Sarah Laker

6 - Sleepover

Duncan stood in the entrance to his top-floor flat of an Edwardian town house. Pushing past him, Sarah strode to the bathroom and slammed the door.

She'd just spotted her friends looking at each other with apprehension. Perhaps they were trying to guess what her next move would be. The men would have already settled down on the stylish faux leather sofa to drink beer and pass the time with MTV.

They wouldn't have long to wait.

She changed her clothes, leaving the dress and sandals strewn across the bathroom floor, and pulled her hair into a ponytail. Emerging from the room, wearing a long, baggy Oasis t-shirt and pink cotton shorts, she hopped over to the ornamental globe which contained Duncan's liquor supply.

The men looked at each other again, as she crossed the room. Well, they could think what they wanted, sat there all quiet and controlled. She, on the other hand, was ready to let loose.

Pouring herself a large tumbler full of brandy, Sarah grabbed the remote, leapt in front of the tv, and raised the volume. A video of Republica was on playing 'Ready to Go.'

"My favourite song!"

She started to bounce around the smart apartment, betting that Duncan was praying with every bounce that the brandy didn't fly out onto his expensive sheepskin rug.

During Sarah's energetic outburst, she had glimpses of Luke leaning over to Duncan and talking to him from the side of his mouth. Smiling encouragingly at her whenever she caught his eye. She could still hear them over the music.

"Dunc - You think this will last long?"

Duncan shifted on the sofa, he'd kicked off his shoes and was tucking his feet up into a cross-legged position. His shoulders hunched.

"Guess not."

He probably hoped not.

"She's pretty whacked out from last night and work. I give her one more brandy and two more songs."

"Want to make it more interesting? How about ten quid for one drink and two songs and fifteen for two more brandy hits and three more songs?"

"Nah. She can't handle that. You're on."

"May the best man win."

They shook hands and sat back. She couldn't care less if it was her providing the show.

The living room/kitchen was a large, open-plan space. Decorated and furnished in a high-class, minimalist way. Cream kitchen counters lined the back wall, gleaming under the twice-weekly scrub from Duncan's house keeper.

A long breakfast bar split the room's dual purpose, four white and chrome stools set under the unit on the living room side. The beige sofa had its back to the kitchen, facing the tv unit with shiny, white panels.

A large, bay window took up most of the wall behind this unit, slightly to the left. A door to the right of where Duncan and Luke were sitting led into the small entrance hall with doors to the bedroom and bathroom.

Sarah was jiggling between the sofa and the tv. The guys were straining to catch the tv screen each time she danced by.

It took about thirty-five minutes and two trips to the drinks supply for Sarah to finally wear her aggression out and collapse onto the soft rug, resting her head on Duncan's legs. She began nodding gently.

She sensed him make a swift movement - probably from him giving a jab in Luke's ribs. Luke was more than likely to be drifting off.

"Luke?"