by Nikki Ashton
A vague recollection flitted through my mind. “Sorry.”
“Ah that’s what being young is all about.” He smiled and moved over to Lori and placed a hand on top of her blonde head. “Okay you, let’s go and pick Mummy up and leave Sarah and Adam in peace.”
“Where is Mum?” I asked, glancing at Sarah to see her rubbing her temple.
“The nail bar,” Lori grumbled. “She’s having Flamingo Pink nails and wouldn’t let me go with her.”
Roger rolled his eyes and chuckled. “You’re too young, we told you that. Say goodbye to Sarah.”
“Bye, Sarah,” Lori said with a pout before stomping out of the room.
“Bye, Lori, see you next week at Street Dance.”
She gave Roger a sweet smile, even though she looked a little green in the face. “Bye, Mr Crawford.”
“Bye love, nice to see you again.”
We watched each other in silence until the front door clicked shut and as soon as it had I moved to sit next to her at the table.
“You sure you feel okay?” I asked leaning forward with my elbows on my knees.
“Pretty much. I think the water you made me drink helped. That and the other three pints Alannah practically poured into me.” She looked down at the catalogue which Lori had left on the table and traced her finger around a picture of a scooter. “I need to thank you for calling her and texting my mum too.”
I shook my head. “No problem. I just wanted you to be safe.”
We fell silent and the air crackled with intensity as Sarah avoided my gaze. I didn’t take my eyes off her. Eventually, when I could stand it no longer, I cleared my throat, ready to speak. “Do you think we need to talk about what else happened last night?”
Her fingers knotted together and without looking up she shrugged. “I don’t know, do we?”
“Yes, we do. We had sex, and you can’t just ignore it.”
“I’m not,” Sarah replied, shaking her head and finally looking up at me, her eyes full of trepidation. “But it doesn’t change anything.”
I clenched my teeth. She had to know it changed everything. I knew I’d agreed with Roger I’d wait until I was sure what I wanted, but after being inside her last night there was no doubt in my fucking mind.
“So, you and that lad, you’re just friends, right?” I asked, thinking that veering her away from a discussion about the sex she evidently wished we hadn’t had, might keep her in my house for a while longer.
She raised a brow. “Yes, Adam, Jack and I are friends. That’s all.”
“He didn’t think that,” I scoffed.
“Well, that’s not my problem. I made it clear that was all it was.” She sounded irritated as she huffed and pushed her chair back. “And as far as you and I are concerned, what happened shouldn’t have. I just wanted to apologise. I was drunk, as you know, and I should have just walked away.”
Well that was a way to hurt my male ego.
“You didn’t have sex with me just because you were drunk, Sarah. We both know that, so don’t try and kid yourself.”
“You don’t know what I was thinking,” she said, her gaze snapping to mine.
“No, but I know when someone wants sex for reasons other than being drunk, and you most definitely wanted me in spite of being pissed.” I felt my dick twitch as I thought about how willing and wet she had been. “I’m sorry it happened, but only because you deserve more respect that a shag against a wall in a bar, so I apologise.”
She started to push her hand up her sleeve, so I leaned forward and pulled it to me instead. “Don’t,” I whispered.
Dragging her hand from mine, Sarah closed her eyes and licked her lips before taking a deep breath and then looking at me.
“I need to go, I just wanted to say thank you. Oh, and thank you for not punching Jack.”
My spine stiffened me. “How do you know I didn’t?”
“I spoke to him this morning.” She cleared her throat and entwined her fingers together. “He said that you ended up walking home with him.”
I reared back in my chair trying to ignore the fact that she’d spoken to him. “I did?”
“Yes, you did,” she said with a hint of a smile. “Apparently, you told him he was your new best mate.”
“Well he isn’t. He’s a twat.”
“Adam!”
“He is,” I protested. “He let you get drunk.”
“It was my fault, I hadn’t eaten.” She chewed on her bottom lip, looking uneasy. “I need to go.”
