a journey of self-discovery, independence and learning that maybe, just maybe, being single isn't so bad after all
HOW TO BE SINGLE
SIDEMEN
(SIMON, CHRIS & LEWIS)
DEATHLIES 2017
(inspired by the movie how to be single)
t h i r t e e n " it hurts more than it's worth " -
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Adela sat with Alice in her double bed, balancing her mug of tea on her thigh. The best friend had her laptop on her lap and was scrolling through potential options for new apartments.
"See, I would offer to share with you but I don't think Harry would appreciate that," Alice offered, but Adela shook her head.
"It's fine. I kind of would like to try living on my own. I've never done it before and I think I'd really like it," She explained, putting her mug on the bedside table and taking the laptop from Alice.
"See," Alice pointed at the screen, her fingertip almost touching it. "What about that one?"
"It's nice," Adela said, the smile could be heard in her voice. It was a nice apartment. Modern, sleek, but perfectly sized for one person. Not too much room, but not tiny. She didn't just like it, she adored it almost immediately. "That's the one. I want to go and see it," She gushed. Alice and her shared a look, she broke out into a grin and Alice gripped her arm with both of her clammy hands.
They both squealed with excitement and Alice could see a glimmer in her best friend's eyes that hadn't been there in weeks. It only made her smile even more.
"We can go and see it as soon as you want. Make the call," Alice said, through her beaming smile.
As Adela reached for her mobile, it began to ring, Simon's name plastered across the screen. She glanced at Alice for a moment before making a grab for it, but Alice was quicker. She snatched it, screaming and gasping for air as Adela tried to wrestle her for it, but she held it out of reach while it went out answer phone.
"No, no calling him back until you've called about the apartment, ok?"
"Ok fine," Adela replied though uneven breathing.
"Promise me." She pointed a finger at her.
"I promise," She breathed. "Please give me my phone." She held out her hand. Alice looked between her and the hand for a moment, ran her tongue along her teeth behind her lips and sighed, finally placing the phone in her hand.
"I'm trusting you right now because if you're calling Simon I'm going to hit you in both your boobs, Ads," She warned, still pointing her finger at her.
"I'm not!" Adela exclaimed, smacking her hand down playfully. She dialled the number for the agency, under the watchful eye of Alice, and waited for them to pick up. Alice was sat right beside her, arms linked together as she booked the viewing.
The date was set for a week's time and Adela couldn't have been happier in that moment, until Alice said, "Right, you can call Simon now, if you want to even talk to him after he broke your heart." She huffed, unlinking her arm and standing from the bed. "But I'm not going anywhere so that you can't take him back."
"Alice..."
"Just call him already, God."
"Ok." She drew in a breath, preparing herself, before she called him back. With every ring her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to burst from the confines of her ribs. She willed it quiet, but it did nothing but sink as the call went to answer phone.
She lowered it from her ear. "Should I call again?"
"I don't think that's a good idea," Alice said softly, taking the phone from Adela's hand and dropping it back onto the bed. "Let's start looking for jobs instead. It'll take your mind of him."
"Right, yeah," She replied, obviously disappointed. Just one little thing had extinguished the newly lit spark in her eyes and that made Alice's blood boil. How dare he put her through this. How dare he torment her like this. She was eating right out the palm of his hand and whether he knew that or not didn't matter because she was hurting like hell.
Adela slowly lowered herself back onto the bed and slipped beneath the covers, pulling them up to her chin. It only brought attention to her bottom lip, which had begun to tremble.
Alice scooted in next to her and wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close. Adela rest her head on her shoulder and mumbled, "I always kind of hoped he'd come around and when he called I thought that was him coming back to me."
"You were always the hopeful kind, but I love that about you, Ads. You always see the best in a bad situation. You were there to do that for me so now I'm here to do that for you. Maybe it's a good thing he didn't pick up and maybe you two calling it quits is a good thing for you."
"How could getting my heart broken ever be a good thing?" She whined, a tear streaking down her cheek. "It hurts more than it's worth."
"Look at us right now. You're getting your own apartment, finding a new job. If that isn't a good thing, I don't know what is! You're being more independent. Not that you weren't already, but now you're doing it without Simon hanging off your leg."
"But, I miss him."
"You don't miss him. You miss having someone around. I don't think I'll ever forget the rant you had with me about him after one too many glasses of wine. I know you probably don't remember even half of what you said, but a lot of the things were things that had clearly been on your mind for a while." She smoothed her hand over Adela's hair.
"I remember every word I said that night and I also remember feeling awful about it the next day." She nuzzled her head into Alice's shoulder, scrubbing away the tears as they fell down her cheeks. "But I also remember thinking about them everyday since. But I did, and still do, love him with all my heart."
"And you always will, but you'll also learn how to love him from a distance. I'm sure you'd agree that, even after it all, he wants the best for you and you want the best for him. Maybe that's just not together."
"But I want it to be together."
"One day, you'll stop comparing everyone to him and you'll fall in love with someone who actually deserves you."
