HOW TO BE SINGLE | SIDEMEN

SIX

s i x
" look at all of these dogs! "
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Adela and Alice walked arm in arm alongside the bumbling river, comfortably quiet, as they ate their ice creams. Adela watched the river as they went along. It was quiet and calm. Going about its business like there was no one else in the world, no troubles to dwell upon, no lovers to be lost.

And it made her heart swell and tremble within her chest to think of how care free she could have been, how happy she was only moments ago in the arms of the one. Or, who she thought was the one.

But, as she looked at Alice, with the ice cream smeared on her chin, she smiled and said, "You're right, there's no such thing as a break. How could I be so stupid?"

"You're not stupid, you're in love," She replied, simply, sympathetically. Her hand squeezed Adela's upper arm, whilst the other dumped the napkin from her quickly eaten ice cream into the bin, conveniently placed on the side of the path.

The way she did it, she didn't even need to look where her hand was going. Everything about Alice was so carefree, go with the flow, and Adela found herself sinking into the familiar green feeling of jealousy.

It was petty and picky, but Adela couldn't help herself.

Alice smacked her arm lightly, jolting her from her picking. "Stop thinking, enjoy your ice cream!" Both of them laughed and, honestly, it put Adela's faith in the old saying 'laughter is the best medicine'. "Oh, you remember how much time we used to spend on these old swings. Let's just sit for a while," Alice said, all but squealing with nostalgia and enthusiasm, as she tugged Adela over, hoping onto the swing.

Adela lowered herself onto it and swung gently. Beside her, Alice was going for it. Swinging higher and higher. Looking like she might wrap right around the bar. And she was grinning. Grinning so widely. She looked picture perfect, a snippet of purity in a life turned upside down by tragedy and cruel fate.

Eventually, Alice slowed until she was swinging like a summer's breeze beside Adela. She smiled, looking as if she were about to say something quite profound, but her eyes went wide before she could and her lips parted.

"Oh, my... Look at that!" She suddenly exclaimed, jumping off the swing and dragging Adela with her towards a group of three little corgis and a guy trying to control them.

Adela's stomach dropped when she recognised him as he turned to face them, the same handsome smile on his face.

Alice was oblivious, kneeling down amongst the dogs. "Look at all these dogs!" She exclaimed before she was jumped on by one. She laughed, ignoring the glances being shared by the strangers who weren't quite strangers. An unusual tie left between them, but an encounter brand new with a lack of tears, Jane Eyre and ever so slightly less emptiness.

"Hi," Adela managed to breathe out, wrapping her hands together in front of herself. Silently, she cursed her red, awfully chipped nail varnish and made a mental note to repaint them that night.

"It's great to see you smiling today," He said as if it wouldn't make her stomach flip like a circus animal. "Is your friend ok? These little ones can be a lot to handle."

"I'm sure she's fine," Adela told him, smiling even wider.

Lewis laughed. It was a nice laugh. "And, what about you?"

"What?" She blinked, unfocused.

"Are you ok?" He asked again, tilting his head as he looked at her.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks," She mumbled, shaking her hand through her hair and tucking it behind her ear. "And you?" Adela asked, more out of politeness than anything.

"Besides having to walk these three, I'm doing alright. Just, um," He glanced down for a moment before meeting her eyes again with his warm, friendly gaze and smiling to complete the look. "Did you maybe want to go for a coffee sometime."

"Oh, uh-"

"I don't mean like a date, unless you want it to be a date, but, uh, it would be nice to hear more about you. You seem interesting and it would be great to be friends," He rambled out, losing his cool, which Adela didn't think he'd ever do. She was glad to see that he did. It made her less conscious about her own response.

"Yeah, sure," She replied, smiling slightly.

"So... Can I get your number, or am I just going to have to wait until I run into you again?" He joked, his cool back in tact.

"Oh, sorry," Adela laughed, reaching into her pocket for her phone. "I actually don't know my number by heart, but I'll read it out for you."

"That's fine, I'm sure I'll manage," He replied, just as Alice was overwhelmed by the corgis and left laughing to herself as they licked her face. Lewis met Adela's eye and they both burst out laughing at the girl with a love so great for dogs. He pulled them off her and left Alice to recover as he turned back to Adela. "So, your number?"

God, he was silky smooth and maybe that was exactly what she needed.

Well, that's what Alice told her as they were walking out of the park back to her car.

"Ads, he's super cute and even if you guys only end up as friends, he seems nice and he totally would be a good guy to have around. Plus, he likes dogs."

"I'm a cat person," Adela responded. "Besides, he might not even call me."

"I'll bet money on him calling you tonight."

"How much?" Adela challenged, looking at her friend from the passenger seat, her dark hair blowing in the wind.

"Tenner?"

"Alright, deal," Adela said, sticking out her hand with complete confidence.

They shook hands and the deal was set.

By eight that evening, Adela was ten pounds poorer.

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