Carla pushed her way through the heavy doors to the pub, desperately seeking solace in the bottom of a wine glass. She ordered a bottle and found the quietest corner, sinking down into the booth and delicately opening it, careful not to spill a drop. She watched her hand shaking slightly as she froze half way, taking a deep breath before letting the red liquid drip into the glass, not stopping til it was full to the very brim.
One gulp and then another to quench her emotions rather than her thirst. Desperate to forget. She let her body un-tense and her shoulders sag, relaxing back into the seat with a slight sense of relief, if only brief.
The stress of the day and all those before was evident across her face but more so in her heart. She rubbed her neck with a sigh, hoping to relieve some tension but finding herself flinching in pain as her fingertips rubbed across a fresh bruise. She pulled her designer leather jacket right around her close, suddenly worrying the entire pub would somehow see and notice, they would find her little secret. She shuffled more into the corner, her eyes downcast and unfocusing, not wanting to draw attention to her forlorn self.
..
Shes still drinking, the bottle almost gone. She's drinking to avoid herself and the bitterly lonely life she leads. The irony in her thoughts almost makes her laugh because she is not alone. She is married and provided for and has everything money could buy.
But as her eyes catch the gaze of the person she once called her best friend, as she meets those hazels pools and they return nothing but loss and sadness even from so far away, she realises she is truely alone.
Michelle had been her vice, her safety. Her slight flicker of joy and hope in the desperation she faced. But now she had been forced to surrender that too. Michelle was a bad influence, she wasn't good for her. Carla had to remember that, she had to know and understand. She had to believe what he told her or she feared she'd become a victim. And being a victim made her feel lonelier than ever.
Carla let her eyes leave the spot on the table they had been so focused on for the longest time, only to realise she was no longer alone. A slight smile tugged at her lips as the familiar feeling of safety washed over her. Safe was something she rarely felt anymore.
"'Iya Peter." She spoke quietly, letting the soft smile across his face settle her aching insides and his voice soothe her fears. "Hello stranger."
