Just Between Us (14 page)

             
I managed my shower and painted my nails with shaky hands. I kept the tears at bay, and I told myself that I couldn’t mourn something that I had imagined. He was a monster, and I had eaten straight out of his hand. I only had myself to blame for getting bitten. Mum arrived as I was painting my nails.

             
“Oh Sophie, your hair.” She squeaked, emotion in her voice. “You truly are the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

             
I sighed, “You have to say that, you’re my Mum.”

             
“I say it,” she sat next to me and placed her arm over my shoulder, “because I can’t believe how lucky I am that you’re mine.”

             
“Aw Mum.” I shoulder bumped her. “Don’t make me cry.” I took the opportunity to turn in to hug her. I breathed her in and squeezed her tight. She hugged me until I was ready to pull away, and we both knew that it wasn’t about what she had just said, but she didn’t probe, just allowed me to take her comfort.

             
“I love you.” She kissed my head. “Oh you’ve had lashes done, they look great.” She urged, “You need anything?”

             
“A glass of wine?”

             
“How about champers?” she asked, enthusiastically. “I’ll pop some open ready for the girls.

             
“Great.” I grinned, and just like that my mum had solved everything. I had been whatever I had been to Kyle, but I would always have her and she would never let me feel less than worthy no matter what I did. I could be a serial killer and she would always have my back. At that moment I had never loved her more.

Kathryn arrived first. She had done her make up and started straight away on mine, loving the fact that she had the extended lashes to work with. Ashley was a little late and extremely dreamy about her recent interlude with the painful Vinnie. We allowed the topic to monopolise conversation through the first glass of champagne, and then Kathryn insisted on a change of direction.

             
“So you look like someone kicked your puppy,” Ashley mused as we sat on my bed, our make up done, listening to
Now 53
.

             
“Rubbish.” I shook my head and looked away from her.

             
She eyed me suspiciously just as Mum poked her head around the door. “You girls want to go up to the second floor? Kyle is there with his friend, David. I could get some pictures before you all set off.”

             
“No,” I snapped, a little too hastily. “Erm … no thanks, Mum they’re not our friends.”

             
“Okay.” She held her hands up. “You better get dressed, though, it’s almost half seven.”

             
“Thanks, Mum.” She shut the door.

             
“Is Vinnie there?” Ashley uttered, and Kathryn and I screamed. She laughed, and we all descended into giggles.

             
I slipped into my dress, and thanks to Kathryn’s make up skills, I felt like a million dollars. Ashley wore a long, tight, pearl white dress that clung to her amazing figure. Kathryn wore a black dress that complemented her curvy frame and of course matching accessories that finished it off perfectly. We looked good and hugged each other before we made our way downstairs.

             
Mum and Mick were sitting on the patio in the early evening sunshine as we coasted through the kitchen.

             
“Wow,” Mick said. “Mags, you better get this on film, three movie stars were in our house June 2003.”

             
“Mick.” I laughed.

             
“We do look good.” Ashley nodded.

             
“Right, come on, I want some pictures anyway, get together all three of you in front of my busy lizzies.” She was crazy about her flowers in the garden, and so we posed by her prized possessions.

             
“Kyle!” Mick shouted, seeing two tuxedos shadow through the kitchen.

             
“Come out here and get your picture taken.”

             
“I’m late,” he grunted. We all turned to see him grab a bottle of Jack Daniels off the counter.

             
“Get out here and have a picture for God’s sake!” Mick shouted without a hint of question in his voice.

             
“Fine.” He stalked outside, holding the bottle, and David followed behind. He was his usual cheery self.

             
“Hi Mr and Mrs Hanson.” He grinned. “Lovely evening.”

             
“Yes, David.” Mum nodded, giving Mick a glare, perhaps angry at his ability to make the situation turn dark by bossing Kyle around. “Now, all in.” She said breezily as the five us stood before her flower bed. Kyle and David stood either side of us, and we all smiled. As soon as the camera flashed, Kyle was on the move.

             
“Come on Dave, we gotta go,” he grunted.

             
David followed and nodded goodbye to my parents. “Another one, girls.” Mum smiled to us, ignoring the uneasiness.

             
Later, we filed outside to Mick’s four-wheel drive. Mum was going to prepare dinner for when he got back, so it was just the four of us. Kyle’s car suddenly screeched back into the driveway just as we were inside the car. Mick launched out of the driver’s seat, and I ran behind him.             

             
“What the hell are you doing?” he ranted, “you drive around in that thing like a lunatic.”

             
“You’re supposed to drive BMWs fast,” he drawled spitefully at his dad, “not like a geriatric.”

             
“You’re spoilt,” Mick spat, “and it’s my bloody fault. I hope you haven’t had any of that whiskey before you drove, and why are you even back?”

             
“None of your business,” he shouted. Mick took a step towards him and I tugged his arm.

             
“Come on, Mick,” I said encouragingly, “we’re going to be late.”

             
“Don’t do me any favours, princess,” Kyle shouted.

             
“You’re a mess.” Mick shook his head.

             
Kyle took a deep breath and glared at me, “She’s going to be late,” he said wide-eyed with an uneasy smile. We both turned to walk back to the car, and I exhaled the breath I didn’t realise I was holding.

             
“Oh Soph?” he shouted, and I turned. “I’m sure you’ll get a fuck tonight, I mean that’s the look you were going for right?”

