Toni looks exasperated. "You have incredible hair. Long. Strawberry-blonde. Wavy. Don’t you want to wash it, so it isn't all sticky and stiff from that hair Viagra they spray on you?"
I laugh. Grabbing my leave-in hair conditioner from inside my cosmetic bag, I spray it all over my hair and rub it in. "Better? Why does it matter? Everyone knows I'm coming from a performance."
Toni smirks, a secret clearly lingering on his smug lips.
My eyes narrow. "What do you know?"
"I saw a tweet just before I got here," he says, still brandishing a big grin. "And, well, ya know, apparently, a certain Butcher boy might be coming toyourparty."
I clear my throat but wish that I didn't because Toni is now smirking like a fricking fox that's just caught a hen. "Okay," I say. "Look, I know I have this little crush and I said a few things, but it's not a big deal.Please... please, don't make it a big de?—"
"Firstly, I'd call it aninfatuation, not a crush. You're seconds away from drawing hearts with little Ms in them on your leotards," he objects. "And secondly, you have never crushed on anyone. Ever. Before. And then you happen to crush on the most notorious manwhore in the District? This. This is a sign. Prove you're not an asexual pigeon and take his enormous cake and eat it. Tonight!"
I stand and turn from him evasively before sliding my leotard down my shoulders and shimmying it past my legs. My heart begins to race. I shift from one foot to the other, trying to pull it off. "I doubt he even knows my name," I mumble.
"Maybe not. But he will after toniiiiight. Purr. On. His. Face."
My pulse thunders in my ears. Max Butcher is the last person on earth who would find me the least bit interesting. I have spent my whole life studying and dancing. I have no social skills. I’m awkward and weird and completely inappropriate and so very uncool, especially whenever I open my mouth around intimidating people—like him.
Finally managing to tug my stockings off, I chuck them towards my bag. "He's coming to hang out with Flick, you know that. It has nothing to do with me."
I don't want to keep talking because talking to Toni right now is just going to freak me out. But if I don't talk to him, then he'll know I'm freaked out. Which I'm not. Unless he talks to me.
Feeling my skin flush, I don't look at Toni, but I can sense his eyes on me. When I'm down to my underwear, I riffle through my bag to find clothes for tonight. Clothes that I know aren't in here because I didn’t pack any 'Max Butcher' appropriate clothes because I didn’t know I would be fricking needing them! After moving the same three pieces of clothing around again and again, I finally pull them out. Acting like that didn't just happen, I turn to face Toni with a feigned grin. "So red playsuit and cream ballet flats, it is."
Eighteen
In every directionthere are strangers dressed to the nines, wishing me happy birthday and embracing me tightly. My party has become a major social event and has brought people from all over the District. From across the river. From important businesses. From important families.
My sister is a socialite. Popular. Beautiful. And she loves attention and crowds and noise. Being more of a homebody myself means I have a handful of real friends and the equivalent in acquaintances.
There are nearly fifty people here whose identities are a complete mystery to me. It's a beautiful party, but despite her best intentions and efforts, it just screamsFlick.From the live DJ and neon-lit dance floor to the over-the-top polaroid booth, to the gift covered pool table, and finally to the pink and red balloon garlands that are, like, everywhere.
Although, I do like pink.
My mum is bouncing between the kitchen and the game room, topping up cocktail dispensers and repositioning food. My dad is setting up some kind of projector, and I know I'mgoing to need more than a few drinks for whatever he has planned.
Suddenly, through the laughter and drum-and-bass, I hear Flick's voice. "You like it? You love it, right?" She emerges from the crowd, her shapely body and long molten-red hair swaying.
"Wow. It's...big," I say. The grin on her face is hard to ignore. Infectious. It's enough to make me love this party as much as she clearly does. I nod. "I love it."
Appearing on the verge of happy tears, she says, "I know you don't usually go for the elaborate thing, but I wanted tonight to be epic. I know you're probably a bit embarrassed, but that's why I had to do it. To get you out of your comfort zone and get you drunk. Loosen you up." Her eyes gloss over. "Sorry, I just had two shots from Stacey's belly button. I'm feeling a bit emotional. She has a beautiful belly button." She laughs and wipes a single tear that dared to break free. "I just love you so much, little sister, and you're so beautiful and I'm so proud of your determination and how strong you are." She embraces me tightly.
The backs of my eyes begin to prickle. Must be something in the water—like alcohol. "I love you too!"
She begins to giggle. "And I wanted to milk the District of presents for you. And ya know, just because I tend to favour the fairer sex doesn't mean I haven't noticed the male hotties around here. Hey? Dillion? Cute. Athletic.Riiiight?"
"Flick, stop it," I say as I take a few steps toward the bar. My eyes bounce around the desserts, landing on a cupcake. Smiling, I grab the cupcake and take a bite. I talk to her around a mouthful of delicious chocolate. "He's not my type. We dance together. I don't want to date the male version of me. I want someone..." The word gets lost; the name,however, doesn't.Max Butcher.I swallow and take another bite. "I don't know. Different."
"You're so graceful on stage. What the hell happens when you step off?" She says, using her perfectly manicured finger to wipe icing from my top lip.
"I get hungry," I laugh.
Her smile widens, and I know it's because she's so happy and loves me so much. "You're eighteen. Come have a body shot!"
I wrinkle my nose. "Not off Stacey."
She giggles and grabs my hand, steering me through the crowd and out onto the alfresco where people are gathering in groups. It's nice outside tonight. Slightly cool. Perfectly still and cloudless.
