Text copyright © 2014 Katie L Thompson
All Rights Reserved
Preview Extract: A Christmas to Forget
“That’s enough!”
I looked up to see Kirsty towering over me.
“I’m not putting up with this any longer. I have had enough of your moping about.”
“I’m not moping,” I said, although I knew that I was.
“Not moping?” She smiled. “What exactly do you call this then? You’ve been sitting on that sofa ever since he broke up with you.”
“Have not.”
“When was the last time you moved?” Her eyebrows raised in a questioning way.
“This morning.”
“Really, I didn’t notice. What did you do when you got up? How long did you get up for?”
“What is this? Twenty Questions?”
“Come on Gee, tell me what you did.” She didn’t sound so harsh now.
“I went to the loo,” I muttered.
She laughed. It wasn’t a horrible laugh. She wasn’t laughing at me, she was just amused.
“I know I’ve not been the happiest person since the break up, but it’s not been easy. We were together a long time.”
“And he cheated on you.”
I flinched.
“Accept it, Gee. He’s moved on and you must too.”
“Am I not allowed to moon for a while? Am I not allowed to be upset?”
“Of course you can. I just think it’d be better if you forgot about him quickly. He was never good enough for you.”
I wanted to believe her, but he’d always made me feel as though I was the one who wasn’t good enough for him.
“He had good reason to cheat on me,” I said.
“Don’t you dare go making excuses for him!” She was angry again. “You didn’t do anything.”
The thing was, that wasn’t entirely true. I had done things that I regretted, and I wished now that I’d told my friends at the time. They were constantly painting him as the bad guy, when I wasn’t completely innocent, myself.
“Roxanne will be home in a minute, and I know she won’t want to see you like this. She’s been stuck at work late doing overtime at a job she hates. Can’t you look slightly happier, just for her?”
I groaned.
“We hoped that after last night, you’d get better.”
Last night we’d sat down and watched the last two seasons of Sex in the City while demolishing tubs of ice cream, despite both Kirsty and Roxanne having other plans. My friends were far too good for me – I certainly didn’t deserve them.
“Do you want to do something that’ll make Roxanne really happy?”
I nodded, although I didn’t think I was going to like the next words that would come out of Kirsty’s mouth.
“Tonight there’s a Christmas party down the road. I want you to come.”
I sighed. “Who has Christmas parties?”
“Everyone.”
“Since when? Parties are meant to be reserved for New Year. Waking up on Christmas morning with a killer hangover is not a tradition.”
“Well, we’re gonna make it one.”
I grumbled.
“Oh come on, don’t be so self obsessed.”
“Kirsty!”
“I’m sorry, but this is all so stupid. You’re twenty-two! You shouldn’t have been in a two year relationship at that age. Be happy that you’re free and single. Come out with us, meet a guy – meet ten guys if you want.”
I rolled my eyes at her.
“When we first met, you were so cool. What happened to you?”
“So I have to get drunk and meet loads of men to classify as cool, do I?” I shifted on the sofa so that my back was facing Kirsty.
“Hey, that’s not what I meant.”
“That’s what it sounded like.”
A funny growling sound came out of the back of her throat as she plonked down on the edge of the sofa, next to me. She put her hand on my shoulder and moved me around so that I was facing her. “Breakups are hard–”
“Oh hell, you’re not going to give me a pep talk, are you?”
“Shut up.”
I smiled.
“As I was saying. Breakups are hard. They’re hard for everyone, not just you.”
“Alright, Mum.”
“Come on, Gee. I’m trying to be serious here.” She sat up straighter, distancing herself from me.
“Okay, I’ll listen.”
“Breakups are hard, but you will pull through this. Believe me, you will. If you don’t, I will have to kill you.”
“So much for serious.” I half coughed, half laughed.
“I am being serious. I share a house with you and you’re driving me insane. You are coming out with us, end of.” She stood up and started walking towards her room. “And,” she shouted over her shoulder, “if you don’t make some effort to get dressed, we will be taking you to the party dressed like that.”
I was wearing my tartan pyjamas. Jon had always said I looked cute when I was wearing them. Maybe it wouldn’t matter if I went to the party dressed as I was.
I shook my head. What was I thinking? Of course I had to get changed.
