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‘Good, I think,’ Rosie said cautiously. ‘I just want to look again at those test results they shared because I’m not sure they make sense. But I think I’ve got a plan of how to fix that and what we should do next.’
‘They don’t make sense, do they?’ Rachel looked at Rosie. ‘I thought that, too. Well, great that you’ve spotted that. Find some time in my diary tomorrow and we’ll go through it.’
‘Will do,’ Rosie said, waiting to be dismissed.
‘Going straight home tonight? Not off out?’ Rachel asked, looking Rosie up and down.
Rosie felt paranoia wash over her before remembering that whatever she had chosen to wear for a second date wouldn’t be what Rachel would wear. Not that superhumans like Rachel went on ‘dates’. They had torrid love affairs, enjoyed trysts – they didn’t meet for a drink in the pub.
Still, Rosie couldn’t help but second guess her choice of outfit as she walked through the square to meet Graham. They’d arranged to meet at one of the pubs off Goodge Street and Rosie was walking quickly before slowing down as she realised how early she was going to be. She decided to go the long way round, crossing towards the north end of Tottenham Court Road rather than risking an early death by dodging the buses and running across.
Just north of Goodge Street station she stopped to cross a side street and found herself looking straight into the window of a pub on the other side of the road. There was a man sat at a table in the window who looked just like Graham. The green man flashed on the traffic lights and Rosie carefully crossed the street, realising as she got closer and closer that the man didn’t just look like Graham, itwasGraham.
Rosie glanced up at the name of the pub – she was fairly sure this wasn’t the one they had arranged to meet in but perhaps she’d made a mistake? Or perhaps he was early and had decided to stop for a drink before meeting her? Before she could think through exactly what she was doing and why, and whether there were any more nefarious reasons for Graham sitting in a different pub, Rosie found herself walking into the pub and raising her hand in greeting. It was at that moment she realised that Graham wasn’t sitting on his own in the pub. He was sitting across from a girl, one with rather striking red hair.
Rosie wondered if she could reverse, walk out, pretend she had never been there. But then what would she do? Ask him who he had been drinking with before their date? Check to see if he had met up with his sister recently? If he even had a sister. But given the body language going on at the table in front of her, Rosie was fairly sure that this wasn’t Graham’s sister, just as she was fairly sure that she couldn’t leave now, because not only had Graham spotted her but he seemed to have gone rather pale.
The girl, noticing that something was wrong, spun around in her seat and looked up at Rosie.
‘Who are you?’ she demanded, immediately recognising that there was something wrong with this situation.
‘Erm, Rosie?’ Rosie now desperately wanted to stop time. She was mortified.
‘Right,’ the girl said, looking Rosie up and down. She turned back to look at Graham, ’Want to explain what’s going on?’ she asked.
Despite the fact that this girl looked like she would quite happily punch Rosie, or Graham, or perhaps both, Rosie couldn’t help but admire her confidence. While Rosie shuffled awkwardly from one foot to the other in silence, this girl was asking questions and demanding answers.
Graham looked awkward but not as awkward as Rosie felt he ought to, given the fact it was looking more and more as if he had been caught arranging back-to-back dates with different girls on the same night. What was he going to do if this date had gone well? Just not turned up to meet Rosie? Rosie quickly felt herself getting just as angry as this other girl was.
‘Yeah,’ Rosie said, folding her arms, channeling the redhead. ‘What exactly is going on, Graham?’ Graham had the grace to swallow nervously. ‘Because from where I’m standing it looks like this is a date, right?’ Rosie looked down at the other girl whose lips were folded in a thin line as she nodded in agreement.
‘And let me check?’ Rosie looked at her watch, ‘In thirteen minutes’ time you’re supposed to be meetingmefor a date in a pub around the corner!’
‘Un-fucking-believable,’ the girl pushed her chair back, her eyes flashing in anger. ‘Don’t ever contact me again!’ she shouted at Graham. ‘You’re welcome to him,’ she practically spat at Rosie and stormed out of the pub.
‘I don’t want him!’ Rosie called after her, wishing she too had turned on her heel and left already. Rosie turned to stare at Graham.
‘Do you want a drink?’ he asked a little pathetically.
‘No!’ she exclaimed. ‘OfcourseI don’t want a drink.’
‘OK,’ he replied, ‘Don’t get so angry.’
Rosie’s face flushed. ‘Don’t get angry? You’re telling me not to get angry? Seriously Graham what was that?’
‘What was what?’ he pleaded. ‘Rosie, we’ve been on one date, it’s not like we'd had any kind of conversation about being exclusive. I don’t think it’s so bad, don't overreact.’
Rosie’s head almost exploded. ‘No it’s not that bad. Whatisbad is the way you went about it. Why would you arrange two dates on the same day, practically at the same time a couple of streets apart?’
Graham shrugged, ‘It just worked out like that. I didn’t plan it. You seemed really keen to see me and happened to be free this evening too.’
‘I wasnotkeen to see you!’ Rosie fumed. ‘To be honest, I really didn’t feel like seeing you again at all.’
‘But, then, why––’ Graham looked confused.
‘I thought I’d give you a chance, see whether there might be a spark second time around. Ugh!’ Rosie stamped her foot in frustration. ‘I didn’t even fancy you in the first place!’
Rosie swung her bag onto her shoulder and stormed out of the pub leaving a wake of confused drinkers behind her.
