I'd Like to be Somebody Else

Chapter 58

Emily and her friends invited me to their flat. Emily told me the address over the phone and assumed I'd find it.

"Hi! Come in, we're ordering pizza." Jenny answered the door. "And the movie will be on if we ever decide which."

"We're having an actual, genuine girls night?" I asked as she led me to their living room where they were trying to decide where to order from.

"Thought you'd like a night of being normal, for a change." Amy spoke up. "All that messing around with rock stars must be tiring." Nice to see she hadn't changed.

Anna slapped her arm. "Come on, don't be like this A."

"Stacy, you're decisive, you pick." Emily smiled showing me the pizzeria leaflets. "Wow, how pregnant are you now?"

"Twenty six, twenty seven weeks." I closed my eyes and picked a leaflet like it was a game of cards.

"You sure it's not twins?" she asked. "You're huge, no offence."

"Just the one and don't worry about it, everyone's saying it." I got comfy on the sofa. "See now pizza's on offer I want lots of it, got a big Gallagher baby to feed."

They ordered the pizzas, drank wine and put the film on, The Breakfast Club.

Soon they drifted their attention from the film to celebrities they fancied. I didn't care enough to listen and I liked the film.

"Go on Stacy, what about you?" Emily asked.

I opened my mouth to answer.

"Can't be anyone you've met, lucky bitch." she added.

"Robbie Fowler." I shrugged, they didn't know who he was. "The Liverpool footballer." They still didn't know. "Emily?"

"Alex James."

I didn't think she'd go from Liam to a Blur lad. "You gone off Our Kid then, Liam?"

"Yeah, well I've met him, haven't I? The fangirl, mysterious rock star element is gone." she said. "He's a bit of a dick in person, isn't he?"

"What's your mate, Kenzie's deal?" Amy asked, moving us on.

"Kenzie doesn't have a deal, what are you on about?" I responded, being a little hostile.

"Well, she went to Scotland for a gig with two kids in tow." she pointed out. "Who fucking does that?"

They were drunk and I was not but I didn't get what her problem was with me.

"Not that it's any of your business but me and Noel wanted her there." I told her as I got to my feet. "Thanks for inviting me over and everything but I think I need to get off home now."

"Please don't, the film's not even done yet." Jenny pleaded.

"Sorry, I can't, I'm not one of you, I can't pretend to be." I shook my head.

"Amy, just apologise." Anna told her sister. "You are our friend, honestly."

I shook my head. "There's no need, we had a good time at Glastonbury, doesn't mean we need to keep up the friendship or whatever."

"Look, sit down, I didn't mean to upset you." Amy appologised.

I accepted her apology and sat back down. I focused on the film again, keeping out of their conversation.

...

I drove to Liam's, it had been weeks since I last saw him before they went to Japan. I missed him loads. I needed to hang out with my best mate.