“You could stay. I could make you…” I looked at the orange LED clock on the cooker and saw it was almost two. “Shit, I could make you a late lunch.”
She shook her head and pushed back her chair. “I have to go I promised my mum I’d watch a film with her this afternoon, and I need to pick her up, she’s gone to a yoga class followed by a woman’s meeting that I dropped her off at earlier. Clarice just started them this week.” Suddenly a beautiful smile flashed across her face. One that brightened not only her eyes but my world too. “Oh, and talking of films, Fifty Shades, really?”
I shrugged and gave her my cocky, I’m-so-fucking-funny, smile, one that I knew she loved. When she took a deep breath and sucked her bottom lip into her mouth, I knew it was the best one to bring out.
“I didn’t know what else you and Alannah might watch.”
“Hmm, I’m sure. You could have actually asked Alannah or mentioned any one of a thousand romantic comedies.” She shook her head, but there was a little grin on her face which told me I wasn’t really in trouble.
“I can drive you, if you like,” I offered.
“I have my mum’s car, but thank you.” As she stood up, her mobile buzzed with a text. “That’s probably my mum reminding me to call and get chocolate.”
As Sarah pulled her phone from her pocket, I watched her carefully. My eyes grazing over her deep pink lips, the milky skin of her neck and the sexy curve of her perfect tits. She was so bloody beautiful, and I’d fucked everything up for a man I’d seen a handful of times.
“Oh my God,” she gasped. “That’s awful.”
“What is?” I pushed up from my chair ready to comfort her, she looked so upset.
Sarah looked up at me with wide eyes. “Jack just went to pick up his car and someone has scratched the paintwork.”
I wasn’t surprised as he’d hardly left it on the safest car park overnight. “It’s dodgy around there. He was a bit stupid to leave it.”
“You don’t understand,” she said quietly, tears brimming at her lashes.
“Sarah, what the fuck is wrong?” I rushed to her side and threw an arm around her. “What’s wrong, babe?”
She passed her phone to me which was showing a photograph that Jack had evidently sent. I looked down at it.
“What the fuck?”
With my heart hammering and anger simmering almost to the point of exploding, I looked at a photograph of a red Corsa with the words “Whore Shagger” etched into its side.
“Fucking Mackenna,” I yelled. “I’ll fucking kill her.”
22
Sarah
Seeing the words etched into Jack’s car had made me feel sick to my stomach. How could someone could be so nasty. One thing I was sure of was that I agreed with Adam in that it was probably Mackenna’s work. Despite Adam wanting to sort it, I’d passed on Mackenna’s name to Jack and explained she hated me because of Adam.
The whole thing made me sick and I wasn’t sure I actually wanted to help my mum eat both the family size bars of chocolate, chocolate coloured peanuts and a huge bag of popcorn, I’d bought. I did wonder if I’d overdone it. My hangover was lingering though, and junk food was the only thing that would do.
Approaching Mum’s car, I thought again about the sex Adam and I’d had against the wall in the bar. It wasn’t the sort of thing I’d ever imagine myself doing, not until I’d met Adam. He drove me bloody crazy with need for him in every way. My cheeks heated up as I recalled how amaz
ing it had felt having him between my legs and how he’d sent me free falling over the edge of bliss.
Blowing out to cool my face, I reached the car and pointed the key at it to hear the bleep of the lock. When I sat inside, I put the key in the ignition and smiled sadly when Gracie Abrams’ ‘Stay’ sounded out through the speakers. I’d been playing it on repeat for the last few days, revelling in the pain it created in my chest because it reminded me so much of Adam and me. It also reminded me that Adam’s dad was the creeping hand of fear that stopped me from taking what I wanted and us from being normal teenagers.
Pulling my seat belt across my chest, I noticed a bright, flashing orange light on the dashboard with the message ‘Tyre Pressure Low’ next to it was the number 6.
“Shit.”
I knew what that meant. Dad had made sure I knew how to know how much air was needed in a tyre. This meant I was aware that a pressure of six meant it was pretty much flat.
