Pushing open the main doors, she stepped out of the claustrophobic heat of the restaurant and into the welcomed chill of the last evening of 2019. She leaned forward, placing her hands on her knees as she steadied her breathing, before pushing herself up again and pulling her mobile out of her pocket.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the woman of the evening!"
Maria spun, hand on chest, towards the voice to see a figure leaning against the wall by the Bistro's kitchen entrance, completely shrouded in darkness save for the light of a cigarette.
"Oh, you scared me!" she exhaled in relief, as an eerily calm Peter emerged from the shadows. She slid her mobile back into her coat and wrapped her scarf tighter around her neck, "what are you doing out here?"
His eyes unmoving from her, he gave a small shrug and raised the lit fag up, before taking another drag of it.
"Yeah, I just fancied some fresh air myself," she shoved her hands in her pockets and shuffled from foot to foot.
"Getting too hot in there for you, is it?"
"What?"
"I gotta hand it to you," he stubbed out the cigarette against the brick wall, "you certainly have your little doe-eyed innocent act down pat."
"Excuse me?"
He continued to stalk towards her, ignoring the confused look on her face, "-dropping bombs and just walking away unscathed; forcing others to clean up your sordid mess. Hey, you and Gary are perfect for each other in that way, I'll give you that."
"Oh, not you as well," she rolled her eyes, turning to head back in the Bistro.
"Hey, don't you ignore me!" He grabbed hold of her arm and tugged her towards him.
"Peter! I need to get back inside."
"I don't care what you need!" He snapped.
"Look, I've had the evening from hell, alright? So, just say what you have to say," She sighed as she pulled her arm free and faced him.
"You know, I actually used to think you were an alright person. A bit naive but you had a good heart, good morals. How stupid was I..."
"What are you on about?" She quizzed.
"…even after all you've been through in the past with her, you still put everything aside with Carla when she needed you; through all that Frank business? You were there for her when I couldn't be. You were a true friend," he exhaled. "but that means you also know about her demons; how strong she acts on the outside when underneath it all, she is vulnerable and fragile."
"What has this got to do with anything? Why are you bringing all this back up for?"
He ignored her questions, his eyes remaining on hers, "I nearly lost her a few months ago. And she has worked too flamin' hard to get back on the road of recovery and get her independence back, to have her 'so-called' mate mess her about."
"Is this about what's been happening recently?"
He cackled loudly.
"Have you been drinking?" She questioned, sensing his anger.
"Have I been drinking?" He mimicked. "Oh, is this another one of your set ups to make everyone believe I've fallen off the wagon? Because you've been there and done that, haven't you?"
"Leave me alone." She rolled her eyes, attempting to walk away when he grabbed her upper arm roughly, "Oi!"
"How does it feel, hmm? You almost succeeded in making us believe Carla had relapsed. Hell, you almost had her believing it!"
"Peter, I have no idea what you're on about!"
"Oh really?" He raised his eyebrows, pulling an item out from his pocket, "Missing something?"
She swallowed a lump in her throat, her complexion paling, as she recognised the bottle of peppermint oil she had stashed in her purse days earlier.
"Hav-have you been in my bag?"
"Is that all you have to say?" He shoved her away from him in disgust. "How dare you? How dare you do this to her!" He shouted.
"I haven't done anything!" Her mouth opened in shock.
"Oh don't play the innocent, Maria. You switched the bottles on her! Were trying to make out she was getting things wrong, that she'd lost the plot, all so your little secret was kept hidden!"
"This is absolute nonsense."
"So, that's how you're going to play it, hmm? Pretend like you never did 'owt?"
"That's because I haven't done anything! Why won't you believe me!"
"Because there," he held the bottle in the palm his outstretched hand, "There is the proof!"
"Who's to say Carla didn't put it in there?"
Peter shook his head, nothing but rage in his eyes as he stepped menacingly towards her, "Don't you even think about trying to turn this around on Carla! I know what you did," his voice dropped to a low register, "and I'm telling you now, I'm not letting you get away with it."
"You know what? You both have officially lost your minds! Carla must've turned you mad an' all!" She answered back, fed up of being shouted at.
"What has happened to you?" He frowned. "You're vile."
"Is that right? Well I've had enough of you all thinking you can push me around, stomping up to me and giving me a mouth full. I'm sick of it!"
"Then maybe you shouldn't go messing with people's lives then!"
"I've had enough of this, I'm going back inside." She jumped back as Peter stepped in between her and the Bistro door.
"Oh, no you don't!" he grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip, "I'm not done with you yet!"
Writer: carlafanx