CHAPTER ELEVEN
‘Incoming,’ announces a man’s body with a box of popcorn for a head. The most precarious kernels wobble and fall, revealing Ben’s eyebrows and eyes behind. He hands me the box and flops down in the armchair opposite. ‘I can’t believe you’re making me watch this shit.’
We’ve come to the cinema and now that we’re in our (whisper it) middle-ish twenties, that no longer involves a trip down the local Odeon. Nope. We’re in one of those independent cinemas most commonly frequented by people in turtlenecks. At the bar, in place of the cheesy nachos of old, are things like organic flapjacks. There’s absolutely nochewing gum stuck to the carpet and Jade’s eternal love for Shane isn’t Sharpeed inside a heart doodle in the bogs. I’d feel sad for the passing of my teens if it wasn’t for the beauts interiors in here. Now that my website’s up and running I really need to put some time into my own Instagram as well as Violet’s, so I switch my phone to camera and get snapping.
‘Just because it’s set in the past doesn’t mean it’s going to be shit,’ I explain while Ben works his way through a packet of hand-crafted crisps. ‘It’s an epic tale of love in a lost century.’
‘Sounds like hell,’ he yawns.
‘You didn’t have to come. I did give you plenty of warning about what I wanted to see tonight.’
‘And leave you looking like Norma No Mates on a Saturday night? Couldn’t do it to you, kiddo.’ Ben’s polished off the crisps and produced a packet of nuts from his jeans pocket.
‘Norma No Mates,’ I scoff. ‘Though actually, thanks. It’s nice to see you, especially when Saturday nights are usually off-limits what with all the lady killing.’ Ben only has to smile at someone he has the hots for before they start making eyes at him. I get it, he’s a good-looking lad. Not that I want to think about that especially after whatever it was that happened the other night. Thankfully we seem to be back to norm now and him sacking off a night of you-know-what to watch a period drama with me is heart-warming.
Ben is brilliant.
‘What’s Mila’s excuse for not babysitting you tonight, then?’
Ben is such a dick.
‘It’s called being a good friend,’ I huff. ‘She and Mike love having me with them at the cinema, Mila told me so. Sometimes I even pay for the popcorn. And do you know whatI definitely don’t do? Pretend they’re my parents. Because that would be weird.’ Ben scrunches up his face before tipping his head back and emptying the nuts directly into his gob. Animal. ‘Anyway, she’s moving in with him next week so they’re packing up her flat all weekend.’
‘Shouldn’t we be helping with that?’
‘I did offer, but she said she’d be going full Military Mila on the situation and she wanted to save us from having to witness all the shouting and ordering around.’
‘I can’t believe they are moving in, those two are in deep. It’ll be weddings and babies next. What’s up with your face?’ Ben asks, tipping his head to one side.
I realise I’ve bunched my features up. ‘Dunno. I guess thinking about how Mila and Mike are the perfect fit makes me reflect on my own shambolic life a bit.’
Ben chuckles. ‘Jas, Mila’s life isn’t all perfect you know? She just went to Barnsley on a work trip while you’re just back from Cannes Film Festival and the Italian Lakes. I know that your boss is a dick, but honestly, how many of us are best mates with our boss? And so what if you haven’t met the right man yet? It’ll happen.’
‘I wish I had your confidence.’
‘You really want what Mila’s got?’ Ben asks.
‘Not in the work sense. Can you imagine me attempting to be a barrister? I’d beuselessat grilling people. But I would like to find a love like Mila’s. Mike’s so smitten with her. You can see it in his eyes. They’ve been together for years now. . .’
‘Day in, day out with the same person?’
‘Does it really sound that bad to you though? The other day in the park I got the impression that you might be starting to think about what the future has in store, relationship-wise. I for one think you’d make an awesome boyfriend.’
WHATTHE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY YOU CRAZY FOOL?!
Ben’s eyes meet mine for the briefest moment before we both start clearing our throats and checking the time.
Arghhhhh.
‘You’d make an awesome boyfriend forsome girl you haven’t met yet, is what I obviously meant to say. Ha ha! Who knows, she might be here tonight?’ There’s a beautiful woman pushing through the cinema doors and I nod in her direction even though it makes me feel inexplicably blue.
‘Maybe,’ he shrugs.
Within minutes of touching our feet down on Swiss soil, we’re being ushered into a 4x4 by a hotel chauffeur. Violet’s wearing the prerequisite giant sunglasses and I’m feeling sorry for the porter who is buckling under the weight of her 26 tonnes of luggage. We’re away for a grand total of three nights, so what she has in there is anybody’s guess. Shehastaken charge of her own hand luggage, a Chloé micro which just fits her passport and a lipstick. I lob my kit into the boot, marvelling at the fact that this wagon has the spa hotel’s logo etched in silver across the boot. Fancy!
‘Violet, what’s this place like? I was trying to find it online so I could research shoot locations but nothing came up.’
Violet settles back into the plush leather seat and opens the bottle of water stashed in a pocket behind the driver’s seat. ‘It’s not up yet. The hotel has planned a launch to coincide with our coverage – there will be top bloggers and journalists there this week.’
