Page 41 of The Last First Date

Chapter 24

Helen was now a serial stalker.

Lines had been crossed in her pursuit of Brody, and the latest was creating a fake Instagram account to follow Alice’s stories and posts. She’d even set up alerts. She was no better than Helen’s social media stalker Dk1113.

She’d recently learned that Alice had attended one of those Pilate’s classes with the scary machines, drank unearthly amounts of kombucha (which no one actually likes) and was a songwriter. As far as Helen could tell, being a songwriter roughly equated to being photographed in cool places with cool people and having a seemingly endless budget.

Helen had googled Alice’s work, expecting to find that she had some kind of trust fund paying the bills with song writing as her cover story, and felt bad to realise that Alice had in fact written quite a few really good songs. All by herself. A successful, self-made woman, with perfect hair; Helen struggled back the urge to dislike her.

Elle:She wrote ‘Light Me Up’. I LOVE that song. We should make friends with this girl!

Sophie:Gosh that was actually on our short list for wedding songs. How weird?!

Elle:‘Light me up, up, up, like a firework! Show up, up, up, with what you’re worth!’ That song is all me.

Sophie:So, what does this all mean?

Elle:NADA.

You guys always have to find meaning in everything!

It’s just coincidence.

Helen:I think I want to see him again.

Elle:

Sophie:Are you going to contact Alice?

Helen:I actually had another idea. You promise to tell me if I’m being crazy?

Elle:Are you going to try and jump a train again?

Helen:No but … I saw they were going to a festival …

Sophie:How do you know? Are they following it?

Helen:Alice’s friends keep tagging her in posts about it. And in her IG stories there was this picture.

Helen sent a picture of Alice holding Bean in matching headdresses with the hashtag #shipwreckedready. If you searched the hashtag you could see enthusiastic posts from hipsters trying on their outfits and packing up their backpacks.

I mean she’s not going with Brody’s dog right??

She has to be going with Brody.

The festival is in Cornwall too, so I think it’s 90% likely he’ll be there.

Sophie:It certainly sounds like he’ll be there …

But are you sure it’s good for your mental health to go all the way to a festival in Cornwall to find him?

Of course, I’ll support your decision whatever happens, but I worry!

Elle:What’s wrong with just sliding a DM?

Are you sure Brody isn’t in her followers?

Helen:He’s definitely not on there …

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