AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Five
Katie Morris and the Cooties.
The sky was blessedly clear as I stared up at the stars and took a deep breath. Something about a clear winter night always calmed me.
With Hadley now in Melbourne visiting family and Mason on his way to Europe, little Piper Barlow had faded into the background and people went on without me. Sometimes, it bugged me. But, most of the time it gave me that much needed downtime. My parents expected me to be in the middle of the social scene, so I could stay out all night at the lake at the bottom of the hill behind our house all holidays if I wanted and just lie on my blanket and watch the stars.
And, that was my plan.
Because, no one came to the lake in winter; the bonfire parties were all in the fields on the other side of town. And, the first Saturday of the holidays was going to be no exception.
The one exception, of course proved itself when a huge car parked just above where I was lying.
The headlights were blinding even from behind me, so why I sat up and turned around to glare at them, I’m not sure. But, I was well blind by the time they were switched off and I blinked the spots out of my eyes furiously.
I turned back to the lake and stared at it as though my fierce concentration on the blotchy water would make whoever it was go away.
“Well, well, Barlow. A pleasant surprise,” the familiar voice said and my skin had that weird feeling.
I really should have recognised that stupid Holden Colorado; I’d seen it every day in the driveway next door for the last three weeks.
“Wish I could say the same, Lombardi.”
He dropped beside me and I glared at him, not that I could see much more than splodges still. Mind you, that did improve him somewhat.
“Do you mind?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Not particularly.” I could see his splotchy silhouette as he flicked his dark hair out of his face and looked towards the lake.
The moon reflected in the water and the breeze was still. The whole thing was beautiful, but it was now just ruined by the wanker beside me. I wriggled, drawing my knees to my chest and wrapping my arms around them.
“I’d have thought you had better things to do than sit out here by yourself,” he said after a while, picking up a stone and skimming it across the surface.
“Because I’m a loser now?” I snapped without thinking.
He huffed. “No. Trust you to take everything I say as an insult.”
“I could have gone if I’d wanted.”
“Of course you could have. It’s not like I’m there either.”
“Were you even invited?”
“Idon’t need to be invited, Barlow.”
That was true.
“No, you just show up where you’re not wanted like…” I stopped myself as my cheeks flamed; I was so not the girl who just insulted people. I hated confrontations, especially unfriendly ones. But, Roman had a way of getting under my skin and making my mouth run away without my brain.
He made a sound that might have been laughter. “No, don’t stop now. Like what?”
“Nothing,” I mumbled.
“No. I’m genuinely interested in hearing this scathing quip from you, Barlow.”
“Nothing,” I assured him.
“Come on, have a backbone. For once, say what’s on that tantalising mind of yours.”
