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I dropped Penny and Clare off at their place and was back hoe with that daain He and Rob had becoust but I just couldn&039;t warm to him It wasabout him that I really didn&039;t like I had spoken to hith - and we had discussed many different topics We&039;d talked about faardless of all that I&039;d learned about him I still felt the same distrust and dislike today as I&039;d felt the first time I&039;d set eyes on the bastard

&039;Where you been?&039; Rob grunted as I closed the front door and took off my jacket

&039;Out with Clare, why?&039; &039;Siobhan&039;s been on the phone for you&039;

&039;Oh, right Does she want me to call her back or is she&039;

&039;I think you should call her,&039; Rob said, cutting across me

&039;Did she say whether she&039;s&039;

I stopped talking when the alien appeared in the hallway fro, Tom,&039; he said in his low, monotonous voice He sounded like Mr Franks, the maths teacher who had made my life hell when I was thirteen Maybe that hy I didn&039;t like hi,&039; I replied, my voice as curt and abrasive as I could ood day?&039; he asked as he walked towards me

&039;Fine,&039; I snapped as I neatly side-stepped him and went into the kitchen What I&039;d really wanted to say was &039;it&039;s none of your fucking business,&039; but I didn&039;t

I glanced over my shoulder and, toback towards the living room I filled up the kettle and, as I waited for it to boil, I picked up the phone to speak to Siobhan

It rang out five or six times before she answered

&039;Hello?&039; a quiet, distant voice said

&039;Hi, it&039;sive a da?&039;

For a second I could think of nothing to say

&039;What?&039; I eventuallyda?&039;

&039;Of course I do Look, what&039;s the&039;

&039;I don&039;t think you do Christ, it&039;s been so long since you bothered to speak to otten I existed Thought you&039;d found someone better to spend you tier, bitterness and unwarranted accusation inreal difficulty trying to respond

&039;What are you talking about?&039; I staotten about you We went out on Wednesday, didn&039;t we? I called you yesterday&039;

&039;I wasn&039;t there&039;

&039;That wasn&039;t my fault&039;

I frantically checked and rechecked over the events of the last few days inimportant Her birthday was in April It wasn&039;t Christmas It wasn&039;t Valentine&039;s Day I was at a loss But my memory had served ht We&039;d had a bar meal and then stayed on for a few drinks

&039;You should have called &039;

&039;You could have called me,&039; I protested

&039;I shouldn&039;t have to&039;

Again I struggled to co from Siobhan&039;s mouth She was norer recently, so as shesuch a fuss about the last few days in particular? I thought our relationship was stronger and an, keen to hear some kind of explanation from her, &039;I don&039;t knohat theto try and call you this afternoon but&039;

&039;But what?&039; she de &039;Couldn&039;t you be bothered? Had you got sohell, you&039;reelse, you know that&039;

&039;Do I?&039;

&039;Of course you do I love you&039;

&039;Do you?&039;

&039;You know I do Look, have I done so I should have remembered? If I have then I&039;m sorry, but&039;

Rather than bother to listen to what I had to say, Siobhan instead chose to ignore me

&039;Where were you this afternoon?&039; she asked, her voice cold and uncharacteristically stern

&039;What?&039;

&039;Come on, I asked you where you were this afternoon?&039; she repeated angrily &039;I know you weren&039;t at home because I called you And I didn&039;t just call you once, I tried about fifteen fucking tiet an answer I came over but the house was empty&039;

&039;Look, I&039;

&039;Where were you?&039; she screaht, co plot Why should I stand here and listen to this? Just because ere going out together didn&039;t give her the right to know my every move

&039;Does it matter where I&039;ve been? I don&039;t have to tell you everything I&039;

&039;Where were you?&039; she screahtened school boy I answered quickly

&039;I went to see Clare,&039; I snapped reluctantly &039;Is that all right with you or should I have checked first?&039; &039;What were you doing there?&039;

I took a deep breath For a second I thought about just hanging up the phone but I knew that would have done ood

&039;It&039;s Penny&039;s birthday I took her card and present over and I took the proble on between you two?&039;

&039;What?&039;

&039;I said is there sole wo to hide you would have toldher out&039;

&039;I didn&039;t take her out Anyway it was a spur of the &039;

&039;Bollocks,&039; she spat &039;I know soot this all wrong,&039; I sighed &039;Clare&039;s a good friend of ours&039;

&039;of yours&039;

&039;She&039;s a good friend of ours who happens to be going through a rough patch at the moment I&039;m not about to let her&039;