Freeze

Chapter Eighteen

Holly and Grace had talked for hours. Grace trying to ease Holly's mind over the guilt she felt over seemingly moving on from Danny so soon. By 10:30pm Holly felt exhausted and when Grace, as she pulled on her coat, mentioned the New Years Eve party once more Holly, tired, acquiesced.

"Yay!" Grace said clapping her hands together with glee, the grin on her face undeniable. "It'll be great. You and me and free booze and no more talk of men, pop star or otherwise!"

Holly beamed at Grace. If she neglected that it was New Years Eve that actually sounded pretty good; she could do with forgetting about Danny and Gary, even if it was only for an evening.

***

New Year's Eve dawned bright, loaded with promise of new beginnings and fresh starts just over the horizon; you could almost taste the optimism in the air. The sun glowed weakly in the almost white sky and the birds chirped lazily.

Holly lay flat on her back in bed listening to the sounds of London waking up. A few of her neighbours had left early, perhaps to work and she intermittently heard a car sail past her window. For the most part though the city seemed eerily quiet.

As she lay there, Holly thought back on 2006. So much had happened, new job, new flat, new friends, old friends, good times; but the only thing that seemed prevalent in her mind was Gary.

Mark had it all planned out for him. They'd go for dinner at 8pm before heading to this party at a hotel that Gary couldn't remember the name of. Mark had practically begged him to go. Jason was out of town until mid January and Howard was so loved up he was likely to be spending New Year horizontal. Gary was Mark's only hope. It would probably do him good Gary had to concede as he drank his morning coffee, the sunshine glaring through the kitchen window.

Grace arrived at Holly's around 6pm under the pretence of them getting ready together but Holly suspected it was just to make sure Holly didn't cancel at the last minute.

"We're going to a swanky hotel tonight"  Grace announced as she popped the cork on a bottle of cheap champagne she'd bought with her.

"I don't own 'swanky hotel' attire" Holly admitted honestly. Her wardrobe was full of jeans, t-shirts and casual dresses; Danny had never taken her anywhere that had warranted a swanky dress.

"I suspected you might say that" Grace said as she poured champagne in to wine glasses and handed one to Holly. "That's why I bought options." she finished indicating to the hold-all that sat by the sofa.

                                ***

"Already I hate it" Holly said as she fidgeted in her borrowed dress as she entered the plush lobby of the hotel with Grace by her side.

The lobby looked a lot as a traditional hotel lobby would, mahogany reception desk, marble floors, large fireplace but the furnishings were all brightly coloured. Patterned rugs in a spectrum of colours with matching arm chairs. Holly had to admit it made her feel a little queasy.  Or perhaps that was the bottle of cheap champagne they'd already consumed.

Grace rolled her eyes. "You'll be fine once we get a drink in you" she said walking through the lobby like she owned the place. And quite rightly. Grace looked stunning in a short silver dress that shimmered in the light. She turned the heads of a group of suited, flash looking men chatting by the fireplace but paid them no attention as she hooked her arm in Holly's.