Page 53 of Date with Destiny

Where am I?

Flashes of the night before fight through the hangover fog and I gasp, remembering snogging Mikey. A lot. Like, a lot a lot. In the middle of a bar, in the middle of the street, in the middle of the tube carriage. People tutting, people tsking, people loudly telling us toget a room.

Oh god, I’m so embarrassed.

Am I at his house? Did we have sex?? And if so, where is he? I blearily scan the room and realize with relief that I know it – it’s familiar. I’m not at home in my parents’ house, but I am in a safe place. Myfanwy’s flat.

I remember now. After abandoning the rubbish queue, we chased Mikey down the street. He was more than happy to go for a drink, and the four of us crashed from one bar to the next, while Mikey and I drunkenly pawed at each other.

I shudder with the thrill of it as I recall him asking me ifI’d come home with him and my having just enough wherewithal to say no. I staggered home with Myfanwy and Sonali, where they installed me in their spare room.

There’s a knock at the door, and I realize it’s this noise that’s woken me up.

‘Hello?’ my voice is unrecognizably hoarse as Myfanwy’s face appears around the door.

‘You’re awake!’ she says far too brightly.

‘I think so…’ I blink hazily at her as she enters, wearing Rudolph pyjamas.

‘Is it Christmas?’ I ask sincerely, honestly unable to fathom what’s happening.

‘Not for a few more weeks, but these are so cosy,’ she says happily, picking up the covers and climbing into bed with me. ‘We can’t afford to have the heating on these days, so it’s big, thick, flannel pyjamas for Sonali and me. In some ways it’s terrible for our sex lives, but it’s also quite fun rubbing up against one another in such friction-y material.’

‘Good to know,’ I reply mildly, realizing I myself am still fully clothed in last night’s outfit.

‘I made you a coffee but left it in the kitchen,’ she says, tucking the duvet in around her. ‘It’s too far away now I’m back in bed,’ she adds helplessly and I laugh.

‘Thanks anyway.’

‘Ugh.’ Myfanwy covers her face. ‘I keep getting flashbacks of you and Mikey being so disgusting last night.’

‘Don’t!’ I squeak, humiliation burning through me, but also a fizz of excitement. ‘I am so embarrassed. But,’ I pause,feeling something else, too, ‘I haven’t done that insolong. Not since the last time I was with Mikey, probably. It was so much fun.’

‘Well, yay!’ Myfanwy declares. ‘You have to see him again, without me and Sonali around, cock-blocking you. Time to get you shagged up.’

I check my phone, feeling a jolt of excitement at multiple notifications flashing from WhatsApp.

There are two messages from Mikey.

I had the best time xx

Then:

Can we hang out again this week?

And that’s where the fun messages end. The rest are all from Celeste, each getting progressively more shrill.

I know Toni’s not coming home tonight, but I assume you are? Please let me know what time you’ll be back so I know how long I’ll be waiting up for.

Ginny????

Please can you reply and let me know where you are, I’m very worried.

I’ve just spoken to Toni and she says you ran off into the night. I’m not sure that was very sensible. Do you need me to come and collect you from somewhere?

WHERE ARE YOU????

And so it goes on.

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