Liz, you want to slow down with the drinks? I said carefully, not wanting to sound too patronising.

She looked at me and smiled, slipping her arm round my shoulders.

What would I do without you Trix, you always look after me. Don’t worry, Im not going to let myself get as ***** faced as I was at that art thingy.

I was relieved that she was finally noticing the extent of how drunk she was getting when we did go out. Probably because I was making her sober up before she had a chance to pass out in bed and therefore have a severe case of memory loss the next morning.

So, Ill go get us another drink. she said after a moment of silence.

I was hoping it was a silence filled with quiet contemplation, but obviously not. Lizzie disappeared back into the crowd surrounding the bar before I could pull her back. Well that was plan one down the drain, getting Lizzie to admit she had a drinking problem and subsequently have her cut down on how much she drank. I hadn’t exactly expected success to end in her returning to the bar.

As I stood there, on my own trying not to look like a complete loner, I suddenly had the strangest feeling of being watched. It was that feeling when the hairs on the back of my neck bristled, but I was never standing in a draft. Or if I tried to look around and discover who was watching me, I would end up attracting the attention of some half wit who thought I was checking him out. So I decided to just act cool as that came so naturally to me. I laughed at myself, it was so much easier than taking myself seriously, however smiling at no one in particular whilst standing on my own did look slightly suspect.

Trixie?

I didn’t have to turn round, I knew who it was. There was only one person who could make my heart skip merely from just saying my name. I took a deep breath and turned round, greeted by the familiar brown eyes. I exhaled and swallowed, all of a sudden finding my throat dry. I took a sip of drink, I was so nervous I wanted to down the pink liquid in one. I didn’t of course, that was Lizzies trick to calm nerves; tried and tested and certainly did not work.