Page 19 of Match Point

‘Yes, well it looks a lot more intimate than a mere miscommunication,’ Neil seethes, moving to the other side of the room. ‘What message do you think this gives your competitors, hm? I thought you wanted to be a serious threat this year.’

‘I don’t need a lecture,’ Kieran snaps. He glances at me. ‘This isn’t the time to talk.’

‘Uh… why don’t I leave you guys to it,’ I suggest, making my way through the middle of them so I can exit the room. I stop at the doorway to appeal to Neil. ‘It really was a miscommunication. I’m sorry it happened.’

Neil doesn’t say anything, staring at the floor with a tense expression. I take the hint and hurry out, shutting myself away safely in the bedroom. Shit. This is bad. My day has officially gone from terrible to fucking disastrous. As if I didn’t have enough to worry about, I’m now a meme. I lean back against the door and close my eyes, wondering if I should consider never leaving this room again. I could just curl up under the duvet and wait there for all these problems to go away. The paparazzi will leave, Kieran and Neil will leave, the meme will eventually disappear, and I can go back to being a nobody.

My phone vibrates and when I see that it’s Iris, I decide to pick up. I’ve ignored her long enough.

‘Hey,’ I answer quietly.

‘OH HI,’ she cries so loudly, I have to hold the phone away from my ear momentarily. ‘You FINALLY decide to pick up.’

‘Yeah, sorry, it’s been… busy.’

‘Flora, what the FUCK?! Why is there a video of you on social media throwing a glass of wine in the face of Kieran O’Sullivan?’

I dig my teeth into my bottom lip.

‘Uh… that’s not me?’ I attempt pitifully.

‘Yes it bloody well is,’ she counters breathlessly. ‘Do you know him? Why wouldn’t you tell me this? What is going on?’

I take a deep breath. ‘Okay, off the record?’

‘Fuck’s sake, Flora, obviously off the record. When do we speak ON the record?’

‘Good point.’ I rub my forehead with my free hand, a dull ache forming on one side. ‘You know how I rented out my flat for the next few weeks? It turns out that it’s Kieran O’Sullivan who has rented it.’

‘You’re joking. You’re JOKING. Is this a joke?’

‘No. It’s not.’

‘Oh my God!’

‘I know. He arrived here earlier than he should have done and so he left, and then you know how you told me to go to the pub? I ended up at the same one he’d gone to. I wasn’t stalking him, though. It was by accident.’

‘Okay…’

‘Then we got into an argument and I threw my drink at him.’

‘Flora! I mean, I would say I don’t believe you, but I’ve seen the bloody evidence online! This is madness. Kieran O’Sullivan! What’s he like?’ she asks eagerly.

‘You know how everyone thinks he’s a dick?’

‘Yeah?’

‘He’s a dick.’

‘Ah. Hence the wine throwing.’

I nod, gripping the phone. ‘Iris, there are reporters outside my door.’

‘Shit. They found you quickly. Not surprising though. The video has gone viral and they’re good at their job. Have you spoken to them?’

‘Obviously not. I want them to go away as soon as possible. I don’t want people thinking I’m Kieran O’Sullivan’s latest conquest,’ I mutter, grimacing. ‘It’s so embarrassing.’

‘I don’t know, Flora, maybe that’s a good thing.’

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