Page 105 of Thrill

Eddie swatted him over the head. “You two are on snack duties. Off you pop. I’ll have some ice cream, popcorn and a smoothie, please. Surprise me with the flavour.”

“Fine,” Scott said. “Come on, you.”

Tyler put the ice cream down and scrambled out of bed. “I’m not going in sweatpants. I may be down. I’m certainly not out.”

Scott patted him on the shoulder. “That’s the spirit.”

“Hey,” Tyler said as he opened his wardrobe. He’d never take one of these for granted again. “Aren’t you going out with Mr Muscle?”

Eddie cackled.

“What?” Tyler asked.

“Go on, Scott,” Eddie said.

Tyler selected a T-shirt and shorts. When he turned round, he caught Scott giving Eddie a withering glare.

“I won’t be seeing Pablo again,” Scott declared.

“Why’s that, Scott?” Eddie asked in mock innocence.

Scott scowled. “Okay, fine. Twat. He called for his mother when he came. I don’t want to talk about it.”

Tyler and Eddie had to hold each other up as they collapsed into hysterics.

Four hours later and Sigourney Weaver had triumphed over intergalactic critters twice.

“I can’t face another,” Scott cried out. “What time is it?”

Tyler glanced at his watch. “Nearly four.”

Scott sat up. “Just think…”

“No,” Eddie and Tyler said in unison.

“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

“We do,” Eddie replied. “You’re going to say we could be in the pub for six and home for ten.”

Scott frowned. “Okay, fine. You do know what I’m going to say. We’re in our thirties. The night is ours.”

Tyler pulled a face. “That sounds like an eighties movie song.”

“Please,” Scott said. “I need to blank out Pablo. It will haunt me for years.”

Poor Scott. Yet another failed attempt at finding love.

“It’ll be exactly a week since I spoke to Danny in a few hours. I think a bit of alcohol might help.”

“You sure?” Eddie asked.

Tyler met his gaze. “Yeah, I’m sure. Don’t suppose it’s a good idea to mark the occasion with a text to him?”

Eddie squeezed his arm. “I think you’ve come this far. Hold firm, my friend.”

Tyler buried his face in his hands. “I’m such a twat,” he said. “Am I ever going to stop regretting saying that to my fucking mother?”

“I did try to tell you,” Scott said.