Twelve Days of Christmas

3 French Hens

A/N - Trigger warning: Dubious consent due to levels of alcohol consumed

Ben

I lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Every morning when I woke up, I would have the same thought

Was it all a dream?

My phone vibrated and I picked it up to see a text from Cassy, my closest friend at Uni.

How's it going? Where's the photos of sexy Luca that you promised me?

I chuckled a little at her text. When I'd found out I was filming with Zaphire, the two of us had poured over pictures of Luca for hours, both inventing elaborate scenes where we'd end up with a naked Luca. It seemed like another lifetime ago.

Of course, I hadn't told her anything that had really happened between me and Luca. I would tell her some of it when I got back to Uni, but to be honest, I don't think she'd believe the whole truth, and I had a feeling that once I was removed from the situation, neither would I.

I replied.

I'm sorry. For some reason, every time he gets naked, I forget to take a photo. Maybe next time. :)

The reply came back quickly.

You better be joking!!! Because if I find you have seen him naked and you've not got one measly photo, I'm going to.....I'm going to give your number to Jerry!!

I gasped dramatically, then laughed. Jerry was a guy who played violin in the university orchestra. He kind of had a thing for me, but he really wasn't my type.

Bitch!!!!

My eye caught the clock on my bedside table, and I realised I needed to get up if I wasn't going to be late.

I showered and ate breakfast in record time and set off to the studio.

I felt a lot better than I did yesterday.   Yesterday I was a nervous wreck driving in.    I knew I had to confess about the lie I'd told, because I didn't want Luca to think I had a boyfriend.  And I hoped we could clear the air a little.   Which I think we did.   Luca couldn't be in a relationship and I didn't want to be another notch on his bedpost, so going back to being friends was the best option I could have hoped for.

I still couldn't quite get my head round the fact that there could have been other options in the first place! Me and Luca?  Sounded fucking ridiculous as soon as I was out of the bubble that the studio created.

So why did I feel a nagging sense of regret every time I thought about him?

After our talk yesterday, I had felt so much better, and it kind of worked.  We went back to our old selves, laughing and joking together, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something missing.  Like it was all staged.

I had no idea what today would bring, but if it was anything like any of the other days, I knew it was going to be unexpected.

When I arrived I was greeted to the site of three women, dressed like they were headed for a nightclub.  And not an upper-class one, if you know what I mean.   It only became clear when one of them turned around and I saw an L plate hanging round her neck.

James must have seen my expression as he was suddenly by my side laughing.

"I know!! French hens?! Get it??"

"Yeah I got it," I said grinning at him. "So what's our role then?"

"I don't know about you, but we get to dance and flirt with them, so it should be a fun day!"