A Girl's Guide to Fairy Tales

Chapter Eight (part 2)

I squinted through the darkness at my phone, which seared the time onto my retinas. It was half past twelve and the bed was cold without Tom. He had never been later than midnight and there was only one explanation. It had to be because of Michelle.

I listened to my stomach trying desperately to digest the lamb and the chocolate melt-in-the middle pudding, which I had ordered in spite of Tom’s warning that it was the most calorific thing on the menu.

In between the pops and gurgles coming from the party in my stomach, I heard the party goers making their way to the next club.

We lived on the outskirts of the city’s clubbing scene and the students often used our road as a shortcut. I could hear girls giggling as they stumbled down the cobbled street and guys declaring how ‘hammered’ they were going to get tonight.

I lay on my back and grabbed at my phone which was lying next to me somewhere in the folds of the duvet. I flicked it on, the screen illuminating my sulking face. Only then did I notice the small envelope in the corner.

      

Tom: I’ll meet you outside in 10 mins PJ.

          I’m going as fast as I can! Xxx

            11.22pm

I looked up, open mouthed and began pressing buttons frantically only to lose grip of the phone and smack myself in the face. The pain on the bridge of my nose only mirrored the ache in my heart as I realised Tom was with another woman.

I had known all along he wouldn’t be able to resist her.

The cold bed suddenly became even colder and the giggles from outside became louder, as if ridiculing my unfortunate, cheated, situation.

But the more I listened it dawned on me the mockery did not transpire from the street.

It was coming from inside our apartment.

I threw the covers back and switched on the bed side light, knocking the framed picture of me and Tom at Disney World to the floor. The glass exploded like a miniature firework leaving a glistening trail that stretched to the door.

I thrust my feet into Tom’s slippers and stormed towards the door, the glassy shards crunching like ice under my soles. Wrapping my fingers tightly around the door knob, I took a deep breath and held it. My lungs were now an organic egg timer.

Right now I was in limbo, Dante’s first circle of hell. Once I opened the door, I would either discover I had been a cynical fool and everything was fine or I would be plunged into a much darker realm as my worst fears were brought to life.

‘Tom would you mind? The zip’s stuck?’ said Michelle coming out of the kitchen like a Grecian nymph. The darkness descended upon me.