All Rights Reserved
Preview Extract: A Christmas to Forget
“That’s enough!”
I looked up to see Kirsty towering over me.
“I’m not putting up with this any longer. I have had enough of your moping about.”
“I’m not moping,” I said, although I knew that I was.
“Not moping?” She smiled. “What exactly do you call this then? You’ve been sitting on that sofa ever since he broke up with you.”
“Have not.”
“When was the last time you moved?” Her eyebrows raised in a questioning way.
“This morning.”
“Really, I didn’t notice. What did you do when you got up? How long did you get up for?”
“What is this? Twenty Questions?”
“Come on Gee, tell me what you did.” She didn’t sound so harsh now.
“I went to the loo,” I muttered.
She laughed. It wasn’t a horrible laugh. She wasn’t laughing at me, she was just amused.
“I know I’ve not been the happiest person since the break up, but it’s not been easy. We were together a long time.”
“And he cheated on you.”
I flinched.
“Accept it, Gee. He’s moved on and you must too.”
“Am I not allowed to moon for a while? Am I not allowed to be upset?”
“Of course you can. I just think it’d be better if you forgot about him quickly. He was never good enough for you.”
I wanted to believe her, but he’d always made me feel as though I was the one who wasn’t good enough for him.
“He had good reason to cheat on me,” I said.
“Don’t you dare go making excuses for him!” She was angry again. “You didn’t do anything.”
The thing was, that wasn’t entirely true. I had done things that I regretted, and I wished now that I’d told my friends at the time. They were constantly painting him as the bad guy, when I wasn’t completely innocent, myself.
“Roxanne will be home in a minute, and I know she won’t want to see you like this. She’s been stuck at work late doing overtime at a job she hates. Can’t you look slightly happier, just for her?”
I groaned.
“We hoped that after last night, you’d get better.”
Last night we’d sat down and watched the last two seasons of Sex in the City while demolishing tubs of ice cream, despite both Kirsty and Roxanne having other plans. My friends were far too good for me – I certainly didn’t deserve them.
“Do you want to do something that’ll make Roxanne really happy?”
I nodded, although I didn’t think I was going to like the next words that would come out of Kirsty’s mouth.
“Tonight there’s a Christmas party down the road. I want you to come.”
I sighed. “Who has Christmas parties?”
“Everyone.”
“Since when? Parties are meant to be reserved for New Year. Waking up on Christmas morning with a killer hangover is not a tradition.”
“Well, we’re gonna make it one.”
I grumbled.
“Oh come on, don’t be so self obsessed.”
“Kirsty!”
“I’m sorry, but this is all so stupid. You’re twenty-two! You shouldn’t have been in a two year relationship at that age. Be happy that you’re free and single. Come out with us, meet a guy – meet ten guys if you want.”
I rolled my eyes at her.
“When we first met, you were so cool. What happened to you?”
“So I have to get drunk and meet loads of men to classify as cool, do I?” I shifted on the sofa so that my back was facing Kirsty.
“Hey, that’s not what I meant.”
“That’s what it sounded like.”
A funny growling sound came out of the back of her throat as she plonked down on the edge of the sofa, next to me. She put her hand on my shoulder and moved me around so that I was facing her. “Breakups are hard–”
“Oh hell, you’re not going to give me a pep talk, are you?”
“Shut up.”
I smiled.
“As I was saying. Breakups are hard. They’re hard for everyone, not just you.”
“Alright, Mum.”
“Come on, Gee. I’m trying to be serious here.” She sat up straighter, distancing herself from me.
“Okay, I’ll listen.”
“Breakups are hard, but you will pull through this. Believe me, you will. If you don’t, I will have to kill you.”
“So much for serious.” I half coughed, half laughed.
“I am being serious. I share a house with you and you’re driving me insane. You are coming out with us, end of.” She stood up and started walking towards her room. “And,” she shouted over her shoulder, “if you don’t make some effort to get dressed, we will be taking you to the party dressed like that.”
I was wearing my tartan pyjamas. Jon had always said I looked cute when I was wearing them. Maybe it wouldn’t matter if I went to the party dressed as I was.
I shook my head. What was I thinking? Of course I had to get changed.