‘I can’t believe that Tori has a boyfriend and I do not,’ says Kira, waving her glass around. ‘We’re both nerdy girls. I even have a good dress sense.’ She gestures around her body.
‘You’ve not met anyone yet,’ I say.
‘And nor will I ever, while my parents have me under constant house arrest. This is why I need to go to university.’
‘University might not solve all your problems, you know.’
‘Neither will staying here.’
‘Guys, don’t argue,’ says Faye, coming up to us. From behind her I see a group of girls from school: Christina, who’s in my History class, and her friends Anushka and Jenny.
‘We’re not arguing,’ says Kira, quickly. ‘It’s Selena’s birthday. And on that note, I’m going to get more wine.’ She waves her cup at me. ‘Want anything?’
‘I’m good,’ I say as the three girls come up to greet me.
I’ve seen Kira drink before, and normally she becomes an extra version of herself: fun, outgoing, loud. But something is different tonight; it feels like a dark cloud is hanging over her.
‘What’s up with her?’ I say to Faye.
‘I think Kira is being Kira,’ says Faye, shaking her head. ‘Don’t worry about it.’
Soon the rest of my guests start to filter in, and I don’t feel so bad. This is manageable. There’s maybe fifteen people here, max, but our house can hold them. And everyone is being very respectful. Mostly because it’s twelve girls and three boyfriends hanging out. Including Mia who keeps barking at her boyfriend not to touch anything, which I very much appreciate, as I couldn’t take any of the art down.
I’ve put the most valuable items upstairs, but there’s a bunch of heavy stuff I couldn’t carry, so I stuffed it into a cupboard inthe living room. It includes vases and statues and I’m scared the cupboard might collapse under the weight.
There’s low key chatting, drinks being poured, I feel very grown up.
Maybe this is what being eighteen is about.
The only people I’m waiting on are Ty, Ollie and Tori and her boyfriend, who texted me to say they’re running late.
The doorbell goes and I rush over, it must be Ty. Part of me is worried he’s going to bail after our kiss. That he wouldn’t want to face me. I’m not even sure I want to face him, but my desire for him to be here outweighs that.
I open the door, and Ollie smiles at me.
Thirty-Seven
Don’t hate me because I’ll say what I think
Don’t hate me because I’ll write
your name in ink
Hate me because I hurt you
‘Hate Me’ fromRoses
I stare at him in shock. I haven’t seen him at my front door in months. Even though I expected him to be here, I can barely believe he is.
‘You’re here,’ I say.
‘Hey, you invited me,’ he says, walking to me, arms outstretched. Then it hits me. The whole purpose of this party was to tell Ollie how I feel. With the work experience, and all the time I’ve been spending with Ty, I had lost track of that.
I hug him close. The shock eases into excitement.
‘You’re here,’ I say, ‘You’re really home!’
‘I guess I am,’ he says, laughing into my hair.
