Maid of Honour's log. Still. Day. Bloody. Six. I may live out here on the balcony forever, now. Or at least for the next three days, until I can finally kick them all out of my flat and have the place to myself again. Although currently unsure if I kick Kim out, I'll ever see her again, the way today is going. Despite all of us being in each other's way all week, and currently being stuck under the same roof, has become impossibly easy to avoid my best friend for the entire day.

"Knock-knock?"

I jump, pulling out my earphones and twisting around as I'm joined on the balcony. I'm working a little later than usual – partly because I've been avoiding going back inside while my laptop's still got battery, and partly because I might as well try to make up for the work I've been failing to focus on for most of the day.

I close my laptop, hugging it to my chest as Kim steps outside.

"Brought you some tea," she says, rather unnecessarily, given that she's holding two mugs. She passes me one of them over and then slides the door shut before taking a seat. "Addy's making pasta for tea. Chicken and pesto. She said she found some garlic bread in your freezer, too, if you don't mind us using it."

"Yeah, sounds... sounds good."

We both sit in silence for the longest of minutes. I watch clouds creep by, and some people pass on the pathways below. I listen to Kim keep taking a big breath, ready to say something, and every time, she lets it back out – quiet and shaky and defeated.

We cave at the same time.

"Kim listen –"

"Liv, I didn't –"

We both fall silent, and both try again – still at the same time.

"I really didn't mean –"

"I shouldn't have said –"

Kim falters when I stop talking to let her finish, and her lips twitch before breaking into a nervous smile.

It's like a weight off my shoulders, seeing her smile: I know all is forgiven.

"I really am sorry," I tell her. "I know how stressed you've been about the wedding, especially with all... all this going on..." I sweep my hand in an all-encompassing gesture out at the view. "I honestly didn't mean to upset you so much, saying it might all have to... be, um..."

Kim sighs, crossing her legs and slumping in her chair. Her usual curls have turned into one big, frizzy mess. It's less hair and more of a mane, right now. There's still a smudge of black under her eyes where she hadn't quite managed to scrub off yesterday's mascara, after all the crying. Her face is puffy and pale, her eyes bloodshot.

But, at least, she's smiling, one corner of her mouth twisted up.

"No, you – you were totally right. I have been a bridezilla. And a total bitch, too. I just – I think it's kind of hit me, lately, you know? Don't get me wrong, I love Jeremy, and I absolutely want to marry him – it's just... this is it, now. One guy, for the entire rest of my life. I'm the first of all our friends to settle down, and sometimes I think his sister and Serena don't even really like me all that much, especially when I didn't add Serena to the bridal party, but I don't even really know her that well, you know? And it's not like she's his sister, like Lucy is. And it's all just felt like so much."

She takes a deep, shaky breath, and tells me quietly, "Jeremy said maybe it was a good thing. If it all got pushed back."

"What? I – I mean, Addison, she, um... she said something about, uh..."

"Figured she'd tell you guys eventually, the way this week's going," Kim mutters. She rubs her knuckles into her forehead, eyes squeezing shut for a moment. "I was texting him about it yesterday and he said maybe it was a good thing because he knew how stressful it had all been, and it's be good for us to have a break from all the wedding stuff, and... I guess it's just because I can't talk to him, really, or see him, you know?"

She turns on me, her eyes watering and I'm honestly astonished she even has any tears left to cry at this point. Sniffling, she wipes her nose on the back of her hand.

"That must be hard," I say, sympathetic as any best friend can be. "Especially when you guys have barely spent any time away from each other since you got together."

"I just got so in my head, yesterday, thinking, what if he meant we'd made a mistake, agreeing to get married? What if he regretted proposing to me, or he was changing his mind? What if the idea with spending the rest of his life with me was finally hitting him, too?"

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sure that's not what he meant."

I reach over, squeezing her arm, and Kim grasps my hand in hers, sniffling again. "Yeah, I – I know, but... I knew if I said it out loud yesterday it'd sound so stupid, or worse, I was worried you guys might all think that was what he meant, and... and then you brought up postponing the wedding and I just – God, I'm such an idiot. And I've been so bloody horrible, especially to you."

"Just a little."

"I honestly didn't mean to out you to Addison and Lucy like that either last night. I didn't mean anything I said, about you being bitter or growing old alone, or anything."

"I don't think you said anything about me growing old alone," I tell her, and Kim flushes before she realises I've seen the funny side in it. "And I, uh... I actually don't mind, too much. I think Addison might have a little crush on me, you know. I got kind of a vibe from her, this afternoon."

Kim's eyes light up and I just know she wants to gossip all about it, ask me a thousand questions, tell me a hundred and one things about Addison, but she reins it in quickly, saying instead, "About bloody time you noticed. She was flirting with you all weekend, you know. What did you think she was doing, making a show of parading around in your t-shirt?"

Despite the tone of our conversation, I indulge in the gossiping for a second, thinking back. I immediately know Kim's talking about Tuesday morning, when Addison had run out of clean shirts and borrowed one of mine, and come striding into the living room plucking at the shoulders of it, looking at it so critically and saying, "Hey, Livvy, you must have a really great set on you. Look at me! I'm drowning in this!"

She'd demonstrated the too-big neckline, letting the t-shirt hang off one shoulder.

And I'd said to her, "You know there are other shirts in the drawer. You could just find one that fits."

Now, I cringe, pulling a face at Kim. "I thought she was just... being American. Friendly?"

She tries not to laugh, pressing a hand over her mouth. "No, Livvy, she wasn't."

I'm preoccupied thinking about all the other moments this week when I just thought Addison was being obnoxious, but might actually have just been trying to flirt and grab my attention – and there are enough of them that I feel like such an idiot for not noticing sooner.

(To Kim's credit, it's no wonder I can't date anyone for longer than a couple of weeks, if I'm so bloody oblivious.)

I'm distracted by the solemn look returning to her face, though, and the puppy-dog eyes she gives me, looking so genuinely sad.

"I'm honestly so sorry, Liv. Even if you're not upset about me telling them, I – I never should've lost it like that at you. Especially this morning. That's why I was so upset today, you know. It wasn't anything about the wedding, not really. Yesterday was, but today... It was – you said you wished you'd never gotten involved, and... and I thought maybe I'd really ruined everything then, with us, and that you hated me. I'm so sorry."

I'm about to tell her, It's okay, and while it is, I still think she's got something to apologise for. So instead, I tell her, "Apology accepted. What're friends for, huh?"

"Will you still be my maid of honour? If there's ever a wedding, that is."

I squeeze her hand, smiling at her. "Of course I will – but on one condition."

Kim sits up straighter, blinking the tears out of her eyes. "Yes. Absolutely. Anything. Anything."

"No more wedding planning parties?"

She laughs, and it's the first time I've heard her laugh like that in months. "You got it, Liv. Promise – no more wedding planning parties. One was definitely enough."

I lift my mug of tea, holding it out. "Cheers to that."

Kim lifts her mug high. "To friendship."

"To bridezillas," I declare, and she laughs again, clinking her mug to mine.

And that's Part 4 all wrapped up, in a chiffon bag and lovely lavender ribbon...!

Hope you all enjoyed it! Remember to vote and comment (I do my best to read them all, I love hearing what you guys have to say), and follow me on social media for more - handles in the image above.

Next Tuesday is Part 5, with our last resident of London Lane, Ethan, who's trying to plan the perfect proposal for his girlfriend Charlotte. See you guys then!