The Wrong Side of Twenty-Five by Kate Armitage

Author:Kate Armitage [Armitage, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crooked Cat Books
Published: 2017-12-27T16:00:00+00:00

Kylie

I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus. Emotionally and physically. Physically, because I overslept and possibly because I have been consisting on crisps, crackers, Nutella and biscuits. Emotionally, because I slept with Jason last night and I’m not even attracted to him. I was vulnerable after my encounter with Mum at Robbie’s birthday dinner and he was the only person I had to turn to. I met him at the Fox and Duck and this time he bought me drinks, gave me attention and I just wanted to feel good, which I did, but now I feel groggy and kind of gross. And not just because of him but because I’m basically out of money and every time I think of asking Dad or Alexa for money, I hear Mum’s humiliating words about how I need more help than most. The weight of my shitty life choices is weighing me down, crushing me, and if I don’t get up now I never will.

I crawl out of bed, peel my God-knows-how-many-days-old My Chemical Romance top off and pull on jeans and a top. I hobble downstairs, grab some shoes, open the door, wince at the sunlight and set off to town to find a job.

The only problem is, damn it, my printer’s all out of ink so I only have five CVs to my name. But I have a plan; I’m going to sneak up to Alexa’s work office and borrow their printer.

I make my way to her work building and take the elevator to her floor. But as I enter the room, I see someone else at her desk. Who is this woman? Where’s Alexa? ‘Hey,’ I say, ‘I’m looking for Alexa? Alexandra Chapman?’

‘You want the third floor,’ the mysterious woman says.

That’s odd. Has she had a move around? I could have sworn she worked on the second floor.

I set off to the third floor. It’s nicer on this floor and quieter and that’s how I know already that she definitely doesn’t work up here. She always complains that she’s cramped at work like a caged hen.

Then I see her, through a big glass window, in an office where she’s sitting behind the desk. When did she get promoted? She would have told me. Maybe I forgot…

As I set off to meet her, I see a guy enters the office and walks up to Alexa. I wait, not wanting to disturb a colleague. They might not want me using their printer. But then, hang on, what… I don’t believe my eyes. The guy leans over her desk and kisses her. She kisses back. What’s going on? Everything becomes white and time slows down as I watch Alexa, as she laughs and tenderly touches this man who I’ve never seen or heard of before. The scene doesn’t compute in my brain. It’s all wrong. I watch and it feels like I don’t know her at all. What else is she hiding from me, and why? I turn and leave, feeling sick and reddening in the face like I’ve been slapped.

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