Lucy in the Sky

catch a cab. Gemma’s going home to her parents’ place in Berkshire with Martin tonight.
    ‘I’m sorry if you think I was being out of order,’ Chloe says, once we’re in a cab.
    ‘It’s okay,’ I tell her. ‘I’m sorry if you think I was.’
    She reaches across and touches my leg. ‘I’m sure it will all work out.’ She smiles. I can’t return it.
    When we arrive at the bar, James’s work party is already in full swing. Jeremy spots us first and comes over to gyrate against me to the music. He’s pissed out of his face.
    I push past him and we make our way through to the others. William immediately comes over and gives Chloe a big kiss on the lips. She smiles up at him awkwardly.
    ‘Hi, Lucy.’
    ‘Hi.’ I regard him suspiciously, but intuitively I just don’t get abad feeling about him. I walk away from them, feeling hazy as I look for James. At least I haven’t had too much to drink today; I need to keep my senses. Eventually I spot my boyfriend in a dark booth at the back. He’s talking to Zoe and I feel faint as the mini hurricane swirls around in my stomach.
    I don’t have to be here. I could turn around and leave them to it. But fight always wins out over flight for me. I make my way over to them.
    I can’t see Zoe’s expression but James is frowning. As soon as he sees me his face lights up and he nudges Zoe to get up so he can shift out and get to me.
    ‘Hi, you,’ he slurs happily. He pulls me in for a kiss, followed by a long hug, during which he sways me drunkenly from side to side. When he pulls away I see Zoe standing to the side, eyeing us coldly.
    ‘Hello, Zoe.’
    ‘Hi,’ she replies, unsmiling. ‘I’m going to go to the bar. Want anything?’ she asks as she turns to James.
    ‘Lucy, what’re you having?’
    ‘It’s a free bar,’ Zoe tells me, her mouth curling up unpleasantly as she sees me reaching for my purse. I didn’t want her to buy me a drink.
    ‘Oh, okay. Vodka and cranberry, then.’
    ‘James?’ she asks.
    ‘I’ll have another whisky, thanks ba—er, Zoe.’
    ‘No, I mean, are you going to give me a hand? I can’t manage three drinks on my own.’
    I look at him, daring him to go.
    ‘Don’t be silly, Zoze, you can manage five drinks on your own. I’ve seen you with my very own eyes!’ he says jovially. She raisesher eyebrows at him and stalks off. He turns back to me and rolls his eyes, but I just stare at him calmly.
    ‘What?’ he asks.
    ‘You are so full of bullshit.’
    ‘ What ?’
    ‘James, for fuck’s sake.’ I laugh bitterly. ‘It’s so obvious !’
    ‘Lucy, cut it out.’ He’s irate now.
    I can’t be arsed with all this. It’s a bloody joke. I look around for William and Chloe and spot them over by the wall, laughing and talking. James clocks my look.
    ‘Has he said anything?’ he demands to know about William. ‘Because if he has, he’s a fucking liar. He shags anything with two legs!’
    ‘ Right …’ I narrow my eyes at him.
    ‘That son of a bitch,’ James says and I’m fearful he’s going to storm over to William right now and knock his lights out.
    ‘What’s going on?’ Zoe reappears suddenly.
    James is breathing heavily and eyeing William with a disturbing look. She puts her hand warningly on James’s arm. He shrugs her off. ‘Haven’t you caused enough trouble?’ he asks her nastily. My heart is thumping like crazy in my chest.
    ‘Don’t you blame this on me,’ she responds angrily.
    ‘Shhh,’ he soothes, calmer all of a sudden. He rubs her arm briefly then steps away and puts his arm around my waist.
    ‘I don’t think so…’ I try to detach him.
    ‘Lucy, for God’s sake, cut it out!’ he snaps. ‘I don’t need this!’
    ‘Neither do I,’ I respond, attempting to wrench myself away, but he just draws me in tighter.
    ‘James!’ I raise my voice. ‘Let me go! What the hell are you doing?’
    ‘Yeah, James,’ Zoe says coldly. ‘What the hell are you doing?’
    ‘Why don’t you just piss off?’ I turn to her, furiously, still trying to wriggle free of James.
    ‘What’s going on? Lucy, are you alright?’ William says from beside me. Chloe joins us, anxiously eyeing the scene.
    ‘Yes, of course she’s alright,’ James answers snidely.
    ‘James, let me go!’ I snap again.
    ‘Let her go,’ William tells James.
    ‘What are you going to do, make me?’ he asks viciously.
    Then suddenly Jeremy arrives to join in the party. I’m expecting him to face up to William but