Tripping on Love Read Online Free PDF Page A

only just arrived at Carl’s house, but the party was well under way. I watched as Mel immediately helped herself to a large glass of wine. She was a woman on a drinking mission. If she carried on then tonight would end in a very drunken state, and that meant two things: tears and doner meat. I would have to keep my eye on her; my heels were definitely not made for walking around in the early hours, searching for a takeaway joint.
    'Who are you referring to?' she asked confused, her eyes starting to glaze over. Her attention shifted towards the makeshift bar area, where a scruffy bearded man was impressing a handful of onlookers with cocktail shaking skills. He had an air of University Professor about him. Very much Mel’s type. She groaned suddenly.
    'Please do not utter the names Will or Amanda again, or I will refuse to talk to you for the rest of the evening.'
    'Will and who?' I did my best to look innocent. Five minutes of talking on any one topic, and Mel's butterfly mind was already floating off to a new horizon. The ten minute Taxi journey discussing my emotions about the pair had clearly pushed the butterfly boundary.
    'Would you like a cocktail?' she asked, snatching my near full glass from my hand. 'We need re-fills' she said, indiscreetly pouring the remainder of the wine I'd been enjoying into a nearby pot plant.
    'That guy over there by the bar – he’s looking just the person to fill me up tonight' and with a smirk, off she sauntered to the bar.
    I watched in amusement, looking around casually and hoping to catch sight of someone I knew. It was less than a few moments of standing alone when I became aware that the person with their back to me had a very familiar shake of his head. Will. 
    Breathing in sharply, my heart thudded, threatening to burst from my chest in shock. Spinning around in the opposite direction, I raised my hand to my forehead in a hope to conceal myself and walked away quickly, almost colliding into someone coming towards me.
    'Sorry' I lowered my hand from my face and looked up with an apologetic smile. Amanda stood smirking at me.
    I gasped, wide eyed as I took in her new appearance. The blunt haircut, a thick razored fringe flicking randomly, where she evidently hadn’t yet figured how to style it properly, made her face appear more rounded. Her make-up was applied thicker and more garish than I remembered her to wear it. Eye liner clogged in the corners of her eyes, and luminous orange lipstick accentuated lips, if they could be called that, which had seen copious amounts of Collagen. She vaguely resembled a trout.
    It seemed that Will's entry into her life had created as much of an impact on her appearance, as it had his departure from my life.
    Shaking with nerves, I tried to keep my voice in a calm and even tone of surprise.
    'Amanda?' I said, pausing for effect and furrowing my forehead ever so slightly in disbelief.
    She eyed me coolly and self consciously, my new image not lost on her.
    'Hello Elizabeth.'
    It appeared she also found it harder to talk through her absurd monstrous lips.  
    Ignoring my racing pulse I smiled warmly, momentarily catching her off-guard. Judging by her upturned lip she was preparing for a showdown - unless the Collagen had suddenly taken retreat into one corner of her mouth.
    'Goodness , I almost didn’t recognise you for a moment there' I allowed my gaze to gently float up and down her body, fully aware she was unsure how to react. I stopped as my eyes met her face again.
    'Love the lips. Did you get them on special offer?' She blushed furiously as I continued with my condescending tone. 'Buy one procedure, get one procedure free? I wouldn’t have gone back for seconds though , if I were you. They’re rather too pronounced now, unfortunately.’ I watched as her cheeks continued to deepen in their crimson hue.
    'And let me guess - your hairdresser told you that a thick fringe would accentuate your high cheekbones?'
    Seizing the opportunity, I