In Another Life (1993-1996)

I Want To Be Adored

I woke up in Ben's room, expecting to turn and find his naked form next to me. Instead, I found empty space between the sheets. Slightly bemused, I sat up in bed, clutching the duvet to my chest. There was someone sitting on the edge of the bed. It took a while for my eyes to focus and my brain to catch on to which it was.

"Wanda!" I almost screamed. Ben's mother was perched on the corner of the mattress with a tea tray on her lap.

"Hello dear, just checking up on you. Ben's downstairs with his father having a bit of a chat, so I thought I'd come and have a girlie gossip with you. Was Ben alright? He didn't cause any issues did he? Everything was, you know, satisfactory?" At this point, my face which had been bright red, bypassed maroon and hit red.

"Okay Wanda, I'm really sorry but I have to go and meet my friend Lizzie. Thank you for the breakfast and the, er, talk." She smiled at me one last time, before standing and leaving the room. I let out a sigh of relief. Well that had been embarrassing. I quickly got up and got changed, hoping to save Ben from his dad.

I crept down the stairs and past the doorway of the lounge. Tim was standing with his back to me, holding up a book. I could see the title; 'A Teen's Guide To The Next Step.' Oh dear. Ben was nodding as his dad spoke, his cheeks blazing. He looked up and saw me. A little shake of the head told me not to bother, followed by a slight tap of his watch to say later. I smiled at him, blew him a kiss and made my way for the door, with enough time to hear

"Now, Ben, the condom is the key factor, make sure when putting it on that you don't tear it..."

Many things about where I lived were beginning to grow on me, like the venues for concerts. We were right near the Apple Road music hall, which was basically a large basement someone had turned into a gig space. There was Saints Palace, place where the slightly bigger artist played and the St. George Stadium where the international bands played.

I said hello to a couple of the neighbours as I walked, but no one seemed to notice me all too much. Walking past a news agents, I saw a small headline about Oasis and my heart grew with pride. Sure, I probably wouldnt be seeing Noel for a while, and I was really missing him, but they were out there causing trouble where they should be. Liam was already being noticed for his mouth which was on top form.

I walked into Lizzie's, expecting it to be quiet, but instead I found a swarm of people. Fighting my way past, I started looking for Liz. She was standing behind the counter, stressed out, trying to serve the shouting men at the front. Pushing a little bit harder, legs aching still from last night, I made it to the counter and vaulted it to stand next to Liz. She turned to me and sighed with relief.

"Thank fuck you're here, Evie. I cannot cope." She said. She looked like it. Her hair was like a tangled nest above her head from the amount of times she had pushed it out of her eyes. "Arthur's serving tables in the other room, we've had to open it up as a restaurant to get more space, but it's just not working."

"OI! LOVE!" A hard looking man at the front of the counter yelled.

"One second!" Lizzie snapped.

"Liz, I'll help you take orders if you like?" I said, grabbing a pen and notepad.

"You know it's reaching desperate measures when Evelyn Socially Inept Night offers to help with people." Liz giggled. I turned to the mass off people in front of me and began taking orders. One Coke, three pints, a packet of cheese and onion rings, two coffees, a pizza. I didn't even know if Lizzie's did pizza, but I scribbled it down anyway. 5 more pints. This early in the morning? It was only 12! A packet of pickled onion Monster Munch, chips, a chocolate sundae, three Pepsi's. The crowd seemed very different from the usual customers.