“You really know how to treat a girl.” Dee bats her lashes.
“Oh, yeah. You like it dirty, don’t you,” I tease back. “Dirty clothes, dirty dishes.”
“If that’s your patter for dirty talk, it won’t catch on.” She groans and lands on the outdoor bench seat hard enough for the industrial grade paint to flake onto the concrete below. “You going to Nate’s party on Friday?”
“Sounds good. You want a lift?”
“Not if you’re going to be drinking.” I stare at her in surprise and watch as she crumples into laughter. “Oh, your face. Sure. That’ll be awesome. You want to come to mine beforehand to get ready?”
“Mm-hm. How many hours should I allocate?”
She rolls her eyes. “I doubt it’ll take hours.”
But she’s not fooling me. Dee’s had a crush on Nate since they were in primary school together, so she’ll be going all out.
She doesn’t stand a chance with him. The boy’s into chubbies and Dee’s the polar opposite. Even if she stuffed a week’s worth of food into her face every day, she’d never gain a pound. It’s hard enough for her to keep the scant weight she has.
But crushes don’t listen to reason. And I know better than to try. Given my history, I’m in no position to lecture anyone.
Friday night.
I have two appointments with Wilbur before then. The knowledge makes all the bones in my face ache. I hope the party has plenty of booze because my sole focus is going to be getting hammered. If I do it well enough, maybe that’ll loosen a few of my invasive memories and whisk them away into the big dark bin of voluntary blackout.
Wouldn’t it be great if I could consign them all there? Spruce up my brain like it’s the first day of spring and we need a fresh start because boy, do I ever.
I pull my phone out to add the date and I’m startled to see a new message come in as I stare at it. Sent from Wilbur.
“Just checking in. Send a photo.”
The fuck? I scan back through the messages that have arrived since I turned it to silent in class. Four. He’s sent me four.
All asking the same thing.
I snap a quick selfie and send it before I can think twice. Obedience is so well ingrained that to ignore it doesn’t occur to me.
“Why aren’t you in school uniform?”
“Because I’m a senior.”
“I’ll buy you one.”
I shudder and tuck the phone away, double checking it’s on mute and non-vibrate.
Dee’s staring at my face, hers twisted a bit with concern. “Who’s that? Your mum?”
“It’s nobody.”
“You got a new boyfriend already?”
“No. Right now, I think I’ll happily remain single until the end of time.”
“Zach wasn’t that bad, was he?”
You don’t even like me.
And my least favourite earworm is back.
I shift on the bench, picking at a piece of paint and peeling it back like a price sticker on fruit. “He was fine. Why, you interested?”
