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Jen turned to Holly and they chorused a quiet ‘Quack, quack.’
Chloe raised an eyebrow as she drank her wine, either really not wanting to know what that was about or too drunk to care.
Jen placed a hand on Holly’s knee and gave it a squeeze. ‘Isn’t it crazy to think we all met here? It seems like a different place.’
Holly looked at the patrons filling the dance floor: a decidedly different crew to the Lovefest attendees. There were no inhibitions tonight, a lot less awkward chat, and a heck of a lot more grinding.
Who would have thought that night would lead to this? She’d been so nervous about coming home, feeling like a massive failure, like this was the beginning of the end. Little did she know it was actually the beginning. Now she was having an amazing night out with two new friends and her girlfriend. If she’d known Glasgow was this good she never would have left in the first place.
Had that night made such a monumental difference for anyone else?
‘I wonder if Natalie met anyone?’ Holly asked, remembering their lovely chat.
‘Aw, did you talk to Natalie too?’ Jen asked looking wistful.
‘She was great, wasn’t she?’ Chloe chipped in.
‘Well, now I feel left out,’ Ryan said with a pout.
‘Don’t think you were her type,’ Jen consoled.
‘Holly, I need the loo. Will you come with me?’ Chloe asked, shaking her hand in Holly’s direction.
‘Yeah, sure.’ This felt full of agenda.
Shut up, head.
Chloe linked her hand in Holly’s and weaved them through the dance floor. To Holly’s surprise, Chloe shunned the stairs up to the toilets and took a sharp left to the outside seating instead.
Maybe my head isn’t always wrong.
The cold air stole Holly’s breath, a stark contrast to the sweaty atmosphere inside Cal’s.
Being late in the night, outside wasn’t too busy, and Chloe made short work of finding them a seat among the smokers.
‘You having a good night?’ she asked Holly as she scooted her seat closer.
‘Yeah, are you?’
‘Amazing.’ The air was loaded. Holly’s heart picked up pace. ‘So.’
‘Is this the good intentions chat?’ Holly asked, a coy smile pulling at her lips.
‘Good intentions chat?’
‘Yeah, when you tell me if I hurt Jen you’ll kill me.’ Holly swooped her skirt over her leg, the chilly night air nipping at her bare skin.
‘Ah,’ Chloe said, realisation dawning. ‘Not quite. I don’t think you need it.’ There was silence for a second, like Chloe forgot she’d been the one to drag Holly out here. Something clicked. ‘No, I just wanted to say thank you.’
‘Thank you?’
‘Yeah.’ She gave Holly’s leg a jiggle. The street lights reflected off the hint of tears welling in Chloe’s eyes. She focused on the church across the street, avoiding Holly’s confused stare. ‘You’ve given me my best friend back.’
It was the booze talking, but her words were anything but false. ‘How so?’ Holly asked, trying and failing to make eye contact.
Chloe let out a breathy sigh. ‘Alison, fuck, Alison. If I ever see her again I will kill her. I will actually kill her.’ It was Holly’s turn to squeeze Chloe’s leg. She continued, ‘She fucked Jen up. Like, you can’t even imagine. I kind of thought that was it: I’ve got used to the new Jen, but then you came along and it was like,ping,’ She mimicked someone flicking a switch. ‘The light came back on. Only it wasn’t just a light, it was fucking Blackpool illuminations. She’s Jen times ten.’
Finally, Chloe turned to Holly, the redhead’s tears only just staying put.
