Page 39 of Five Things I Love About You

‘What sort of stuff does Paul’s band play?’

‘Mainly covers – bit of Chili Peppers, some Radiohead, a couple of David Bowies. They’re good though, promise.’

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

Our beers are plonked down and Matt waves away my attempt to pay.

‘Thank you.’ I take a long sip and wipe my mouth.

I’m about to say something else when there’s a loud crash on a cymbal and we look round to see Paul on the stage, and Debs waving us over. People are drifting over to watch so we hop off our stools and head back to the table.

There’s no time to speak to anyone as Paul’s band – The Pistolheads – are about to start playing, so we all turn to the stage.

Matt’s right, they are good, and the next hour flies by. Finally, when they end withRebel Rebel, thank the crowd (well, fifty or so people), the band leave the stage and Paul comes back to us, drumsticks tucked into his back pocket.

‘Anyone going to the bar, I’m parched?’ he says.

‘I’ll go,’ Matt says, standing. ‘Anyone else?’

Everyone shouts their orders at him and he disappears. I’m about to follow him when someone sits in the chair beside me and I turn, surprised.

‘Hi, I’m Tanya,’ Tanya says, and sticks her hand out for me to shake.

‘Miranda,’ I say, taking her hand. ‘It’s lovely to meet you.’

‘It’s canny to meet you too,’ she says. ‘Matt’s not stopped talking about you since he met you.’

‘Hasn’t he?’

She shakes her head. ‘Quite the smitten kitten.’

She smiles and her face softens, and I feel myself relax. ‘Sorry, ignore me. I’m a right gobshite when I’ve been drinking. It’s just nice to see Matt happy for a change.’

‘Oh.’ I’m not sure what to say, and glance over to where Matt is talking to the barman. There are already several pints lined up in front of him and I’m overcome with the urge to rescue him – and me. I stand abruptly.

‘I’ll just go and give him a hand.’

I disappear and hope I don’t seem too rude. Matt had told me Tanya might be quite full-on, but it still feels weird being treated like a potential new girlfriend when it’s so far from the truth.

Matt looks surprised as I slide in next to him, then sees my face. I must look stricken because he says, ‘Tanya?’ and I nod.

‘I did warn you,’ he says, tapping his card on the machine. He turns to face me, elbow leaning on the bar. ‘So, what did she say?’

‘Oh nothing bad.’ I long to ask him if she’s right, about him being smitten, but I also don’t know if I want him to admit or deny it, so I don’t. ‘I think she just cares about you. She wants you to be happy.’

Matt’s quiet for a moment, and I think he’s going to say something. But then the moment’s gone, and he nods. ‘Fair enough. Do you mind giving us a hand ferrying this lot back over?’

‘Sure.’ I balance three pints precariously in my hands and wobble back to the table and plonk them down.

The rest of the evening is much easier. Matt’s friends are lovely – even Tanya has stopped pushing it, and she’s sweet and funny. I learn that Scott and Debs have been together since they were fourteen and met buying fake ID, that Tanya and Paul have only been married for two years ‘because we dicked around dating other people for ages before we finally sorted our shit out,’ and of course they tell me funny stories about Matt, much to his horror.

The pints keep flowing and the chat gets more raucous until I realise I’m really pretty drunk. I’ve been focusing on the five people round this table for so long that I’ve forgotten anything else exists, so when it occurs to me that I’m desperate for a wee, it’s an effort to drag myself away.

Sitting on the loo, the world swims a little, and when I check the time on my phone the numbers dance. It’s almost 11p.m., later than I thought. I’m having such a lovely time I’m not ready to go home, although I’m aware I should probably stop drinking. My tongue is dry and I run it across my teeth, feeling a sugary fuzz.

As I head back to the table I notice Matt watching me and I smile.

‘Hey,’ I say, sitting beside him.

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