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“Is everything okay?” she asks.
Unable to find the words, I just nod. “You ready to go?” I reach down to offer her a hand up, and she takes it.
17
The twenty-minute walk two suburbs over to North Heights is awkward. What am I supposed to say to her?‘Sorry, I’m not ready to lose my virginity to you.’ How lame is that? I’m sure Joel had no problems in that department. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing, I’m eighteen. I don’t even know what I’m waiting for.
“So, your step-mother took your phone? Is it because of… um, you know, what happened the other night?” This conversation isn’t any better, but I realise I know almost nothing about Sarah. I had no idea that was her step-mother and not her real mum.
“She’s such a bitch! She’s trying to brainwash my dad against me. Can you believe she actually tried to ground me? I’m eighteen,” Sarah snorts. “She said I’m turning into my mother. As if she isn’t just a gold-digging whore herself.” She ducks her head. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have dumped all that on you.”
I reach over and lace my fingers through hers. “What about your real mum? Where’s she?”
Sarah shrugs, brushing at an imaginary piece of lint on her jeans. “Sydney? Gold Coast? I have no idea. She left when I was eight. Ran off with some Rugby League player. She followed him wherever he went to play. He’s retired now, so I have no idea where she ended up.” Her eyes widen as she looks up at me. “I haven’t told anyone except Caley and Tiana about my mum. Please don’t tell anyone. Especially Hannah. I don’t want anyone knowing about her.”
The mention of Hannah’s name makes my chest tighten. “You don’t have to worry. We’re not exactly talking at the moment.”
“Really? How come?” Sarah sounds genuinely concerned. Surely Hannah was exaggerating what had happened between them at school. I haven’t seen anything that indicates Sarah would be mean to anyone.
“It doesn’t matter.” I shake my head, not wanting to get into it. I don’t want to think of the pained expression on my best friend’s face when I walked out on her the other day all because of another girl. Because of another girl who I only hooked up with while trying to forget about kissing her. Trying to forget her soft lips, her green eyes.Shit! What the hell is wrong with me?!I rub my face trying to push the thoughts of Hannah out of my head.
“Okay, but I want you to know that you can talk about her to me if you want to. It’s clear you care about her.” She squeezes my hand. “It’s one of the things I really like about you, you know. You’re a really great guy.”
My stomach churns at her words. I don’t feel like a great guy right now, hanging out with the one girl my best friend doesn’t seem to like. But Sarah’s been nothing but nice when it comes to Hannah. Even after I slipped up that first night we made out at JD’s. But I can’t stop picturing Hannah’s face. The sparkle in her eyes when I kissed her at my birthday.Why can’t I get her out of my head?Sarah’s supposed to be a distraction, but at the moment it’s not working. I glance over at Sarah as we walk. I feel like an asshole for thinking it, butmaybe if I sleep with her, I can finally get Hannah out of my head for good.
A couple blocks from the party, someone calls out to Sarah and we both turn to see a confident brunette who’s looking me up and down with a smirk and a petite girl with mousy blonde hair who looks like she wants to be anywhere but here. They’re walking down the side street toward us with a guy who’s about a head taller than me.
Sarah squeals, dropping my hand and running over to hug her friends. I roll my neck to release the tension before following her.
I greet the guy with a nod. “Hey, man. Oli.”
“I know who you are.” He nods back. “Nick. I play basketball for the Lakeside Eagles. Watched you play in the practise match last week. You really gave it to Gibbo.”
“Thanks man. The Eagles, huh? Aren’t they like in the rep league or something? You must be pretty good.”
He grins. “I go alright.”
We head off in the direction of the party. Nick and I fall into an easy conversation about sport, while Sarah and her friends hang back having a whispered conversation.
The music is loud. We can hear it at least a block away. There are cars lining the streets. North Heights kids greet Nick as we make our way up to the house, letting ourselves in. The heat and sweat of the bodies packed into the living room and kitchen hits me, the smell of weed making me cough a little as we help ourselves to some drinks in the kitchen.
I lean up against the kitchen bench, with Sarah resting her back against my chest. The confident brunette - who I now know as Caley - is chatting to a couple of guys across the room, while the mousy blonde who still hasn’t offered her name hovers next to us, sipping on her water.
“So, you guys go to Our Lady’s?” I ask, trying to engage her in conversation. She looks at me and nods before dropping her gaze down to the floor.
“Ugh,” Sarah sighs. “Tiana, I told you, you didn’t have to come.”
I stiffen.So, this is Tiana?I study the girl out of the corner of my eye wondering why she seems so nervous. Is she always like this, or is it because of me? Hannah’s words come back to me,“Her friend Tiana is the one who is working on the magazine with me. She told me everything.”
Caley comes over with a bottle of tequila, some shot glasses and a massive smirk spread across her face. “C’mon bitches, it’s time to get fucked up.”
I shake my head with a laugh taking the shot that’s pressed into my hand. I knock it back, wincing at the burn as it slides down my throat. Caley refills them twice more. Each one worse than the last before. I turn the shot glass upside down on the bench next to me. No more. Instead, I grab a vodka soda can and skull half the contents, trying to negate the bitter fuel taste of the tequila. A joint is being passed around, and Sarah takes a couple of tokes before offering it to me. I shake my head and she shrugs, handing it off to Caley.
Tiana’s phone beeps and tiny frown lines appear on her face as she reads the message. I notice while she downed a couple of shots of tequila with us, Tiana also turns down the weed. As if feeling my gaze on her, she looks up, almost dropping her phone as her blue-green eyes look directly into mine. I smile at her in solidarity, but she blushes and ducks her head away from me.
“Let’s go dance.” Caley bounces in front of us, grabbing hold of Sarah’s hand. Sarah twists around, grinding against me in the process. She looks up at me through her eyelashes, resting her hands on my chest. My body stirs.Shit, she’s gorgeous.I lick my lips, dropping my head to meet hers. I can taste the hint of marijuana as her mouth meets mine. She pulls away too quick making me groan as she leaves me wanting more.
“I’ll be back,” she purrs, following Caley into the living room with one last glance over her shoulder.
