Just keep breathing

Chapter 53

Predictably, I slept poorly last night, plagued not only by my usual nightmares but disturbingly vivid, all too real dreams starring the people in my life.

When I finally admit defeat and decide it's time to start my day, my head swims and pounds painfully, and I end up laying straight back down again, clutching my temples in horror.

This, this is why I don't like to drink. I think to myself as I register that the discomfort I am feeling has an awful lot to do with the bottle of Prosecco I polished off last night.

Slowly this time, I try and bring myself into a sitting position and pick up my phone to check the time, only to realise it's still switched off. Breakfast first, I need to try and eat something and pop some Nurofen before I deal with whatever messages have been left since I turned it off last night.

Making my way to the kitchen I vaguely register voices emanating from it, too loud voices, why are they shouting? God, my head hurts...

"Morning sleepy head."

I hear Mel say when I eventually make it to the kitchen, she and Ben are sitting at our battered old table drinking coffee from tall Starbucks cups, his thumb absent-mindedly drawing circles on the back of her outstretched hand on the wood.

"Morning." I groan back

"Gotta say, Katie.. you've looked better." Ben chimes in taking in my scruffy appearance and I self consciously pull on the ends of my loose pyjama shorts, wishing they covered just a little more of my thighs, I wasn't exactly expecting company.

"I think I'm dying," I tell them, slipping on to an empty chair and promptly laying my head on top of my arms on the table in front of me.

"Ah, so THAT's where my bottle of wine ended up, huh? That's unlike you, babe, you OK?" Mel asks me

"I'll be fine. I just... I don't know. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Now? Not so much. Do we have any Nurofen?"

I question her from between my arms, hoping my voice is loud enough for her to hear as I can't bear to raise it any more, their voices are already much too loud.

"Aww, poor Katie!" Mel teases me "Of course we do, I'll get you some. And some water, you need to rehydrate."

I don't attempt to respond, I'm wishing for the hundred-plus other mornings in this flat where it's been me trying to help Mel rid herself of HER hangover, I do not like things being this way around.

I am usually the responsible one.

"So! Harry called me about twenty times last night. Why didn't you tell him your phone broke?" Mel asks as she places a glass of water on the table in front of me with a thud.

Gingerly I raise my head to take the tablets from her outstretched hand and gulp them down, draining the glass of water in one and holding the empty glass back out to her, imploring for more.

As she turns to fill it, I try and come up with some kind of excuse, but it's too early, and my head hurts too much.

"My phone's fine. It's not broken. I just didn't want to speak to him, or any other man for that matter." I snap, giving Ben an apologetic look,

"It's ok; you don't count." I reassure him

"Erm, thanks? I think?" He stammers, clearly not sure whether to be pleased or offended by my statement.

"Ben sweety, I think I need a little time to talk to my room-mate.. any chance I could ask you to pop down to KFC and grab us some comfort food?" Mel coos at Ben in a singsong voice.