Hungover I love the days you're allowed to laze, 'Cause yesterday was spent in a drunken haze. You lie in bed and say you're feeling fragile, You can't clean or cook, or do anything slightly agile. You stay in your pit, and watch brain dead TV You eat far too much chocolate, Drink far too much tea. You swear several times you're never drinking again, Your stomach's in knots and your poor head's in pain. Just looking at the gin bottle makes you feel ill, You vow that in future, you'll strengthen your will. But as weekend rolls nearer, Your head feels clearer. You get itchy feet and you start to think, That you might as well go for a very large drink!

Soulmate (Chapter 2) Her hazel eyes met his lustrous emerald. Nothing, no amount of pep talks, could have prepared her on how not to gaze into those eyes, and be drowned in them. Lily forced herself to remember the times when those beautiful eyes held nothing but anger, or mockery. She managed to take a deep breath, and steady her fluttering heart. "Hello", she murmured quietly, playing with a strand of her hair like a nervous child. "How've you been Lil? You look fantastic, lost some weight?," Rage, hot and strong, flashed through her. She wanted to tell him how she hadn't eaten properly for months after he'd left, of how tasteless food was without him to share it with. But the bastard would never know how much he'd hurt her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Yes actually, on one of those protein shake diets you know? You look like you've put some on to be honest, must be eating well?" His eyes narrowed for a split second. "Good", Lily grinned to herself, he'd noticed the intended jibe. "Yeah, I suppose I have! Been living back with my mum so you know what she's like, feeding me up, telling me growing lads need to eat!" "Oh, you live with your mum? You find there's a lot of people our age who just can't get their feet on the property ladder. It's a social problem. Luckily, I managed to buy the flat outright a month or so ago.", Lily savoured her superiority. He lived with his mum, and she lived in her own house with her perfect fiancée! Brilliant! "I actually moved back in with my mum after her operation, to help her out a bit. She's not young anymore, and I worry about her. But you bought the flat? That's great, I didn't think you'd be able to afford it, are you not still at the travel agents?" Lily wanted to laugh. Here was the big reveal of how amazing her #life really was. It stung her slightly to realise that he never expected her to do well for herself, every grudging compliment, her appearance, her financial stability, was borne of complete surprise. That made it all the sweeter. She had succeeded despite him ripping her heart into tatters. "No, I'm a counsellor at a high school now. It's what I've always wanted to do, but I didn't have the right connections until I met Andy, my fiancée." Lily proffered her hand towards him, the beautiful diamond catching the soft light and shimmering magnificently. Now his face showed real shock. He'd almost turned white, Lily saw gleefully. "Engaged?! Wow, that's, I mean, God Lil, well, congratulations!" His stumbling, stuttering response was the best engagement present she could wish for.

I Don't Like Mondays How can two days be so different? How can Sunday be so meek? When Monday morning rears it's head, The beginning of the week? Sunday is a day for lazing, For lounging in bed all day, Or sitting still and people gazing, Or wandering to the park to play. Sunday is a day of rest, One last lie in before work, It's the day I love and treasure best, Knowing Monday's presence lurks. Watching a film on Sunday night, I become aware of the clock, The hands seem to move as fast as light, Monday's closer with each tick and tock. Lying in bed on a Monday Eve, I cannot get to sleep. For the weekend is over, I do believe, The thought makes me want to weep.

