Just Pretend

Chapter 1 - No Funny Business

The stations busy. I mean rammed. We seem to have managed to book ourselves onto the busiest train of the day with people shoving just to get to the front of the barrier. We have reserved seats so Cassidy isn't too bothered but I can already feel my anxiety starting to creep up a level.

"Margo? Are you okay?" Cass asks me looking slightly concerned.

"Yeah, I'm okay. I just wanna get on the train and get going. Train stations give me as much anxiety as airports do. As soon as we're on that train I'll be fine." I reply with a small smile. She takes my hand and gives it a squeeze.

"I've always got a little Dutch courage if you're needing it." She whispers with a wink. Trust Cassidy to bring a couple of cocktail tins with her for the train journey. I laugh and shake my head.

"Three years sober and you still try to get me to drink."

"Maybe one day you'll surprise me and say yes. You used to never be able to resist a mojito." She reminds me.

I don't stay sober for any reason apart from that I want to for myself. I used to work in a bar part time while trying to get my work published and I just remember the familiar faces coming in day in day out. It never seemed like they had a problem but I just remember how these guys would come in every single day after work and order a pint without hesitation, every single night. One pint turned into two, which then turned into three and then they'd go home when we closed the bar. It just makes you see alcohol differently and how people can become so dependent on it without realising. It happened to my ex partner without him realising and I could see him changing into a really awful person. I didn't want that for myself. Obviously it doesn't happen to everyone but I decided that I just didn't want to drink anymore for me. I don't particularly get a good feeling from it and I felt like I more often than not just drank because everyone else around me was.

"Right Margo let's go." Cassidy says and pulls my arm towards the barrier.

"I'm actually quite excited to go now. What time have you reserved dinner for?" I ask Cassidy as we make our way to the seats on the train.

"Dinners at seven at this really cool pizza place in the centre of the city. Sadie, Delilah and Aria have planned for us to meet them after at this rooftop bar if you're down?"

"Oh god! We haven't seen them in forever. Definitely, can't resist getting the gang back together!" I reply. We all met when we were in high school and honestly even I'm still suprised our friendship has continued especially with Sadie, Delilah and Aria living else where due to their work.

"I know it'll be amazing. Shall I let them know about nine would work for us? I'm pretty sure they're going to be eating at the bar so they'll just need to grab a bigger table when we join them later." Cassidy tells me as she pulls out her make up bag and completely covering the table with its contents.

"Yeah, that works. I'll join you with doing make up on the train and then when we pull up to Glasgow we just need to get ready and head out." I say as I pull out a compact mirror from my make up bag and start to get ready.

"Exactly what I'm thinking Batman, also you're going to have to help me with my lashes you know that's my downfall!" Cassidy laughs at me and I roll my eyes.

"You got it." I reply as I grab my phone and put my headphones in. I turn on the music as I start to do my make up, playing the band we're going to see tomorrow night. Being a strictly Spotify only gal I've never even seen what the guys in the band looks like. As I scroll through the photos I pull one head phone out and pause the music. "Cassidy what the fuck. You never mentioned how good looking the band are. Jesus."

"I thought you already knew. Who listens to the music but doesn't know what the band look like." Cassidy laughs at me.

"Apparently me." I reply and put my head phones back in. I've always been a fan of the band but never quite reached the level of fandom that Cassidy is. "You might have been able to get me to this concert easier if you'd shown me these pictures of them sooner." I laugh at Cassidy.