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Jen’s mouth was a straight line. ‘Hey! But, yeah, let’s drink to that too.’ She couldn’t help but laugh. Maybe a little too nervously. She gulped her beer, seeing half the cup away with ease. The alcohol pulled her heart from a sprint to a comfortable cross-country run.
Chloe and Holly eyed her. Ryan was oblivious.
Jen’s heart thrummed in her chest, only made worse by the look Chloe was now giving her. It was bad enough feeling like Holly could read her. Chloe, on the other hand? She may as well start blabbing now.
‘I’m good,’ she said, preempting a question.
That only made Chloe’s eyes narrow further.
‘You want to chat?’ her best friend asked.
Jen shook her head, taking another sip of beer. ‘Just nerves. I’m good.’ Chloe would be out for blood if she knew the truth. They’d be on stage soon.
Although, perhaps her time was up.
Over Chloe’s shoulder Jen could see Nikki.
Straight past Holly stood Alison.
Jen hooked her pinky with Holly’s, anchoring herself, ready to accept the inevitable.
Holly’s smile filled Jen’s chest. She focused on her eyes, choosing to ignore the figures that were surely getting closer. In the hazy light her eyes looked browner than usual, a deep mahogany Jen could easily get lost in.
Anger flushed over Jen.
Tonight should be all about Holly, but instead Alison was here to steal the fucking show. Jen’s blood boiled. Alison had broken her heart once before – she wasn’t going to ruin things with Holly too. Plus, something told her that if she thought breaking up with Alison was bad, losing Holly would be a thousand times worse.
She opened her mouth to speak, to tell Holly the truth and storm the ramparts, confronting Alison head on, see why the fuck she’d thought it was appropriate for her to come her and stalk her like a bloodhound all night – only to have Annie swoop in.
‘Hey, guys. How’s it going? Excited?’ Annie’s smile was on full beam, clearly happy with how well the evening was going. Today was testament to the success of Lovefest. She’d smashed it.
The group muttered agreement and quiet elation. ‘When do you need us at the stage?’ Chloe asked.
‘Ten mins, if that’s okay?’
More nodding and approval. ‘Ten mins, got it,’ Jen said, willing her nerves to hold steady.
Annie gave her shoulders a little wiggle. ‘Right, I’d best be off. Need to have a quick chat with Isaac.’
When Annie left, Alison and Nikki were nowhere to be seen.
Was this a game? Were they purposely messing with her head as revenge for not going last night?
Jen tuned back into the conversation happening around her. ‘—if you fancy it. Jen?’ Chloe said.
‘Yeah?’
‘You keen?’
‘Huh?’
The furrow in Chloe’s brow deepened. Any more of this and she was going to be left with a mark. ‘Drinks at mine after?’
Jen nodded in earnest. ‘Sounds good.’ She watched as the muscles in her bestie’s jaw tensed: once, twice, three times.
‘Can we have a chat?’ Chloe asked, her tone flat and serious.
‘Sure,’ Jen said with a gulp.
