Persona - A Disturbing Psychological Thriller Read Free

asked Stacey.
    ‘Jesus! Are you talking about sex already?’
    Col nudged him with his elbow. ‘They love it. They’re just pretending to be nice.’
    Fay turned to him. ‘You’re very rude,’ she said, her face screwed up. ‘What makes you think we enjoy your company?’
    ‘Because, Fay, what you see is what you get.’
    She looked him up and down. ‘You’re in love with yourself.’
    ‘At ease with myself.’
    Fay shook her head. ‘Congratulations, what a wonderful guy you are, every girl’s fucking dream.’ Her face began to redden. Col reasoned that the fat bitch was jealous that he’d chosen her less pig-ugly friend over her. She was dying to slobber her lips all over his cock, but knew her mate had it lined up.
    ‘I knew I’d bring you round.’ He gave her a sexy wink. He thought he saw her legs twitch just a little bit.
    ‘Excuse me,’ Dave cut in. ‘I’m sorry to interrupt, but can we talk like civilised people?’ He grinned awkwardly.
    ‘I was,’ Col said.
    Fay turned to Dave. ‘What do you do?’
    ‘I work with computers. It’s not very exciting I’m afraid.’
    As Dave and Fay began to talk about shit, Col re-focused on Stacey. ‘When did you last have sex?’ he asked.
    Stacey looked around her, her head moving slowly as if underwater. ‘Last night...with my boyfriend , ’ she lied.
    ‘Really? So why bother talking to me?’
    ‘Because… I find you quite sad.’
    ‘You must be bored then. Faking orgasms?’
    Stacey face reddened. ‘No, my sex life is fine.’ She finished her drink, sat down the glass, and when she picked up the pitcher she couldn’t keep it steady and beer spilt on the table.
    ‘Let me do that,’ Col offered. He took hold of the pitcher and filled her glass.
    ‘Thank you.’
    He met her eyes. ‘D’you think I could make you come?’ He imagined how he looked right now - the deep blue eyes, square jaw and forty-eight inch, solid, bronzed chest. She must have a wide-on.
    ‘No.’
    ‘Why not?’
    Stacey poured beer down her throat. ‘Because you’re unattractive.’
    Col nodded at her. ‘Why then, have a hundred women slept with me?’
    ‘Probably because you paid them!’
    Col laughed and then looked away. ‘You know, we don’t live for long enough,’ he said.
    Stacey hiccupped. ‘That’s not a bad thing in your case.’
    ‘There’s too much to learn in one lifetime,’ he explained. ‘We all die ignorant of something, some part of life is unexplored.’
    ‘Why does that matter?’
    ‘Because something you missed out on might have made you happier than everything you experienced.’
    Stacey studied him. Is there something there? She wondered. She had sensed that there was more to him than the unsavoury character he purported to be. So many decent men felt the need to sell themselves as macho-types and louts because of the misconception that it impressed girls. When would they realise that no self-respecting girl would fancy someone like that? What was it he said? She was so drunk! Something about…‘Life being too short really bothers you, doesn’t it?’ she said.
    She needed mental strength, a man sensitive enough to understand her insecurities and pick her up when she felt down. She’d had to turn down so many men because they wouldn’t be themselves, and it made her very sad.
    ‘Yes, it means I’ll be unfulfilled,’ he said.
    She leaned closer, pushed aside her drink. ‘Because you must try everything ?’
    ‘Fate has a place for us. If we don’t find it, we wander without direction and die without inner peace.’
    She felt herself getting excited. This was more like it. This was humanity. She wanted to learn more. ‘And is that the same for everyone?’
    ‘No.’ Col shook his head. ‘Only a certain breed.’
    Stacey could hear Col’s friend talking to Fay about the housing market in London. She glanced at them and noticed her friend blatantly eyeing up men at the bar. Stacey returned her gaze to Col and squinted her eyes