wasn’t at a woman’s.
‘I’m just at Paul’s. Don’t be mad, Claud, this is a good thing, a bit of time apart. We can still be friends, we just won’t sleep together any more. No change from usual, hey?’ He laughed and then had the decency to look embarrassed.
‘Wow, I am just getting used to you being gone, and when you say things like that it makes it much easier.’
‘Great apology,
mate
. Now, she’s had enough drama for today, I think.’ Nick moved forward, putting himself in the space between Seth and Claudia. ‘Time for you to leave.’
‘That’s all right,
mate
, you can get going. I’ll look after her; I know what she needs.’
‘You know what I need?’ cried Claudia. ‘You have no idea what I need, that’s the whole problem! All you seem to think I
need
is your willy. Trust me, no girl
needs
a willy.’
‘Say it isn’t so!’ Nick quipped, then composed himself and returned to looking severe.
Seth leant round Nick, a concerned look on his face. ‘Sometimes you needed my willy, though, didn’t you?’
‘I don’t need it now. And I don’t need you, I have Nick.’ Claudia’s insides palpitated when she realised what she had just admitted. Her eyes flicked to Nick, and when they met his she looked away quickly. Her throat was dry. ‘I mean, not for that.’ She was so embarrassed.
‘I’m going to take her home,’ Nick said to Seth, without a smile.
‘I’ll take her home,’ he replied.
‘No, you won’t.’
‘Mate, all due respect, but I can go to my own house.’
‘WHY DON’T YOU GO AND ROLL AROUND IN THE PILE OF SICK I LEFT BY THE FERRIS WHEEL INSTEAD?’
Both men, and a handful of merry-makers passing by, fell silent and gawped at her. Perhaps not the classiest thing to have said, but she felt she’d got her point across.
Her head cleared. Nothing like the remnants of a hangover, a puke and the overwhelming urge to kick someone in the nuts to snap you back to reality. ‘I’m not a toy, Seth. You can’t dump me, hook up with another girl, not even stand up for me in front of her and then come back a few days later, standing all close, calling me sexy, trying to keep me interested. Well, I’m not interested. Get away from me.’
She shrugged out from under Nick’s arm. She hadn’t forgotten how she’d been a puppet on a string for him last night, either. He was protective
now
– arms around her
now
– but he had shot her down only hours ago. ‘And you, get off … I’m not your girlfriend.’ This three-person tango had to end.
Claudia didn’t really want to be around either man, but was still a bit jelly-legged and, annoyingly, would appreciate some company on the walk home. Nick was the lesser of two evils.
‘You’re right babe, I’m sorry.’ Seth tried to hold her arms but she spun away.
She faced Nick yet couldn’t look him in the eye. ‘Please will you walk me back?’
She started off before he could answer, and the two of them stamped across Hyde Park, Nick dragging the suitcase. Claudia’s face was hot and pink against the freezing wind. They walked in silence, all the way back to Claudia’s flat. Nick carried her suitcase up the stairs and they stopped at her door. Claudia was no longer nervous about going inside, but was anxious about being out here with Nick.
‘Thank you for bringing me back. And for my suitcase.’ She didn’t look at him.
‘Do you want to talk?’
‘No. No, right now I just want to sleep.’
‘Okay.’ They stood awkwardly for a moment, then Nick leant down and wrapped Claudia in a big, warm, familiar hug. She sank in to him a fraction.
He spoke quietly into her ear. ‘You’re right here, but I feel like we’re a million miles apart at the moment.’ He let her go and walked away without looking back.
For the second time ever, Claudia entered her flat as a single woman. This time she didn’t crumble at the photos or swoon at the breakfast cereal. This time she stacked up all the picture frames,
‘I’m just at Paul’s. Don’t be mad, Claud, this is a good thing, a bit of time apart. We can still be friends, we just won’t sleep together any more. No change from usual, hey?’ He laughed and then had the decency to look embarrassed.
‘Wow, I am just getting used to you being gone, and when you say things like that it makes it much easier.’
‘Great apology,
mate
. Now, she’s had enough drama for today, I think.’ Nick moved forward, putting himself in the space between Seth and Claudia. ‘Time for you to leave.’
‘That’s all right,
mate
, you can get going. I’ll look after her; I know what she needs.’
‘You know what I need?’ cried Claudia. ‘You have no idea what I need, that’s the whole problem! All you seem to think I
need
is your willy. Trust me, no girl
needs
a willy.’
‘Say it isn’t so!’ Nick quipped, then composed himself and returned to looking severe.
Seth leant round Nick, a concerned look on his face. ‘Sometimes you needed my willy, though, didn’t you?’
‘I don’t need it now. And I don’t need you, I have Nick.’ Claudia’s insides palpitated when she realised what she had just admitted. Her eyes flicked to Nick, and when they met his she looked away quickly. Her throat was dry. ‘I mean, not for that.’ She was so embarrassed.
‘I’m going to take her home,’ Nick said to Seth, without a smile.
‘I’ll take her home,’ he replied.
‘No, you won’t.’
‘Mate, all due respect, but I can go to my own house.’
‘WHY DON’T YOU GO AND ROLL AROUND IN THE PILE OF SICK I LEFT BY THE FERRIS WHEEL INSTEAD?’
Both men, and a handful of merry-makers passing by, fell silent and gawped at her. Perhaps not the classiest thing to have said, but she felt she’d got her point across.
Her head cleared. Nothing like the remnants of a hangover, a puke and the overwhelming urge to kick someone in the nuts to snap you back to reality. ‘I’m not a toy, Seth. You can’t dump me, hook up with another girl, not even stand up for me in front of her and then come back a few days later, standing all close, calling me sexy, trying to keep me interested. Well, I’m not interested. Get away from me.’
She shrugged out from under Nick’s arm. She hadn’t forgotten how she’d been a puppet on a string for him last night, either. He was protective
now
– arms around her
now
– but he had shot her down only hours ago. ‘And you, get off … I’m not your girlfriend.’ This three-person tango had to end.
Claudia didn’t really want to be around either man, but was still a bit jelly-legged and, annoyingly, would appreciate some company on the walk home. Nick was the lesser of two evils.
‘You’re right babe, I’m sorry.’ Seth tried to hold her arms but she spun away.
She faced Nick yet couldn’t look him in the eye. ‘Please will you walk me back?’
She started off before he could answer, and the two of them stamped across Hyde Park, Nick dragging the suitcase. Claudia’s face was hot and pink against the freezing wind. They walked in silence, all the way back to Claudia’s flat. Nick carried her suitcase up the stairs and they stopped at her door. Claudia was no longer nervous about going inside, but was anxious about being out here with Nick.
‘Thank you for bringing me back. And for my suitcase.’ She didn’t look at him.
‘Do you want to talk?’
‘No. No, right now I just want to sleep.’
‘Okay.’ They stood awkwardly for a moment, then Nick leant down and wrapped Claudia in a big, warm, familiar hug. She sank in to him a fraction.
He spoke quietly into her ear. ‘You’re right here, but I feel like we’re a million miles apart at the moment.’ He let her go and walked away without looking back.
For the second time ever, Claudia entered her flat as a single woman. This time she didn’t crumble at the photos or swoon at the breakfast cereal. This time she stacked up all the picture frames,
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