We had been childhood sweethearts, and to be honest, I could see my future with him. Obviously, he couldn’t.
I pulled a face as I caught my reflection in the mirror, sort it out Freya, my subconscious snarled at me. I shook away the thoughts. I threw my mid length hair into a towel and stood in front of the wardrobe. “What to wear, what to wear,” I said to myself.
We were going to a little cocktail bar in London and then heading for dinner, nothing spectacular, but it was a night out. I opted for a black, thick strapped figure hugging midi dress. It wasn’t too tight round my breasts and wasn’t sticking to my thighs and bum. I have long legs and curvaceous bum and hips which complement my small waist. After missing my hair appointment, I decided to straighten my long auburn hair. I wasn’t great when it came to make-up and hairstyles.
I then applied my foundation, bronzer, mascara and a re-application of my nude lipstick. I had one last look in the mirror before stepping into my heels.
I looked at the clock in the kitchen, seven-fifty. Wow, I was early. I smirked to myself, that’s a first.
I poured myself a glass of white wine to enjoy while I was waiting. I looked at my phone and stared at the photo on my background. A photo of me and Jake in Venice was still on there, I just couldn’t bring myself to change it. We looked so happy, we were so happy. Well I was. I still don’t know what possessed him to do what he did and also how long it had been going on for. I didn’t stay around long enough to find out.
I left Cambridgeshire where I grew up and moved to London, Highgate to be exact. It was the gorgeous terraced houses and the high-end independent boutiques that caught my eye.
Jake and I had lived in a little cottage in Elsworth. Everyone knows your business in Elsworth and I didn’t want my failed relationship to be the talk of the village, and especially for my poor parents having to be constantly reminded of it. Moving to London was not ideal, rent’s expensive but it’s easy to get to work, plus my best friend Laura lives here.
After deciding to leave, I left my job in the quiet village law firm and was offered a new job in the city. The pay is good and pays the bills, so I can’t really moan.
I ran my thumb over the screen, and before I could dwell on the past anymore, my buzzer rang. I had a quick look out the window and saw the taxi. I finished the rest of my wine, grabbed my clutch and my keys and ran out of the door.
I sat in the taxi, watching the city lights pass by. I had a little scroll through Instagram and noticed all the girls were already together. Balls. I looked at the time, eight-twenty. It’s fine, I thought, we will be there in ten minutes; I hoped, anyway.
Twenty minutes later, after getting stuck in bloody traffic, I arrived at the cocktail bar. I was doing so well. I threw the taxi driver his money and wished him a good night. Stepping out of the taxi, the warm summer breeze hit me. I felt slightly tipsy, I’m a damn lightweight. I pulled my dress down, threw my hair over my shoulders and headed for the door. Laura was going to be so annoyed.
“Well, well, well, look who’s finally arrived!” Laura teased. “I’m sorry, so sorry! I got stuck in traffic, I was doing so well, I was dressed by seven-fifty!” I exclaimed. “Oh shhh, it doesn’t matter, you are here now. Here, drink this,” she passed me a cosmopolitan, my favourite. Laura brushed through the group dancing to the music. “Hey, you, love your dress,” Brooke smiled.
Brooke was another friend who I grew up with. Laura, Brooke and I were the three musketeers throughout school. She had been married for two years now, and had a darling little princess called Lola. “This old thing?” I laughed. “Thank you, you look gorgeous my darling!” she gave me a little twirl, “It’s new. I haven’t bought anything in over eighteen months because of my little Lola. Peter told me to go out today and have a pamper day, so I did just that. I went and got my hair styled, makeup done and treated myself to this outfit.” She was wearing a very fitted black boob-tube jumpsuit. It hugged her curves perfectly, her long brown hair was curled and tumbled down past her chest. I don’t know how she was standing in her heels, they were ridiculously high. “Come on,” she said, “let’s go find the bride-to-be and get wasted!” I rolled my eyes. “What?!” she shrieked “I am making the most of this evening out, enjoy it whilst you can. Not that I would change it, I love being mummy to Lola, I really do.” She looked down. “It’s just nice to get out and just be me again, you do lose yourself being a mummy,” she sighed, “Hey, you haven’t got to explain yourself to me. You enjoy your night off, you deserve it. Come on let’s get wasted, as you put it,” I replied and she laughed.
I took her hand and followed the rest of the group, I only knew Laura’s fiance’s sister, Zoe, and Laura’s close work colleague Amy. The rest, I didn’t have a clue who they were.
The night was in full swing, the cocktail making was so much fun. The nine of us were all on our way to being very drunk. We had a little VIP booth which kept us away from the crowds that started to form. I checked my phone, no messages, no missed calls. I pulled a face and threw my phone back into my clutch. Why would I have any messages? I gulped my drink down.
Laura came and slumped down next to me. “Hey Frey Frey, we’ve got to make our way to dinner and I’m really drunk and I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.” I smiled at her, “Come on you, let’s get you up and get the gang together and we could try and make our way to dinner.” Why Zoe would think about doing cocktails and then dinner was beyond me, most of the group were drunk and now we had to go and sit and try to act normally. Two taxis full of rowdy girls was just what these taxi drivers ordered. A ten-minute journey felt like forever with drunk Laura, who spent the time telling me she was going to be sick.
As we pulled up outside the restaurant, I decided to go in and cancel the reservation. The waiter was clearly annoyed but he would have been more annoyed at having those wild animals sitting down in his restaurant. I called a cab and put Laura, Eloise, Trish and Charlotte safely in the back. They were far too drunk, and the only place for them was home.
Just as the cab was about to pull away, Zoe said she was going to jump in with them to make sure they weren’t sick in his cab. Laura was hanging out the window trying to grab me “I don’t want to go home,” she wailed, “I’m not even that drunk, look at me. I am fine,” she slurred. I shook my head and laughed “I know you are sweetie, call me in the morning. Love you.” She sulked back into the cab and threw her hand up in the air at a poor attempt to wave, “Love you more!” she shouted as I watched the cab drive away.
The other two girls had disappeared, so it was only Brooke and I left. “We’re not going home yet are we? Let’s go for a drink. There are loads of little bars and restaurants round here!” I really just wanted to go home, but she was giving me puppy dog eyes. “Fine - let’s go, one drink.”
Something New Excerpt
Chapter Two
The next morning, I was awoken by the sun beaming through my windows. I rolled over to look at the time, 6:48am, ugh. I threw my head into my hands, it was banging. I don’t remember much from last night.