Drinks at Christmas.

TWO.

December 2nd.

* * *

There was a crushing sensation on my face and an intense heat sliding across my cheeks. I opened my eyes to darkness. It was surely morning going off my automatic body clock, so why was it still dark? I tried to inhale and choked on strands of cat hair.

Bunny was lying on my face.

"Bunny!" my voice was muffled beneath her fur. She only purred even as I slid her off my face. Right. I could see now. Weak winter sunlight attempted to penetrate through my curtains. The light bounced off my pink bed covers and white makeup desk. Bunny turned onto her back, showing her furry belly to the heavens. I ruffled her head and got out of bed.

An hour later, with my hair washed and breakfast eaten, I was trying to pick an outfit for work. I was a primary school teacher, working mostly with children around the ages of four to five. I loved my job, but just like anything else it was a lot of work. I would have to stay behind an hour or two today when the school day ended to plan my lesson for the next day. Finally I decided on a colourful dress and black tights.

Winter fashion was my favourite: jumpers and woolly socks, long colourful scarves, hats with bobbles and thick gloves. Duffel coats ... I was still thinking of outfits when I locked the front door and drove to the school.

Saint James' Primary School was only a fifteen minute drive from where I lived and it was usually pleasant, but that morning I felt very anxious. Theta hadn't stopped texting or calling me in days. After a while I had stopped opening them but she was relentless and they kept building up. Even now my phone pinged in my bag and I knew without looking that it would be Theta, imploring me to speak to her.

I pulled my car into the teachers car park and shut the engine off. It was still early. My pupils wouldn't be arriving until 8:30. I exhaled once more and stepped out of the car. The car-park looked mostly empty apart from a sleek black car that I recognised as Som's, Saint James' principal, and a shiny red car that I was unfamiliar with. There was a faint dusting of frost on the pathways and over the weekend someone had started putting some of the outdoor decorations up. An inflatable Santa Claus bobbed by the front doors and I tapped his nose as I entered the school.

The children's artwork decorated the corridors. Yesterday I had gotten all the children in my class to draw their own version of Santa Claus and every single drawing was so different. In some versions Santa's stereotypical red suit was green, or a soft pink or even purple. It made me smile. Beside each drawing was a picture of the child. I had spent most of the previous evening sticking all of them onto the wall.

Reaching my classroom I closed the door behind me and looked around the room. It was neat and tidy – for now. Children were messy little devils. I emptied my bag, getting the paperwork ready for the day and scribbled our brand new topic onto the blackboard: The Story of Christmas.

It would be a fun topic for the children to learn about and it would help them understand our Nativity Christmas play this year, so I was excited.

The door to my classroom creaked open and I spun around, expecting to see Som, but my eyes fell on a pretty woman, with curly blonde hair and big blue eyes. My heart sank into my stomach.

"Evie --" She started speaking.

"Theta," I mumbled, my good mood instantly evaporating.

Yes, Theta also taught at Saint James'. Before the big confession it had been lovely working in my dream job with my best friend, but all that had changed. Now her presence only brought me anxiety. Anxiety and heartbreak.

"Have you been getting my messages?" Theta's voice shook. Tears glimmered in her eyes and she wore no makeup, bringing out the bags under her eyes. She looked pale and withdrawn. Exhausted.

I nodded once. I felt sick to my stomach and on the brink of tears. I didn't want to talk to Theta now. Not before I had to teach a class of twenty children.

"You never respond ..." Theta's voice had descended into a whisper. A single tear slid down her face but she quickly swiped it away.

"There's nothing I want to say to you. You, you --" I couldn't finish the sentence. My own eyes were blurring with tears and I turned away from Theta. Memories flashed across my closed eyelids without my consent. I had been working late at school because the summer holidays were rapidly approaching. Leon and I had been together since our university days and we'd been living together for two years. I loved him. That night I let myself into our home and the two of them were in the kitchen. Theta was sat on our kitchen table and Leon was stood in between her legs. They were kissing, completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

I was beyond shocked. They were too wrapped up in each other to notice me stood there until I dropped my phone. My screen shattered instantly as it hit the kitchen tiles and Theta's eyes flew open.

"Evie!" She'd screeched, pushing Leon's chest so he would move away. Leon stumbled backwards and his green eyes widened comically.

"E--" Leon stuttered.

My stomach swooped like I was on a roller coaster that had just dived downwards. Theta and I had been best friends since primary school. How could she do this to me? She knew I was mad about Leon, I never stopped talking about him! And Leon ... I knew he and Theta got on, but ... how could he have betrayed me like that? I thought he loved me ...

Back in the present I opened my eyes and wiped at my cheeks. The salty taste of tears coated my lips. I sniffed and turned to face Theta.

"You broke my heart," I told her. "You and Leon ... and you expect me to just forgive you? Leave me alone, Theta. Don't contact me anymore, don't talk to me at work. I don't want you in my life."

Theta's pretty face crumpled and tears slid down her cheeks. She exhaled shakily and left the room. I longed to find a private corner and cry myself but the children would be arriving in twenty minutes. Enough time to have a cup of tea with Som.

Som had been the principal for more than a decade and he was probably my closest friend in Saint James'. I adored him. I knocked on his door and his booming voice welcomed me in. Inside his office was dotted with leather bound books stacked onto honey coloured shelves. His desk was neatly organised (as usual) and pictures of him and his boyfriend, Kaspar, occupied frames. Paperwork was placed in the centre of the table and Som was sat behind his desk, a steaming cup of tea in his right hand.

"Kettle's just boiled," Som murmured, catching sight of my face. No doubt my makeup was running down my face.

Som was a beautiful man: brown skin and big brown eyes. A neatly trimmed beard. Had he not been gay and in a relationship, I may have been tempted to ask him out. Not that any of that mattered now. Either way Som was my confidante and he and Kaspar had helped me a lot when I found out about Leon and Theta.

I sat down in front of him, a fresh cuppa warming my hands. "Theta came to visit me again this morning. She's relentless, Som!"

Som rolled his eyes and leaned forward. "Tell me everything."

* * *

Hello hello, it's me again! I know this story was supposed to be written by nano 2020 but I completely forgot about it until now. I still love this idea so I won't be giving up but chapters may be slow coming out.

Either way, I hope you enjoy.
— Hatter.