What the Lightning Sees: Part One by Louise Bay

restaurant. “Disappointed you didn’t see any celebrities?”
    “Maybe a little,” she said. “But it’s a good excuse to come back. Now let’s get back to mine so I can thank you properly.”
    We made our way toward the car and she reached for my hand. I didn’t resist her.
    “Jesus, are they wearing pyjamas?” she asked me, pointing at two girls coming in our direction, huddled up in coats that didn’t quite hide the pastel-colored leggings beneath. They were laughing like crazy people, then stopped suddenly beside my car as one of them finished what they were saying and then they both burst into another round of laughter. I couldn’t help but smile at them, they were having their own private party.
    “They’re going to scratch your car,” Millie warned.
    Something about one of them seemed familiar. I stepped forward, trying to see better. “Haven?” I asked. The girl on the right looked like her, but I’d never seen Haven with her hair down, so perhaps I’d got it wrong.
    “Haven?” I asked again, surer this time.
    I was close enough to have both their attention, and it was most certainly Haven. Haven with her hair down. Haven far from sober. She stood stock-still and put her hand over her mouth.
    “I thought that was you,” I said when she didn’t say anything. Her friend was shaking her shoulder.
    We were a couple of feet apart. Millie had gone round to the passenger side of the car and I was on the sidewalk with Haven.
    “Are you okay?” I asked.
    Her friend answered for her. “Yes, thanks, handsome, we’re just a little drunk, but it’s alright because soon we’ll be a lot drunk.” She thrust a bottle of wine in the air.
    Haven laughed again.
    “It’s licky,” Haven said to her friend, not taking her eyes from me and pointing in my direction.
    “It’s what?” I asked. I didn’t understand what she’d said.
    “What? Oh!” Her friend squealed. “Do you guys work together?” she asked.
    “I’m Harry. Yes I’m at Rallegra with Haven.” I held out my hand and she shook it in an exaggerated greeting.
    “This is Millie,” I said, pointing across the roof of the car, trying to be polite. Millie grimaced.
    Haven threw her head back and laughed. “Don’t tell me that’s your car.”
    “What?” I asked.
    “You’re such a fucking cliché, Harry.”
    I winced slightly. Most of the time I loved my car, but every now and then it felt like I shouldn’t own it. Cars like that weren’t meant to be owned by a cop’s kid from Chicago. Haven’s reaction was like salt in that particular wound.
    “A hot cliché, though,” her friend said.
    They both started laughing again. I could count on the fingers of one hand how many times I’d seen Haven smile, let alone laugh. Drunk Haven seemed much more fun than uptight, work Haven. The laugh brought her to life and she became all the more beautiful.
    “Bye, Millie,” Haven shouted as she ran off down the road, he friend trailing behind as I watched.
    “Baby, can you get me in this fucking car? I’m freezing,” Millie said.
    I unlocked the car. “Do you know those girls?”
    I nodded and smiled. “I know the one with the long blonde hair.”
    “If that’s what working does to you, I’m pleased I don’t do it.”
    I cringed at her reaction. Despite all the effort that Millie had gone to tonight with her appearance, Haven in her pyjamas, laughing with windswept hair trumped her hands down. The night was nearly over and so were we. I couldn’t understand how we’d been dating for three months. We had nothing at all in common. I wouldn’t tell her tonight, I’d wait until she was sober.
    Seeing Millie and Haven together, right in front of me, my feelings or lack there of for Millie became all the more pronounced. I realised I liked verbally sparring with Haven more than I liked having sex with Millie.

Haven
    I had the god of all hangovers. I could tell without even opening my eyes. I turned over and came face to face with a