desk and plonks herself on it. ‘Hey, I hope you don’t think I was playing the jealous friend before,’ she says. It’s almost an apology, or an olive branch at least.
‘No, not at all,’ I lie. ‘And I hope you don’t feel like I’m neglecting you.’
She runs her fingers along the edge of my desk, it seems she wants to stick around, to talk.
‘Jas, I know we said we’d have a night out, just the two of us, and we will – we need a proper catch-up. But the night Alex went out, I had to do some work at home. As my boss, I think you’ll approve.’ I smile. I know I shouldn’t have to explain myself to my best friend, but it’s a combination of her feeling low and me feeling guilty because I haven’t been there for her.
She continues to perch on the edge of my desk. ‘Thing is, Hannah, I’m just a bit worried about you, babe. You’re completely wrapped up in this guy – which is lovely, but these weird things keep happening, like the roses and the perfume in your car. I hate to say it – but what do you really know about Alex?’
‘Look, it was ages ago, the roses were from Tom, and you agreed yourself that the scent was probably my imagination.’
‘Yeah, but only so you didn’t freak out. I know Tom did some weird shit when you first broke up, but this is recent, and it’s happened after you met Alex.’
‘I’m busy, Jas, I don’t have time for this.’ It’s true, I have loads of work to do and don’t want to get into this with her now. I have to leave the office to meet with Chloe Thomson and her mother at two o’clock this afternoon.
‘Since you started seeing Alex you don’t have time for anything, or anyone. I’m not just talking about me; I mean you don’t even have time for yourself. And now you tell me he goes out for the night and you stay home and work.’
‘You’re wrong, it wasn’t like that – I just stayed at his because he wanted me to.’
‘He wanted you to stay because he didn’t want you out of his sight?’
‘It’s called being in a relationship, Jas,’ I snap.
‘Are you sure it’s not called being controlled?’ she says in her head-social-worker voice.
‘No, it isn’t. And I resent you saying that,’ I snap. ‘Really, what gives you the right to comment on my relationship?’
Harry and Sameera glance over; they can hear everything. But I don’t care, I’m fed up with Jas sniping one minute, then the next saying she’s my friend and wants me to be happy.
‘Whoa, I didn’t mean… I just—’ She moves off my desk. ‘I’m sorry, Hannah, but I see red flags with this one, and I don’t like it.’
‘Well, I don’t see red flags, and I do like it. So, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get on with my work.’
Jas huffs and stomps back to her office and I see a look pass between Sameera and Harry. Is that what they think too, that Alex is controlling? None of them have even met him. We want to spend most of our time together. I stay over at his, and he calls me at work for no particular reason – if those are red flags then bring it on. To my mind, they’re signs of a reciprocal, healthy relationship, not that I should have to justify that to anyone. I wish Jas would mind her own business. Because when Alex and I are still together ten years from now, I will say ‘I told you so.’ And Jas will realise she was wrong to judge Alex by the men she goes out with.
Jas tried to imply that the night Alex went out he made me stay at his house on my own waiting for him, but it wasn’t like that. ‘I’ll only go out with my friends on one condition,’ he’d said. ‘That you stay here at mine, so I can come home to you.’ So I did, willingly; happy to be in the comfort of his home, looking forward to his return, rather than stuck in my flat alone for the night. And when he came home at midnight, instead of being pissed and falling asleep in the chair – like Tom used to – he was sober and loving. And, what’s more, he was just so happy to see me waiting for him in what