Accompanying soundtrack: Boss – "I Don't Give A Fuck"
Jen woke the next morning, and immediately remembered the night before. "Urgh," she grunted, rubbing her face in her hands, not wanting to get up.
There was a soft knock on the door, and H opened it a crack and peered in.
"Good Mornin'!" she said with a quiet yet ridiculous enthusiasm.
"Morning, yes, Good, no", Jen said, blowing a raspberry at H.
"Get up dude, you don't need to dwell in your pit. Let's have a coffee and a chat. We need an action plan to get you sorted."
"H," said Jen sighing, "I don't really want to talk about that right now", shaking her head. She pulled the duvet up closer to her face til her eyes were just peeking over it.
"There's no time like the present, stop procrastinating. The sooner it's sorted, the sooner you cheer the fuck up, love!", and she dragged the duvet off Jen, and skipped out of the room. Jen was reminded how infuriating H could be sometimes. Actually, most times.
Sitting on the sofa, inhaling the smell of her coffee, H wasn't going to let Jen get off easily.
"So…" H started, "We are going to discuss this you know, whether you like it or not. And you can have input OR I can make the decisions for you."
"It was a first hurdle – the first time you see someone again. I'm over it now, I'm fine. I always do it, I always let myself get sucked in. She doesn't want to know me, H. She came over out of a sense of duty and to avoid the chance of me making a scene, nothing else. She's not interested. She's with Esther".
"Esther? That miserable angst-ridden teenager who she had a brief holiday thing with and then was moping round after her for ages until you two got together?"
"Yup".
"The one who…" she hesitated, "who y'know, took an overdose?"
"Yup".
It was a tricky subject to broach. H knew that Jen still had guilt over that.
"Wow, what the hell does she see in that timid mouse? I mean, she picked that over you? She seems like the crying wank type, and compared to you, she doesn't hold a candle! Jen, if you're truly sure this was a one off, then you're not going to be wasting any more energy on her are you? The past is the past. You need to go for that bar hottie, see where that takes you. Have some fun!".
Jen looked H straight in the eyes, "I know, I know. Look, I'm done with her. It's all out of my system." H raised her eyebrows in disbelief.
"Honestly", said Jen, a smile breaking across her face, "I swear….. but I'm not arranging anything with that bar girl today – I want a day off from 'chasing skirt'. Can we do something fun, with no pressure. Pleeeease?"
"OK. But I'm watching you", H said, waggling her finger at Jen, "And if you're lying so help me you'll be properly punished. And I'm not sure you can handle what I can dish out."
Jen stuck her fingers in her ears and stuck out her tongue.
"Get dressed, man, me and you got a date with some skates".
Jen drove them to the Roller Rink, newly re-opened so still not busy enough for their inability to balance on four-wheels to be too much of an issue. It was pretty cheap for a couple of hours and skate hire, and it'd been a long time since either of them had tried something this daft.
Jen got the usual ribbing from H about the size of her feet. "I still don't get how you're a size 9, I mean, what the hell frankenfeet!"
"Shut it douche, the bigger the feet, the better the balance!" replied Jen, unaware she was about to prove this was far from true.
"Shit, how did we used to do this," squeaked H, arms flailing, trying to keep upright, "There's no brakes!"
"I'm sure this was easier when we were 13, or am I wrong?" Jen managed to utter before tumbling backwards onto her arse. "Fucks sake", she laughed, struggling to get back up on her feet. H was laughing so much she caught her left skate with her right skate, spun herself round, and ploughed into the barrier. She continued creasing with laughter whilst holding on for dear life.
Jen, finally back on her feet, arrived – at a speed faster than anticipated – and crashed into H, sending them both to the floor again. Still laughing both hauled themselves to their feet, and Jen looked at H. "Bar?"
"Fuck yes!"
Holding the barrier all the way round to the exit, the girls stumbled their way back to reclaim their shoes. Sitting in the bar, Jen with a pepsi and H with a beer, they were still giggling.
"That was the best sanitised fun I've had in ages! I mean, I could've died, but that's just part of the appeal". H grinned wildly at Jen.
"Well luckily I don't need to force you to have fun, do I? You're one of the most fun people I know. You keep me sane, and stop me turning into a complete fruitcake"
"Well, Jen my dear, you keep me on the straight and narrow. If I was left to my own devices God knows what would happen!"
"I dread to think. Prison probably. Although you'd be like a kid in a sweet shop with all those captive women trying to fend off your advances!"
"Well it's not fun unless there's a bit of a risk! Life's not fun unless there's a bit of a risk."
"You're so subtle, H. OK, OK, point made, I get it" said Jen. "Look, it's a long road, right, just let me get up to the same speed as everyone else, eh? Although not your speed - I'd lose my licence!" She laughed outloud, breaking into a huge grin.
"C'mon, lets get out of here, there's a takeaway with my name on it".