Read Online Crazygirl Falls in Love by Alexandra Wnuk - Free Book Online Page A

Be Named had gone outside
for a smoke (Mags still smoked back then).
    “Give it a rest babe,” he had slurred.
    “Beer is not the fifth food group. Why can’t you just have a
few pints and stick to that? Why does it always have to be a
caseload?”
    “Relax Chloe, it’s a party.”
    “It’s dinner on a Tuesday night.”
    “I don’t need to change for you, or nobody,” Crazy had kept
slurring.
    “You might need to change for your career. Aren’t you supposed
to be practicing tonight?”
    “Yeah but iz cool the guys’ll understand. I practised day all
yesterday.”
    Chloe has turned to me,
    “Penny, would you consider falling asleep hugging your guitar
as ‘practice’?”
    “Umm… I guess, so long as he was strumming it?”
    Emma and I couldn’t have been in a more awkward position. Emma
stared down into her lap, fiddling with the hem of her skirt. I
dodged questions like a seasoned politician and kept my eyes on my
cider, pretending to be mesmerised by the bubbles floating towards
the wide-rimmed top. Chloe and Crazy continued fighting as if we
weren’t there. Chloe eventually had enough,
    “Nice to know I’m dating someone with the IQ of a processed
sausage. Don’t bother coming home tonight.”
    Without saying goodbye to me and Emma, Chloe had stood up,
snatched her bag, and left.
    I considered following her but thought better of it. She was
likely feeling humiliated and ashamed. Shame is a very personal
emotion, not one you always want to share with your friends. That’s
why I go running alone, the shame of being so slow is best hidden
from the world.
    No one said anything for a good few minutes. Emma continued to
fiddle, I continued to stare at the caramel coloured bubbly world
in my pint, Crazy continued to drink. Eventually Mags and He Who
Shall Not Be Named came back and sat down. Still the three of us
said nothing.
    “What’s going on?” Mags asked, “where’s Chloe?”
    “She left,” Emma began, before turning to Crazy and catching
his eye, “hey, if it makes you feel any better, we’re on your
side.”
    I had raised my eyebrows at this. Say what now ?
    Emma had continued,
    “It’s your prerogative. I mean, she could just accept that you
like a pint here and there. Hell, I’ve seen her drink way more than
you some nights, and you never complain.”
    True, Emma didn’t know about the fights, or his rough conduct,
or all those empty promises. Nonetheless, she had just violated the
Female Code. I knew it, Mags knew it, even Crazy knew it. He told
Chloe about it the next day, but instead of relating the full story
it went along the lines of, ‘After you bailed Emma called you a
bitch’. Such a guy thing to do. I doubt he was being malicious,
just low on detail.
    Chloe was livid and started telling everyone exactly what she
thought of Emma. Word got back to Emma, and the rest is history.
That was six months ago and they haven’t spoken since.
    Tonight is the perfect opportunity to move on. Usually I’m no
pacifist. I don’t really care who hates who, the world is full of
shitty people and everyone falls out with each other eventually.
But sheesh, besides Mags these are the only two people I consider
close friends. So I take a long slurp of my pina colada, slam it
down on the counter, and start mediating,
    “I’m tired of this, I want you guys to be friends
again.”
    “Fat chance,” Chloe says at the same time that Emma blurts,
“No way.”
    “Why the hell not?” I demand.
    “You told Crazy I was a bitch.” Chloe says, addressing
Emma.
    “I did not, but in any case I don’t have to
explain myself to you ,” Emma replies haughtily.
    “You change your tune so often your name should be Flip Flop.
You may not have said the words but the intention was there, and
everyone heard what you said. Right, Pen?”
    I lift my hands, palms facing outwards, and take a step back.
I’ve decided I’m not going to mediate anymore. Bitches be
crazy.
    Instead, I lift the G&T Antonio