Soulmate (Chapter 1) It had been 3 years, almost to the day that he'd left. She had tried, but she couldn't erase that date, it was etched into her mind forever. September 11th 2001. How could she possibly forget that date? The whole world had watched in complete horror as The Twin Towers had tumbled down, the tallest buildings in New York reduced to rubble in mere minutes. It just didn't seem real. She had a very strange notion that his leaving had caused the Towers to be destroyed, it was so apt, how could the world carry on as normal when her heart had been destroyed? Together, she and the world mourned. She knew that September 11th meant tragedy, shock and grief, and that's exactly how she felt. She knew it was selfish, knew that a monumental, Earth shattering event was so much more important than a common break up, but how could she grieve for people she'd never met when all of her energy was taken up in grieving for her lost love? And now, 3 years later, in her favourite book shop, he was standing there. As she turned into the aisle, enjoying a Sunday afternoon browse, her knees buckled. Her breath caught in her throat and she had an overwhelming urge to turn and run. Or to throw up. He hadn't spotted her yet, buried in George Orwell, he was quite oblivious to the fact that his past had just entered his present. "George Orwell?!," she thought, stunned that a man whose idea of reading was flicking through the sports section of The Sun looked so engrossed in 1984. He'd always teased her about her love of books. "My little bookworm," he'd joke, "I don't know why we just don't watch the film, it's much less hassle." His disdain for literature had been fine at first, he had other interests and it was normal for couples to enjoy different hobbies. But towards the end, she'd sacrificed her reading for him, just as she'd sacrificed her friends, her family, anything in her #life that didn't suit or include him was eradicated. What should she do? She could attempt to creep back round the corner, while he was still engrossed, could aim to walk past him and hope he didn't notice her, or she could confidently strut past him, and if he noticed her she'd say "Hello, long time no see, no, sorry I can't stay and chat, I'm meeting my fiancée for lunch.", flash her very expensive engagement ring and saunter off. She wanted to do this so much, yet could she? Was she that strong, independent woman? He'd reduced her to a quivering shadow, yet Andy had built her back up, and her self esteem gradually grew. "Right, you can do it, you can do it, look him straight in those gorgeous, no, in those lying green eyes of his and smile." Thank God she was meeting her mother, she'd actually made an effort with her outfit, her hair and her make up today. She looked good. She strutted up the Classics aisle as if it were a catwalk, she flicked her chestnut hair and glanced at him. "Shit," she thought, he hadn't noticed. "Just keep walking, probably for the best that he..." "Lily?!", a stunned voice murmured behind her. "I can't believe it, how long has it been now?" Lily turned around to face her past.

Soulmate (Prologue) Trying something a little bit different, hope you like it. Her breath caught in her throat. She couldn't believe that after all this time, he could still quell her heart with a simple look. How often had she dreamt of this moment, lying alone in the darkness, longing for just one last night with him? When he first left, she thought she was going to die. She couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't function without him. Her days were spent in bed, gazing at the ceiling, consumed with memories and regrets. If she hadn't have nagged him that time would he still be here? If she'd have just tried a little harder with his friends he wouldn't have abandoned her. It was all her fault. Who could blame a wonderful man like him for leaving a pathetic mess like her? She was in mourning. Not for him, for the bright, sparky, carefree woman she was when they were together. She looked in the mirror and didn't recognise the ghost staring back. She lost her job, her friends and almost her home in that dark time. The electric ran out, and she was left sitting in blackness. The whole world felt like blackness without him. That's when she knew she had to change. She would end up a bitter, twisted, lonely old woman if she continued down this path. Gradually, she got better. Applied for countless jobs, anything to get her out of the house, actually went out and socialised with friends she'd long forgotten. She started swimming again, and found it cleared her head much better than a bottle of wine. And then she met Andy. Andy was kind, caring, a real gentleman. He knew she'd been hurt, and never rushed her. Andy was patient, sensible, thoughtful and practical. All the things he wasn't. Andy introduced her to his colleagues at the high school he worked at, and when the position of student counsellor came up, she was a shoo-in. Andy decorated her house, eradicating all traces of her ex and their #life together. The vibrant red walls in the bedroom became serene eggshell and coffee. The spare bedroom, once filled with his computer games and DVD's, became a reading room, with a huge leather arm chair and shelves upon shelves of books. She didn't just feel better, she felt like she had finally grown up. Just two days ago, Andy had asked her to marry him. A beautiful square cut diamond, traditional red roses, the perfect proposal. She'd said yes, of course, and her family were thrilled that this time, she'd found her soulmate. And then she saw him.