Page 68 of The Notecard
‘Oh god, what did you do?’
‘I didn’t do anything. We’re just having dinner.’
‘What are you having?’
‘We made pizzas, and we have a salad, but we’re not eating the salad to be honest.’
‘No one ever does, do they?’ says Rob. ‘It’s a waste. I don’t know why we bother. The other day I made us a delicious steak. I thought, I’ll get a bag of salad.’
‘Did you touch it?’
‘Neither of us did. Fee nibbled on a bit of a rocket, but honestly mate, I wish I hadn’t bothered. I chucked it in the bin in the end.’
‘Couldn’t save it because you’d already put on the dressing?’
‘Yeah. I put on the dressing. You can’t save it after that.’
‘It goes all limp. Anyway, that’s not what I called you for. I don’t know if I can do this and I need you to tell me I can.’
‘But I thought you really liked her.’
‘I do.’
‘Then what’s the problem?’
‘The problem is that I like her, but it’s just one night and that’s it. I’m trying to enjoy it and not think about tomorrow, but I can’t. I can’t be in the moment.’
‘It sounds like a classic case of Nick overthinking everything again. Remember what happened at sixth form with Claire Bennett? You spent months and months obsessing about her, and then what happened?’
‘Nothing happened with Claire Bennett.’
‘Exactly.’
‘But this is different. Something is definitely happening with Meg. She said she’s good at limbo.’
‘Jesus.’
‘I know.’
‘So what’s the problem?’ says Rob. ‘You’re going to Nottingham. She’s going travelling. Have a fun night, and then just see what happens.’
‘But that’s the exact problem. I can’t, let’s just see what happens. I’m terrible at, let’s just see what happens. If there was a fun board game called, Let’s Just See What Happens, I’d never win because I’m fucking awful at it. You know what I’m like. I over-analyse, over plan, and I like to be in control of things. I can’t just sit back, have a glass of wine, and go, let’s just see what happens.’
‘Mate, you need to relax.’
‘But how can I relax when all I can think about is that we have no future?’
‘But don’t you see, Nick, that’s exactly the problem. You don’t know what the future holds. None of us do. Who's to say that you and Meg won’t end up together. You might, and then again you might not. You might meet the perfect girl in Nottingham. You don’t know so enjoy tonight for what it is. It’s one night with a girl you like. Don’t let it be another Claire Bennett disaster. Don’t talk to her about the future. Just enjoy it, and she’s good at limbo, you know what that means?’
I laugh.
‘I do.’
‘Then stop being such a wet idiot, and just go for it,’ says Rob, and he’s right.
‘Thanks mate,’ I say. ‘How’s things with you?’
‘Alright. Fee’s still not pregnant. We’re preparing ourselves for the worst-case scenario.’
