Page 5 of Just a Number

“Your job is stressful?”

She grimaces. “At times, yes. I used to love it. I love planning events and managing them. I’m just struggling at the moment with the company I work with and some of my colleagues there.”

As I open my mouth to ask her another question, Zack’s voice shouts up the stairs.

“Alex, where are you? You’re up next.” A flush creeps up Mel’s neck again and she looks away.

“I didn’t mean to keep you. Head back down to Zack.” She’s not looking in my direction at all. Instead, she’s fussing with the hem of her sweater dress.

“It was good to talk to you,” I say, willing her to look back up, wanting her eyes on me again. She laughs in disbelief.

“Sure. Thanks, Alex.” She reaches for the remote control to press play and I turn around and head back down the stairs.

“Dude, what the fuck were you doing up there all that time?” Zack questions as I step into the living room.

“I was just talking to your mum. She stopped me when I was on my way back from the bathroom.”

“Oh shit, was she giving you the third degree? I can ask her to lay off.”

“Nah, it’s fine, bro, just chatting.”

He frowns, looking confused, but then he shrugs and punches my shoulder.

“Come on, Roly needs bringing down a peg or two, and I know you’re the man to do it.” I can’t help looking back up the stairs and thinking about Mel. She was so easy to talk to. But as we make our way back through to the living room, my attention quickly switches to the gaming I’m here for.

We’ve been gaming for hours and now it’s just Zack and I. The others all ditched a while ago, sharing a ride. We’re into car racing now and I’ve got a low-level buzz from the few beers I’ve had.

“You sure it’s okay if I stay?” I check with Zack. He offered when he invited me over. I bought the bike, knowing I wouldn’t ride it after a couple of beers, but he hasn’t mentioned it again since I got here, so I wonder if he’s forgotten.

“All good, bro. You can sleep on the couch. Do you need bedding and stuff?”

“Nah, I’m all good. Do you need to check with your mum?”

“Nah, she’s sweet. Rich has been staying over for years.”

After a few more races, Zack is clearly ready to call it a night. I’ve beaten him three times in a row, and his clenched jaw and bouncing knee make his frustration clear.

“Dammit, you’re too good.”

I shrug. “Just had a lot of practice.”

“I’m gonna head up to bed. You sure you don’t need anything?”

“I’ll grab some water if that’s okay?” He nods. “And I just shut the door behind me when I leave in the morning? It doesn’t need locking behind me?”

“Stay for breakfast. Mum usually makes a mean fry up on a Saturday.”

“I've got work tomorrow at ten. I’ll see how I go.”

“Fair enough. Catch ya later.” And with that, he’s gone. I get up to turn the console off and switch to a television channel. I put the volume down low and then flick off the overhead light, using the glow from the television and a lamp in the corner to light my way.

I clear off most of the cushions from the couch, but keep a couple at one end to rest my head on. My jacket and boots already lay on the floor and I shuck my jeans and socks off and add them to the pile, knowing I won’t be comfortable enough to sleep wearing them. Wearing just my black t-shirt and boxer shorts, I head through to the kitchen, grabbing handfuls of empty beer bottles as I go.

Mel didn’t come back down again after I talked to her and clearly, none of the guys here tonight know how to pick up after themselves.

I place the bottles by the sink, then fold the lids over on the pizza boxes, which are all empty from the constant grazing we were doing between our turns on the gaming console. Grabbing a tall glass from the cupboard, I fill it with water and chug down two glasses before refilling a third time and taking it through to the lounge.

I stop by the floor-to-ceiling wooden bookcase on my way through. It’s overrun with books. A couple of the titles caught my eye earlier, and now there’s no one around, I want to take a peek.

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