Chapter 2

I smiled at her message just what I need, shots of tequila to wash away this horrid week. I didn’t really have the money to go out after all my expenses despite the huge salary it just about covered everything I needed. Going out was now seen as a luxury, a year ago I wouldn’t have batted an eye at dancing the night away.

But a lot can change in a year.

I made my way back home, well the home I could afford right now.

It was a studio apartment but that was putting it nicely. I had to sell so much stuff that the room consisted of a few clothes, a futon that I slept on, a small countertop, I had bought one of those plugins one hob things most people use for camping, a microwave, there was a rail for my clothes and a loo next to the hob. If I did star jumps, I could reach both walls with my fingertips it was that small.

No apartment in London is cheap but for this box of a room I had the privilege to be in, for the small price of £2,000 a month, the only plus was all bills included even Wi-Fi. It was also pretty central to most things so I could walk to a lot of places avoiding the extra expense of paying for the tube or a train. I occasionally got to eat meals at work when working late. The odd microwavable meal normally had to do the job.

I entered the room having sneaked in to avoid my landlady Karen, as I was behind on rent by a month or so, if she was going to charge such prices for this dump, I’m not too sure what she expected. She knew my situation and it’s partly why she hasn’t kicked me out already, I’m hopeful that now I’m working a Summers and Co. a prominent law firm in the city she will give me a bit more time to get her the money. I have no idea what I will do if she doesn’t. It’s not like I’m spending the money on drugs or anything. Well not in the traditional sense.

I took my shampoo and conditioner from one of the few cupboards my lodgings had and got to work on running the water from the sink to wash my hair for tonight, if I’m going to go out, I’m going out out as they say. My hair is mid to long in length which does not make washing it in the sink the easiest of tasks. I grabbed my towel and then got to work soaking my hair ready to shampoo. The trick is trying to not get soap in your eyes.

I did miss having a shower there is a communal one in this awful building but its gross, Karen barely cleans it. Not to mention she is tight; she barely puts the hot water on so its freezing. I normally try to make do using the sink unless absolutely vital as I don’t enjoy the ice-cold shower.

Last year I was able to take long luscious hot showers and bubble baths, now unless I get in the sink that isn’t going to happen.

‘Ouch!’

I managed to flick some soapy water into my eye whilst rinsing the shampoo out.

Before, before everything changed my life had only the typical complications you would expect as a 22-year-old girl living in the city, after graduating from university my only issue was looking for a job, a guy and partying the night away with my girlfriends.

I had a great internship initially but after what happened I had to give it up, it didn’t pay well, and I couldn’t afford to stay since all my money was now having to go elsewhere. I don’t begrudge spending it and I would do it again in a heartbeat if needed. It’s just not how I picture my life at 23.

I tell you one thing when shit hits the fan you really learn who your friends and family are.

I haven’t spoken to any of my family since the incident there all a bunch of money grabbing snakes in my opinion. I hope they all rot in hell.

Because I didn’t exactly have many people to lean on my social circle diminished. I learnt that my boyfriend at the time, jerk! Had been sleeping with my so-called bestie Amber, Bitch!

A year on I’m grateful now good riddance I don’t want anyone in my life that will treat me that way. Who needs enemies when you have friends like them? I scoff thinking of the memory it conjures up.

I caught them red handed banging on my favorite rug to add insult to injury, well I hope they both get all the sexual diseases out there and he can’t get it up!

Truth be told I was more upset about the rug; it was one of the first purchases I had made when I went travelling. I couldn’t even replace it as it was one of a kind.

I may have overreacted but neither of them will cross me again. I filmed them at it before there knew I was there then sent it to their parents showing them the cheating scum they both are. I let out a dark chuckle.

Now I have much bigger things to worry about they aren’t even a blip on my radar.

It happened one autumns day, I was away with the so-called love of my life, or I would have been with them instead.

My family always like to go for a long weekend trip each year, doing something adventurous for dad or something relaxing like a spa day for mum, there would be lots of games, laughter and my sister and I would stay up all night talking and giggling.

I still feel the pang of sadness whenever I think about it. I’ll never get to make those memories again.

They were coming back late at night, it had been raining and some of the roads had flooded causing traffic to get stuck and detours needed to be taken. Dad was driving, and it was now getting dark, the journey had taken them double the time it should have due to all the rerouting.

