"So you and Leo are an item huh?" Ben declared as he strolled into the kitchen where Joaquin had taken refuge from the endless sporting anecdotes, an in depth discussion on the state of Pamela Anderson’s breasts and a debate on which Hilton sister would be better in the sack.
          "Are you insane?" Joaquin gasped. "Oh wait, of course you are."
          "Me? You’re the one that’s sat there saying nothing all night or hiding out in here and do you realise how many bathroom breaks you’ve had?" Ben retorted, opening the fridge to hunt out yet another beer.
          "I’m sorry but I really didn’t have much to add to that fabulous debate about the Hilton sisters," Joaquin scorned. "And why have you been noting my bathroom breaks?"
          "You could have suggested something to talk about," Ben countered. "I mean from what Leo told me about your parents you’ve gotta have some great stories."
          "No," Joaquin spat. "My parents are not to be talked about, thought about or even have their existence acknowledged."
          "Ok fine," Ben groused, looking at her like she was insane. "Continue to be crazy and hide in here," he added and headed back into the living room.
          Joaquin frowned deeply a moment before letting out a groan and making her way back into the living room. She sat uncomfortably in a vacant armchair and realised after a few seconds Leo and Ben were watching her. "Yes?"
          "Just remembering what you look like," Leo chided. "You’ve been in the kitchen 35 minutes."
          Joaquin frowned deeper and then suddenly broke into a smile. "So Ben, what was Leo like at school?"
          Ben chuckled and Leo looked mortified. "He was head of the geeks."
          "We weren’t geeks!" Leo wailed, beer splashing from his bottle onto his glasses.
          "He was head of the chess, math and science clubs," Ben continued. "Oh and he was regularly found trapped in his locker."
          "You locked me in," Leo whimpered. "I was claustrophobic."
          Joaquin couldn’t help but giggle. "So at what point did you guys become friends?"
          "Oh we grew up together," Ben perked. "Still, I had to beat him up in high school to look cool in front of my friends. Didn’t want them thinking I was friends with a geek."
          "Oh that’s warm," Joaquin chided. "But understandable, I wouldn’t have wanted to associate with Leo either."
          "Well gee Jo, why don’t you tell us about your schooldays?" Leo scorned, his ego well and truly battered.
          "Nothing much to tell really," Joaquin shrugged. "Parents sent me to school in a series of tie-dyed items which inadvertently led to me being excluded from activities with the normal children and beaten on a regular basis."
          "You weren’t part of any clubs?" Leo asked as he reached for another handful of corn chips.
          "No, none of the other children would go near me," Joaquin said miserably and looked up at Leo and Ben. "Do you have any idea what is like to open your lunch box and find tofu and lentils?"
          "No," Leo mused, getting to his feet. "I was just handed a couple of bucks and told to buy my lunch," he added, scurrying off to the kitchen for another beer.
          "Yeah," Ben nodded, surprising Joaquin. "And if I was really lucky an orange."
          "Oh," Joaquin said surprised.
          "For the record Joaquin," Ben sighed. "My parents were mental too."
          "How mental?"
          "I was forced to wear a caftan to school until I was 14," Ben stated. "And Leo, despite being a total geek, was the only kid who would talk to me."
          "And me," Joaquin sighed. "So Ben is short for…"
          "Benajah," Ben breathed, suddenly looking very defeated.
          "If it’s any consolation my middle name is ‘Bliss’ because apparently that’s how if felt to make me," Joaquin smiled, her heart going out to a surprising kindred spirit.
          "Dweezil," Ben blankly looked at Joaquin. "They thought it was funny."
          Joaquin started to snigger. "Sorry but Dweezil, seriously?"
          Ben looked at her strangely, smiled and began to laugh as well. "Bliss."
          Leo returned to Joaquin and Ben in tears of laughter and looked at them both oddly. "Did I miss something?" Neither Ben nor Joaquin could stop giggling long enough to answer him.

          It was mid-morning the next day when Joaquin finally appeared from her room to find Adele scribbling down a shopping list.
          "Don’t forget food for October," Joaquin yawned as she sunk into a kitchen chair. October being a shaggy white cat they’d found abandoned in October and hence the name.
          "Yeah, not about to forget to feed the wildlife but thankyou," Adele chided. "What time did you get in anyway?"
          "Fourish," Joaquin replied. "We got onto a conversation about The Monkees and lost track of time."