Unbuckling my belt and getting out I walked around the car to see that the front passenger side tyre was indeed as flat as a pancake. The problem was Dad may well have taught me all about tyre pressure, but never once had he shown me how to change a tyre. I looked around to see if there was anyone around who might be able to help, but apart from a frazzled mum and her two small children there was no one.
Sighing heavily, I pulled my phone from the back pocket of my jeans and called Mum.
“Hi, love, you on your way?”
“Not really, Mum.” I looked down at the tyre and kicked it. “I’ve got a flat tyre.”
“Flat. What totally flat?”
“Yep. What shall I do?”
“Do you think you could change it? There’s a spare underneath the boot.” She didn’t sound optimistic and she was right. It was a Ford Kuga, so quite a big car, too big for me to jack up on my own.
“I don’t think I can. Shall I call roadside assistance?”
Mum thought for a moment. “I think I have to be with the car. Bloody hell, I meant to put your name on it too. Do you think you could call Adam?” she asked tentatively.
“Mum,” I sighed. “No not really.”
I couldn’t say, no because he shagged me against a wall and I just told him it was a mistake, but thankfully she didn’t push me on it.
“No, I suppose not. Okay love, you go home and then I’ll call them in the morning and arrange to meet them there. It’ll be fine there overnight. There’s no point us missing our film night. I could be sat there for hours waiting for them.”
I was a little surprised that she was happy for me to leave the car but loved that she didn’t want to miss out on us having some time together. Her new car would have been important to her at one time, but now she really was trying to put me first.
“Okay, but how will you get home from yoga?”
“There’s a lady called Tricia who lives on our estate, she offered but I said you were coming for me. We’re just about to start the meeting, so I’m sure she won’t mind.”
“That’s good.” I smiled glad that Mum seemed to be making friends. She hadn’t really mixed with anyone since we’d lost Dad, so when Clarice had told me about the yoga and women’s meetings she was starting, I knew I had to persuade her to go. “Well I’ll have the chocolate and popcorn ready for when you get back.”
“Ooh good,” she said happily. “I’m going to make stir fry for dinner, and I have wine in the fridge too.”
My stomach turned over at the thought of alcohol but didn’t mention that fact as we said our goodbyes.
The shop was only a ten-minute walk from home but only stocked non branded stuff. While I wasn’t a snob generally, if it wasn’t Cadbury chocolate or real diet coke, it wasn’t worth buying. Today though I couldn’t face talking to Rita or Murray, so cheap chocolate would have to do
Taking a deep breath and giving my surroundings a quick scan, I set off thinking that if I hadn’t decided to go and see Adam, I wouldn’t have needed to borrow Mum’s car and get her a flat tyre. Also, if I hadn’t decided to go and see Adam, I wouldn’t be feeling hot and bothered and remembering him inside of me and his lips on my skin.
Trying to push the thoughts of lust away, I zipped up my jacket against the wind, which was blowing directly at me, and put my head down as I marched on swinging my carrier bag at my side. With our bungalow in sight, I came to a place where the footpath narrowed as it skirted a path which led down to a kid’s park, I was about to cross over the road when a man dressed in a thin black bomber jacket, and jeans with a black baseball cap on his head stepped out in front of me. I jumped backwards and my heart thumped in my throat, beating uncontrollably.
“Well, we meet again,” he said as he gave me a smile which barely moved his lips.
The nightmares I always had about him were nothing compared to how he looked in that moment. He looked determined and vengeful as his black heart and soul spoke to me through unforgiving and narrowed eyes. In those nightmares, I would open my mouth to scream and there would be nothing but silence. I would try and run from him, but my legs would be stuck in place as he moved towards me.
This wasn’t a dream though, this was real life and I wasn’t going to let him hurt me again, so with every ounce of strength and power I had I lifted my feet and ran.
23
Adam
“Why the fuck are you so het up about her?” Ellis asked as he lounged on my bed and flicked through the pages of the football magazine that Sarah had bought for me.
