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Ashley let her head rest briefly against the door. ‘I’m not doing it.’

‘You’re not doing the gig?’

‘I’m not doing the gig.’

‘Do you like the songs?’

Ashley blinked. ‘What?’

‘Your songs,’ Molly said. ‘Do you like them?’

‘That’s not the point.’

‘Feels like it might be.’

Ashley hesitated. ‘Yes,’ she said eventually. ‘I guess I do like them.’

‘Right,’ Molly said. ‘So you’re refusing to do the thing you like because not enough people might witness it.’

‘That makes it sound stupid.’

‘It is a bit stupid.’

Ashley exhaled through her nose. ‘Thanks.’

‘No problem.’

Another pause. Then Molly said, ‘Also, I’m still outside the toilet.’

‘So?’

‘I’m now emotionally invested in this situation, and I still need to piss.’

Ashley closed her eyes again. ‘I don’t know what you want me to do.’

‘Open the door.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I can’t argue through wood much longer. It’s degrading for both of us.’

That got a small laugh out of Ashley again. She hated that it kept happening.

‘If I open it…’ she began and sighed. Was she going to admit this? Yes. Yes, she was. ‘…you’re going to look at me like I’m pathetic.’

‘No, I won’t.’

‘You will.’

‘No, I won’t.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because I just googled you. And my housemate was right. You are hot. So right now, you’ve got pretty privilege. This breakdown just seems, frankly, adorable. But the privilege is finite. So, open the door before you run out of hot points, and I have to call someone to get you.’

Ashley’s cheeks went pink. ‘If that’s the picture I think you’re looking at, it’s very complimentary. I’m actually a solid five.’

Molly laughed. ‘I don’t buy that.’