          "So Leo’s mate was ok then?" Adele asked as she set about making Joaquin a cup of tea.
          "I’m not sure," Joaquin shrugged. "I mean, he’s a complete and utter egocentric jock but he grew up with parents that are insane as mine."
          "Really? Weren’t in the same commune were they?"
          "There’s a possibility," Joaquin nodded. "It was nice having someone who understood, it was like therapy."
          "Perhaps you two should write a self-help guide," Adele suggested with a laugh. "I can get it published," she added, plonking the mug of steaming tea down in front of Joaquin.
          "No, I’ll keep my memories happily repressed thankyou," Joaquin chided. "So how was your evening? Did you go shopping?"
          "Oh," Adele perked and beamed at Joaquin. "I nearly killed Aidan."
          "You what?" Joaquin gasped, gagging on her tea.
          "Some moronic truck driver swerved in front of me, I slammed on the brakes and poor Aidan went into the back of the car."
          "Was he hurt?"
          "No but his bike was tortured," Adele laughed. "I offered to pay to get it fixed."
          "How kind of you," Joaquin breathed, horrified that Aidan could have been roadkill. Images of his favourite green jumper flattened on the road flittered uncomfortably in her psyche.
          "Anyway, he has my approval so all we have to do is get you guys fucking and life will be peachy," Adele announced as she collected up her bag and car keys.
          "Adele!" Joaquin squeaked, her cheeks flushing red. "Aidan is my teacher."
          "Yeah and?" Adele shrugged as she headed for the door. "Practice acting concerned for when he comes to dinner tonight."
          "Huh?" Joaquin mumbled as she heard the front door open and close. "Oh crap!" she whimpered, remembering that Aidan was going to be there, in her flat within hours.

          By the time evening came around Joaquin was in full panic mode and was torn between attempting a pleasant dinner and hiding under her bed until it was all over. The only thing stopping the latter was that Adele was going to be there and therefore Joaquin wouldn’t have to go it alone.
          "How much longer are you going to preen?" Adele announced, poking her head around the door.
          "Until I stop feeling frumpy," Joaquin replied, looking unhappily at her jeans and purple shirt.
          "You don’t look frumpy," Adele sighed. "You look nice."
          Joaquin looked Adele up and down and sighed. Adele was in a nice pair of flared black pants and a flowy peasant top. She always seemed to look immaculate. "I hate you."
          "What?"
          "Sorry, that was supposed to be a thought."
          "Right," Adele said slowly. "I’m going back to check on the chicken before you attempt to choke me with the drapes."
          Joaquin looked in the mirror again, shook her head and headed out of the room. She’d nearly made it to the kitchen when there was a knock at the door.
          "That’ll be our guest," Adele announced. "Go let him in."
          "I can’t," Joaquin whispered, stopping at the kitchen door. "What would I say? I’ll babble and he’ll look at me like I’m crazy and then flee."
          "How about ‘hello’ and ‘come in’," Adele scorned as there was another knock. "Go!"
          Joaquin reluctantly made her way over to the door and hesitated a moment before opening it. Aidan flashed her a smile, which in turn caused Joaquin to lose all motor skills. "Ah, hi."
          "Hey Jo," Aidan perked. "Gonna let me in?"
          "What? Oh yes," Joaquin blushed and quickly moved aside letting Aidan saunter into the room.
          "Hey," Adele declared, appearing from the kitchen. She paused to take in Aidan’s paint spotted jeans, what seemed to be a nice red shirt and customary woolen jumper, this one brown. "You found the place ok?"
          "Yeah, luckily the bus stop is only around the corner," Aidan chided and then held out his hands in which was a bottle of wine. "I thought I should bring something, it’s only cheap since I’m poor."
          "Perfectly understandable," Adele perked. "And hey, at least it’s not cask."
          "I like to think I’m a little more classy," Aidan chided. "Well today at least."
          "I’ll pop it in the fridge," Adele laughed, taking the bottle from him. "Make yourself at home, watch some television or try to get Jo to function again," she added and disappeared back into the kitchen.
          "Sure," Aidan mused and looked over at Joaquin. "So did you do that picture near the door?" he asked motioning to a small drawing of October.
          Joaquin opened and closed her mouth a few times. "What do you think of Dadaism?" she eventually managed to say weakly as her cheeks burned hotter and redder than ever.