Strike (Sphere of Irony 2)

“Yes. It’s me.”

The door to the flat closes behind me. I drop my books and duffel to the floor. Right now, my only concern is my friend, a friend that has been through hell and back with no one there to support her. Tears flood my eyes, overflowing down my cheeks. My voice is already all choked up and my nose sniffling pathetically.

“Ellie,” I sob, “where have you been?”

“Can I come visit?”

“You don’t even have to ask.”

As I lay back on my bed to catch up with Ellie I think that maybe a little bit of my life can be complete again.

“So tell me about UCLA. Is it as much fun as we thought it would be?”

Ellie stares at me with wide eyes across the backseat of the cab we’re taking from LAX. Two weeks after she called and she just landed, looking extremely tired. Worse than tired, she looks like she hasn’t slept in weeks.

I don’t answer her question immediately. Do I tell her how inadequate I feel here? Surrounded by posh homes, impossible beauty, and people who spend more money on one car than there is in all of Hackney? Or do I lie and tell her it’s brilliant, that she could still transfer in next year?

“It’s… it’s keeping me busy.” I give her what I know is a weak answer. Thankfully, Ellie is too knackered to realize how pathetic it is.

“That’s brilliant, Kate. Really. I’m so happy for you.”

She wants to know about all the glam parties I’ve been to, which doesn’t take long since I’ve been to exactly zero. I tell her all about my coach and how great he is, and how he gets so much out of our team. Ellie laughs when I describe my wealthy flatmate’s very active social life.

I haven’t told her about Dax yet, afraid I may open up old wounds with regards to Adam. I’m not hiding it, but I don’t want to bring it up either. Calling him up and asking if I could meet up with them tonight was just about the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Ellie wants to see Adam, so I did it, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t horribly awkward.

“Davies.”

“Dax. It’s Kate.”

“Oh.”

God this is awkward. “Um, so, I’m really sorry about ducking out of the club that night.”

“That was nearly five months ago, Kate. I think I’m over it.” His voice is harsh, cold. In other words, normal for Dax.

“Okay. Right. Well, I was hoping to meet up with you at one of your gigs.”

Silence.

“Dax?”

“You want to meet up at a gig? After vanishing and avoiding my calls you want to pop in and meet up?” Dax laughs sarcastically.

“Ellie is coming to visit. She wants to see Adam, but doesn’t want us to tell him she’s here.”

“Ellie? Here? Why the fuck can’t we tell him?”

“She said she might not be able to go through with seeing him. She didn’t want any expectations.”

“Right. So you’re ringing for Ellie. Just like you visited the Viper Room for Ellie. Do you ever think about ringing or visiting me without a reason? We were friends once, weren’t we?”

Crap.

“I’m sorry Dax. It’s not you—”

“Fuck it. It’s not me it’s you, right? Whateve

r. When will she be in town?”