Sliding Doors - 2 (English Version)

Chapter 32 - Jo

Josephine

The club is huge but despite this it is overflowing with people.
We really struggle to walk to reach the sofas at the end of the room.
We're near the door to the garden, so we can get in and out whenever we want.
We've been here for half an hour, but Hero and his friends aren't around yet.

"Jo..." Mia touches my hand and looks at me worried.

"Don't worry, I'm fine..."
No. That's not true.
I have a frightful confusion in my head.
I can't think straight.
I just want to go to my room and sleep.

"Did you open Instagram?" she asks, spelling the words well, given the confusion in this room.
Why do they have to keep the music so loud?
I shake my head, and Mia's eyes tell me there's nothing good online.
As always on the other hand.
There must be some stupid news going around by who knows who.
I never read anything, I'm always afraid I'm gonna be upset about some bullshit.
I don't like the internet and the hate it spreads for free.

"Maybe you should see this time..."

I take a deep breath and take my phone out of my purse.
I don't have active notifications on Instagram, just because I don't care what gets posted.
I only keep the account open because my manager stopped me from permanently deleting it.
That's all.
I open the application and the notifications are an exorbitant number: 10.042

"Shit!" I watch Mia upset "What's going on?"
Mobile phone vibrates, notifications are increasing fast...
I scroll through the home and appear videos and photos of Hero in which, inexplicably, I am also tagged.

"Who are they?" I look at Mia trying to understand the situation.

She picks up my phone and plays a video.
She's the blond-haired girl who was next to Hero at dinner.

"We are with Hero!!! No, we will not tell you where we are going and no... Jo is not with us!"

I'm looking at Mia again.
What do I have to do with this? Absurd.
The video continues and this time Hero is caught talking to one of these girls who suddenly throws her arms around his neck and hugs him.
He laughs and hugs back.
The breathing starts to get faster.
I feel the heart beating fast and the mind clouds the reason.
They are fans. They are just fans. I've never been jealous, why start now?

Because he's going back to London soon and I'm dying inside thinking that his life there is like this?
Without me.
Happy and carefree without me.

I'm gonna take another breath.
She approaches him and kisses him on the cheek before returning to her friends.
These girls in the video are talking to each other, facing the camera.
They're probably saying something, but I'm not listening anymore.
I feel a lot of thoughts in my mind.

"Shall we have a drink?" Mia bursts back into my thoughts and I nod instinctively.
Yeah, I need a drink.
Something as strong as possible.
I'll put the phone away and we'll head to the bar.

After three shots of tequila I feel light-headed, carefree finally.

"Do you want to dance? Let's have fun tonight, okay?" Mia takes my hand and we meet the other guys in the middle of the track.
I feel better.
I breathe normally and my mind is emptied of any fear, doubt or uncertainty.
I'm not used to drinking. I'm not used to drinking at all, so alcohol takes very little time to get into my system.

We place ourselves almost in a circle and dance all together carefree.
It is nice to feel free and light again.
The guys act stupid in front of us and Mia laughs, followed by me right after!
Suddenly I hear someone getting a little too close behind me.
I turn around and see a guy dancing and smiling with fun.
I'm probably overreacting, he's dancing just like I am.
I turn around again and continue to dance, closing my eyes and raising my arms to heaven, free and carefree.
When a hand lands on my ass though, I have no more doubts.
I turn around and smack this stupid guy in the face.