Page 97 of Marley

Back with the ex, my arse. She’s full of shit.

But then I felt bad. She probably only made that story up to save face. What an arsehole I was. She worked for my sister and my mum. How the fuck must she feel facing them at work, knowing all the things we did the night before I left her?

I went back to the living room, sat on the sofa and waited. I went over what I was gonna say in my head. I decided that honesty was gonna be the best policy. Ash would see straight through any bullshit excuses I came up with.

I stood up and went into the kitchen, leaning my elbows on the work top and faced the front door, then I paced, wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans, and then leaned back down on my elbows.

I’d played sell-out concerts at Wembley, for fuck’s suck, I could do it.

Could I do it? Was I really what she actuallyneededin her life?

I started to consider leaving when I heard the first security door close. For a split second I thought about climbing out of a window, but then the front door swung open and there she was.

You remember that kids game Buckaroo? Well, that’s how my heart was feeling right then, like the horse had bucked, throwing bits of it in every direction. It was hitting my ribs, my belly, and my throat.

It took her a few seconds to notice me, then she screamed, dropped her bag and moved one hand to her chest.

“Fuck.” She said breathlessly, sexily. Her face changed in an instant.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Didn’t my mum call you?” I asked.

She frowned and shook her head. “No, why?”

“Hmm, sorry about that. I thought you knew I was gonna be staying here.” I tried to sound like I was sorry.

Obviously I wasn’t, not in the least.

“Wh-What? Staying here? Why?” She stuttered out, all colour now drained from her face.

I should’ve felt bad, but I didn’t.

“Well, you wouldn’t believe what’s happened at my place. Some “fucker,” I use finger air quote thingy’s when I say it, “has broken into my place and left rotting food everywhere. And a thick, green mould growing all over my bedroom. Could take weeks to put right.” I held my hands out, shaking my head and trying to look as if I was in despair, which I kinda was.

“So yeah, anyway. What with the wedding being just next week, I needed to be in town, so my mum said that since you have a spare room, I should stay here. At least until after the wedding.”

She was shaking her head before I even finished talking.

“No. I can’t have you ... I won’t have you here. Get out. Get the fuck out right this fucking minute. How dare you even come here?” She picked up her bag and stepped closer as she spoke.

I stepped closer as I listened, but ignored what she was saying.

“Ash, look, I’m so fucking... Argghhhh. What the—” I couldn’t see ... I couldn’t fucking breathe. Fuck, I was on fire. My skin was fucking dissolving, along with my eyeballs.

“Get out of my fucking flat.”

“Oghaghfuuuck.” Is the sorta sound I made as my legs gave way and I crumbled to the floor. A kick in the balls would do that to ya.

I rolled onto my back and held onto my balls, which were now hiding somewhere near my ears. I coughed and spluttered as my eyes burned and streamed with tears. I reached up to rub them.

My eyes ... not my balls.

“Don’t rub them, you’ll make it worse.” Ash said from above as she dug, what I assumed was her shoe, into my ribs.

“Wha the... What the fu...?”

“Pepper spray. Your mum supplies all of us girls with it. She likes to know we’re safe when we walk out to our cars, or into our flats. Never know what weirdo’s could be lurking.”