When love and hate collide

WHEN LOVE AND HATE COLLIDE

'Right, I'm off' shouted Danielle Schafer to her work colleagues, as
she quickly packed all the stationery that remained on her desk from
her eight hour torture and agony, into her already crammed draw,
feeling relieved that all the phone calls and deadlines had finished
for yet another painfully quick weekend.
Within a flash she is gone, sitting relaxed in the comfort of her
Midnight Blue Fiesta. 'Just ten more minutes' she thought to herself,
as the rush hour traffic grew and grew as if on steroids.
She loved the feeling of leaving work on Friday's, knowing that she had
two days and three nights to enjoy herself without Peter breathing down
her neck, or as Joanne called it 'A Boss Free Weekend'.
Ever since Danielle met Joanne on her first day at Brunswick Primary
School, when they were five, they were inseparable and have been ever
since.

Amongst the loud chatter and the misty smoke was McIntyres, a fairly
new Public House set in the middle of the Town Centre. With it's very
modern and up-to-date style, it was the latest place to be seen.
'Ergh' squeaked Joanne, after yet another shot of Vodka burned the back
of her throat, making her eyes water, as she reached for her cigarettes
and lighter.
'You want another one?' asked Danielle, trying not to let the Vodka
screw up her face like she'd sucked a lemon. Jo nodded as though unable
to speak. As Danielle made her way to the Bar, unsteady on her feet,
Ben approached her.
'Hey Babe, surely you don't want more?' said Ben in his sexy voice,
angelic enough to make any woman swoon.
'A-ha!' replied Danielle 'Line 'em up'.
Ben gave Danielle a concerning look, as he raises one eyebrow, which he
knew always made Danielle laugh.
'Okay, it's not me waking up with the hangover' he jokes, handing her a
full unopened bottle of Smirnoff from under the bar. 'Enjoy' he says
with a big healthy smile.
Danielle thought Ben was great. They'd become even closer friends after
their feeble attempt at having a relationship, which lasted a total of
ten months. She fell in love with his winged mousy hair, his boyish 'I
know I'm gorgeous' looks, his athletic body - which looked like he
worked out but didn't - and his wacky sense of humour. Their
relationship was idyllic to begin with, but towards the end, they never
use to see each other. Danielle was working every hour god sent, and
Ben was then starting his new job at McIntyres. Within months, the
relationship fizzled out. However, to both their joys, they've remained
close friends ever since.

The night raced by like a Formula One Racing Car with Jo behind the
wheel. That's like most nights really, well, those that don't involve
sitting at a desk, writing out numerous overdue quotations and Tenders
for Pete, that he's forgotten to do.
'So, come on then' Jo slurred, as she attempted to lift up the full
glass of Vodka, but failed as though the glass was made of lead. 'You
must fancy someone. You just ..... must'
'Well, there is someone at work!' Danielle begins.
'Single?' quizzes Jo.
'Oh yes, already checked that one out' says Danielle, with Jo nodding
in favour.
'Name?'
'Sean'
'Department?'
'None, well I mean he's one of our Customers, he's a Buyer at Nichols
&; Kent'. Jo's face lights up, as though her hangover has
disappeared.
'Buyer hmm? Let me think', Jo ponders, her fingers feeling her chin.
'Sophisticated, Intelligent, bloody gorgeous I bet' They giggle like
school children.
'He did ask me out for a drink once before' continues Danielle, pouring
some more Vodka into their empty, spirit stained glasses 'But that's
when I was seeing Tony'
'Tosser two timed you anyway!'
Danielle sighs as she cradles her head in her hands.
'I didn't know that then though did I?'
'Suppose not' Jo picks up the full glass and downs it in one.
'Where's Carl tonight anyway?' said Danielle, hoping not to get into
the whole Tony thing.
Jo and Carl had been together for just less than one year. He was tall,
with a dark complexion. The thing that attracted Jo to him was his
bald, oval shaped head, that felt like silk to touch.

