As I awaken from a deep and peaceful slumber, I open my eyes to take in the view of my seemingly unfamiliar surroundings. I wipe the sleep from my large almond-shaped hazel eyes, taking a closer look around me.
Lying on my back with a soft feather filled cushion supporting my head and a white cotton sheet draped across my naked body, my eyes dart from wall to cream-coloured wall, desperately trying to figure out where I am.
As I slowly remember the events of the night before, my legs curl up towards my body and I can feel the little hairs on the back of neck rise, sending shivers up and down my spine.
I recognise a painting on the wall directly in front of me so I sit up sligtly, propping myself up on my right elbow. The softness of the rug on my bare skin reminds me that I am in my own living room. Looking at the painting again confirms this.
It is a vivid colour canvas of two bodies intertwined in an intimate embrace. It was a birhday gift from my boyfriend Toby and I had brought it down with me from our flat in York.
I had only been in my new house for one night since moving to Ripton Close the day before, a fairly quiet suburban area in South London.
I had qualified as a Doctor just a few weeks previously and was moving to London to start a new post as a Senior House Officer in a large London Hospital.
Alison Newbery, a 30-something yr old successful fiction writer, lives four houses away from me. I call her my neighbour as there are only 10 houses in the Close. A confident woman with a quirky but pretty face, pale skin and long legs, she introduced herself to me the day before...
On that day, as I was unloading boxes from my car, I heard the click-clack of high heels on the tarmac behind me. I turned around to see a woman of medium-tall height dressed casually in a light green linen dress, shoulder-length wavy auburn hair, piercing green eyes and a large wide smile directed at me.
'Hi there, I'm Alison. I live at no. 8. I just got back from town and noticed you moving in. I just wanted to say welcome and ask if you need any help?' she said, cocking her head slightly to one side.
I was grateful for her kindness but looking at her in those heels and pretty dress made me think she was in no fit state to carry heavy, dusty boxes for me and was just being polite.
'Thanks but I'm almost done now' I replied, conscious of the fact that I was looking a bit worse for wear, aware that her eyes had wandered ever so slightly away from mine, down to my chest. I was bending over a large box, attempting to pick it up and my ample breasts were protuding quite obviously from the top of my vest. Her attention bothered me slightly. I was used to being ogled by men but felt uncomfortable having a woman stare at me so intently, so I stood upright and pulled my vest up a little trying to cover up.
'OK, well you know where I am' said Alison, seeming to be unaware of my embarrassment. ' If you need anything, just knock on my door. I'm throwing a dinner party for some friends later around 8 and you're more than welcome to join us'
'That sounds great' I said, not wanting to seem unfriendly 'I guess I'll see you later then. Oh by the way my name's Jo'
And with that, she left, the click-clacking of her heels becoming more faint as she walked home.
I could do with cheering up, I told myself. Leaving Toby behind in York was already taking its toll. We'd met in uni and lived together throughout most of our years there. We'd had a massive argument about my relocation to London. We had parted on a bad note so I was feeling rather sorry for myself.
Once I'd unpacked the last of the boxes and made my new house somewhat livable, I started thinking of what to wear for the evening. The time was fast approaching 8 so I had a quick rummage through my wardrobe and picked out a simple outfit of a short denim skirt and strapless satin black top. I put on a little blusher and a slick of coral-pink shimmery lipgloss, pulled my long brown hair into a low ponytail, slipped into comfortable but sexy slip-ons and headed for Alison's.
Standing outside no.8 at 8:15, I could hear the booming of loud music though the front door. I rang the doorbell and a middle-aged man answered the door, introduced himself as Alison's boyfriend Mark with a handshake, and asked me to come in. As I walked into a spacious living room, packed to the brim with guests drinking, eating and chatting happily away, I spotted Alison sitting in the kitchen with a guest. I walked over, greeting her with a kiss on each cheek and apologised for being late.
'Hey Jo!' She sprang to her feet, embracing me with both arms as she pressed tightly against me, returning my kisses. 'Don't be silly, party's just getting started' she said loudly above the thumping music. 'You look gorgeous' she exclaimed, eyeing me from head to toe. 'Help yourself to food and drinks. There's nibbles in the living-room, I'll be serving dinner soon'