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“There, a perfectly comfortable bed,” she says, sitting on the mattress and bouncing up and down. “There is a duvet and some pillows in that cupboard.”
I move around the bed and open the cupboard built into the wall recess that she’s pointing at and find the items. There aren’t any pillowcases, sheets or covers. My heart sinks a little. Shit. I don’t have enough money to buy any either. I literally have my clothes and a couple of towels, and some toiletries Lena gave me, that’s it.
“What’s up?” Clancy asks, noticing the look on my face.
“It’s nothing.” I plaster on a smile and shake my head.
“Pen, spill it. If we’re going to be friends you need to trust me. I know we’ve only known each other five minutes, but I swear I’m not an arsehole like my sister. I actually have a heart.”
“I can see that,” I respond with a weak smile. “I don’t have any covers or anything for the mattress and duvet. Mum wouldn’t let me take anything other than my clothes. I even had to steal a couple of towels when she wasn’t looking.”
“I’m guessing that you don’t get on with your mum?”
“That’s the understatement of the year. She basically chucked me out for accepting my spot here.”
“Wow!” Clancy looks at me with pity, and I puff out a breath of air.
“It is what it is. I’m glad to get out of the flat if I’m honest. I’ll miss my little sister, Lena, but that’s it.”
“Okay, well, screw your mum. I’ve got a spare duvet cover set. You can have them.”
“No, I can’t.”
Clancy rolls her eyes. “Seriously, it’s no big deal. I only need one set. There’s a launderette at the end of the hall. It’s not as if you won’t keep them laundered.”
“You sure?”
“Of course I am. I’m gonna go unpack and get settled in. I’ll bring them to you a bit later. You still working at Rocks tonight?”
“Yep. My shift starts at eight o’clock. I get off at midnight, usually spend the last couple hours dancing until the club closes. Helps me to let off steam.”
“Excellent, I’ll swing by at six with takeaway pizza. You can tell me all about your little sister. Then we can get ready together and I’ll come to the club with you. Keep you company until you get off at twelve, then we can rip up the dance floor. How about that?”
“You don’t have to do that. The pizza and stuff…” What I want to say is that I can’t afford take-out pizza and was planning on eating some plain noodles for my dinner.
“I know, but I want to. We’re friends now, got it?”
“Sure.” I’m about to explain about my lack of funds when Clancy reaches the door and calls over her shoulder.
“Oh, and the takeout is on me as a thank you for not being a bitch like my sister. I’m glad to have a friend here.”
“Me too,” I reply, but she’s already gone.
* * *
The club is packedwith Friday night revellers and I’ve been rushed off my feet all night, barely having a chance to chat with Clancy who, true to her word, has sat at the end of the bar the whole evening, chatting to me when she can and fending off admirers the rest of the time. We got ready together in my flat, scoffing down pepperoni pizza whilst Clancy tried on different outfits. She ended up settling on a pair of cut-off black denim shorts and a cute green t-shirt that hasI love Fred Astairewritten in bold lettering across it. Admittedly, that had reminded me of York, and I’d felt a pang inside my chest that I shoved deep inside, refusing to acknowledge it. After much debate, I ended up wearing my usual tight black t-shirt, baggy black cargo pants that are cropped just below the knee, and my trusty Nike trainers. I don’t need to impress anyone, and therefore, I don’t really give a shit what I put on. Besides, the last time I actually made an effort, I ended up sleeping with some wannabe gangster arsehole who’d immediately regretted getting mixed up with me, but that’s a whole other thought for another night.
Tonight, Clancy’s had her fair share of admirers. She’s a new face and really cute. It’s no surprise then that she’s attracted a stream of guys, and some girls. Right now she’s having a conversation with a guy I recognise from the hip-hop scene back in the day. He comes to Rocks fairly regularly, though I’ve not seen him for a while. Leo’s a few years older than me, in his mid-twenties and a pretty safe guy. As far as I’m aware he’s not into heavy drugs or a member of any of the gangs that hang out here on a regular basis. He just likes to dance and comes to the club when he can afford to.
“Hey, Pen,” Clancy calls, waving me over when she notices the group around the bar has eased off.
“Just a sec!” I reply, removing the empty glasses from the bar and stacking them in the wire tray ready to be picked up by the cleaning staff.
Boysby Lizzo starts playing, and the crowd on the dance floor roars. It’s one of my favourites. I start bopping to the music, eager for my shift to end so I can release some of this pent-up energy I feel. I’ve been on edge the whole night expecting to see Zayn or one of the other Breakers. So far they haven’t shown. I doubt they will now, there’s only a few hours until the club shuts, the relief I feel knowing that is immense. Holding both hands up to Clancy, I indicate I’ve still got ten minutes left of my shift, but when Jess, another barmaid, ducks down and grabs a bottle of beer from the fridge and passes it to me with a wink, I know she’s giving me the okay to get off early.
“Thanks, J,” I say, gulping down the whole bottle in one go before sliding out from behind the bar.
“Is it time to dance?” Clancy asks me, a huge grin spreading across her face.
