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“Nothing,” I whispered and curled my fingers around the door handle.
“Congratulations on your grades,” she said, her tone lifeless.
“Thanks.” I closed the door behind me and walked away.
You didn’t even ask what I got.
Rose
Remi closedher eyes and shook her head. "I’m sorry, what?"
"I’m selling my virginity online," I repeated.
"Um, how?" Remi was super-intelligent so I figured this was less of an actual question and more of a statement along the lines of ‘what the fuckety fuck are you talking about?’
I pressed my hands on the table between us, spreading my fingers. "Don’t freak out, it’s all legit, all above board. I’m using a proper auction site…"
Her brows hitched so high they almost popped off her head.
"And… I’ve got a bidder."
Remi blinked again and sat forward, quite literally on the edge of her seat. “What?” She shook her head rigorously. “What’s going on, Rose?”
I took a deep breath. A lot had happened in the last three days. Too much to allow me to pause for a second to text mybest friend. And news like this couldn’t be explained in 200 characters or less, which was why I’d finally insisted on meeting face-to-face when everyone else was no doubtstillsleeping off their post-exam result hangovers.
She slurped her beer, her eyes imprisoning me so I couldn’t escape.
“Okay, here goes,” I muttered, almost to myself. “When I got home from The Six the other night, Jeff hit me.”
Beer came flying out of her mouth all over the table and two hands grabbed mine.
“He what?” Her voice was softer now.
I’d rehearsed it so I could sum up the whole horrid episode in one sentence. The more I dwelled on it, the more it felt like was all my fault, and I simply couldn’t afford to allow myself to believe that. “He’d heard what I did to Penelope in The Six, and you know how he idolises her father…”
She cocked her head and shrugged.
“Well, he hit me.”
Remi pressed a hand slowly over her mouth. “What did your mum say?”
My eyebrows twitched despondently. “Nothing. She didn’t even acknowledge it. Or my grades for that matter.”
“Are you serious? You mum’s always been so protective of you… so proud.”
“Yeah, maybe.” I waved her off, not wanting to rememberthosedays when they were so far removed fromthese.
“Did you try talking to her?”
I nodded. “She doesn’t want to know.”
I’d tried to talk to her again the following morning but she’d barely looked at me. She bustled around, her migraine clearly gone, too preoccupied to make time to speak to her own daughter. She’d behaved that way for a while, I reflected. For around three years if I really thought about it.
Remi’s eyes dropped to where her thumb brushed over the back of my hand. “This is why you’re selling your V-card?”
“Yeah,” I replied, quietly. “I need to get away from here. I’ve accepted a place at Edinburgh College of Art. I can get a loan to pay the fees; I just need to earn the money to pay rent. And find somewhere to live in the meantime.”
Her gaze flicked up to mine. “You have a whole summer to get through, Rose. Why don’t you stay at mine? Mum and Dad won’t mind – they adore you.”
