Page 124 of Good Girl, Bad Blood

didn’t you say it was your birthday

coming up soon?

Yeah it is

The BIG 30

So what are you gonna do for it?

A party? Invite the family?

I’m not so much a party person tbh. I’ll

probably just have a chill one, hang with

friends.

This one particularly caught my eye because I was confused as to why Layla thinks Jamie is six years older than he is: twenty-nine turning thirty. The answer comes lower down in their conversation. But when I first saw this exchange, I couldn’t help but think of the similarities with what Mr Clark said: that Layla was direct about asking his age, bringing it up a few times. And, strangely, he too is twenty-nine turning thirty. Could be a coincidence, but I felt it was at least worth making a note of.

Another weird thing is that Jamie (and Layla) keep making reference to the fact that Jamie lives alone in a small house in Kilton, which isn’t a fact at all. Again, this all became clearer when I reached the end of their conversation on Insta:

hope we can meet up one day.

Yeah sure. I’d really like that : )

Listen Layla. I have to tell you something. It’s not

easy to say it, but I really like you. Really. I haven’t

felt like this about anyone ever and so I need to

be honest with you. I’m not actually 29, I’m turning

24 in a few weeks. And I’m not a successful

portfolio manager for a financial company in

London, that wasn’t true. I’m working as a

receptionist at a job a family friend got for me. And

I don’t own a house, I live at home still with my

parents and my brother. I’m so sorry, my intention

was never to deceive anyone, especially not you.

I’m not even sure why I made up all those lies for

my profile. I made it when I was in a really bad

place, feeling very self-conscious about me, my

life or lack thereof, and so I think I just invented

the person I want to be, instead of the real me.

Which was wrong, and I’m sorry. But I hope to be

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