Christmas Friendships

Michael, 2 Weeks Until Christmas

Hey Mikey...

Last night was awesome! Don't forget about my party on Christmas Eve. See you there loser,

Ash

P.S. Have fun sleeping off that hangover...

With a bitter laugh I scrunch the note up and throw it into the trash can. It lands at the bottom with a satisfying 'plunk'.

My head is throbbing, my hands are shaking ever so slightly and it's hard to focus on anything. I stumble through my apartment, holding onto the wall for support. Through my still half-drunken daze I manage to pull off my clothes and step into the shower.

The hot drops of water hitting my shoulders and back feel amazing. My body hits the wall of the shower. My eyes flutter shut and I imagine that the water is not just washing away my hangover but the whole of last night.

The party.

The alcohol.

The girls.

The fighting.

My eyes snap open again as memories start to resurface in my mind. They're hazy and incomplete but I can hear her voice clear as day. Her harsh words echo through my head repeatedly. The sound makes me wince even now. I turn the shower off with a groan.

I walk into the kitchen in nothing but my black boxer briefs. I smile slightly, remembering how much she used to complain when I didn't get dressed all day. My smile falters when my eyes land on a glass of water and two small, white tablets. That's all she's left for me, no note, none of her belongings, no sign she's coming back.

I leave the kitchen with a scowl, refusing to take the pain killers, even though my head is killing me.

Sleep seems like the best option for me right now. Maybe when I wake up she'll be back or she'll have texted me.

My head hits the pillow, my feet are dangling off the end of the bed, it's uncomfortable but I probably won't be able to sleep anyway.

As soon as I close my eyes I see her again, red-eyed and crying.

You're drunk, again.

You're such an asshole.

I hate this, it isn't what I deserve.

I actually whimper into the pillow, a single tear rolls down my cheek.

It takes a while before I drift off. When I do, my sleep is filled with images of her, what she looked like the first time I saw her, the smile on her face after we kissed for the first time, the time we moved in together and finally last night. The memories of her break my heart over and over again.

The telephone ringing wakes me up. I jolt awake and fumble with the sheets, falling out of bed as I scramble to grab my vibrating phone off the bedside table. The minute I glance at the screen my excitement fades away.

Luke's name flashes in front of my eyes a couple more times before the ringing noise dies down again. Minutes later the screen lights up again with a text from Luke himself. The first line is filled entirely with smiley face emojis, I don't read the rest of the text, instead I fling the phone onto the bed behind me where it starts vibrating again. I shoot it an annoyed look. I have no interest in hearing about my bandmate's vacation with his dream girl, not right now at least.

I draw the curtains open with a heavy sigh. I've slept through the whole day and the city outside is now bathed in orange and pink light. The rays of the setting sun flood through the window, filling every corner of the dark room. The image around me brings back the memories from last night, dirty clothes, an empty bed and a trash can filled to the brim with empty beer bottles. I walk into the closet slowly, even though I know what I'm going to see.

"Shit."

The fact that none of her stuff is there makes me even more hopeless. My clothes are strewn about the place, in a pile on the floor, hanging messily off coat hangers, but her half of the oversized walk in closet is empty.

I'm aware of a faint buzzing noise as I bend down to retrieve my favourite Sex Pistols shirt from the stained carpet and pull it over my head. After a few seconds I come to realize that my phone has gone off again. I roll my eyes and let out an annoyed grunt. Hopefully Luke will get the fucking message soon.

It takes a while for me to tug my black skinny jeans on, I remember the way she used to laugh at me when I got dressed because I had to do this weird jumpy dance to get my tight pants on properly. My hands fumble with the belt clasp when suddenly the phone starts vibrating again. I glance at the screen with a scowl.

12 new messages

They better not just be from Luke.

Luke: why aren't you answering the damn phone man

Luke: where the fuck are you

Luke: come on

Luke: I have news

Luke: Kate's pregnant

Luke: Ok that's not true

Luke: I just said that to make you reply

Luke: reply

Luke: reply

Luke: reply

Luke: pleeeeeease?

Luke: fine

Luke: dick

I dismiss his texts with a smirk before my gaze falls onto the last message.

Amelie

Just reading her name makes my heart stop. My thumb hovers over the message for a few seconds, before I tap the screen to read it. My hands are shaking as I take in the words she's written. They're not exactly what I was hoping for and she definitely doesn't seem happy but it's a start.

7pm, Sullivan Bar, be there on time or I'm leaving