Page 26 of Ask Another Day

‘Oh, Holly. I knew you had it bad, but please tell me you aren’t planning on giving this to Seb?’

As she took in the letter in Sloane’s hand, the words from her friend’s lips caused Holly’s brain to engage. She lunged over, swiping the letter out of Sloane’s fingers.

‘You were!’ Sloane’s laugh was full bodied, and cruel.

‘I just–’ she couldn’t finish the sentence any more than stop the blush that exploded across her face.

‘You just wanted to come across as an absolute idiot?’ Sloane finished Holly’s sentence with an interpretation of what she hadn’t been able to explain.

‘I wanted to get my feelings down on paper. I thought it would be an easy way to let him know how I felt.’ Her defense came out stronger and more forceful than she intended.

‘Yeah… if you’re ten,’ Sloane scoffed.

Holly shoved the letter back inside the envelope and threw it onto her bed. When Sloane went to take it again, she flicked it further away where it hit the wall and slipped down the side of her bed. Lost to the abyss down there.

‘I wasn’t even sure if I was going to give it to him. I wanted to get my feelings straight,’ Holly replied, desperate to justify her actions. That sharp, defensive tone to her voice had stayed, and she hated hearing this side of herself. She hardly ever spoke to Sloane like this, and could see the surprise - just momentarily - in her best friend’s eyes. It only lasted for a second, and then she schooled her features.

‘Sorry.’

The word shocked Holly more than finding her at the desk.

‘What?’

‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have read it - or teased you about it.’ Sloane’s tone was friendlier now. It was nearly nice.

‘Oh, right. Thanks.’

‘But it’s such a bad idea. Tell you what, how about I tell Seb what you’d written in that letter? I’ll be your wingwoman.’ At Holly’s confused face, she explained, ‘I’ll be the go-between. I’ll tell him you fancy him and see if he wants to go out with you. I’ll even tell him the sappy suggestion of meeting you at the pub before the party.’

The turn around in Sloane’s demeanor gave Holly whiplash. But this was the Sloane of years ago. Before Uni. Before things started getting strained. This was the Sloane she’d missed.

‘You’d do that for me?’

‘To stop you handing out letters like we’re still at primary school - yes, Holly. I’ll gladly do that for you.’

‘You can’t do it too soon though. It has to be on the day.’ Holly wasn’t sure why she was so adamant about this, but she was. She’d built herself up to telling him on that particular day.

‘No problem. I’ll find him in the afternoon on your birthday, and confess your undying love for him.’

And because she always caved to Sloane’s whims and wishes, Holly not only found herself agreeing, but also thinking this was a much better idea than the letter she’d written.

*

That night, when she passed her parents’ room on her way to the bathroom, Holly overheard them whilst they watched Lewis, a new detective drama they’d been excited about.

‘I worry about her, Mike.’

‘She’s fine.’

‘I don’t think she is. All her friends have left for uni and she’s stuck here with us.’

‘It’s what she wanted to do though, and ‘appen she’ll get the grant so she can get that certificate.’

‘I know. I know…’

‘But…’

‘But, she needs something more.’