Unfaithful (3 page)

"You're also completely obsessed with yourself," Brianna continued. “It's bordering on narcissistic."

"Oh, don't start trying to analyse me with your psycho-babble!" Penelope exclaimed, "just because you've studied for years and have finally qualified as a psychologist does not make you an authority on everyone!"

"What I'm saying has nothing to do with my professional opinion," Brianna retorted in her most condescending tone, "although I'm sure you'd make a fascinating patient."

They sat in stony silence for a few moments before Brianna finally relented. “It's just that I remember when we used to have so much fun together. We'd stay up late, go out partying 'til all hours of the night, drink too much and eat too much, but it seems these days that you’re on a permanent health kick and quite frankly I'm bored of it."

"We do go out," Penelope protested, "only last week we were dancing the night away at Elvive nightclub in town."

"No, Pen, you were dancing. I was sitting in the corner watching you while you networked. You hardly spoke two words to me all night."

Penelope's phone started to ring, interrupting their conversation. "I'll be back in two minutes,” she shrugged apologetically at her friend and hurried to answer the call in the privacy of her bedroom.

"Whatever," Brianna muttered as she stretched out on the couch, flicking through channels on the television.

Brianna and Penelope had met on their first day at university together, and had been firm friends ever since. Penelope had signed up for a Dramatic Arts degree as she'd longed to be an actress ever since she'd seen Jodi Foster in Taxi.  She'd been absolutely mesmerised by Jodi Foster's award winning performance and played the video over and over again, memorising most of Jodi's lines and imagining herself as Jodi in the film.

Brianna had always been fascinated by people and what made them tick. She'd considered studying medicine but knew she was too squeamish to enjoy being a medical doctor so instead she'd pursued a psychology degree and had graduated with a first class honours degree and top of her final year. She'd won a scholarship to continue her studies in the very prestigious King’s College London where she'd studied and worked for the past five years.

The two girls had shared a room in campus accommodation and had been close friends since they were seventeen year olds. Wherever Bri went, Pen was never too far behind. They'd lived together, studied together, socialised together, they'd even dated twin brothers at one stage! Brianna smiled at the memory. The old Penelope had been so much fun. She'd never taken herself too seriously and had always had plenty of time to hang out with her friends and family. Brianna didn't like this new, unimproved Penelope.

Penelope had been spotted by a model scout one afternoon when she and Brianna had been on their usual Saturday bargain hunting mission in the high street shops. Penelope had laughed at the woman when she had said that she had modelling potential and had invited her to come along to her studio for some test shots but she'd insisted on giving Penelope her business card.

It was Brianna who'd nagged her until she'd called the modelling agency and followed up on the offer. Penelope had gone along and had had some test shots taken and was signed up by the agency that same day. The agency was happy to work around Penelope and her college schedule. She'd done most of her modelling at the weekends and during the summer holidays but studying to be an actress was still first and foremost on her mind.

Once they'd completed their degrees she and Brianna had gone their separate ways for a year. Brianna had spent a year backpacking around Europe on her own. The two friends had planned to travel together, but Penelope's new career as an international, jet-setting supermodel quickly changed her mind about travelling with her best friend. Brianna had begged her to come with her, but Penelope had insisted that her modelling had to take precedence for now, after all, most models only had a limited shelf-life and she wanted to make the most of the fame and fortune while it lasted. Brianna grudgingly agreed.

They'd kept in touch via email and telephone. Brianna had spent an exciting year backpacking. She'd met lots of people and seen many amazing sights. It was an experience she wouldn't have missed for the world, even if she had been quite lonely at times, and disappointed in her friend for letting her down at the last minute.

Brianna found herself in Dublin, having accepted a position as a senior psychologist in The Beaufort, one of Dublin's main hospitals, at the same time that Penelope had had enough of modelling abroad. Penelope had decided to refocus her sights on the Irish modelling scene and her acting career. She wanted to make Ireland her base, at least for the foreseeable future. Brianna secretly and maybe a bit unkindly thought that Penelope had returned home because she was getting too old for the international modelling scene.

She'd read in lots of magazines that once you turned thirty you were considered well and truly over the hill as far as modelling was concerned. Penelope had celebrated her thirty third birthday a few months previously so she was practically an old age pensioner by the fashion industry's ridiculous standards!

So it was that the two friends had found themselves looking for accommodation at the same time and they’d thought that it would be a wonderful idea to move in together. Their apartment was modern and luxurious, conveniently located a few kilometres outside Dublin's city centre in a very exclusive, safe area.

It was a duplex, penthouse apartment, with two bedrooms, one en suite, which of course Penelope had immediately claimed as hers. The kitchen was fitted with every imaginable gadget and the living room was spacious and airy. The views over the city were breathtaking and the girls loved being on the top floor where they even had their own private balcony.

There was nothing that Brianna liked more than sitting outside on the balcony after work on a Friday evening, watching her fellow Dubliners rushing around below her. She liked having the whole apartment to herself for a few hours when she would wrap herself in a warm blanket and sit outside on the balcony with a bottle of Cotes du Rhone, a big wedge of Camembert cheese and some crusty French bread. She would immediately feel the stresses and strains of her demanding job evaporating, perched high above the busy Dublin streets, watching the world go by.

