Page 54 of House of Bass

Harley didn’t know what to say, they had reached the front of the townhouse. She didn't get her key out of her pocket. “What age exactly did you join?”

“Techinally thirteen. That’s why I got my knife, it was my present. But more seriously at sixteen.” Scarlett replied.

Harley inhaled the information and processed, her voice a little cold. “Gangs in my neighbourhood back home were filled with men taking advantage of little girls and boys, knife crimes and causing trouble.”

“You’re upset.”

“I don’t like it. Not because of what you think, but because I think your cousin groomed you into a role that you now feel like you have no choice but to accept as normal.”

“It’s not–” Scalett cut herself short then took a step back. “I have to go, it's getting late.” She began to walk away without another word. Harley knew she had overstepped, she turned around fiddling with the key, not wanting to see her leave. It felt like a chord had been yanked between them like Scarlett was pulling away from her.

Then a voice startled her from behind, Scarlett had come back “What time is the party?”

“Starts at ten.” Harley replied.

“I’ll be there,” Scarlett said with a smile. Then she walked away and disappeared from sight. Harley wasn’t sure what she had gotten herself into but she finally understood why Annabel had told her the redhead girl wasn't all she seemed to be.

21

ST. ANNABEL

“You started without me?” I gasp as soon as I walk in to see Harley on the floor shuffling cards, wearing her glasses and her hair in an up-do that enhances her high cheekbones, with Daniel sitting opposite her. He is separating Skittles into small little bowls by colour, which isn't a surprise because whenever he comes over I find him reorganising my bookshelf. Sometimes, in the middle of the night.

“Yes,” she responds offhandedly, concentrating on the cards in her hand.

“But I begged you to wait,” I pout as I drop my ballet bag on the floor and walk towards them both. “You said you would.”

It is nearing eleven pm but Gigi kept us even longer today because she didn’t think any of us were good enough. Even her favourite child, Devon, received a stern talking to.

“We figured since you’re a sore loser, we get in a game of our own,” Dan answers this time, a smirk on his brown face that is clouded in humour.

I gasp in disbelief, “I am not a sore loser. This is a defamation of character.”

“You want me to recount every time you have thrown a tantrum after losing anything? We’ll be here all day, blondie.”

I frown, refusing to believe it has been that noticeable everyone agrees. Groaning at them both as they look at each other hiding smiles, Harley says to me, “Get showered and come back, we’ll wait this time.”

I give them both a thumbs down and run up the stairs, “I’ll be quick!”

The first thing I think to do when I get to my room is text Arden, we have been texting casually since the day he brought me home. After the other day at university, I felt even more compelled to do so. Like I needed to speak to him in some way. I can feel my resolve slowly withering away and sooner or later I will say Yes, let’s be together.

ME

Am I a sore loser?

I gently place my phone by the nightstand and enter the shower. I make a quick do of showering, changing into my custom Dark Phoenix pyjamas that Dan made for me that I just make my way downstairs, with my matching x-men flask in hand.

When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I hear Dan on the phone to someone, “You promised, J.”

I go into the kitchen to get something to refill my flask with, battling with the decision between spirit and scotch so I just decide to mix both.

“What’s the issue?” Harley asks Daniel when he gets off the phone.

“Jamie couldn’t get the limited edition vinyl for me that he thought would at his job,” he answers.

“My Jamie?”

Daniel nods.