As I slowly sat up, my head started to spin. I needed water. I slowly shuffled out of bed and threw my t-shirt on. After pouring myself a large glass of water and knocking back two anadin, I made my way back to my bedroom. I pulled the blinds that I had obviously forgotten to do last night and got back into bed.
Tilly was there all curled up and snoozing. I envied her.
I checked my phone again, a few drunken messages from Brooke that she had obviously sent when she got home. I was trying to think back about what I last remembered from last night but my mind was too hazy. I wasn’t used to caring for myself when I was hungover, usually Jake would be at my beck and call. He was good like that. I looked back at my phone and the picture, I really did miss him. I sighed and got back under the covers, but not before gulping the rest of my water. My mouth was so dry. I cuddled up with Tilly and slowly dozed back off.
I was awoken by my phone ringing, it was Laura. I looked at the time, it was 10:30. I sighed and slid the phone across. “Hey,” I tried my best to sound awake and fresh but I couldn’t fool her, “Oh you sound rough! Where did you end up last night?!” she sounded great “Um, I don’t really remember. My memory is in a bit of a haze at the moment, how are you feeling anyway?” I rolled over and got myself cosy again. “Better than I deserve, I slept so well and I managed to convince the taxi driver to stop off at McDonalds on the way home, he said he didn’t allow food in his cab so I told him that Trish would show him her boobs if he did.” I gasped. “No you didn’t?!” she laughed, “Yup, and she did it as well, I knew she would. She’s a nightmare once she’s had a drink!” We couldn’t stop laughing. “Anyway, I was calling to see if you wanted to meet for coffee, about midday?” I looked back at the time; it gave me another hour in bed and just enough time for a shower and some dry shampoo. “Okay, I will meet you in Starbucks at 12, on the corner of Junction Street.”
After saying our goodbyes, I called Brooke to see what happened last night. Turns out we ended up in a local karaoke bar singing like drowned cats. After refusing to hand over the microphone back to another failed singer, we got kicked out. The humiliation hit me. Oh God, why do I feel the need to mix my drinks? Brooke sounded as rough as me; all I could hear in the background was Lola screeching “Mummy, mummy, mummy!” I told her I would let her go and call her in the week to arrange a meet up. I placed the phone face down on my bedside table and tried to get rid of the thumping headache by going back to sleep.
Fifteen minutes later, I was on Facebook stalking Jake’s profile. It was a stab to the heart when I saw his profile picture of him and her. We only broke up four months ago and he is all loved up in a new relationship, and I am laying here with my cat, feeling and looking like death, stalking him. I started thinking back to when I found out about him cheating.
I was away for a couple of nights for a family party, my dad’s side live in Devon, and Jake said he couldn’t come with me as his boss wouldn’t agree his leave, I scoffed thinking back at it. We were meant to stay for two nights and travel back on the Sunday evening, but my mum was unwell with flu, so we decided to travel home Saturday morning instead. It was late afternoon when we arrived home, and mum and dad dropped me to the cottage. I was happy to see Jake’s car on the drive, I had only been gone a night and I missed him. I grabbed my suitcase out the back of dad’s car, threw my tatty bag over my shoulder and waved goodbye. As I pulled my little suitcase up our driveway, I couldn’t wait to see him.
As I opened our door, what I could have waited to see was my boyfriend’s sweaty, naked body over some girl, on my new rug in front of our fire. I dropped my bag to the floor, he looked over his shoulder. Sheer panic and regret in his eyes. She looked up at me from underneath him, she had short pixie hair, and cute features, but she was nothing special. “Freya...” he mumbled, I just stared at him.
I reached for my glass key bowl that was to the side of the door on a table and threw it at the floor. I was heartbroken and angry, but I wasn’t going to cry in front of him, and especially not her. It took everything in me not to cave.
After what felt like a lifetime, I cleared my throat “Okay, so I’m going now. Once you’re finished with her, get the rug cleaned, actually just throw it out and don’t bother calling me.” I picked up my bag up off the floor, grabbed my suitcase and turned for the door. “Freya, please, it’s not what it looks like!”
I turned back round, “Sorry? What does it look like then Jake? Because to me, it looks like my boyfriend is shagging some tart on my new rug, in our house and I have just walked in and caught you. Is that not what is happening here?!”
I didn’t realise, but my voice had been getting higher and higher. He couldn’t even say anything, he was scrambling around trying to get his clothes together, she was trying to pull my throw off of my sofa to cover herself. I shook my head “You deserve each other.”
I turned for the door, slamming it behind me. I reached around my bag for my phone. “Mum, can you come and get me?” I tried to sound fine, but I could tell by her voice she knew something was wrong.
I didn’t want to stand by the cottage so I started walking down the road they would drive into, after about ten minutes I could see dad’s jeep. The tears started to fill my eyes.
As dad pulled over my mum jumped out the car “Darling, what is it? What’s happened?” she ushered me into the car and sat in the back with me. I couldn’t hold it anymore; the tears were flowing down my cheeks. “Harry, pull over. You can’t drive while she is like this.” She pulled me into her, she stroked my hair “It’s okay Freya, come on, tell mum what’s happened.”
I wiped my eyes, and sat up. I took a deep breath “It’s Jake, I have just caught him having sex with some girl in the living room, on my new rug,” mum just gasped and put her hands over her mouth, dad was seething, “That clown, who does he think he is doing this to our daughter? I’m going back there, he is not getting away with this!” I looked at mum. “Now Harry, calm down. Going back there isn’t going to solve anything at the moment, our main priority is Freya, we need to get her home and away from this situation.” Dad looked shocked at what mum had said, “Rose, he has betrayed my little girl, how can I just drive away?” Mum just gave him her look and he hung his head in defeat. “Fine,” he grumbled, “but he won’t get away with this.” I smiled at mum as we headed down the lanes.
I just wanted to get home. I know my cottage was home, but I wanted to go to my childhood home. Just home.
I threw my phone down and dragged my bum out of bed. Tilly was still sleeping, oh to be a cat. I walked into my bathroom and turned the shower on – I let the water wash away my thoughts. Why do showers feel so good? I stepped out, brushed my teeth, pulled my hair into a messy bun and walked into my tip of a bedroom. I really need to tidy up, but first coffee.
I pulled on my good old river island jeans and a plain grey t-shirt and slipped into my flip-flops. I said bye to the cat, she didn’t respond, just moved slightly. I grabbed my tatty bag, threw my purse and phone in and walked out of the door to meet Laura.
I left the flat and walked along the street. My little flat was near the station which was ideal for my job. It was noisy, but comforting. After the sale went through on the cottage, I put the money into saving and opted for renting.