All The Mixed Feelings (Van McCann)

Part 4

Van

I surveyed the packed kitchen, my annoyance increasing as I searched for a familiar face and drew a blank. I drained my glass, grimacing slightly at the bitter taste. Definitely too much vodka.

"Christ Alice, when you said you were gonna invite a few people I didn't think you meant the whole fucking town!"

I glanced over at my girlfriend, and was met with a doe-eyed expression as she feigned innocence.

"Oh Van, don't get stressed babe, the party's banging!" She giggled, looking around. "Just having the guys sitting around smoking, talking shit about music doesn't make for a good party you know!"

I sighed. I just happened to like sitting around with the guys talking shit, but what Alice wants, Alice gets. I found myself wondering for not the first time recently whether we really were a good fit.

She was gorgeous, there was no mistaking that, but in an obvious way. Like she'd just stepped out of the pages of a glamour magazine. The kind of girl I would have never stood a chance with a while back before the band had started to gain some popularity.

A group of boisterous lads made their way into the kitchen, jostling each other and jeering. "Where's the booze?" One cried.

I winced as I heard a glass smash over the other side of the room.

"Fuck's sake Alice, this is NOT my idea of a good party. The house is getting trashed."

I felt a hand snake around my waist and she leaned in to me, pressing her voluptuous body against me. She looked up at me through eyelashes heavily loaded with mascara. She really didn't need to wear all that make-up.

"I'm sorry baby, I'll make it up to you later," she purred.

She wore a sultry expression as she stretched up on her tip-toes, planting her bright red painted lips on mine. One of her hands moved from my waist down to my bum and she pushed her hips into mine suggestively. That would normally be enough to distract me, but not tonight. There was no chance I could relax until this party was under control.

I heard my name being called and saw Bob pushing his way through the crowd. I stepped away from Alice, much to her annoyance. "What's up mate?"

He looked anxious as he glanced around the kitchen. "Where've all these people come from? We only popped out for an hour!"

"Alice invited a shit-load of people, and by the looks of it they brought all their mates too. I'm proper pissed off with her."

Bob pulled a face, but immediately the look was replaced with a neutral expression. The guys mostly tried to hide it from me, but I wasn't stupid. They didn't approve of Alice.

"Hey, do you know a guy called Chris Hamley? Think he's here. His car's parked outside anyway."

The name didn't register with me. I shrugged. "Never heard of him."

Bob looked stressed, glancing round. "Where's Bondy?"

"Dunno, last time I saw him he was shit-faced, trying to chat up some girl in the garden. Not very successfully either!" I chuckled but Bob's serious expression didn't change.

"Remember Michelle, that girl we met after the gig a few days back?" I nodded and Bob carried on. "Me, Larry and Benj saw her in the chippy just now and invited her and her mate Abby along. Turns out Abby's ex is here and she's freaking out."

"Look mate, I've got bigger shit than some bird's ex to worry about."

Bob wasn't one to argue. He turned and made his way to the garden in search of our fellow band member.