"I'm gonna buy some shots!"

Zoe announced in my ear, over the loud thump of music whilst waving her purse in mid air. I smiled knowingly at her and nodded. Zoe always did shots. She certainly knew how to drink. I knew that from the first proper night out we had, both ending up ridiculously drunk and late for work a whole day after our night out. There had been many a night like that one since.

I sat at our table in the far corner of the club when she wandered off to the bar. I wasn't overly keen on this place earlier but it was rather busy, in fact it was pretty clear this was one of the busiest clubs on the strip. The half price cocktails at certain hours of the night probably had something to do with that, seen as most of the other clubs were ridiculously overpriced.

I noticed Zoe patiently waiting at the bar where there was quite a queue, luckily I had a small amount of alcohol left over from the drinks we bought earlier. I took a mouthful and reached into my bag, pulling out my phone. One new message. I smiled when I saw 'Cook' flash up on my screen.

'Blondie, how's the hols? x'

I paused for a moment, unsure of where to start, if I was going to start at all, my thumbs dancing over the keypad for a few seconds. I'd only been here a day and already I'd had so much to take in. We'd been out for a few hours and I'd honestly tried with every inch of me, not to think about Emily. Of course, it was pretty much impossible but a number of drinks and a couple of dances sure put more of a smile on my was the best I was going to get.

I glanced back down at my phone. I'd always opened up to Cook. I told him everything & trusted him. He was more brotherly like to me than a best friend. I decided to reply.

'First day couldn't of been more eventful. Bumped into Katie friggin' Fitch x'

No sooner had the message been sent, I got a reply.

'No fucking way. Small world, Naomikins. You okay?x'

'That's not even the half of it. I wish it was x'

"You've got an admirer by the way," Zoe laughed, returning from the bar with a few drinks and a couple of shots. I looked at her from my phone just as she placed a slip of paper in front of me. "Guy at the bar, checkered shirt, dark hair, he asked me to give you this. I know you aren't interested but I'm too nice to break that to him,"

"Geez, thanks," I smile and roll my eyes at her as she sits down, managing a sneaky look towards the guy at the bar, who I caught looking in my direction. I folded the piece of paper with his number scrawled across it and slipped it into my purse. I had no intentions of using it or even looking at it properly but he was watching me and I didn't want to be a complete heartless bitch. "To be fair, he does look quite fit from here,"

"He's flippin' gorgeous," she confirms. "Gutted he ignored all this just to tell me how beautiful my friend looks," she laughs causing me to join in & nods towards the phone in my hand which just went off, alerting me to another message. "Anyone interesting?"

"Uh? Oh just Cook. He text asking how we were, I told him about Katie and was about to tell him about Emily," I stop in mid sentence, reading my new message. "He wants me to call. Will you be okay for a few minutes while I go somewhere quieter?"

She confirmed that she'd be fine for a few moments and I got up and walked past the bar, through the swinging doors and towards the female toilets. They were closer than going all the way across the club to go outside. For such a busy club, the toilets were surprisingly quiet. Usually they are full of gossiping, bitchy girls staring at themselves in the mirror but there were only two and they soon left. I scrolled down my contacts and found Cook's number, tapping the green call icon straight away.

He answered quickly.

"Naomikins, you alright babes?" He sounded concerned, Cook always did when it came to me and he knew something wasn't right. He was fiercely protective but I liked that. he was someone I could rely on, always. "Katie didn't rough you up or anything did she?"

"Fuck no," I almost laugh. I wouldn't blame her if she tried but I was also quite capable of defending myself. Vocally and physically. I made my way into the cubicle, pulling across the lock, I leant against the door. "It's Emily,"

"Emilio?" I loved when he called her that. It was something that just stuck from college days. Emily had several names in return for him, sometimes not always nice but it was always good natured. "Is she okay? What's going on?"

"She's had a baby, Cook," I blurted it out quickly and his silence on the other end of the phone said everything about his shock. He stumbled over a few words, so I decided to continue. "We met at the beach, I thought she was Katie's. She took great delight in telling me otherwise,"

"Emily doesn't like cock," his blunt response was typically Cook.

"Cook, fuck sake," I cursed loudly. "I've been over all this in my head, a million times in fact. Maybe she met someone, you know, clicked with them,"

"Yeah but a bloke? Emilio's gay, there's every chance it was a one off shag," he was right, in a way. "Is Emily there?"

"I don't know," I sigh. "I don't think so. I'm thinking of tracking Katie down tomorrow, ask for Em's number or something,"

"You sure that's a good idea?"

"I don't know, what do you think?"

"I think you're fucking mental if you think Katie will help you get in contact with Emily again," he said what I expected, I knew there was a but coming though. "But you've wished this chance for years, I know that. You can't let it go without trying,"

"That's what Zo said," I smile weakly.

"How is my lil Irish eye candy?"

"If you two don't admit you want to fuck each other soon, I'm gonna scream, you know that don't you?" I laugh at him. "It's not like you to be so held back, Cook."

"Yeah well, I like this one," I can't see him but I know he's got that stupid yet equally loveable James Cook grin on his face. I knew it wasn't typical of him to openly admit that he liked someone, a bit like myself. I'm not sure he really has felt anything since Effy all those years ago. "Babe, tread carefully tomorrow yeah?"

"I've got no expectations," I answered, chewing my bottom lip. "No expectations, no hurt, right?" I learnt that from him.

"Right," he replied, talking to someone else briefly. "Naoms, Ben just got here, I've gotta go but text me tomorrow yeah? Let me know how things go,"

I promised and he hung up.

I stood in front of the mirror, touching up some of my make up before a group of drunken, overly loud and excitable girls burst in. Hen weekend from what I could gather. I'm sure most, if not all of them would be suffering tomorrow. I smiled politely, squeezing past to leave them to it and ended up out in the walkway just before the entrance back into the main room of the club.

I was only there, leaning against the wall, with my eyes shut for a few seconds when I was interrupted by another woman. I ignored her and pushed off the wall, walking in the direction of the loud music.

"Sorry, can I help you?" She asked. I stopped suddenly. Even over the beat of the music that was playing, I'd know that husky toned voice anywhere, no matter how long it had been since I last heard it. "The ladies is just through the next door if you're lost,"

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I took a deep breath, trying to regain some kind of control over my crazy beating heart. It didn't work and I could hear her walk closer. I started to panic. A small part of me thought about rushing through the door in front of me, losing myself in the crowds of the club but I couldn't move forward. I couldn't run.

I inhaled deeply, chewing my bottom lip so hard i'm surprised it didn't bleed and decided it was best to just turn around quickly. Face her, Naomi. Look at her. It felt like I told myself ten times before I did anything. I spun on my heel and instantly our eyes locked.

"Hi Emily,"