The long Taxi drive home made Danielle think. She liked Carl but there
was something not quite right about him. Jo said that he was on a stag
night, yet Ben wasn't invited, considering Carl and Ben were friends,
something seemed odd. Jo knew that Carl had already cheated on her
twice, yet she never seemed worried and she always trusted him.
Although she knew that appearances can be deceptive. 'No' she thought,
almost feeling guilty for even thinking it. Jo and Carl suited each
other, some might say they made a perfect couple ..... or not.

Carl and Danielle were in Bar 20 waiting for Jo and Ben. Time past as
it was assumed the two forgetful mates had forgotten. It could only
work out to their advantage, as they really couldn't manage to sit
through yet another hopelessly boring Mafia film (Jo's
obsession).
'Well, it doesn't look like they're gonna turn up' Carl said slowly,
sipping his Beer 'For the best probably, there's only so much' Carl
pulls a face like Marlon Brando from The Godfather, 'you looking at me'
he jests 'you can take'.
Danielle cradles her chin in her hands as she shamefully laughs. Carl
had a way about him that made him known wherever he was. One of those
in your face 'I'm here' personalities. He certainly wasn't shy.
'You've got a dirty laugh Dan' said Carl, as he hoists his T-shirt over
his broad shoulders, with a wondering look. 'Dirty laugh, dirty
mind'.
'Got to keep sane somehow!' replies Danielle, as she takes a drag from
her withering away cigarette.
It was then that he went in for the kill, slowly leaning forward and
pressing his beer and cigarette smelling lips up against hers. Danielle
froze. What was he doing? Was it the drink? Was he mad? She was his
girlfriend's best friend. 'How do I handle this?' she thought. She must
tell him, in the nicest possible way, to get the hell off her, never
talk to her or Jo again, and take a long walk off a very short
pier.
Disgusted, Danielle pushed him off, with enough force to let him know
that she meant business, yet not so hard she sent him flying.
'What the hell do you think you're doing?' screamed Danielle, tugging
down her dress, as though not to appear to be giving him the wrong
signals.
'But I thought .....' replied Carl, looking as though butter wouldn't
melt.
'You thought what? That I was coming onto you?' raising both eyebrows,
unimpressed. 'For god sake, Jo's my best friend, she's like my
sister!'
Carl's face suddenly dropped, full of regret. 'I'm sorry. I got the
wrong idea'
'Too right' said Danielle, gathering her belongings together off the
stained pine table. She was gone. Carl was left stunned.

The house was cold and lonely. Danielle and Ben had moved in together
after difficult and turbulent times spent at their family homes. Vivid
memories ran through her exhausted, confused mind. Moving in. The house
warming party. Ben rustling up his special 'hangover cure' for the
morning after. Ben and Danielle's meal for two celebrating his new job
at McIntyres. The time that Carl and Jo stayed over, after the
twenty-four-hour drinking session in Bar 20. Ben and Jo were hung-over.
Jo was looking like she's run the marathon twice over, as Ben was in
his room, sulking because he had far too many Cigarettes and Vodka
Slammers then he'd usually allow himself - yet again. Reminiscing,
Danielle suddenly had flashbacks of the time Carl had walked in on her
having a shower.
'Oh, sorry' apologised Carl as, in horror, Danielle grabbed the nearest
thing (which happened to be the shower curtain) to cover up her bare
exposed flesh, which was staring Carl in the face. Had he done it on
purpose?
'I must sort myself out. She thought, yet she felt motionless, unable
to move. How would she tell Jo? She idolises Carl. More to the point,
would she believe her?

