Call Me Lover - LN4 / GR63

10 / you got a man

When the taxi pulled up outside of the flat I barely even noticed that we'd stopped, too caught up with Carla. My cheeks ache from laughing and the swirl in my head from the alcohol I'd drank in an effort to keep up with her makes it impossible to stop. I throw £50 at the cab driver carelessly as we stumbled outside and into the building through insane giggles that we both fail to contain. They echo around the lift to the third floor and then the hallway until we reach the door.

"I need water." Carla declares the moment I push open the white door to the flat. The place is entirely in darkness as my hands messily climb around the wall for the tiny light switch. I can feel my head spinning as I try to find the button, the darkness making me feel even more drunk than before. I'm grumbling until I find the small switch, slapping it on with a cheer of triumph which Carla quickly echoes.

I make quick work of fulfilling her wish, locking the door behind us, guiding her to the kitchen and grabbing two glasses which are quickly filled with cool water from the fridge dispenser and handing one her way. "Water." I cheer in relief, raising my own glass to my lips and gulping it down. My mouth suddenly feels dry, maybe it's because of the way Carla's eyes are dancing around every surface of the place and taking it all in.

Silence swims between us along with our tipsy thoughts as Carla focuses on downing the clear liquid in her glass before reaching for more. I'm only half way done with my own, the water too cold on my throat to drink in one go - I'll regret it in the morning. When Carla's halfway finished her second glass she places the the cup to her side and reaches to take off her heels. She slips the left one off first, her toe nails painted a soft blue to match her shimmering dress, then the right. A low grateful groan leaves her lips as she shrinks in size about three inches - head sinking from the level of my forehead to my shoulder.

"Thanks." The word is quiet and I immediately shake it away. There's no need to thank me, I was never going to leave her in the street outside of her flat. As if reading my mind Carla shakes her own head in refusal. "For all of tonight." She clarifies and I make a quiet 'oh' before shrugging.

"It's nothing, all good Carls." I hum reaching for another sip of water. She refuses to accept the words.

"It's a lot." Carla defies. "I'm just your friends girlfriend and you really went out of your way." Her words are clearer before, a sign that the water is clearing her head more than mine. I'm glad, the way she kept twisting her ankle left my stomach lurching with worry.

"I promised Ge-" I begin but cut myself off. I did promise George I'd look after her, that's a fact - but it's not why I invited Carla tonight. It's not why I kept an eye out for her all night even escorting her as far as the loo everytime she pointed in the direction of the door or the kitchen when her cup was empty. "You're my mate Carla. I'm pretty sure you're more my friend than George is, so don't say shit like that."

There's a beat of silence and I worry I've spilled too much. That I've been too honest. My tongue can't seem to keep up with my thoughts, words slipping out messily and not in ways I'd like. Then Carla smiles, the grin meeting her golden eyes so that they glow under the spotlight of the kitchen. "Noted." She says the word through the smile, looking giddy at the prospect of being better friends with me that George was. She certainly knows more about my life currently than George.

We fall into silence as I focus on finishing my water. Carla sways in her spot a little, humming a song to herself into the quiet of the apartment.

"You know earlier?" Carla arches an eyebrow at my unspecific words. Earlier could mean this afternoon or the cab ride here, there's a lot of places it could've been. "You said all your friends hate him." I explain, the line has been quietly echoing in my mind all night, no matter what, my brain always drifting back to the desperately frantic words which came through my phone. Carla sounded so hopeless when they fell from her, as if I was her last hope. She just nods in confirmation, remembering the panicked words that fell from her devastated lips. "Don't think I'm not included in it."