‘No. Starving,’ she replied between bites of the bars: vegan ones that Aisha brought in most weeks.
‘Okay, well. Next time drop me a text. Or ring and just groan down the phone, eh? I’ll know it’s you. I’ll come round with a takeaway or something.’ Annie’s tone softened, and Faye smiled apologetically at her friend.
‘Okay. Sorry. Love you,’ she repeated, and reached for her friend’s hand, covered in silver rings. She squeezed it affectionately. ‘What would I do without you, eh?’
‘’I love ye, too, lassie.’ Annie squeezed back.
‘What did I miss when I was ill?’
‘Oh, not much. Aisha did some work for Rav, bit of light emailing. Made him a contact database, apparently. She said the guy has no IT ability at all. Ye didn’t see him, then?’
‘No, like I said, I was ill,’ Faye said, though the thought of Aisha and Rav made her heart ache a little, but she had made the choice not to see Rav – at least, until she was sure she couldprotect him from Finn. Perhaps it wouldn’t be too long now; she was already gaining power. Merging with her ancestors and letting go of her fear about her magic had been two huge steps; she felt transformed.
‘Aye.’ Annie gave her a funny look.
‘What?’ Faye snapped.
Annie looked away. ‘Nothing. Got some news of my own, that’s all.’ She looked uncharacteristically shifty.
‘What is it?’
‘I got a job. Acting.’ Annie was trying to hide a grin.
Faye’s anger evaporated. ‘You’re joking! That’s fantastic, Annie! Why didn’t you say? I don’t mind if you’re going to be away a week or so. Aisha can cover.’ Faye hugged her friend. ‘What is it? The role?’
‘Ah. That’s the thing, see. It’s in London. It’s TV. A series.’
‘A series? Wow!’ Faye beamed. ‘How many episodes are you going to be on?’
Annie sighed and pulled away from Faye. ‘All o’ them,’ she said. ‘It’s a new show. They’ve put me in for six months and see how I go. Maybe permanent. I’ve got to move away, Faye. To London.’
Faye felt numb. ‘London?’
‘Aye. I’m sorry. I’m going to miss ye like crazy.’
‘But why didn’t you say before? That’s where your audition was?’
‘Aye, well, I didn’t think I’d actually get it, did I? Outside chance, I thought, but I had an old girlfriend I wanted to call in on, an’…well. Here we are.’
Tears of shock welled up in Faye’s eyes. ‘But what will I do without you, Annie?’ she whispered, and Annie enveloped her in a hug again.
‘Aw, now. Come on. I know ye’ll be okay. An’ I’ll come home for weekends here and there. It’s just that the filming’s pretty intense, they said. Not many days off for a while, aye.’
What could Faye say? That she really needed her friend, even though she hadn’t yet told Annie anything about Finn or Murias?
But as she looked into Annie’s green eyes, she didn’t have the heart to ruin this for her. She wouldn’t say anything; she could do it on her own. She didn’t need Annie looking out for her all the time any more. And this was the big break Annie had been waiting for.
‘What show is it? One I’ve seen?’
‘Coven of Love.’ Annie shrugged. ‘Stupid title, aye. But it’s about these three modern witches who are looking for love in London. They said they liked my interest in the subject, and they wanted a Scottish witch as a character, so. Life imitates art, aye.’ She winked at Faye. ‘Maybe it’s the spell workin’ for me. Tell me you’re happy for me, lassie?’ she asked, quietly.
Faye smiled through her tears. ‘Of course I’m happy for you,’ she said, but her face betrayed her, and she sobbed into her best friend’s shoulder. ‘I’ll just miss you, that’s all.’
Annie patted her on the shoulder. ‘I’ll miss you too, you daftie,’ she said, but there was a tremble in her voice, too.
‘When do you leave?’ Faye mumbled.
‘Saturday. I’m going to stay with the ex for a while, until I find a place of my own.’
