You've Got Me Love Drunk

-EMILY'S POV-

It was simple. Degrees cost money, and money was something I didn’t have. So after many rejected applications I was finally employed by the local music venue selling merchandise. It could’ve been a lot worse. And it wasn’t like it was hard. All I had to do was stand there selling t- shirts and posters to excited fans and then, as my merch stall was set up at the back of the stage, I got to watch the gig. Which is exactly what I was doing now, watching Young Guns belt out the last chorus of ‘Winter Kiss’ and getting ready for the surge of fans waving their money in my face as I struggled to serve them all. Even if I was watching from afar it was still an amazing gig.
“Can I have that one please in a medium?” I could just about hear the lad over the voices of fans as they began leaving the venue. I quickly went to the box and pulled out a medium and swapped the t-shirt for his money. There weren’t as many fans as I was expecting which is great if you’re still nursing a hangover from the night before. So within thirty minutes I had served all the remaining customers, packed the remaining merch into boxes and set off towards the exit.
“Emily, can I have a word a minute?” I could hear my boss Amanda calling after me.
“Yeah sure, what do you need?”
“I know you’re not meant to be working Friday but I was wondering if you could fill in for John, he says he still feels really ill.”
That was John, he was never in work. Always too stoned or hungover to get out of bed. “Yeah sure, that’s fine. Who’s playing?”
“Paramore.” My face fell open. “Thought you might like that.” She gave me a smile and then walked off, leaving me with my jaw dragging along the floor. Paramore were my favourite band. And Hayley Williams was just. Well, she was Hayley Williams.
I climbed into my car and checked my watch. 12.30 am. I started up the car and pushed play on my CD player so to have the company of the last few songs of ‘Chase this light’ by Jimmy eat world.
After only ten minutes I switched off the ignition and killed the lights and climbed out of my car. I shared a two bedroom flat with my friend Natalie. She’d had it for a few years but when the costs became too much for her she very nearly sold it. Luckily I was in need of a place to live.
“Is that you Em?” Natalie was an insomniac, which meant I had company to come home to.
“Well who else would it be?”
“Fair point. How was work?”
I collapsed next to her on the sofa and began watching whatever was on tv. “Oh, it was pretty damn amazing tonight. Young Guns were awesome, you should’ve come.”
“Yeah, I was going to but I couldn’t find anyone to go with. Are we still going out Friday?”
“Ahh well, I can’t. I’ve been asked to work.” I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
“What!? They can’t do that it’s not f-“
“Paramore are playing.”
I could see her mouth opening and closing out of the corner of my eye. Finally, after a few minutes, she managed to gain control of herself. “Well, I guess this can be excused. I can’t believe you’re going to be selling Paramore’s merch! I mean, it’s not glamorous but you’ll get to watch them for free!”
“I might be able to watch them soundcheck aswell as I’ve got to set up the stall!”
It didn’t happen very often but Natalie physically squealed.
“Right, I’m going up to bed seeing as I’ve got two lectures tomorrow. I’ll see you in the morning.” And with that I left Natalie to re- runs of jackass on MTV while I attempted to catch a few hours’ sleep.

At 9.00 am, the sharp piercing sound of my alarm clock was the last thing I wanted to hear. I wasn’t the hardest person to wake up but that doesn’t mean I enjoyed the feeling that my ears were being stabbed. I hit the off button and crawled out of bed, making my way to my wardrobe. I pulled out a pair of white skinny jeans and a purple polo top and quickly dressed. I whacked my straighteners on made my way to the bathroom. After brushing my teeth I returned to my bedroom, quickly dragged the straighteners through my fringe and was done. I still had plenty of time before my first lecture started so I made some coffee and watched some Kerrang.
“Kettle’s just boiled, just to let you know.” I called through to the kitchen as I heard Natalie stumble down the stairs.
“Cheers. I’m working late tonight so I probably won’t see you tomorrow morning, so I’ll see you in the evening?” despite years of sleep deprivation Natalie still resembled something out of a George A Romero film in the mornings.
“It’s Friday tomorrow so I’ll be working late.”
“Oh yeah. I knew there was a reason I wasn’t talking to you.” She laughed lightly and joined me on the sofa with a cup of coffee.
“Right I’m off.” I said after twenty minutes of silence and slurps.
“Okay, have fun tomorrow. What lectures have you got today?”
“Nazi Germany and Shakespeare.”
“Fun. I’ll give you a text later if I remember.”
“Thanks, love you too.” Laughing, I shoved my mug in the dishwasher before grabbing my keys and my shoulder bag and heading out the door to my car. It wasn’t a long drive to my Uni. In fact, I could probably walk there. But I took pleasure in the fact that I could drive, and enjoyed the freedom of being able to go wherever I wanted.
Ten minutes later I was parking in the car park. I grabbed my bad from the passenger seat and headed towards the History department for my first lecture.

I’m usually quite attentive in class. I listen, I take decent notes. This lecture was completely different. It passed in a blur, mainly due to the fact that I couldn’t stop thinking about the following night.
“Hey, Emily!” I heard my friend Michael shouting from behind so stopped and waited for him to catch up. “Hey, thanks for waiting. How are you, I feel like I haven’t spoken to you in ages!”
“It’s been a week Mike, but it’s nice to know you’ve been missing me.” I gave him a playful nudge in the rubs and walked with him to English for my last lecture of the day.
“So, anyway, what did you think if that last lecture?”
“Oh, yeah, it was very informative.”
“Bullshit. My desk is two behind yours; you were basically asleep for the whole two hours.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Mike was my best friend, apart from Natalie. We met in our first year of Uni and fixed me and my ex up, before it went tits up. “Yeah, I had other things on my mind for once.”
“I guessed. I’l make a copy of my notes and give them to you next week.”
“You’re a life saver.” We couldn’t help but laugh as we took our seats ready for an hour’s talk on Shakespeare. Not that I would be listening, I had other things on my mind.

Don’t worry, I’ll copy those notes up for you aswell.” Mike couldn’t help but keep the smirk off his face as he walked me to my car.
“I owe you. Big time.”
“I’ll hold you to that Rockerwell.”
“Deal.” I shoved my bag onto the passenger seat and started the car. Mike shut the driver’s door for me and waved as I pulled out of my parking space and headed for home.