“Where are you?”
Really? You have the nerve to askmethat?“Just out at a little party . . .”
“Enjoying yourself, baby?”
Hypocrite!“Yes, everyone’s having a merry old time here . . .”Oh my God, woman, where do you come up with this crap?
“What about you?”You dickhead!“Where are you?”And where the hell have you been for the last two days?
“On my way home. Will you be back soon?”
“I’m in a taxi . . .”Find a cab! Quick, a cab!
“Oh, I thought you were at a party?”
“I was on my way out when you called.”
“All right, so you’ll probably make it home before I do. Don’t even bother waiting up, if you’re tired, ’cause I’m actually stuck in an enormous traffic jam. Can you believe that? At this time of night? In London? Just unbelievable!”
Ha! You’re the one who’s unbelievable! The nerve, telling me not to wait up, when you’ve already had me waiting for two whole days!
“I’ll leave a light on in the room.”
“Wonderful. See you in a bit. Love you . . .”
Shimmering pavement, couples sharing umbrellas . . .
. . . and me, stuck on my own like an idiot. Screw the film, I don’t care. Tomorrow, I’m doing it, I’m starting a new life, I swear! No, not tomorrow. Tonight!
2
Paris, two days later.
“Why is it always the last key you try that opens the door?” Mia fumed, picking through the keys.
“Because life is messed up by design, my dearest friend. Which is also why we’re stuck outside my apartment in the dark,” replied Daisy, using her phone to shine some light on the keyhole.
“I’m never going to fall in love with the idea of someone again. Next time, reality is all I’ll settle for. Give me the present and only the present.”
“And give me a less uncertain future while you’re at it,” sighed Daisy. “Until then, why don’t you just hand me my keys and take a turn shining the light, before my battery dies.”
The last key in the bunch was indeed the right one. Entering the apartment, Daisy flicked on the light switch. Nothing happened.
“Great. So no light in the entire building . . .”
“There’s no light in my entire life,” Mia said.
“That’s maybe overdoing itjusta bit.”
“I needed to get away, Daisy, I don’t know how to live a lie. I can’t,” Mia continued, in a tone of voice that was just begging for compassion. But Daisy had known her too long to fall for that little trick.
“Enough of that crap. You’re a talented actress, which basically makes you a professional liar . . . I know I have candles somewhere, just have to find them before my iPhone battery—”
Right on cue, the screen of her phone flickered to black.
“Just smile through the tears, like all the other A-listers? Is that it? What if I just told them all to go fuck themselves?” Mia whispered.
“Mia. Has it crossed your mind to maybe . . . start helping me out a bit?”
