Wary of the decadence and skewed morals that her burgeoning music career might impose upon her, Joanna feels out of place at the rite-of-passage Notting Hill party her new manager has invited her to, until she encounters Matty - practically an old hand in the business, but sweetly untouched by their strange surroundings. The instincts and values Joanna used to cling to don't guide her now as well as they used to, and as the venues get bigger and the radio plays rack up, it becomes increasingly difficult to know what her friendship with Matty is really about. 'My ability to stay awake was waning, and I could feel myself dropping off, the darkness and warmth enveloping me. But somewhere in that liminal space, between consciousness and a blank stupor, I vaguely registered a hand finding mine across the sheets, fingers interlinking and holding it there, in the space between our faces.' (((* = mature content))) COMPLETED 19/11/20.