‘Give that to me!’ I demand, horrified that my dad’s drugs have infiltrated the office. What if he’s the reason someone starts a cocaine habit? I need to flush this shit pronto!
I shake Ash’s arm like a tree branch, and the baggie falls on the floor. For a few seconds, there’s a mad scramble in the toilet cubicle, with arms and legs flying, foreheads bumping, and grunts making the walls shake. If anyone happens to come in, the office gossip will be rife:Jade is shagging Ash in the men’s! She only started on Monday!
Being more nimble-fingered and closer to ground level, I emerge triumphant with the baggie closed in my fist. Ash pushes me up against the door, but I quickly tuck the bag safely in my jeans pocket and smoosh my arse against the corner so he can’t grab it.
‘Gimme!’
‘Nope!’
‘Jade, c’mon! I was saving that for the concert tomorrow night.’
Of course he was. But I’m not budging.
‘No! You can’t have it.’
He strokes my arm and wheedles, ‘We could take some together? No one cares.’
I’m a bit shocked. But I suppose sniffing cocaine in the loos was a regular occurrence in the ’80s.
‘No,’ I repeat stiffly, keeping my bottom pressed firmly against the door. ‘I have an article to finish. And don’t you have work to do?’
‘Oh, loosen up, Ms Goody Two-Shoes.’
Annoyed by that, I push him away, and he flops back down on the toilet seat.
I wag my finger. ‘Drugs are very bad for you.’
‘Drugs are very bad for you.’ Ash gives a high, squeaky impression of my voice, complete with a talking hand puppet, which annoys me further.
‘And stop acting like a child!’
Admittedly, I do sound like a headmistress. But I need to get out of here and flush this before he gets his mitts on it and before Danny comes in, wondering where the fuck we are. Being holed up in a toilet with Ash is not a good look.
I reach behind me to unlock the door. But Ash is slumped on the toilet seat, looking wasted and dejected, and I feel bad about leaving him here. What if he does a River Phoenix and carks it?
I give his face a tiny slap, and he groans, ‘Doannn.’ I slap him harder, and his eyes snap open. He grins, holding my wrist.
‘Ooh, so you like a bit of that, do you? Well, we could have a different kind of fun, if you’re up for it.’
He licks my palm, and I groan inwardly. At any other time, a good-looking guy like Ash coming on to me would have my knickers in a twist, but Sebastian has done a number on my libido. I want him. Only him. And I can’t seem to help it.
‘Look, don’t take this the wrong way. You’re cute and all, and you seem like a popular guy. But...’
‘What are you trying to say? That I sleep around?’ Ash drops my hand and leans back against the toilet cistern, looking miffed.
‘Well, don’t you?’
He rubs his ski-jump nose. ‘Yeah, but it’s never just a one-night stand.’
‘How long do you go out with them for?’
‘A week. Then I make up some excuse to drop them, like they’ve given me crabs.’
I let out a gurgle, and the side of his mouth twitches.
‘What can I say? I’m an arsehole.’
‘Oh my god, you aresuchan arsehole,’ I gasp.