"Shit. Fuck. Fucking shitty fuck." I clambered out of the bed, looking for my trousers. I still had my top on so I was hoping that I'd just passed out when I got here. Wherever here was. I was really hoping that I was at Dawn's house, but this bedroom was far too sparse and neutral for Dawn, who was a mess of bright colours every day.
I pulled on my trousers, grabbed my shoes and picked the contents of my bag up from where they had spilled out onto the floor. My phone was dead. "Bollocks." I needed to get out of here.
I listened at the door, I could hear music from downstairs but no voices. I crept down the stairs, cursing at a creaky step and headed towards the kitchen. A loud sigh of relief escaped my mouth as I saw Dawn sat at the table. "Oh thank fuck." I muttered.
"Woo! She's awake. How the hell is your head?" Dawn asked, laughing.
"I feel like a jackhammer has taken up residence." I moaned. "Do you have any painkillers?" She threw me a couple of paracetamol that she fished out of her handbag. "Ok, fill me in. What happened after karaoke?"
"You drank, you fell down, you couldn't tell anybody you're address so we brought you back here." She sipped her coffee.
"Hang on, we?" I asked.
"Me and Tom." Dawn sighed, shaking her head. "Seriously can you not remember anything?" I had the sense to look abashed. "You were clinging on to Tom like your life depended on it, he had no choice but to bring you back here."
"This is Tom's house?!" I screeched. "I thought we were at yours! Please...please tell me that you slept in that bed with me." I grabbed Dawn's hand frantically.
She laughed. "I wish. After we carried you upstairs, you pinned Tom down and passed out. He had no choice but to stay there. I was relegated to the sofa." She stretched her back as if to prove a point.
Relief washed through me. I passed out. Admittedly, it wasn't the best situation to have shared a bed with a male colleague but at least that's all it was. I jumped when a door opened at the far end of the kitchen. Tom walked out of what was clearly the bathroom in just a towel. I couldn't help but look at his toned body, he looked good but it really didn't do anything for me. He gave me a small smile before making his way upstairs.
"Can we get out of here?" I muttered to Dawn. She nodded and called a taxi.
"Will be here in 20 minutes." I groaned. Saturday morning traffic was a bitch. "So who is Brian?" Dawn asked slyly.
"Huh? What?" I was dumbfounded by the question.
"You were going on and on about him last night. Well, you weren't making much sense. Going on about tight rope walks and queues. I dunno."
I laughed humourlessly. "He's...well...he's kinda my boyfriend. Well, we have a thing.... But he lives in America."
Dawn was open mouthed in shock. "How long has this been going on? And why didn't I know?"
I thought back. "Remember when I went to The Black Keys?" She nodded. "I met him the day before that."
"At that show thing you went to with Oli?" I nodded. "Wait...American? Was he one of...?"
"Yup." I popped the p.
"Wow. Just wow." She slapped my arm. "I can't believe you didn't tell me."
I rubbed my now red arm. "Sorry! But it's been a bit crazy and my heads been all over the place. He's coming over next week though, so you can meet him. He's coming to talk in one of my classes."
We were interrupted by a loud car horn. "Taxi's here." Dawn yelled as she looked out of the window. "Tom! We're going." Tom appeared suddenly in the door way.
"Cool. See you Monday." He hugged Dawn as she opened the front door. He pulled me into a hug, holding me closer than was strictly appropriate. "You didn't mention a boyfriend last night." He muttered.
He'd been listening to our conversation. I pulled back from him and narrowed my eyes. "What?"
"I said you neglected to mention you had a boyfriend last night when we kissed." He replied.
I glared at him. "We did not ki..." My hands shot up to my mouth as it all came flooding back to me. I remembered him following me off the stage after the karaoke. I was missing Brian and feeling overly emotional. I remembered sitting outside with Tom, my head resting on his shoulder and then, then I remembered him kissing me. And I didn't stop him.
Dawn yelled my name from the taxi. I turned and nodded. "I've...got to go." I mumbled and turned to run to the car. What the fuck have I done?
