Page 76 of Plot Twist

He was hoping I wouldn’t cause a scene.

I took a sip of my wine and narrowed my eyes at him. I was about to burst his bubble.

‘My graduation is a very big deal,’ I said, slowly, hoping he’d intervene and say of course he was coming. He wouldn’t miss something as big as a graduation. My graduation. The thing I’d been working towards for the past four years. He couldn’t possibly miss it.

Partners went to graduations. They took pictures standing outside with big cheesy, proud grins, jostling for position against the graduates’ parents, who would insist on pictures without said boyfriend/girlfriend because parents knew it was unlikely to work out.

I’d only been given two tickets for graduation. I only had one parent. Drew had to be there.

‘This is a big deal to me, Becca,’ he replied. ‘It could shape my whole career. Leila said they’re talking about a Head of Sales job for me in future. She said she’d love to see me in that position.’

I knew what position she wanted my boyfriend in. And he was falling for it, hook, line and sinker. She knew she could lure him away from me with the promise of promotions but really, she was working towards her long-term goal. Girls like that don’t give up until they have exactly what they want. That’s what Rae said. I guessed she was right.

‘Rae could come,’ he said. ‘To your graduation ceremony. I bet she’d love to. She’d stand up and whistle when your name was called. She’d give you a “woop woop” from the crowd.’

That was actually very true. But it wasn’t the point.

‘She’s graduating on the same day,’ I reminded him. ‘Linda and Jim are going along. Her aunts are even trying to get extra tickets to come and see her. Even her brother wants to come, and they don’t even like each other. Because it’s a big deal, Drew.’

The aim was to make him feel more guilty. Pile the pressure on. But he didn’t seem to blink.

‘What about your cousin? The tall blonde one?’

‘Stop!’ I shouted, banging my hand against the table.

Drew jumped and looked around, his face flushed at the tone of my voice.

‘If you don’t want to come, don’t come,’ I said. ‘But don’t expect me to just bring anybody along in your place. I want you there. You and Dad. That’s it.’

He sighed and rolled his eyes. It must be a complete inconvenience for someone to love him so much. He knew how hard I’d worked to get my degree. He’d witnessed the hours of stressing over essays and school placements and pupils who I wanted to support. He knew I was invested in their futures, in helping them to be the best they possibly could. Drew knew. How could he not want to be with me on the biggest day of my life?

But he didn’t care. That’s what it came down to. Or perhaps he cared about his career more. Or Leila. I’d never seen such a freaking beautiful elephant in the room as Leila Jackson with her big boobs and her flawless smile and her stupid social media posts about every freaking day of her life. I had been glued to her feed for months now, after all. I could even tell what time she was taking her lunch break every day.

‘OK, I’ll come,’ he said, letting out a huge sigh in the process. ‘I’ll just tell them I can’t make the event.’

Our food arrived and the waiter placed it in front of us. Fish and chips for me, seafood linguine for Drew. When we’d first started going out, he would only eat pizza or burgers. Now, he was intent on ‘exploring the menu’ to advance his hospitality career.

We sat in silence as he quickstepped away. Drew lifted his fork and started twirling the linguine around on his plate. I shook vinegar on my fish and chips, followed by salt.

I broke the silence eventually.

‘I’d rather you didn’t come at all than me having to drag you there. Go to the event that’s going to catapult you to the top of your hospitality career. That’s obviously your priority.’

‘I’ll fucking come,’ he said.

‘You fucking won’t.’

‘OK, I fucking won’t.’

‘Is this about Leila?’

I said it. He dropped his knife and it clanged loudly against his plate.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

I exhaled. It was the conversation I’d been holding back for months but the anger was coursing through me. I’d had enough.

‘You obviously like her.’