Jessie is typing.
Multiple people are typing.
No message came through. Rose sighed and put her phone back in her front pocket and walked home.
She plugged in her headphones and browsed through Spotify, looking for something happy and harmless, settling on a playlist titled ‘#FeelGoodFriday’ compiled by someone called SmileySam that kicked off with ‘Dog Days Are Over’ by Florence + the Machine.
Three songs in came ‘The Way You Are’ by Milo Jax. She should have guessed. Normally, Rose would have quickly scrambled around for her phone to move on to the next song. But this time, she didn’t skip it. She wanted to remember how she felt whenever she’d heard this song before, to listen to it as someone else, someone who’d never met Milo Jax, or even ever imagined meeting him. Someone to whom Milo Jax was, ultimately, a total stranger beyond the character he chose to present to the world. That person would probably enjoy this song. Rose found herself pressing next after the first chorus.
It would have been so much better if Luce were coming to the hen. She was her ally in that group. Since they’d left school, Rose had made as much of an effort as she could to distance herself from them, politely declining birthday parties and group dinner invitations. But weddings are, similar to funerals, among those rare sort of life events where it’s generally accepted that you will invite people you no longer like or speak to. Rose didn’t realise this rule also applied to hen dos.
She arrived home, walked straight to her bedroom and flopped onto her bed, allowing herself to lie still for several minutes before reaching for her phone.
Fran: I have one space.
Rose: Oh really? That would be amazing. Thank you.
Fran: Meet outside Archway at 6am.
Rose: Ha, very early! Yes I will be there, coffee in hand.
Fran: Don’t be late.
Rose sent a thumbs up emoji.
Rose: Do we need to bring anything?
Jessie: Packing list is in the doc!
Rose searched for the document in her WhatsApp search bar and after wading through several colour-coded tabs found one titled PACKING LIST <3.
CLOTHING
Fancy black dress for dinner
Costume in the style of your allocated ‘drunk Pippa’
Jeans suitable for chilling
Yoga pants/leggings for walking
Swimming costume (no bikinis please)
Warm socks or slippers
*Sleepwear will be provided
TECHNOLOGY
iPhone charger – please bring your own so no one has
to borrow anyone’s ;)
Portable speaker – in case ours dies!
Headphones – for your own leisure
TOILETRIES
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Deodorant
Shampoo/conditioner
Make-up remover
Tweezers
Razor
Hair dryer
Hairbrush
Tampons