             
“Kyle!” Mick raged, and I tugged him away again.

             
“Leave it,” I said through clenched teeth as my face burned red. “He’s not worth it.”

             
When we got back in the car and started to reverse, I sat in the passenger seat and Ashley placed her hand on my shoulder from behind giving it a gentle squeeze.

             
“I am afraid my son is a nasty piece of work,” Mick said as we pulled away, but I couldn’t stop seeing the tortured look on Kyle’s face or miss the fact that Mick had a lot to do with the way his son behaved. Neglect took many different forms, and money couldn’t buy happiness. Kyle had learned that the hard way, and despite how he had used me, it was him that deserved pity not me.

             
The summer ball was electric, the DJ played all the songs that we requested, and the room was just big enough for everyone, so it was crowded, but not overly so. Everyone laughed and danced and reminisced about our years together. People that I hadn’t ever really spoken to approached me to sign their leaver’s books. Kathryn, Ashley, and I stayed together, buying bottles of wine and mixing with different groups of our friends. I couldn’t help but notice that Kyle and his cronies were nowhere to be seen, and by ten I was fairly drunk and Tim Anyon had found me.

             
“Dance?” he asked, holding his hand out for me. “You look amazing tonight, Sophie,” he crooned. I accepted his compliment and reached out to him, as he led me to the dance floor.

             
He took my hand and spun me around him as we laughed. I felt free for the first time that night, and deep down I was glad that Kyle hadn’t turned up to ruin the last night of my school career. Tim dipped me as the song ended and then pulled me to him as he slowly slid me back up.

             
“Do you want a cigarette?” he asked.

             
I nodded. “I’m trying to quit.”   

             
“Tomorrow.” He grinned.

             
He led me to the nearest table and gave me a cigarette, leaning in to light it before lighting his own. I had my back to the door, but Ashley sat opposite me. When I saw her face light up and she rose from her seat, I knew it meant Vinnie had arrived and with him, Kyle. Kyle walked passed me, and I didn’t even glance his way, but I could feel his glare. I knew he would be drunk by now. I couldn’t help myself, and so I leaned further into Tim whilst I smoked, to prove to Kyle that I was over our situation. After I finished my cigarette I looked up to see Kyle seated at a nearby table with Jennie Miller positioned on his lap. My heart froze, and I tried to hide my stare. He turned slightly, caught my eye and smiled.

             
“Ignore him,” Kathryn said, taking Tim’s seat whilst he went to the bar. “He loves to goad you, come on let’s dance.” Kathryn had no idea just how much.

             
She took my hand and led me to the floor. We danced to our favourite songs and requested some old favourites. Tim brought my drink to the dance floor as I had no intention of sitting down, and it was obvious. Ashley joined us as well as a crowd of other girls from school, but through the craziness I could still see Jennie tangled up with Kyle. He snaked his arm around her and threw his head back in laughter. I stalked to the bar and ordered some tequila shots; Kathryn tottered behind me.

             
“Are we getting trashed?” She laughed as I paid.

             
“We certainly are.” I held up the shots and she took one; we chinked and downed the burning liquid.

             
An hour later we were completely drunk. Ashley was draped over Vinnie, and Kathryn was next to her chemistry friend, Lee, who she had fancied for some time. Tim was buzzing around me, but I was too drunk to feign interest and instead chain-smoked and glared at Kyle. Eventually, I snapped and decided that this no good waste of space wanker was going to have a piece of my mind. So I rose unsteadily to my feet, and anonymous amongst the drunken students, I stumbled to his table.

             
“Kyle,” I barked. He didn’t even look at me, but Jennie who was now sitting to his left looked my way.

             
“Can we help you?” she said cattily, laughing a little.

             
“I was talking to my
brother
.” I emphasised the word brother. “Kyle,” I barked again.

             
He turned his head to me slowly, and amusement lit his eyes.

             
“Fuck off,” he said and Jennie burst into fits of hysterics. I glared at him incredulously and at that second I couldn’t have hated myself more. I shook my head slightly and fought tears. He turned away from me and back to his table who all watched me for any sort of reaction. I turned and tried to walk away quickly with grace, however it was probably more like a stampede.

             
I made it into the hallway and fell back against the wall, taking deep breaths. He was such an arsehole, and I had no idea why I was clamouring for his affection just like every other girl that he had screwed over. I was pitiful and he was a monster. It was all a con, it was all a game, and I was finally realising that.

             
I whimpered and attempted to save myself the shame by making my way to the ladies. However, all of a sudden the alcohol, the shoes, and my emotions all became a factor in me taking a tumble. It all happened in slow motion. I stumbled and couldn’t recover myself. I knew I was falling, but I still tried to steady myself to no avail. Eventually I just held my hands out to stop my fall, and as I landed I heard it – SNAP. “Shit!” I yelped. “Shit.”

             
Just then, out of nowhere, Kathryn appeared. “Soph?” she said, stunned. “Soph.” She tried to help me up. “Are you Okay?”

             
I made it to standing. “No.” I shook my head, “Kathryn, I need you to call my mum. I think, I … my arm snapped. I think it’s broken.”

             
“Shit,” she said, looking around the hallway and desperately searching for help.   

             
“Get me to the bathroom,” I groaned. “I’m going to be sick.”