The Betrayer. Kimberley Chambers

pictured the night that their paths had crossed. Eighteen she’d been, him twenty-one. It had been a boring Friday night down her local, and on the way home she and Tracey had stopped for their regular doner kebab and chips.

      Famished, Susan was too busy shoving rancid pieces of lamb down her throat to notice the two fit blokes enter the shop. Aware of them chatting to Tracey, she plonked herself at a table, carried on eating and took little notice.

      ‘Suze, the boys have invited us to go to a party with them,’ Tracey said, nudging her.

      Chilli sauce dripping down her chin, Susan glanced around. Locking eyes with the taller one, she suddenly didn’t feel hungry any more.

      Heart pounding, she tried to sound casual. ‘Where is this party then?’

      The tall one ignored her, but his mate smiled. ‘Whitechapel. It’s a mate of ours’ twenty-first. Say you’ll come, girls. We’ve got plenty of booze, all we need is the company of some pretty ladies. By the way, I’m Darren and this is Kevin.’

      It didn’t take much conferring for Susan and Tracey to make up their minds. Chucking their half-eaten takeaway into the nearest bin, they smiled at one another and linked arms. The lads in their local were silly little boys and neither of them could believe their luck.

      The party was in full swing when they arrived and it didn’t take Susan long to realise that the object of her affections wasn’t very interested in her. Darren was all over Tracey like a rash, but every time Susan tried to spark up a conversation with Kevin, he gave her one-word answers and quickly walked away. Watching him chat up other girls made her feel physically sick. She couldn’t understand why she was feeling the way she was – it was ridiculous, as she’d barely known him five minutes.

      As the party dwindled and the smoochies were put on the record player, Susan felt her mood lift as the bird Kev had been chatting up for the last half-hour left with her mate. Beer in hand, Kevin saw her watching him and walked towards her.

      ‘Wanna dance?’

      Thrilled that he’d finally noticed her, Susan grabbed him around the neck as though her life depended on it. Determined to snare him, it took her five minutes to get his cock erect and ten to get him in the bedroom. As soon as they hit the sack, Susan knew he was her soul mate. Like hers, Kevin’s sex drive was insatiable and they were at it like rabbits all night.

      When daylight broke, Kevin leaped up and got dressed. ‘Me mum’s out tonight. Wanna come round mine for another session?’ he asked casually.

      Memorising his address, Susan couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. She’d shagged plenty of boys but, for the first time ever, she was hopelessly in love!

      Still daydreaming hours later, Susan’s thoughts were interrupted by the slamming of the front door.

      ‘Anyone in?’ her mother called.

      ‘I was just dozing off. Do yer always have to wake me up?’ Susan shouted angrily.

      Maureen ignored her daughter’s arrogant tone. ‘Just puttin’ the shopping away. I’m off out again now, so yer can doze as much as yer like. Me and yer nan are goin’ up the Roman to choose some paint. We need to decorate the living room before our Tommy comes home.’

      Susan didn’t bother answering and was relieved as she heard her mother leave the house. Tommy this, Tommy that – she was fucking sick of it. Her brother was due out in just under a month, and her family didn’t stop going on about it. Even James had little other conversation.

      Desperate to get out of the house before the Tommy fan club returned, Susan decided to get ready early. She was really looking forward to tonight. It was Kev’s uncle’s fortieth, and all his family would be there. Determined to look her best, she tried most of her wardrobe on. The stretch white Lycra leggings with the matching top won by a mile. She topped her outfit off with red stilettos and a matching red bag. She then blow-dried her hair upside down to give it some oomph, and plastered it with hair-spray. Applying the bright red lippy, she smiled at her reflection. Unlike the rest of the world, she failed to notice her rolls of fat, bingo wings and corned-beef legs.

      ‘Kevin, here I come,’ she said, blowing a kiss at the mirror.

      Unable to drag Tracey and Darren out early, Susan headed to her local alone. The pub was called The Royal Duchess, but no one referred to it as that. Everybody just called it The Duchess. Apart from Kev’s mum, she barely knew the rest of the family and was nervous about meeting them. She ordered a glass of cider and sat on the barstool, deep in thought. Tracey, her best friend, had recently fallen pregnant and overnight had changed into Little Miss Perfect.

      ‘We’re doing up the nursery, or me and Darren are shopping for baby clothes,’ were the excuses she received when she asked Tracey to go out with her.

      ‘Boring cow,’ Susan muttered as she sank her pint and ordered another. Tracey might not be able to drink tonight, but she certainly could.

      ‘You look nice, Suze – yer goin’ somewhere special?’

      Susan smiled. Fat Caz, the barmaid, was desperate to be her friend and had been sucking up to her for ages. She even gave her free drinks when the guv’nor wasn’t looking.

      ‘Yeah. Kev’s uncle’s fortieth. What about you? Off out after yer shift?’ Susan replied, knowing full well that Caz had no friends to go anywhere with.

      ‘Dunno, might go clubbing,’ Caz said awkwardly.

      Susan smiled. The thought of Fat Caz clubbing amused her immensely. She looked at her watch. The party was being held in the Bancroft Arms and was kicking off at eight. Kev, as usual, had told her to make her own way there. She’d begged him to come and get her, but he was having none of it.

      ‘Please Kev, don’t make me walk in on my own. I don’t wanna schlep there in the dark – say someone jumps me?’

      Ever the gentleman, Kev had laughed down the phone at her. ‘Fuck off, Suze. You look like a rugby player. Who in their right mind is gonna attack you?’

      Smiling at Fat Caz, Susan downed her pint and ordered another. Let Kevin sweat, worry why she was late. He needed to be taught a lesson.

      At eight-thirty, Susan decided to make a move. ‘I’m goin’ now, Caz. Get a pen and I’ll give you me number so we can go out one night.’

      Elated by the invitation, Caz popped the number in her purse. ‘Bye, mate. I’ll call you in the week,’ she said.

      Susan smiled as she walked towards The Bancroft. Caz might be a moose, but with Tracey up the duff, at least she was someone to go out with. Kev often went out with the lads and she was sick of sitting at home. Apart from Tracey, she had no other mates and beggars couldn’t be choosers.

      As Susan reached the pub she could hear Tears for Fears singing ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’. She took a deep breath and made her grand entrance. Searching for Kev, she spotted him in deep conversation with his mum. She bowled over. ‘Get us a drink then, Kev. Where’s Tracey and Dal? Are they here yet?’

      Realising that she was half pissed, Kevin shot her a look. ‘They’re sitting over by the toilets. Go and sit with ’em, and I’ll be over in a minute.’

      Annoyed by his cold attitude, Susan ignored him and went up to the bar. ‘I’ll have a pint of cider. Actually, make that two.’

      Seething, she downed one on the spot and marched towards the table with the other. Kev was such a bastard to her at times. She’d gone to all that effort to make herself look glamorous and he hadn’t even said she looked nice.

      ‘What’s up with yous two?’ she asked, as she sat herself down with Tracey and Darren.

      Darren rubbed his girlfriend’s arm. ‘Tracey don’t feel too good. The smoke’s making her feel sick.’

      Susan let out a deep sigh. This was going to be the night from hell, sitting with these two. They had faces like smacked arses, the pair of