‘Thanks for picking me up,’ I say.
‘You are absolutely welcome,’ Zach replies.
‘Am I?’ I laugh. ‘Even though you’re only stuck in this traffic because you came out of your way to get me, because I wound up arriving much later than planned?’
Being late may seem like an unreliable quality, but for me, I think my constant lateness is what makes me consistent. You can always count on me to be late and, as such, you always know when I’m going to arrive – when I said I would, just a bit later.
So, obviously I’m late arriving back in Manchester after Christmas (even though I only live on the outskirts). My train was late (which actually is completely out of my control), and now I’m late picking up my costume from the fancy dress shop I hired it from.
‘What’s your costume?’ Zach asks me, making small talk while we’re stuck in the traffic that always surrounds the station.
‘Catwoman,’ I tell him. ‘I need to pick it up from the costume shop on Park Road.
‘Don’t they close at 8?’ he replies.
‘Yep,’ I reply. ‘I’m even late for a shop that is staying open late.’
Zach laughs.
‘Matt said he was going there to grab something – something about not having any red spandex, although you know he’s got all the other colours. Shall I ask him to pick up your outfit for you?’
‘That would be great,’ I say, sighing with relief. I was so worried I wasn’t going to make it in time. I know it’s not important, that it’s just a silly costume, but tonight is the first time I’ve seen Tom since before Christmas and I want everything to be perfect. I want to be the Catwoman to his Batman because that’s what we said we’d do and, who knows, maybe I’ll just go for it, and pin him down and lick him a la Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns.
‘He says he’ll do it,’ Zach says after tapping a few buttons on his phone, holstered by the radio in front of him. As his hand hovers near the button, he decides to turn some music on. ‘This will get us in the party mood.’
‘“I Kissed a Girl?”’ I say as Katy Perry blasts out of the speakers. ‘It’s not going to be that kind of party, buddy.’
‘Well, maybe it will for me,’ he laughs. ‘A little bird told me that maybe you and Tom might be hanging out tonight …’
‘We’re just going to see what happens,’ I say, a little embarrassed. Fifi must have told him.
‘But you want him to be your N-Y-E kiss, right?’
‘Maybe,’ I reply. ‘Speaking of little birds, when are you going to grow a pair and kiss Fifi?’
I notice Zach’s jaw drop.
‘Wh-what?’
‘Don’t “wh-what” me,’ I reply. ‘You’re obviously crazy about her.’
‘Is it that obvious?’ he replies.
‘Only if you have eyes or ears,’ I reply.
‘Well, it’s funny you should say that, but I did tell her there was a girl I liked, and that I was going to find her on New Year’s Eve and tell her exactly how I felt …’
‘Aren’t you brave?’ I tell him as a smile spreads across my face. ‘But, wait, you told her it was her, right?’
‘Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?’
‘It might not be,’ I tell him. ‘I would have made it crystal clear.’
‘I was trying to be romantic and sexy,’ he replies, before pausing for thought. ‘I should’ve told her it was her, shouldn’t I?’
I nod my head. ‘Well, we’re nearly there,’ I tell him.
‘Maybe we’ll both get what we want tonight, eh?’ he says.
‘I’ll drink to that,’ I reply.
I feel my phone vibrating on my lap.
‘It’s Ed,’ I tell Zach before answering. ‘Hey Ed, how’s the party going?’
‘Luca,’ he sobs. ‘Luca, you’ve got to come quick. You’ve got to help me.’
‘Ed, slow down, what’s wrong?’ I ask.
Zach looks over at me, worried. I shrug my shoulders.
‘I’ve made a terrible mistake,’ he says. ‘I … I think I’ve hit someone.’