Memphis Wills wants out of Whitehaven, the tiny village she's lived in her whole life. So aged sixteen she leaves for college in the city and never looks back.
Until five years later when she finally wises up and leaves her dirt bag boyfriend. Fee...
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"Disaronno and coke, please."
Presley cocks an eyebrow at my order when the barman leaves to pour my drink.
"What? You're the one getting an apple juice."
"I'm driving, remember? Besides, I don't fancy fizzy. It's all watered down in places like this."
When I've paid for the drinks we move to a small table beside a set of stairs leading down to the dance floor. It's packed already and I'm sweating just looking at all of the bodies packed into the space below. I'm only wearing a cream satin cami top and a pair of jeans but I'm not the only one feeling the heat. Presley's in jeans and a t-shirt but I spot a sheen of perspiration across his forehead when the stage lights sweep across the room.
"Maybe you should have ordered two of those," I say, gesturing to the measly bottle of apple juice I've just paid three pounds for.
Presley downs the last of it. "Another disaronno?"
"Sure. I'll hold the fort here."
I people watch until Presley returns, just as the crowd comes to life as three guys in black take the stage.
The crowd roars but I watch with little interest as the three men thrash around the stage. I finish my first drink, starting on my second straight away and I realise Presley is right; the coke is definitely watered down.
My enthusiasm starts to wain a little and I question my real reason for coming here tonight. To leave the house. Convince myself not living in Bath isn't the end of the world and that I can still have fun. Or to post a picture and tag myself here at the gig that I know Jerri would give an arm to be at. To make him jealous. To make him miss me.
I set down my second empty glass and tap Presley on the shoulder. He's not watching the band on stage either. He's been not so subtly checking out the girls standing at the table next to us.
"I'm going to the loo."
I follow the neon signs to a set of double doors, pushing my way through to a hallway. As soon as I'm in the toilets I realise my ears are already ringing in protest to the drums and guitar blaring in the other room.
I pee even though I know Remy would be scolding me for breaking the seal so early, and I'm almost done washing my hands when the toilet door swings open to my left. I trade gazes with the girl who's just entered through the reflection of the mirror. I'm topping up my lipstick when the sound of my name almost has me drawing a burgundy streak down my chin.
I turn around, racking my brain for a name as the girl in front of me smiles.
"Memphis Wills, right?"
I nod, still searching for a name. English class maybe? Or French?
"Candice Bowers. We went to secondary together at Rockport."
