The Fuzzy End of the Lollipop

The Fuzzy End of the Lollipop, Chapter Thirteen:

"How's lover boy?" asked Clyde as he lined up another row of pint glasses. The place was rammed; it was the last Friday of the month and everyone was celebrating. Sally rolled her eyes and grinned sarcastically but inside, she was dying. After the short string of messages at Maya's house, Tomas had not been in contact with her for four whole days. She was desperate to talk about it with someone. It was all she could think about but she knew if she explained what happened they would assume she had been ghosted and she was not prepared to accept that yet.

Clyde nudged her in the ribs. "Come on then, tell us the gossip."

Sally nudged him back. "Even if there was any I wouldn't tell you."

"Go on, tell me."

Sally grimaced and was about to tell him to mind his own business when Ross stormed over.

"What the hell are you two doing?" She hissed.

"Sally's got boyfriend problems," Clyde said bravely. Maya's head immediately swung round. Go away, Sally thought, I am fine.

"I don't give a rat's ass! Get back to work, the lot of you,"

Later on, Maya managed to catch Sally on her way to the kitchen.

"What are your guy problems then?"

"Oh, nothing. Clyde was just being an idiot, I am fine."

Maya saw straight through her. "Still not heard from him then?"

"No," admitted Sally.

"That's so shit."

"Yeah," Sally agreed and then cursed herself when tears brimmed in her eyes.

"Oh Sally, don't...."

Sally raised her arm so she couldn't come any closer, "Please, don't," she whispered, "I am fine seriously. My hands stink of wine, but I'm fine."

Maya smiled. "At least you don't smell of beer, I swear I spill half the pints I pull. Shall we see if Lorenzo has saved us some chips?"

"Doubt it!" said Sally as she pushed open the kitchen door.

Once the pub was closed and all the customers had been herded out everyone collapsed onto the stools surrounding the bar.

"I think my feet are going to fall off," moaned Sally.

"Nearly done," said Ross as she took out the last till. "You guys did very well today, well done."

"Sally," called Maya from across the bar.

"What?" replied Sally.

"Tell me to get up."

"No, you just stay there all night, it's fine."

"Sally, please!" Maya begged, "Tell me to get up."

"Alright, alright, get your ass off that stool." Maya took a deep breath and stood up.

"Thanks," she exhaled.

"Anytime," said Sally as she went downstairs to tap the ales for the next day.

By the time everything was wiped clean and sparkling, Sally could not wait to crawl into bed.

"Night guys!" she moaned as she swung her bag over her shoulder but both Maya and Clyde stood in her way.

"Oh, you're not going to bed yet!" said Clyde.

"Eww!" Maya glowered at him. "That sounds so creepy, what we mean to say is we are going out." Sally knew they were trying to make her feel better but she was zonked.

"Guys, I am sorry but I..."

"We are not interested," Clyde interrupted. "It's happening."

"But..."

"Nope!" Clyde put his hand up."You guys are coming round mine, my flatmate is out so we have got the whole place to ourselves."

"We are going to play Monopoly," beamed Maya.

"Monopoly?" Sally repeated. "Nobody plays board games anymore."

"It's the Star Wars version," Maya clarified as though that extra piece of information made it sound more appealing. Sally was not convinced.

"Guys, it's nearly one a.m.."

"We are not interested, Sally. Come on, let's go." And with that both Maya and Clyde squeezed themselves out of the office.

"But I don't even like Star Wars," said Sally as she threw on her jacket and ran to catch up with them.

On their way to Clyde's, they stopped at a Tesco Express, bought a bottle of Coke-a-Cola and about fifty bags of crisps. As soon as they arrived, they laid their goodies on his living room floor and set up the Monopoly board. Clyde insisted on being R2D2, Maya was Princess Leia; so that left either Darth Vader or Chewbacca for Sally.