Thai Girl by Andrew Hicks

beers.’
    â€˜But it’s far too late … we’ve got to be up in a few hours to get the bus.’
    â€˜Oh shit, I’d almost forgotten.’
    â€˜Was it only muay Thai then?’
    â€˜Yes, well … that’s what we went for. Course we had a drink after.’
    â€˜What sort of bar?’
    â€˜An ordinary bar.’
    â€˜Ordinary for Bangkok you mean?’
    â€˜Yeah, Emm, ordinary.’
    â€˜Like Elvis Presley singing psalms on a Sunday! Ben, I can see right through you like there’s nothing there.’ She lay curled up in her sarong on the far side of the bed giving him her back. She did not move when he lay down beside her and he did not dare to touch her.
    Ben was exhausted and quickly fell asleep, but he slept fitfully. All too soon he would have to face up to a hangover, an early morning bus ride to the island and the constant chill of Emma’s silent censure.

6
    The next morning after a restless few hours on the hard double bed, Ben and Emma slept through the alarm. Or, as Ben was forced to confess, he sat up and switched it off as soon as it rang and then dozed off again.
    â€˜Ben, why the hell did you do that? It’s eight o’clock and we’ve got to be at the bus in half an hour.’
    â€˜Oh sod it! And you haven’t packed our stuff yet.’
    â€˜Me pack? While you’re out all night looking at tits?’
    Ben was horribly aware of his hangover, his mouth like a monkey’s armpit, his eyes swollen and bleary. The last place in the world he wanted to be was in this grotty room at war with Emma.
    Barefoot and in sarong, he padded down the narrow corridor to the showers, but he had forgotten his shower gel. By the time he had found it, the shower cubicles were all fully occupied and his bowels were now responding tumultuously to the night’s rich food. He was going to have to do business with a squatter loo, just a nasty little hole in the floor. Hunker down, take aim, then, ‘Shit! No paper!’
    â€˜Look, Ben,’ protested Emma back in the room, ‘there’s no time for breakfast. If we order something, they’ll probably take ages getting it and we’ll miss the bus. You were crazy staying out so late last night.’
    They both made it down to the street by eight thirty but there was no minibus, no Chuck and Maca and the travel agents had not yet opened up.
    â€˜Christ, I could do with a cup of tea,’ grumbled Ben.
    â€˜That’s your problem. I’m not having you dumping me here with all the bags and the bus going without you.’
    Emma was encouraged when a minibus drove up and stopped by the kerb, but the driver got out and disappeared, leaving the engine running in a growing fog of diesel fumes. After a few minutes he came back and switched it off.
    â€˜You ask him Ben,’ insisted Emma, so Ben went and asked.
    â€˜Is this the minibus for Koh Samet?’
    â€˜Bus go Ban Phe. You have boat ticket?’
    â€˜Nobody said anything about boat tickets.’
    The man shrugged silently and walked away. After ten minutes he reappeared.
    â€˜Tickets,’ he demanded abruptly.
    â€˜Who’s got them?’ Ben asked Emma.
    â€˜You have,’ said Emma.
    â€˜No I haven’t. Surely you paid and put’em in your wallet.’
    â€˜I didn’t,’ she snapped.
    â€˜Dammit, you must have, Emm.’ Emma was not enjoying this.
    Other passengers were now arriving. They were all told to leave their packs on the pavement and board the minibus. The inside was hot and claustrophobic, the sticky plastic seats packed tightly together with little leg room. Soon after nine, Maca and Chuck showed up, Maca looking pale and crumpled.
    â€˜Where’ve you two been?’ asked Emma.
    â€˜Last night? Sleeping,’ said Maca innocently.
    â€˜Running it a bit tight aren’t you?’
    â€˜Stay cool, Emm baby,’ said Chuck.
    After twenty minutes’ sweaty