She sighed. She was too out of it to think about anything rationally. She rummaged through her handbag for a pack of cigarettes, and lit a Marlboro Light, toking on it deeply before blowing the smoke out into the night slowly. She was tired, but that wasn’t anything new to her – she was always fucking tired lately. She spent more time out of her flat than she did inside it. She loved being in company, enjoying herself. Life was too short – her own father had shown her the truth of that. She had learnt at a young age the value of a human life. She was far too young to settle down anyway.

She was also far too young for the man she was with tonight. He was boring the arse off her – all he talked about was himself. She heard the door open and knew that it was Jonny Parsons looking for her. He was so sure of himself, it wouldn’t occur to him that she was with him for no other reason than he was a lowlife piece of shit. She didn’t have the patience for him now, he was getting on her nerves big time. The idiot. He looked baffled and sorry for himself. She could see the wrinkles around his eyes and the flakiness of his skin – he was a real prize. Lately, she’d noticed that the more out of it she got, the more she seemed to see the truth of her situation and the life she lived. She was feeling more and more disgruntled by the day.

‘What’s going on, babe? For fuck’s sake, I turned around and you were gone.’

Jessie rolled her eyes in annoyance. He was a real prick. Why hadn’t she admitted that to herself before now? He was on the wrong side of forty, he was overweight, he dressed like a fucking extra from The Sopranos and he talked like a fucking special guest on The Jeremy Kyle Show. He was a complete fucking embarrassment. She stepped away from him quickly, hating that he was too stupid to take the hint that she didn’t want to associate with him any more. She had sussed out that her main attraction for him was her father – all he wanted from her was an in.

‘I’m not your fucking babe, or anyone else’s, you fucking moron. Who says “babe” in this day and age, for fuck’s sake? Have you heard yourself? You sound like a reject from the eighties. Fuck off and leave me alone.’