"Hello?" Pt. 1

February 6th, 2016

"How's the head?"

"I. Am. Never. Ever. Going. Out. With. You. Again."

"Haha. I take it your head is not ok, then."

"No, it isn't. I've got the biggest hangover in the whole history of hangovers. Please tell me that you're suffering too."

"..."

"How is that even possible? No hangover?"

"It's not my fault you tried to keep up with me!"

"It's never going out with you again."

"As you already said."

"How the hell does going for a coffee turn into drinking copious amounts of whiskey and destroying your liver?"

"As I recall, it was you that suggested going to a pub. Not me."

"I make terrible decisions on a Friday. I don't remember much after nine pm."

"I don't remember much after five twenty-three."

"Why not?"

"Because as soon as you walked into Hogan's my mind kind of went out the window. It was strange meeting you."

"Oh, thanks! It was strange meeting you too!"

"See! That there."

"That there, what?"

"Your sarcasm. I honestly thought you'd be more... less like that in real life."

"Are you trying to say that you were disappointed by me, Mr Whitaker?"

"Not disappointed. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised. You were exactly like you are on the phone. Which is why it was strange."

"I'm too hungover for riddles, Daniel."

"Mostly girls like to play games, you know. Be one person one minute and then being a completely different person the next. You, though? You're just you. I like that. There's no games. What you see is what you get."

"It's too much hard work pretending to be someone else. I'd rather be me because I am fab-u-lous."

"Except for today. Today you are not fabulous."

"Nope. Today I feel like I went twelve round against Rocky. How do you seriously not have a hangover today? You drank way more than me! This is not fair."

"Have you ever drunk whiskey before?"

"Not really, no."

"There's your answer, then. Whiskey is my drink so it hardly has an effect on me any more. If we were doing vodka, then I'd be screwed."

"I know a great vodka bar. We'll go there next time. You know, pay back."

"Um, no thank you."

"Tough luck, Duck."

"Fine. But only because there's apparently going to be a next time. I honestly thought you'd run a mile when you met me."

"Why? You're tolerable enough."

"Tolerable enough? Gee, cheers, Soph. That was a heck of a confidence boost there. I just thought maybe you'd think I was as boring in real life as I am on the phone."

"You are as boring in real life as you are on the phone. It's just your luck that I like boring. If I didn't, would I still be talking to you?"

"Insult aside, I'm glad you talk to me. It's weird, isn't it? This whole situation, I mean. Why knew that a drunken New Year's call would mean us becoming friend?"

"True. Hey, I don't suppose you're a rugby fan, are you?"

"As a matter of fact, I am. Why?"

"Six Nations start this weekend. Some of my friends and I like to go out and watch the games at this pub near where Jason lives. If you fancy tagging along, you're more than welcome to."

"Yeah, maybe. Elias and I tend to have friends over to mine for the matches, so if you ever want to join us, too, it's an open invite. So, you like rugby, huh?"

"Yep. Have you seen some of the players? Like, wow! They are some fine male specimen. Plus, full contact sport like that is intense. Rugby over football, any day of the week."

"Interesting. How do you feel about blind dates?"

"How did talking about rugby suddenly become a question on blind dates?"

"I have a friend and I was just thinking about how you and he would be a good pairing. You're crazy, he's crazy. You like sport, he likes sport. You're friends with me, he's friends with me. You have loads in common."

"That's hardly loads, Daniel. Anyway, no to the blind date. I'm not looking for a boyfriend at the moment. My last relationship ended before Christmas and it's too soon to be dating."

"I ended it with Arabella after your relationship went kaput and already I've been out on a date with another woman."

"I just... There's too much going on at the moment. Work is crazy, Lucas is in hospital, I'm in the process of buying a new place... I won't have time for a boyfriend."

"You're moving?"

"Yep. Well, I'm trying to. The estate agents keep messing me around and the surveyor has yet to get back to me, so I don't even know what's going on there."

"Where are you moving to?"

"Same area, just on another street. There's a quaint little mews house and it has a root terrace. It'll need to be redecorated but that's nothing major."

"I'm a dab hand with a paint brush."

"I'll keep that in mind. What time is it that? - damn it! - Daniel, I have to go. Emma's picking me up in ten minutes to take me to the hospital to see Lucas."

"Yeah, of course, go. I'll call you tomorrow. Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you this last night, but I had a really fun time. I'm glad I screwed up Arabella's number that night."

"I'm glad you did, too. And I had fun last night. Too much fun, really, if my pounding headache is anything to go by!"

"Haha. Next time, we're doing vodka, right? Pay back."

"Too right. Later, alligator."

"In a while, crocodile."