Page 57 of Match Point

Argh do you think he’d prefer Champagne??

I’ll stick to my guns, it’s already in the basket

How cute is this, I found tennis-themed napkins!!

They have little tennis balls all over them.

I bought two packs of 20

Probably a bit excessive

Also they only had HAPPY BIRTHDAY banners

so I got one of those and I’ll just scribble over it

Hello?

Are you there?

Cool cool just talking to myself

IRIS

Wow

I was updating the blog so have just seen these

How many Pimm’s have you had?

*

Kieran enters the flat arguing with Neil.

‘You knew!’ he snaps, as he steps through the door, his sharp voice echoing off the walls, sucking every ounce of excitement right out of me and making my blood turn cold. ‘You knew this whole time and you didn’t say anything! You lied to me.’

‘I didn’t lie to you!’ Neil protests.

‘You didn’t tell me the truth, Neil. That’s lying.’

Kieran storms into the living room with a thunderous expression, Neil hot on his heels. I’m standing stupidly under the HAPPY BIRTHDAY GETTING THROUGH TO THE SECOND ROUND banner, ready to pull a party popper, but I quickly realise that this is not the time. Kieran barely notices me. He’s rubbing his forehead with his hand, looking pained.

‘Kieran,’ Neil says pleadingly, ‘I was trying to protect you.’

‘Protect me?’ Kieran growls, rounding on him, his nostrils flaring with fury. ‘I was blindsided. I was on a high, Neil, and the rug was swept out from under my fucking feet by a journalist who seems to know more about my life than I do.’

‘I didn’t want it to affect your performance,’ Neil explains calmly, looking him in the eye. ‘I knew it would be a blow and I didn’t think you needed to deal with it right before the tournament.’

‘And dealing with it after the first round of the tournament is much better,’ Kieran scoffs.

‘I had no idea the press knew about it. I wasn’t even one hundred per cent sure it had been confirmed. If I’d had thought for a moment that someone might ask you—’

‘You should have told me, Neil,’ Kieran states coldly. ‘I deserved to know.’

Neil swallows, his eyes glistening with regret. ‘It might not be that bad,’ he says quietly, pressing his hands together. ‘It could be nothing and—’

‘Nothing,’ Kieran hisses, recoiling at the suggestion.

Neil can sense his poor choice of words and hangs his head.

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