‘Poppy! Did you leave the oven on? Something’s burnt in here!’
Oh for fucks sake! Is it not enough that everyone hates me, now I’m going to get blamed for burning something? You burn one piece of garlic bread and nearly set the house on fire once and they hold it against you forever. I stomp out of the room and head for the kitchen.
‘No! It must be Grace and Ryan!’ I shout moodily into the dark.
The lights flick on, blinding me momentarily.
‘SURPRISE!’
I open my eyes to see a room crammed with people. Everyone’s wearing stupid birthday hats and letting off party poppers and there are happy birthday banners hung on the walls.
It's too much.
Without any self-control I burst into tears, and not just tears, heavy sobs. I turn and run out of the room, throwing myself face down on the bed. I hear some muffled voices next door and then music is turned on loud.
‘Poppy! Are you ok?’ Jazz asks, hovering over me.
‘No!’ I cry into my pillow. ‘How the fuck could you do this to me?’
I look up, furious, to see Jazz looking back puzzled.
‘Wait, I’m confused. We’ve had this party planned for well over a week and we’re worried you’ll go mad and say that you don't want a party. Then today you ring me up and say you do want a party and we think, great – she won't be cross. But now you’re crying. What the fuck?’
‘It's just...it’s just....Well, I honestly thought that no-one gave a shit about me.’
‘Oh babe!’ She throws herself on top of me, crushing me into the mattress. ‘You’re such an idiot.’
‘Oh thanks.’ I push her off me. ‘But....you were all such good actors. I just...didn’t think you had it in you.’
‘I know, right!’ she beams proudly. ‘I was so good when you rang me earlier. I was at home ringing round making sure everyone was still coming, and Jake was just playing rock music on the CD player. Apparently he said that normally when I’m acting I put on some weird posh voice, so I tried really hard to sound normal.’
‘Really? A weird posh voice? I’ve never noticed.’ I desperately try not to smile.
‘I know! I said he was a weirdo. So anyway, have you gotten over your little melodrama, nobody loves me saga? You coming back out?’
‘I suppose. I’m just...God, I’m just so embarrassed in front of everyone now.’
God, they’re all gonna think I’m a nutcase running away like that.
‘Don't worry, we’ll just tell them you’re on the blob,’ she shrugs.
‘Jazz! Don't tell anyone that!’
‘Ok chill out,’ she laughs, flicking her curls back and already re-applying red lipstick.
‘Ok, how do I look?’
She studies me for a while, seeming to be wondering whether to tell me the truth or not.
‘A bit like my Mum after her face lift; red and puffy.’ She pulls a face. ‘But you’ll do, come on.’ She drags me out into the kitchen before I have time to fix it.
* * *
Two hours later and the party is in full swing. Everyone I love is here and they’re all in the party spirit. Jazz seems to be going between snogging Jake on the sofa and smoking with Ollie in the garden. I’m not sure I like this new relationship they’ve developed.
Lilly’s here with her long suffering boyfriend Alex who she’s spent the entire night either arguing with or slagging him off to me in the toilets. Cheryl from work is here, engrossed in what looks like a deep conversation with some girls from work, who Lilly must have talked into coming. Craig is dancing to Vogue with Bakery Girl. My brothers Henry and Richard are here too. Henry’s brought Abbey, who keeps looking round at the place as if she might catch a disease, while Richard stands by awkwardly. Thankfully no Annabel tonight.
After that, I don't really recognise the rest of them. Jazz must have just invited everyone she knows. But who am I to complain. If it were just my friends we could have held the party in the bathroom.
‘So, we really fooled you?’ Ryan asks in my ear, his silky irresistible voice making my pulse jump.
I swivel round to face him, suddenly feeling flustered.
‘Oh...yeah. You were all so horrible, I totally believed it.’
‘Good,’ he says, with a smile. ‘So it seems you’ve had your first birthday without bad luck.’
I force myself to look away from the intensity of his stare, his gaze making me lose my breath. Grace’s words still flash through my mind, stabbing me like a dagger.
‘Yeah, don't jinx me yet,’ I snort, trying to keep it light. Very attractive.
‘I say we make our own luck,’ he says, his voice smouldering and his eyes gloriously intense.
‘Yeah, well...anyway,’ I say flushing. ‘I should probably...you know...’ I slowly back away.