Brianna had jumped at the idea of sharing an apartment with her best friend. She remembered all the fun times they'd enjoyed at university together and thought they'd have many more fun times ahead. However, she'd been wrong, very wrong. Penelope was almost like an entirely different person. She had become very vain and self-obsessed, constantly posing and pouting and analysing every photograph of herself. Brianna rarely saw her eating and she exercised incessantly. She rarely drank alcohol anymore, telling Brianna, in her sanctimonious tone of voice, that alcohol was just empty calories that turned to sugar in the body, which is why so many women have double chins, whilst looking pointedly at Brianna's less than defined jaw-line. Brianna didn’t care about carrying a few extra pounds; she enjoyed eating and drinking too much to deprive herself for long and she found Penelope’s obsessiveness downright annoying.

"Sorry about that, Bri," Penelope breezed back into the living room. "I had to take the call. It was Mark, you know that photographer I was telling you about?"

"Mmm.” Brianna's response was non-committal.

"Well, he wants to see me to update my portfolio," Penelope continued, unabashed, choosing to ignore her friend's bored expression. "He has some brilliant ideas for different poses for me and he’s very talented."

"Isn't he married?" Brianna asked abruptly.

"Umm, yes, sort of.” Penelope hesitated and even had the good grace to blush a little.

"How can he be "sort of" married, Pen?"

"It's just a bit of fun, Bri, honestly, you can be so prim and proper sometimes."

"I wonder how his wife would feel if she knew about the kind of fun he was having with you and who knows who else," Brianna retorted.

"Well, Mark's wife is not my problem, she's his. I know what I'm doing, and so does he. We're just too people who enjoy each other's company and have a mutually beneficial relationship." "Sounds like you're trying to justify yourself."

"Excuse me, Brianna Moynihan, I'm not trying to justify myself to you or anybody else for that matter. I'm entitled to live my life whatever way I choose and whether that upsets you or not, quite frankly I don't care."

"I know you don't care, Penelope," Brianna turned around to look directly at her friend. Her green eyes were shining with anger. "You don't care about anyone these days except yourself and your precious, so-called career. Well, I have a career too, but I don’t allow it to dominate my entire life.  I'm sick and tired of watching you preen and pout around the place, acting like you're better than everyone else. You are completely and utterly self-absorbed and self-obsessed. You might be beautiful on the outside but you are ugly on the inside. You talk about yourself and your looks incessantly and you’re not remotely interested in the world around you. Whenever we are having a chat you always find some way of redirecting the conversation back to you. You used to be so much fun, so outgoing, kind, caring and the best friend anyone could ever hope to have. You've changed a lot, and quite frankly I don't like you now. Actually, I don't want to live here with you anymore!" Brianna uncurled herself from the couch and stood up.

"I've been so unhappy these past few months and I couldn't figure out why, but it's finally dawned on me; you're a toxic friend."

She suddenly ran out of steam and the two women were left looking at each other. Penelope was snow white in the face. She was absolutely stunned. They glared at each other in silence for a few minutes.

"I'll move out in the morning," Brianna finally broke their silence and walked off to her bedroom, leaving Penelope standing alone in the middle of the living room.

Penelope poured herself a glass of vodka and cranberry juice which was a rare indulgence for her these days.

"Cranberries are part of your five a day," Brianna would always joke, "so there's no need to feel guilty." Penelope grinned at the memory.

It had been a long time since she and Brianna had had a night out together, just the two of them. She knew she'd been seriously neglecting her friend lately, even taking her for granted a lot of the time.

Bri just doesn't understand how stressful modelling is as a career
, Penelope tried to justify to herself
. I'm constantly worried about calories and diets and wrinkles. It's easy for Brianna. She's always been such low maintenance anyway. She doesn't have a glamorous bone in her body and couldn't care less about fashion. I can't leave the house without wearing makeup and making sure my entire outfit is perfect. Who knows who might see me? Brianna can be such a drama queen sometimes. I'll talk her out of leaving.

Penelope sighed deeply and took a long, slow sip of her drink. She stood on the balcony enjoying the numbing effects of the alcohol and watched the people below her. She felt quite lightheaded by the time she'd finished her drink.

That was dinner
, she thought, quickly calculating the calorie content in her head.
Let's have another double for dessert
.

She made her way back into the kitchen and poured some more vodka, mixed with diet coke this time.

Penelope's thoughts wandered to Mark. She smiled as she recalled the Chinese dinner they'd shared earlier. He really was such a handsome man and she was having so much fun teasing him and flirting with him. He had asked her to bed several times and invited her on romantic weekends away, which she'd declined, always coming up with some excuse at the last minute. He’d sent her huge bouquets of flowers and taken her out to the most expensive restaurants and complimented her constantly. She had never outright said no to sleeping with him, but she always made sure not to put herself in a situation where it was just the two of them, completely alone.

She was enjoying herself and making the most of his attention. Mark couldn't do enough for her at the moment, nothing was too much trouble. She knew, from past experiences, that once she'd slept with him that the tables would turn dramatically; she'd be the one running after him, begging to see him, not getting enough of his time or attention. She preferred it this way, it made a refreshing change for her to be in control.

She kissed him occasionally and was playfully affectionate with him, but never anything more than that
.

So what if he has a wife
, she thought
, that's nothing whatsoever to do with me. We're friends. I can't help it if he finds me completely irresistible
.

She drained the last of her vodka and decided to send Mark a cheeky text before working off her "dinner and dessert" on the cross-trainer.

Chapter 4

"Women," Mark muttered in exasperation as he jumped into a taxi to take him home.

"Tell me about it, mate," the taxi driver grinned at his passenger in the mirror. "Can't live with them, can't live without them."

"I'll certainly never understand the women in my life," Mark complained, happy to have someone agreeing with him for the first time that evening.