As they were going down this particularly tight bend on a country lane, there was a lorry coming the other way. The driver of the lorry had been high and drove straight into them unable to stop. My dad took the brunt of the impact causing him to die instantly, my mother had lost a lot of blood and died on her way to the hospital.

My sister Jessica only survived due to where she had been sat in the car. She survived but barely, somehow, she had made it out of the car but no one quiet knows why.

She was in hospital for months, she had multiple fractures and broken bones, a spinal break as well as some internal bleeding. She had multiple operations and was even induced into a coma to help her heal quicker.

She’s nowhere near being back to how she was before and is currently in a rehab facility to heal. The waiting list was insane with the NHS even for her injuries, so I checked her into a private one, putting a down payment of £50,000 to cover the cost of her treatment.

The money sure ran out quickly. There was some money from mum and dads accounts but after covering their expenses, selling their house in a declining housing market with higher interest rates there wasn’t much money left, I covered Jessica’s fees and put some aside.

The rehab facility charged a fortune and so my nest egg disappeared a few months ago. I could move her to an NHS rehab center but there is a long wait, and she isn’t in a position to look after herself at the moment, with my hours I can’t take care of her. Plus, after everything she has been through, I will only do that as a last resort.

She was the only family I had left, all my aunts and uncles the vultures, disappeared once they took their cut of the inheritance!

Jessica is a few years younger than me and as my baby sister it’s my responsibility to look after her. I can’t imagine witnessing that type of horrific accident and seeing your parents dead whilst in undeniable pain, she must have been running on adrenalin as she called the ambulance to come rescue them or at least that’s what we suspect. The lorry driver was injured to and from some miracle on his side despite being high managed to get away with it. Despite killing two almost three people only served 10 days in jail.

It was after I heard that I lost it! What kind of judicial system did we have here if the guilty go free. I managed to get a job at a law firm with a big salary and I was finally thinking my luck had turned around, someone was on my side after the shit show last year. Then I find out the reason why they hired me with such little experience is because JAKE SUMMERS has everyone fleeing for the hills.

He was not going to break me though; unlike his other legal assistance this was my only shot and I was going to do everything in my power to stay there. His cruel personality and muscles that would squish my slender frame like a bug did not scare me. Okay, they totally did but regardless of the tears, stress and everything else I had to stick it out.

I wrapped my hair in the towel before doing a strip wash in the sink, I had discovered there were showers at the office so I would be making use of those next week for now this will have to do. It’s not the most ideal but does the job. I heard my phone beep again, I glanced down seeing the messages appear in our group chat.

Ruby – What’s everyone wearing? Xxx

Millie – I’m thinking something super sexy I might wear that lacey dress which in the right light you look naked in, the guys won’t know what to think! Xxx

Sabrina – You’re so bad! Xxx

Millie – I know but you love it! Xxx

Ruby – I might go for a cheeky black number also! Xxx

Sabrina – Well you gals know me I’ll be in my classic colour red! Xxx

Millie – Steph! Girl where you at? Xxx

I loved my friends they were great when everything happened, I honestly don’t know what I’d do without them, they are my ride and die and we tell each other everything.

               Steph – Just getting ready I think I’m going to go for something silver tonight! 😉 xxx

               Sabrina – Damn girl what’s the special occasion? Xxx

Sabrina knows what silver dress I mean, honestly, I bought when I was 18 to piss off my parents. It’s probably the sexist thing I own, it has a deep plunging neckline, backless and short as shit to make it even more daring there is a slit-up wither side of my hips. Wearing underwear with it is pretty impossible so guess I will be going commando tonight. Sabrina was the one who convinced me to buy it, she bought it in gold so we could match, we took ourselves out only to be scolded and grounded to the end of the century afterwards by our parents.

               Steph – Hanging with my besties do I need any more reason than that? Xxx

               Ruby – In that case I’ll definitely up the anti – watch out lads the gals are coming for you! Xxx

I couldn’t help but chuckle as I read through the messages, I had been half joking about the silver number I had kept, I’ll try it on and see if I can still get into it, strike that if I can still pull it off. I could 100% get into the scrap of material some designer had called a dress.

Well after the week I’ve had fuck it!