AMBY AWARDS TOP PICK 2023 ❤️
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"You think I can't act like I'm into you?" He asks in a whisper. He reaches out, and strokes a finger down my cheek, and I feel myself shiver at the touch.
"You think I can't convince everyone that I have f...
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As I walk back towards the reception a few minutes later, feeling flustered and antsy, I realise the wedding must be nearing an end. Mainly because I can hear the opening notes of "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond."
It's a time-old tradition that most Scottish weddings end with this song. Everyone links hands in a massive circle on the dancefloor and sings along, and then they all start running towards each other and back, until I get the fear someone is going to stomp on my foot, and ultimately abandon the dancefloor.
It's more fun than it sounds. Honest.
I slip into the circle that's already forming, between Ric and Katie, linking hands with them both. "You alright?" Ric whispers in my ear, and my head bounces up and down like a nodding dog. My heart is racing.
It was Carrie who'd been behind me outside the loos. Carrie, who had heard the revelation that Ric wasn't a real date.
She'd laughed, not meanly, as I'd reluctantly turned to face her.
"There's absolutely no way that was a fake date," she'd said, shaking her head in disbelief. I assumed she was mocking me. It was Carrie, after all.
"You clearly have no idea the lengths someone will go to in order to save face," I snapped, moving to walk away from her. I don't think I even cared if she told Declan the truth at this point.
"That's not what I meant, Abby." She touched my arm to stop me. "I mean - have you seen the way that guy looks at you?" She sighed. "I would have given anything for Declan to look at me with even a fraction of that adoration. Not anymore, obviously," she added under her breath. I could see her eyes brimming with tears. For once, she wasn't wearing her 'Carrie mask'. For once, she seemed like a real person, with vulnerabilities and - y'know - feelings. And I actually found myself feeling bad for her.
"He doesn't deserve you," I said quietly. I might not have been Carrie's biggest fan, but after the way he'd treated her tonight, I knew for sure she was too good for him. "He's just dicking you about, the same way he did me."
"More Dicklan than Declan," she muttered darkly, and we both giggled. "I'm sorry, Abby," she added suddenly. "I know I've been a bit of a dick myself in all of this. And not just because of the Declan thing."
"What do you mean?" I feigned ignorance.
"Sweet of you to pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." She laughed again. "I know you all dislike me in the office, and I really can't blame you. I was just so insecure and so determined to prove myself that I stepped on too many toes, especially yours." She shrugged apologetically. "Saving face comes in many different forms, and I've been pretty much intimidated by you from the outset because you just seem so together."
Isn't it weird how people can have a completely different impression of you from the one you hold of yourself?
I found myself softening towards her considerably. And not just because of the unexpected but not unwelcome compliment. "You just need to chill a bit, Carrie. You do a good job, but you need to realise not everyone is out to get you."
