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“Nope. I can’t imagine anything worse that working with kids.”
I had five younger siblings, bickering, shitting, puking babies I’d had to care for. My useless non-care giver, as I called my mother, kept pumping them out hoping each father would hang around long enough to actually pay for the kid.
I loved them, but they were the only reason I ran away to university. Although I wished I’d run away to a foreign country. A permanent gap year was my thing. Working my way around the world, experiencing different cultures, different lovers, even.
Patty had thought that hilarious. I was still yet to lose my virginity. It wasn’t because I didn’t have fellas after me, more so because I just couldn’tgive it upto someone without knowing there might be a next time. I didn’t want to be my mother.
We parted ways, she to her shared house, and me to my small bedsit. We had started uni life living together, but I didn’t like her friends. I didn’t like the drugs or copious amounts of alcohol consumed every night. I didn’t like not eating because we spent money on weed. Having the electric cut off and then thinking it was wonderful to sit in the dark wasn’t my kind of thing at all.
I promised to turn up for the first of many end of uni parties she was hosting before she was finally kicked out of the shared house. Whether or not I would keep that promise, I wasn’t sure.
As it turned out, I fell in love instead.
* * *
I wentto the party after all. I dressed up, did my makeup, and found my one pair of high-heeled shoes. As I walked from my bedsit to the house, I passed a bar with a group of men also celebrating. However, these guys didn’t look like uni students. Suited and booted, their ties were askew, hair messy. One swung a bottle of champagne, sipping from it periodically. They were brash and rowdy but looked like they were having fun.
Before I realised what had happened, one guy had lurched onto the pavement from the doorway, he collided with me, knocking me to the ground. As I stumbled, a heel broke, and I landed awkwardly on my side. It hurt, and I cried out.
Hands reached down for me, and lifted me to my feet. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?”
It wasn’t the chap that had knocked me to my feet, but one that seemed a little more sober than his friends.
I could only nod as tears welled in my eyes. My hip was painful, as were my palms and knees. I guessed I’d placed my hands on the pavement to break my fall. I looked down at my broken shoe and torn stockings.
“Shit,” I said, kicking off my shoes. I leaned on the guy that had held me up and removed my stockings.
“I don’t think anyone has ever removed their underwear after being thrown to the ground for me,” he said, smirking.
I raised my eyebrows and glared.
“I’m not about to walk down the street with one shoe on and torn stockings.”
“Feisty, too,” he said. Then he held out his hand. “Andrew Stowley. And I’ll apologise for my drunken colleague. We’ve just bagged a huge account, earned some amazing bonuses, so we thought we’d blow off some steam.”
“Well, that’s very nice for you. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll have to hobble home.”
“Would you do me the honour of allowing me to accompany you?”
I stared at him and then laughed. I hadn’t heard something as old-fashioned in a long time.
He held out the crook of his elbow, and I placed my hand around it. “Miss...?”
“Anderson. Amber Anderson.”
“Well, Miss Anderson, which way?”
I chuckled as we set off. All the way he asked me questions, wanting to know about my degree and what I planned to do after. I confessed to not have a clue but wanted to travel. He told me of his times in Asia and the more he talked, the more fun I thought he was.
It disappointed me to actually arrive home. More so when he walked me to my door, then bowed and stepped back.
“Once again, Miss Anderson, I apologise for the ruined shoes and stockings, and if you’d allow me, I’d like to replace them.”
“No need. I doubt I’d get much use for them, anyway.”
“Amber, a beautiful woman like yourself must be having all the men bashing on you door wanting to court you.”
“You’d think, but... no. Anyway, thank you. I think I’ll take a hot bath to bring out those bruises quicker.”
