“No, and we will never again.” He brushes the hair out of my face.
I nod and keep quiet for a moment before I take a shaky breath and say, “I need to go out with my friends.”
“You mean, your one friend?” He’s trying to make a joke. I never thought I’d be thankful to have him here.
“You’re right, my one true friend,” I say with a smile.
A few hours, six gins, and four shots of vodka later, I’m now on the dancefloor, snogging some guy.
“Gem…” I hear my name being called from behind me over the loud music that's playing. I turn to see my brother and Fern looking at me.
“Come on, you have had way too much to drink.” Brodygrabs my hand. The man I am with isn’t very happy. “Mate, she doesn’t know what she is doing,” Brody says, trying to drag me away.
“Do you want to go with them, babe?” The man’s arm is around my waist.
“Leave me alone,” I tell Brody and Fern, going back to the guy.
He gets me another drink from the bar. I hear voices muttering as Fern tries to pull me away again.
"I'll be back," I declare, heading for the loo.
It takes me a while to navigate there. Well, it feels like forever… I don't know how long it actually is. I feel kind of floaty right now. Coming out of the toilet and walking down the hallway, I hear footsteps following me. I’m pressed against the wall in the corridor, hands all over my body.
The dark features, greying hair—God, I miss him. “Alex.” I touch his face.
“I can be anyone you want.”
I close my eyes and then open them, looking again. It’s the man from the dancefloor.
“No,” I slur at him.
He stands back, removing himself from me.
“Gemma.” Brody comes running over to me. “What have you done to her?”
“Nothing.” His hands are in the air, pleading his innocence. “She said no, I backed off.”
Fern is next to me. “Gemma, are you okay?” She checks me over before taking my arm and leading me to the exit.
“I need to see him,” I say with tears in my eyes.
“In the morning. You’re drunk and it’s 2 a.m.,” Fern tells me, trying to make me see sense.
“Now!” I demand.
They give in, and a taxi drops me off outside Alex’s house. Stumbling out of the car, Brody follows me and takes hold of my arm.
“Gemma, it’s late. He’ll be asleep,” my brother tries to reason with me. Fern had been trying the whole way in the taxi.
“I have a key.”
I look through my handbag. I always carry it with me, I don't know why. Maybe I'm getting sentimental. I snort. I try to put it in the door, but my hand won't listen to my brain and keeps swaying from side to side.
“Let me.” Brody opens it.
“Shh,” I tell Brody. I open the door, shutting it quietly behind me. I take my shoes off, tiptoeing up the stairs. “Shh.”
Giggling at the creaking floorboards underneath my feet, I sneak past Ace’s bedroom, then open Eden’s door to see her fast asleep in her bed. I continue onto Alex’s bedroom; it’s already open.
