“Oh my god,” Simone utters under her breath, her eyes narrowing. “A woman?”
Ruby nods slowly.
“What do I do?” I squeak, slinking down and ducking my head, trying to hide behind Ruby.
“Don’t panic,” Cali says calmly.
“Too late,” I hiss, leaning back as Ruby leans back and then leaning forward again to mirror her. “Ruby, stay still! I’m using you as a fort.”
“Got it,” she says, freezing like a statue.
“Can I turn round now?” Simone asks desperately.
“Yes, but be subtle,” Ruby tells her, jerking her head in the direction of Matthew’s table.
Simone and Cali both casually look over their shoulder and then swiftly return their gaze to us, thankfully without him noticing.
“Just as I thought, he looks like a twat,” Simone declares.
“He looks no different to when he and I were together,” I say, glancing over again for confirmation.
“No, I’m with Simone on this one.” Ruby takes a sip of her drink, staring over at him. “If I saw him for the first time now, I would think to myself: ‘Twat.’”
“Is that the girl he’s been dating, the one all over Instagram?” I ask, my voice wobbling slightly and betraying my feelings. “I never saw the pictures Akin was talking about. Ruby, did you see them? Cali, you might know through Dominic?”
“Uh… that’s a different one,” Ruby says carefully, her forehead creased in worry.
“Right.” I swallow the lump in my throat as he throws his head back and laughs at something his companion says. “Wow. Was his laugh always that loud?”
“Ugh, he is such an attention-seeker,” Simone claims, wrinkling her nose.
“I don’t remember him ever laughing like that at my jokes,” I say wistfully.
“Probably because he didn’t get them because he’s a twerp,” Ruby points out.
“What do you want to do, Freya?” Cali asks. “Do you want to leave?”
“No. I was here first.”
Simone nods. “That’s right.”
“But I’m also not that hungry anymore.” I bury my face in my hands, before looking up and gesturing to their plates. “Please, keep eating, don’t let it go cold because of this.”
“We’ll eat fast, in case you want to get out of here,” Cali says, picking up her cutlery.
“Do not give yourselves indigestion because of Matthew,” I say sternly. “He’s already done enough.”
“Please can we have a look at the wine menu?” we hear himask over the din of the restaurant. “Is it possible to taste the wines before choosing a bottle?”
“What a wanker,” Simone says in absolute disgust. “Who does he think he is?”
“I wish I could throw my wine right in his face,” Ruby snarls, watching him. “And say, ‘There’s your wine for you.’” She hesitates. “I feel that with more time I might be able to come up with a better line than that.”
“Yes, I think so, too, but I love where your brain is going,” Simone encourages.
“What if he looks over here? What if he sees me?” I ask in a panic. “I’m not wearing any perfume today! I forgot to put it on when I left the house!”
“He’s not going to smell you from over there, Freya,” Simone assures me. “Even though he may think he has a nose for wine.”