I glance over at Ollie shamelessly flirting with Jazz. Ryan and my brother are actually more alike than I thought. To think, I used to pity those ridiculous girls who fell for Ollie’s charms and followed him around like a lost puppy. Now I’m one of those pathetic morons.
‘Happy birthday Poppy!’ a recognisable high pitched voice comes from behind me.
I turn round to face Annabel. What the hell is she doing here?
She grabs me, kissing me on both cheeks.
‘Sorry I’m late, but I had to get some work stuff finished.’
A stone drops through my stomach as I look into Annabel’s excited eyes and then over my shoulder at poor Cheryl.
Chapter 18
Oh my God. Cheryl is only a couple of metres behind me. If she sees Annabel she’s going to kill her.
‘Annabel! You shouldn’t be here!’ I whisper quickly, my voice wobbly.
‘What are you talking about?’ she asks, as if I’m mad. ‘I see Richard! See you later.’
She runs off towards him and I watch as she kisses him on the cheek. God, they make such a convincingly happy couple. It scares me to think how many other couples might be like that.
Cheryl is so close to her. She could easily recognise her any minute. I dread to think what she might do. But then, would she really recognise her? I mean, we were far away and she might not have got a good enough look of her.
I go to the fridge to get myself another glass of wine to steady my nerves.
‘Pops?’
I turn to face Jazz whose usual relaxed pretty face is re-arranged into a serious, concerned expression. Serious and smashed.
‘Ollie just told me you’re pregnant?’ she slurs.
‘WHAT?’ I shout, dribbling out my wine.
‘Thank God it's not true!’ She throws her arms around me and squeezes while I try to remember how to breathe. ‘I just reacted totally the same. He told me your Mum had told them all, but said you were in denial and not to mention it to you.’
‘For fuck’s sake! I told her she had it wrong.’
‘Yeah, but you know your mum.’ She pulls a face. ‘But listen Pops, I just want you to be happy,’ she slurs, wrapping her arm around me. ‘I may have a few drinks inside me, but...I love you babe.’ She hiccups.
‘Well, I’m still quite sober. I just think you’re nice,’ I joke, squeezing her affectionally on the shoulder.
She stares at me blankly for a second and then giggles huskily when she eventually gets it.
‘I’ll go tell...you know, what's his name, that you’re not preggers.’
‘You mean Ollie?’ I ask, surprised how incredibly drunk she is.
‘Yes!’ she says, throwing her hands in the air. ‘Ollie!’
I watch her stumble off in Ollie’s direction, Jake watching her closely. He must be wondering what she's doing talking to him all night. In fact, I’m starting to think the same thing.
Henry starts walking towards me, a stern expression on his face. What's his problem?
‘Poppy, I need to speak to you,’ he says seriously.
‘Ok?’
He looks back at Jazz who’s still talking to Ollie and laughing animatedly. Jake’s no longer there, probably sick of watching them.
‘Is Jazz the girl Ollie got in trouble?’
I stare at him trying to comprehend what's happening. In trouble? Uh-oh.
‘In trouble? Do you mean...’
‘Yes,’ he interrupts. ‘I mean pregnant. Is Jazz the girl Ollie has got pregnant?’
‘What?’ a man’s voice says from behind me.
I turn round to see Jake staring at me horrified.
‘Jazz is what?’ he asks, his face filling with fury.
‘No! Jake – ‘ I try, but he’s already flying off towards Jazz and Ollie.
I watch on, desperately thinking what to do. I want to run over and protect her, but my feet seem to be glued to the spot. I’ve never seen anyone so angry before. He’s really scary.
‘You fucking bastard!’ Jake screams before powering a punch in Ollie’s face.
Ollie stumbles back in confusion and drops his Becks bottle. Jazz jumps in front of him protectively.
‘Whas? Whas your problem?’ she slurs.
‘You’re sleeping with him! You two are welcome to each other,’ he screams before fleeing from the room, slamming the front door behind him.
For a second I copy everyone else; just staring at them, complete shock and confusion on my face. I eventually get my feet to move and rush over. Jazz and I help him up while everyone looks on.
‘Sorry Pops,’ he says, grabbing a tea towel and holding it to his nose. ‘I’m out of here.’