Lying Low

Reminiscing

A horrible pounding headache started off my next morning, with Vera opening the blinds and letting in the scraps of overzealous daylight. Were it not for the aversion to loud noises, I would have scolded at her.

'How come you look so... you?' I opened one eye carefully, seeing my friend to be the everyday, lively girl.

'Well, I am a much more experienced drinker,' she laughed. 'Plus, you weren't drunk only from the booze.'

Narrowing my eyes, I tried to pick up bits and pieces from the drought-stricken soil of my memory, sitting up in the tangled covers.

'Was I inappropriate in any possible way?'

Vera threw herself on the bed next to me, obviously enjoying such common thing as owning important memories. 'Nope. Just tipsily adorable. Then you kissed Dan out of the blue.'

'WHAT?!'

She started laughing hysterically, mumbling a few self-praising words. 'I am joking. No such thing happened, unfortunately.'

It took a while for the shock to subside. After that, Vera acquainted me with the details of the evening, which I had a significant lack of. We'd apparently wandered around, took a train randomly, and amongst other things, broke onto a rooftop. It was actually a miracle we'd managed to find the way home as our escorts hadn't been exactly reliable.

I didn't prove to be very efficient in terms of studying throughout the day. Instead, I was constantly flicking glances towards my phone to see Dan's name magically appear on the screen. Putting down a few lines into my journal, I couldn't prevent my thoughts spilling a little too much ink.

Tripping over past

each step is the last

never know the end

of the vast spoiled land.

Discarding the load

I dared jump off board

Took a midnight swim

on your iris' rim.

Confused from my own words, I shut the notebook, forcing the thoughts out of my head. I started making notes of potential ideas for the theatre play, too biased not to base the main character on Dan.

The following Friday, my exhaustion reached its peak. I'd been studying for this huge Victorian Literature module test, having extended shifts in the bookshop because Lucy had fallen ill, and working on the play with the guys while suppressing naive emotional yelps of my mind. The plan of having absolutely nothing planned for the evening was, therefore, welcome.

Until Greg walked in the kitchen casually as if he was just another flatmate, informing, 'Skip the cooking, we have a party to attend.'

Vera, traditionally full of energy, jumped in excitement, 'Where are we going?!'

'Sorry, but I'll pass. I'm on the brink of death.' I took a sip of what must have been the hundredth coffee of the day.

'Too late, girly. Dan's counting on you already.'

'Why?'

'I told him you were coming. Our Iago has been busy these last few days.'

Like I didn't know. I'd been suffering from the deprivation myself.

'Anyway, we're throwing a housewarming party for Dan's new flatmate Adam. He moved to London a month ago and we've never had the time until now.'

'I don't really feel like partying today,' I made my best tired face.

'Well, don't you at least feel like seeing Dan?' Greg raised an eyebrow, taking the mug from my hands. I avoided his perky gaze.

'Exactly,' he said victoriously,' go get changed.'