The sun shone brightly through the semi-detached bay windows. Then
suddenly, Jo comes bursting into Danielle's room. Danielle, crouched in
the foetal position, looked up with worry, as Jo approaches the bed
with attitude.
'How dare you' screeched Jo 'I thought you were my best friend'
Danielle, taking in what happened, slowly sits up, rubbing her eyes, as
though in a dream.
'What are you talking about?'
Jo flaps her arms like a penguin, in anger.
'Carl, last night. You cow. You tried it on with him didn't you? I
thought I could trust you!'
'Jo, I .....'
'No Danni, I trusted you' leaning forward, Jo speaks with venom 'I
never want to speak to you again'
'But Jo, it was Carl' Before she can finish, Jo was gone, slamming the
door in full force. With the loud bang almost waking up Danielle's
unconscious mind. Danielle realised what had happened. Carl had got
there first. He lied and said she tried to kiss him. Bastard. 'I've got
to tell her the truth'.
Ben was standing in the Kitchen, talking on the phone, looking
concerned. As he saw Danielle, they focussed intensely on each other.
Ben replaced the handset.
'That was Carl, Jo's hysterical. Danni, what have you done?'
'It wasn't me. We were in Bar 20 last night talking, then suddenly he
tried to kiss me. Honestly Ben, please believe me' the tears trickle
down her cheeks as Ben gives her a much needed cuddle 'You've got to
help me' she whispers, sobbing uncontrollably.
'I will ..... I will'

'Jo, it's Ben' shouts Ben, knocking heavily on the bottom floor flat of
an up-market new development of high rise flats. Finally the door
swings open.
'What?' said Jo, her eyes the colour of beetroot.
'Can I come in?'
Jo reluctantly widens the door. Ben turns to face the street and
gestures Danielle to follow.
'What is she doing here?' screams Jo to Ben. Carl looks at Danielle
worried.
'I want to explain, Jo, you've got it all wrong!'
Jo marches from one side of the room to the other, ready to
pounce.
'Jo, sit down and let Dan explain. You let Carl, so give her a
chance'.
The room fell silent, as Danielle took in a puff of air. 'This is it'
she thought.
'Jo, it wasn't me that came onto Carl, he tried to kiss me. I wouldn't
do that to you. I love you. You're like my sister'.
Jo gives Danielle a loathsome glance, then moves her eyes onto Carl,
who is cradling his head in his hands.
'Is it true?' begs Jo.
'Come on, I mean you can ask Flic, she was there, she saw everything.
Do you really think I'd do that to you?'.
All eyes become fixed on Carl.
'Of course Flic would stick up for her, I mean their friends aren't
they?', spitted Carl.
'I think you'd better leave now Danielle, don't you?'
Danielle looks at Jo in astonishment, slowly taking in her words.
'You two suit each other!' snarled Danielle, as in anger, she slams the
pine door behind her, the sound vibrating off the primrose walls.

Danielle studied the photograph of her and Jo on the mantelpiece. It
had been taken last New Years eve, on the Corn Hill. Their arms wrapped
around each other, holding their drinks up to the camera, smiling,
showing their pearly whites. 'Happy times' she thought, as she could no
longer battle against the tears.

Ben walked in quietly, as though not to disturb her thoughts. As he
perches his firm buttocks on the cold, empty seat next to her, he
slowly puts his arms around her stiff shoulders.
'She'll come round and see he's lying' said Ben, trying to reassure
her.
'Well, I've had it'.
'Come on Danni'
'No Ben, even if she does, things will never be the same again, we've
been friends years and she doesn't believe me. No, when he dumps her,
I'm not going to be there to pick up the pieces. Our friendships
over'.

As days turned into months, Ben and Danielle grew closer, so close that
they decided to make another go at their relationship. Danielle was
happier than ever, apart from the fact that she still hadn't heard from
Jo. Danielle had been told by Ben the night before that Jo was in
pieces. She had found out that through their whole relationship, Carl
had been cheating on her with one of his ex-girlfriends. Even though
Danielle felt a sense of I-told-you-so, she felt for Jo, she wanted to
be there for her, just like she used to be.

As silence fell, the telephone echoed throughout the house.
'Hello' said Danielle.
'Hi Danni ..... It's me, Jo, I'm sorry!'
Danielle felt a sigh of relief, as her eyes began to fill up. Finally
her life felt complete again.