About five minutes after Sarah left, Ellis turned up to play FIFA, but when I’d told him I wasn’t in the mood because of what Mackenna had done to Jack’s car, and that it had upset Sarah, he’d just shrugged and made himself comfy with my magazine.
“She’s got a pussy,” he said. “But so do plenty of other girls. It’s nothing special.”
I snatched the magazine from him and standing above him, got into his face. “You fucking speak about her like that again and best friend or not, I’ll fucking annihilate you.”
Ellis reared back, but his usual grin wasn’t there. He looked disdainful with his lip curled as though he could smell shit. I had a feeling he’d been on the weed, before he came over, because his eyes were red rimmed and lazy.
“For fuck’s sake, Adam, stop getting so arsey.”
“You know what I think about her. This is the last thing she needs after everything that’s happened to her. Mackenna is a cunt for doing it.”
Ellis looked up at me and frowned.
“You’ve fucking lost it, Adam. All over a girl who fucked your dad.”
And that was his step too far.
The red mist dropped like a lump of concrete from a great height and without even thinking about it, my fist landed on his face.
“You fucking twat,” he cried, wincing as he scrambled up the bed away from me. “I’ll end you.”
“Go on then,” I yelled, spittle spraying all over him. “Try it. I dare you.”
Ellis snarled and rolled off the bed to stand face to face with me. His breath was heavy as he forcefully pushed my forehead with his.
“You’re a prick, Adam. No wonder your dad fucked off and left you.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” I pushed Ellis hard against his chest. He stumbled back a step, but he quickly righted himself and got right back in my face. “Say what you like about him, but not Sarah.”
“You think she’s so amazing, yet not one fucking girl in her last school had a good word to say about her.”
“What?”
Ellis gave me a sickly smile. “Oh yeah I talked to them all, but not one of them liked her; your precious Sarah.”
My stomach bottomed out and my lungs cinched. “What the fuck did you do, Ellis?”
“I went looking for her secret, just like you asked us to. This is all on you Adam,” he scoffed. “Your dad being here, it’s all because you wanted to break her, well it looks like you got your wish Mr Fucking Big Shot.”
My hands clench
ed into fists, ready to punch him again, but not until he told me everything. Not until he spilled about the vile shitstorm he’d instigated. As I breathed heavily and stared at the lad who’d been my best friend for years, I could see the venom practically seeping from him. His sneer and the entitled tilt of his chin told me everything I should have seen before.
“You brought him here, didn’t you? You brought him here to hurt her. He didn’t come for me, did he?”
Ellis grinned. “He didn’t even know you were here. Fuck I didn’t even know he was your dad; it was a pure, magical coincidence.”
I shook my head and stretched out my fingers, they were desperate to claw at him. “Why, after all the things I’ve done for you?”
“What the fuck have you done for me?” he laughed out. “Except let me be in your gang.” He smirked and turned away from me and as he did, I was conscious of hearing yelling from downstairs – fuck could the day get any worse.
“I covered for you,” I cried, spinning him around by his elbow my attention back on him. “When you set fire to the school dining room, I was the one who got you out of there. I was the one who went back for the lighter with your dad’s company name on it. I was the one who got Kirk to hack into the school CCTV and wipe it. I,” I said poking his chest, “was the one who persuaded Mr Jameson to let you back on the team.”
One day last year, Ellis had come to footy practice having downed a bottle of vodka and almost broke another lad’s leg with a ridiculous tackle when he came running out of goal. When Mr Jameson ordered him into the changing rooms, Ellis gave him a mouthful of abuse earning him a total ban from the team. The next morning, even before the caretaker had arrived, Ellis broke into school and set fire to a load of books from the library in the dining hall. Tyler thankfully had an idea he was up to something and persuaded us to find him. Kirk did his magic and pinged his phone or some crap like that and we got there just in time before the fire spread to the actual kitchen where there were all sorts of flammable stuff. In the end it was mainly smoke damage but all bad enough that a total refurbishment was needed.
