Horror Stories from Horrified - Volume One (2)

?Alex??
I told him I was fine and that he should shave, to look spr uce for his mum.
5th December
It was past midnight w hen w e left the bar. Steve stumbled over his feet, gr inning at his
ow n foolishness. It had been a civilised evening until Pete and Andy had ar r ived and lur ed
him into r ounds of w hiskey sour s. My thr oat was hoar se fr om sw eet dr inks and loud
laughter.
?Good night?? I asked him.
?Good night.?
He w r apped me in a one-ar med bear hug and w e slipped off the cur b. A taxi beeped at
our stumble but w e just waved away the near -miss.
?It?s nice to see you smile. You know I love you, r ight??
His giddy sincer ity made me blush. Just like w hen w e w er e foolish kids hooking up at
college, now w e w er e foolish adults w ith jobs and a flat, getting dr unk in bar s instead of
par ks. Time felt stilted.
?Let?s get mar r ied,? he said, suddenly.
?Don?t be daft.?
He fell to one knee in the str eet and took my hands in his.
?Get up, you mug.?
A hen par ty of scr eechy blondes and feather boas r ocked past and a pizza deliver y guy
had to edge his bike ar ound our embar r assing tableaux, his headlight full in our eyes.
?You pr ick, get up! I w on?t bloody mar r y you.?
Say yes! One of the blondes scr eamed back at us.
?I can?t get up. Help me up.?
He used my stubbor nness to dr ag himself up.
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