“Fuck’s sake, watch where you’re going!” she snapped, her voice more than a little raised. “Whatare you even doing back here?”
“I’m just– uh–I—”Iscrambled for words, unsure why she had me so flustered. “Iwas taking pictures?Formy friend?”
“Brilliant,” she said flatly, eyes narrowing to slits. “Youjust cost me an entire keg of summer batch.HopeyourInstagrampost is worth it.”
Just then, one of the mead wenches– the same blonde who had been moaning sweet nothings at me ten minutes ago– burst through the dripping tent flap, taking in the scene with a shocked expression. “Teddy, what didIsay about using the trolley?”
The woman–Teddy, apparently– spoke over her shoulder, though her glare never stopped boring into me. “Itdoesn’t like the rocks and tree roots.”
“Yeah, well, neither do the kegs.”Thewench shook her head, then looked pastTeddyto me with an eyebrow raised. “Yousupposed to be back here?”
I shook my head so hard my wings rattled. “No, but listen, that was totally my f?—”
The wench shook her head in an authoritative enough way that it shut me up, which was saying something. “Backto the fairway,” she said, guiding me from behind as she pushed me towards the wayI’dcome in. “Now.”
I just about caught the look onTeddy’sface asIleft: all anger and humiliation and … okay, maybe it was mostly anger.Itwas probably bestIdidn’t stick around to let her be mean to me;Ihadn’t been joking thatIwas unfortunately into that sort of thing.SoIhung my head and left through the same flapI’dcome through, the “cast members only” sign clipping my shoulder asIwent.
“Sorry, did you text me?”Fatimaasked asIwalked back up to the group, pulling her phone out of her belt bag.Ishook my head.
“We may have to settle for something back home,”Isaid. “Igot in trouble.”Actually,Icausedthe trouble,Ididn’t say.
Jack frowned. “Whatkind of trouble?”
ButIjust shook my head. “It’sfine.Let’sjust go and watch a show maybe?”
Grey cleared their throat. “Actually, canI, uh, hijack everyone’s attention for a sec?”
Everyone turned expectantly towards them.Greywas the most laid-back person any of us knew, so for them to ask for attention felt instantly urgent.Ominous, even.
“I got an email last night,” they said, “andI’vebeen officially offered a promotion.”
“Amazing!”Fatimasaid, beaming, wrapping them in a hug.
“Yeah, huge congrats!”Jackadded.
“Well done,”Amysaid, smiling. “Now, please forgive my ignorance, but?—”
“What does a promotion from train guard look like?”Philfinished, and we all laughed;Isuspected we’d all been thinking the same thing.
“Fair enough,”Greysaid, laughing, too. “It’sa training job for new guards.Butthe catch is,I’dhave to be based at the headquarters nearCardiff.”
My eyes roved around the circle, watching as every single smile dropped, some more than others.
“Oh,”Morgansaid plainly.
“Wow,”Fatimagasped.
“It’sgoodnews,”Greyclarified. “Iapplied for it.Butobviously it’sbignews.”
For everyone else, the news sunk in, and their smiles began to grow again.Cardiffwas only about ninety minutes away from where we lived, andGreyassured us they’d already promised their mum monthly visits at least.Butas everyone high-fived and hugged them, congratulating them again, that stabbing feeling in my chest returned, as if the mead sloshing around in my belly was further fermenting inside me.
Phil nudged his way over to me, whispering in my ear.Thebastard was ever-so-perceptive, even whenIcould have done without it. “Youokay,Chlo?”
I hadn’t realised my hand was clenched so tightly around my can that the metal was warping.Ilet go, forcing my fingers to relax, and managed, “Yeah, just, wow.It’sa lot, you know?”
He gave me a sidelong glance, his blue eyes dark and a little worried. “Ifyou wanna talk?—”
“I’m fine,”Isaid, too quickly. “Really,I’mgood.Justneed a minute to, like, absorb it all.”
