The Not So Romantic Life of Iona Richards

Chapter One

Iona Richards

I rubbed my forehead and groaned at the pain. This wasn't exactly how I had planned on starting my day today. This wasn't how I had planned starting my day any day after my 25th birthday. I hated hangovers and clearly the feeling was mutual.

My phone blasted to my right and instinctively I grabbed the device and threw it away from where I lay.

Shit.

I hurriedly got up to grab my phone when the room started spinning. I could feel my stomach churning. It was going to happen. I needed to find the bathroom. But where was it? Actually, where was I?

I had no time to answer as my stomach finally decided to expel all the alcohol I had consumed the previous night on to the plush carpet where I stood.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" The deep baritone voice announced from the door.

A couple of hours later

Casey handed me the steaming cup of coffee and rubbed my back. I had just taken two painkillers for the incredible headache that had formed and I was still waiting for them to kick in. Casey placed the hot plate of bacon and scrambled eggs in front me and it took everything in me not to push the plate away.

"You need to eat." Theo rumbled as he walked into the kitchen.

I was yet to apologise for emptying my guts on his carpet earlier. The sympathetic look he threw me said I didn't need to. I hated sympathy. I was going to apologise.

"When's the last time we got this drunk?" Casey mused as she took a seat next to me.

She was determined to make me eat and finish the food she had served me. I really did not want to eat but I mustered up some courage and took a bite of the scrambled eggs.

Delicious.

My stomach grumbled in response as I proceeded to swallow forkfuls of my breakfast. As the food settled in my stomach I began to feel a little more like myself. After finishing my food, I gingerly sipped on my steaming coffee. I hated eating and drinking at the same time. I either did one or the other. How people managed to do both was beyond me.

"Must have been right after graduation." I finally responded.

Smooth jazz seeped through the strategically placed speakers in Theo's house. I appreciated his taste in music. Amy Winehouse is exactly what I needed.

"Good thing all we're going to do today is rest and maybe take a swim if it gets too hot." Casey chipped and placed her mahogany hands on the marble top of the island. Her fingers were so perfectly manicured. I needed to get mine done as well.

"Speak for yourself. I need to get a new phone. I kind of broke mine in the morning." I mumbled into my cup. I had the worst luck with phones. This one was barely a month old and I had already ruined it.

Casey and Theo exchanged looks. I glanced up at the cousins. Something was up.

"What?" I asked.

"That wasn't your phone..." Theo rubbed the back of his neck.

"What do you mean. Was it yours? Casey's? Oh God, whose phone did I break?" I set down my finished cup of coffee. Feeling much better but a lot more anxious all.of a sudden.

"See that's the thing. We don't know who's phone that is." I heard Casey explain.

Then it dawned on me. I had very limited memory on what happened last night.