Part 33/?
A Broken Sixpence
Part 33
On the way to Alex’s Flat.
Emma need not have worried about Alex pouncing on Fran. That sordid event had already occurred. Alex was so pissed up on retainer larger that he scarcely recalled it the next day anyway. After hundreds of nights that ended the same way, putting names to faces to dates and to friends was impossible. Just getting off was mechanical for Alex. At least Emma wasn’t having to fight for his affection with another girl.
The atmosphere in the car was bitter. To Alex it felt as though they were taking in every pot hole, and cornering just a bit too tightly. His stomach was lurching and he unwound the window to gasp at the cold night air. Fran bristled with annoyance at him opening the window without asking her first. She couldn’t get over how he sparked up a cigarette for himself moments later.
‘Oi’ she chided him.
‘Sorry, do you want one then ?’
‘You know I don’t smoke.’
‘If you say so’. Alex puffed out the window, partly out of attempted consideration, mostly because he like it that way. ‘You got home yesterday all right then ?’
‘Clearly I did. No flies on you, is there Turner ?’ She noticed herself drumming her nails on the steering wheel.
‘You haven’t told her then ?’ He asked.
‘No, unlike you I don’t shit on my friends. She’s still wearing that stupid scarf of yours.’ Fran pulled a face at him. ‘What was the big deal that you dumped me in the shithole Liverpool for the ?’
‘Told ya, had to see me mate’. Alex pinged his dog-end into space.
‘Have a nice time ? You look like crap Alex’ He didn’t answer so she grabbed a quick look at him. ‘Woah, you look like you’re blushing. Oh my god, what isthis ?’
Alex raised his finger at her. ‘Oh nice Al, nice insult. I see they haven’t body swapped you after all’. ‘Meaning what’ he quipped back at her. ‘You seemed different tonight. A bit softer I suppose,’ she shrugged, ‘Not weaker, but more…kind ?’
Alex groaned ‘Kind ….kind ?? what the actual hell ? If I was body swapped then creepy aliens would go to all that effort to make me KIND ???’ They both laughed, he soft punched her on the leg. ‘Seriously Fran, thanks for being such a mate to me. And I’m sorry about the sex’ he snorted.
Christ, he really has changed This kept her occupied until they arrived.