andre whispers next to me as we watch Jade traipse towards the car. I've been used to calm quiet people like Glen for so long, someone like Jade seems alien to me.
I eye him sideways, "I like her liveliness. It's a good change for once." I reply and descend the stairs after Jade. We deposit my belongings in one of the rooms, which I presume will be mine. Furnished with a full xl size bed, a working table and a double door closet, it is the perfect size for me to breathe unlike the previous room I occupied.
I have to bid Andre farewell because he has to go to work shortly after. I am left with my hyperactive new roommate.
"Let me give you a tour of the house." She turns and leads the way.
We start from the expansive kitchen with endless cabinets and a large island in the middle. It's a wonder how anyone has this much space in a London flat.
"So is he your boyfriend?" The question catches me off guard; it takes a while to process who she is even referring to.
When I realize it's Andre, my mind rears back to his less-than-perfect confession last night. "Oh no." I answer incredulously. "Did we look that way?" I ask with amazement.
"His gaze towards you was so telling I thought he was." she shrugs. "So what do you do?"
"I am a student at the moment." I reply. "At the LCF."
"Me too." My face lights up at the declaration, "I mean not at the LCF, but I am a student too. In Law school."
My face falls briefly. "Where do you study?"
"At Uni Law." her face lights up suddenly, "Speaking of which, there is a party near campus today. Do you want to come?"
"I don't-" On second thought, I have never been to an actual college party. Granted I am nearing my last year but I have always been someone's wife and he never let me go to 'those childish' parties. "Yeah." I say with excitement. The prospect of getting wasted and dancing till late in the night appeals to me a lot.
"Cool. we leave at seven, be ready." She opens the door next to mine and enters. We completely forgot about the house tour. "I have a class soon. Make yourself at home while I am gone." she declares as I also enter my own room. She leaves soon afterwards and I start unpacking.
"Jade." I grab onto her arm before we enter the two story brick building where the party is being held. "I don't know anyone here." I say awkwardly. It's a shame to say but apart from Andre, I have no other friends here.
""No worries. I can introduce you to a few people." she says and holds onto my hand. "You are my protégé tonight." She smiles to reassure me. I push the door open and we stride in. Music can be heard coming from the basement. "The awkward weather talk is over, thank god." she mumbles as we walk downstairs.
I do not comprehend what she means but I refrain from asking either. "I just want to get drunk tonight and forget about everything." I say with conviction.
"Atta girl." She replies while whooping.
We mix into the horde of bodies down there. It'll be a while before everyone is shitfaced enough to leave for a night club, just enough time for us to get drunk too.
There are people in every corner in sight, some of them already look drunk. We go farther into the house to get our starter round. The array of drinks includes, vodkas, ale, a suspicious cocktail in a mixing bowl, and soft drinks. I skip the softies and go straight for the big boys; vodka. After downing two shots, I lose sight of Jade. So much for being her protégé.
I find myself in the presence of literal strangers. I pour myself a third glass and down it too. Before I know it, the booze starts kicking in and I am not so inhibited anymore. I hit the dance floor and dance like a bird let free. My body gets sweaty and disgusting, I have to leave the dance floor to get another drink.
When everything is getting hyped up, Jade decides to show up. "Let's go." She says. Something looks off about her but my intoxicated brain doesn't care much to ask.
"Everything has just started." I whine as she tries to take the shot I just poured from me.
"C'mon, I don't have to drag you out of here." She says with annoyance and pulls me towards the stairs.
As I try to protest, I bump into another person causing them to drop a bottle they were holding. Shards of glass fly everywhere as the drink drenches into a rug underfoot.
I look up apologetically. I have undoubtedly soured the party for whoever was waiting for that vodka. "Bloody hell." Trust my mind to fail a simple courtesy like apologizing.
My gaze lands on his piercing cobalt eyes. He looks at me like the inconvenience that I am right now. All my wasted mind can think of is how hot and godly he looks. When he suddenly laughs, I realize I said it out loud.
I'll never drink again.
Meanwhile, Jade, who was enjoying this so much, starts her tug of war again before the guy can say anything.
"You're such a party-pooper. I was having fun right there." I complain as we head home.
"More like embarrassing yourself."
Jade takes me to my room when we reach home. "I don't want to sleep." I complain as she is leaving.
"You are so whiny when you're drunk." her bright face from earlier is cast in shadow. Going to that party must have been a mistake because it made her this sad. I try to get Jade to tell me where she left off when we reached the party but she ignores me completely.
After I get tired of talking to her grumpy self, I change into my star wars pajamas and get into bed. Luckily, I pass out the moment I lie on my bed.
The roses are so beautiful here. I walk around the garden as I admire them and savor their fresh smell. I can't wait to get one for Glen. He loves flowers so much he'll appreciate the surprise.
I pluck one flower out and bring it close to my nose. The smell is so immaculate, but a sharp pain quickly follows it. Blood drips from my finger where a thorn pricked me. I raise my head to ask for help and ahead I see the familiar outline of Glen. I reach out to him but the closer I get the harder it is for me to distinguish his body from that of an auburn haired woman lying on top of him.
The flower falls from my hand, and I turn around and run away as fast as I can.
I slam head first into a hard surface. My body rebounds and I land painfully onto my butt. The harsh glare stings my eyes. My rear stings from the brutal impact. As I try to awaken my body, a shadow falls over me. I get up quickly embarrassed to be caught sleepwalking.
"What are you wearing?" A man's voice asks me. My gaze meets a vaguely familiar pair of cobalt eyes.