Valerie

24 - Val

I pulled my skirt down, slightly self-conscious and thinking that maybe the outfit I wore was too skimpy. 

As I was reaching the top step, I hear footsteps behind me, also climbing the steps.

"Are you here for Toby's too?" I heard a very familiar voice say.

My whole body went rigid. He reached the top of the steps. Where I was. Tom got to the top step. He stopped in his tracks.

"Val, I didn't recognise you-"

Before he had time to finish, I'm ringing the doorbell and waiting for it to be answered. The soft hum of the music seeped out of the cracks in the window and I could hear people chattering and laughing.

"Val-"

"Yes?" I said, turning to him and looking him dead in the eye.

I took him in. His hair looked soft and boyish, he was wearing a shirt with a few buttons undone and smart trousers. He looked good. Which made me hate him more. He had clearly taken care with how he looked and I wondered why. He was holding a bottle of whatever wanky champagne he had brought.

"Have you ever been to a party before?" I asked him, not bothering to hide the disdain in my voice.

"What?" He said, caught off guard.

"Have you ever been to a party before?"

He gave me a confused look but answered, "Yes, of course I have."

"You don't bring one of those to one of these." I looked at his champagne bottle pointedly.

"Well I wasn't really sure what kind of party this would be so..." He trailed off, unsure what to say. "You look nice." He said.

I didn't know what to reply to that with so I rung the doorbell again. "When will someone answer?" I said frustratedly. I was stuck out here with Tom. The last person I wanted to be stuck here with. What were the chances?

"I don't think they can hear it." He said, knocking on the door.

"Thank you so much for clearing that up. What would we do without you?" It was mean and I expected him to say something back but he just smiled. Grinned, even.

I didn't look at him. I just stood there, waiting for an apology. None came. 

"Val-"

"Hey guys! You're here!" The door burst open, revealing a drunk Toby. "Together?" He added in a confused tone.

"Not intentionally." I muttered. 

"Happy Birthday, Toby." Tom said and I followed suit.

"Come, come in!" He said, ushering us in. I didn't need to be told twice. I pushed past Tom straight into the heat of the party. Several people were sloshing their drinks, clearly already drunk. I wanted to join in.

"Did you get my flowers?" I rolled my eyes before turning around to face him. I was hoping he would take the hint and leave me alone. Looked like I wouldn't be so lucky.

"Yes. I did."

He nodded, poking his tongue in his cheek and looking away. "And?"

I stared blankly at him. "And what?" 

"No thank you, no we can be friends again, no nothing?" He looked at me, completely serious.

Rage. Pure rage. He thought he could send me some flowers, some he didn't pick, probably clicked a button and called it a day and all would be forgiven? This man had destroyed my mother's letter, pushed me into a puddle, been an absolute cock and used something I hated about myself against me.