AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I saw your DF campaign. It was genius. Can I buy you a drink?’ I want to get away. This girl doesn’t like me.
‘Sure. White wine spritzer.’
Strangely, when I return with her drink, her body relaxes and she warms up.
‘So, what made you come out tonight?’
I might as well be honest. ‘I found out that I’m pretty unpopular.’
‘No, you’re not. People just don’t know you. I actually think you’re really nice.’
‘I clearly need to keep the drinks coming.’
She laughs. ‘I didn’t expect you to be funny. Why has—’
‘Hi! I’m Nicole.’
A tall, blonde, impossibly beautiful woman who I see frequently in the office steps between us. She is pretty hard to miss.
‘Hi, Nicole. I’m Ariella.’ I stretch out my hand and she takes it. ‘Do you know Ash?’ I try to bring Ash into the conversation, with the hope that they start talking and I can sneak away.
‘Yes, I know Ash,’ she says dismissively. ‘I saw you in Caleb’s office yesterday…’
She leaves a pause. I am not sure what she wants, so I don’t respond. I just fix my smile on my face.
‘Ugh. Caleb. Really?’ Ash comments as she rolls her eyes.
‘What about Caleb?’
Nicole turns to Ash. I inhale. The mood just changed. I feel the hairs at the back of my neck prickle as Ash squares up to Nicole. I am also a little relieved, because this means I can escape.
‘He’s a bit of a man-whore, isn’t he?’ Ash responds.
I drain my drink quickly. ‘Can you ladies give me a second? I’m just going to grab another drink. Nicole, what can I get you?’
‘Pinot Noir. French, not the South African. Large.’
I nod. ‘Ash?’
‘No, I’m good with my spritzer, thank you, Ariella.’
I’m watching the barman do his thing when Lara appears.
‘How’s it going?’
‘Okay. I just ordered myself a cosmopolitan, but I think there’s tension between Ash and Nicole.’
‘Nicole is incapable of having tension-free exchanges.’
Lara takes Nicole’s drink to her and they air-kiss, communicating like two alpha females, respectful of each other. I watch Lara dissolve the tension between Nicole and Ash like magic before she returns to me.
‘You should know that Nicole doesn’t like you very much.’
‘She’s in the majority, according to you.’
‘Not any more, actually. It seems like coming out tonight is swinging opinion.’
‘Great.’ I make a show of draining my drink. ‘I’m going to go.’
