Distraction: The Distraction Trilogy #1

by A. E. Murphy

  “It was okay. I had a job interview at that shoe shop in town, the one on the corner of the high street.”

  I know that one, I think. “Zone?”

  “Yeah, I think I got it, which means twenty five percent discount. Can’t go wrong with twenty five percent discount.”

  This is true. “Well, good luck. If only the other students had your drive.”

  “I’m lucky.” She tucks her hair behind her ear and helps me lift another table, sliding it into place.

  “How so?”

  “I know what I want. I know that being a teenager isn’t going to last and I know that, in order to get where I want to be, I need money.”

  “You’re a smart girl.”

  She shrugs. “I just pay attention.”

  This makes me chuckle. “Not including during my lessons.”

  “Yeah, it was easier when I didn’t find my teacher attractive.” Her eyes widen as she turns her face away from me. I try not to laugh, but fail and it feels good. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

  “I can.” Okay, so my new found arrogance might annoy her, but I can’t help it. She makes me feel good and I like to tease her when I feel good. I shouldn’t. It’s not appropriate. I just don’t know how to stop and, even if I did know, I don’t think I would.

  “Can we just do this already?” I know she’s referring to the table, but my mind still wanders to other places. I can’t get it out of my head, the way she responded to my touch and kiss. It can’t happen again, but it’ll be something I fantasize about for a very long time. “The table I mean.” She flushes pink along her cheekbones and curses under her breath. I guess I’m not the only one letting my mind wander.

  We lift the final table and slide it into place. I’m still smiling and she’s still blushing.

  “I should go.” She grabs her bag off the floor and slips it onto her shoulder.

  “Do you… do you need a ride?” Why am I offering to drive her?

  “No, that’s okay. I’m meeting Hayley and some friends at the hangout.”

  My body tenses, not only because she doesn’t want a ride, but because I know what the hangout is and I don’t like it at all. “Meeting anybody in particular?” I try to sound casual, but my voice holds an undertone of… I’m not sure what of. Annoyance?

  “Our usual gang: Riley, Wesley, Becky, Shannon.” She shrugs a little. “Oh and Garrett too.”

  Something hits me in the chest. It’s not physical but internal. I scratch at the spot between my ribs to rid myself of the tingling, but it’s under the skin. I don’t like it. This feeling is foreign to me. “Garrett?”

  Her smile is easy and for some reason I don’t like it. “Yeah, he switched to a mechanics apprenticeship so I haven’t seen him since Halloween.”

  “Right.” I pull open the door and follow her into the hall. “Didn’t you used to date him?”

  I see her look at me out of the corner of her eye as I walk slowly beside her. “No. Well… not really.”

  “Not really?” Translate please.

  “We hung out a few times.”

  “And kissed.” I point out and have no idea why I pointed that out.

  “Yeah, sometimes.”

  I feel my jaw harden. “And what do you plan to do at the hangout?”

  “Hang out.”

  “Smart arse.”

  She sticks her tongue out at me. “I should go. I need to get changed. I smell like school.”

  “No you don’t.” Why can’t I shut up?

  “Still, we’ll probably go out for a few drinks afterwards. Or head back to Wesley’s.”

  “And your parents don’t mind?”

  Her shoulders shift and her head turns towards me. “Why would they? I’m eighteen, I’m keeping out of trouble and my grades are good.”

  “There’s room for improvement.” Yep, I just insulted her. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “Is there a reason behind this questionnaire, or am I free to leave?”

  It’s now that I realise I’m holding the side exit door closed and probably have been for a short while now. I remove my hand and scratch the small tickle on my neck. “Feel free to leave.”

  “I’ll see you on Wednesday.”

  “Aren’t you going to my parent’s tomorrow?”

  “Nah.”

  “Nah?” I’m not even sure what that means.

  “No, I’m doing homework tomorrow. My history teacher assigns us pretty tough essays every week.” She winks and tugs on the door, letting the cold air into the hall. “See you later.”

  I watch her walk away with that annoying feeling still burning in my chest, except now it’s worse. I want to punch something.

  “Somebody looks stressed.” I feel her presence close to my shoulder and glance her way.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Somebody sounds stressed too.”

  “What do you want, Katherine?”

  She sighs deeply and runs her fingers through her jaw length hair. “I think we need to start again. I don’t like how strangely distant we’ve become.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’m glad you agree.” She smiles and places her hand on my shoulder. “Lunch tomorrow?”

  Should I? “Fine, sounds good.” It will get me out of here for a while. “I need to get home. I have more work to mark than I know what to do with.”

  “I hear you.” She pulls open the door and we exit together.

  Eloise

  A number lights up my phone, beneath a name that has my heart racing.

  Isaac: Stay safe!

  I don’t respond. I don’t get the chance to, as Hayley snatches my phone away, shoves it in my pocket and drags me to the shop. Seeing as I have identification, I’m the one buying the alcohol tonight.

  Vodka it is, along with a ton of cranberry juice.

  I stagger to the right, my head spinning. My hand catches the wall, stopping me from actually falling. I feel so sick.

  “Oh my god.” Garrett snorts, falling into me. “I feel so drunk.”

  He sits on the porch swing and shuts his eyes. I do the same, letting the cold wind settle over my skin. It’s the only thing keeping me alert.

  I can’t stop laughing.

  “Where’s Hayley?” I slur, looking at the door to Wesley’s house.

  “Inside somewhere.” Garrett’s smile is wonky and his eyes are red from intoxication, but I don’t care. He’s still cute.

  “I am so drunk.” I blink a few times, trying to stop the spinning.

  “Me too. How much did we drink?”

  I lost count after drink number five. “I shouldn’t have bought that second bottle.”

  We both laugh when Riley staggers out of the house with a girl whose name I’ve forgotten. They kiss almost violently, their hands groping at one another, before finally tumbling down the porch steps. They land on the grass and continue kissing. I have no idea how they pulled that off and I can’t stop laughing at it.

  “You’re so fucking pretty,” Garrett whispers, leaning his shoulder into mine. “Like for real, you’re so pretty.”

  I stop laughing and smile at him, my body swaying slightly. I really did drink too much. It’s probably because I haven’t eaten since lunch time. “You’re sweet.”

  “I… am an idiot.” He blurts loudly, throwing his hands in the air.

  “Oh my god… I LOVE THIS SONG!” The girl beneath Riley screeches and, twenty seconds of staggering later, they’re up and dancing on the grass. Others join them as the music volume is turned up and the windows are thrown open.

  “Want to dance?” Garrett asks and I really do, but I don’t think I can. “Want to kiss me?”

  My breath catches and his hand grabs at the back of my hair. A split second before his lips touch mine, I lunge away, causing myself to fall backwards off the swing and land on my side with a thud.

  Garrett laughs loudly as he drops to his knees and crawls towards me.

  This time he does kiss me, pi
nning my head between his and the wooden deck.

  I feel sick.

  Oh crap.

  “No.” I snap, shoving him away with my arm.

  “Elle.” His voice is whiney and irritating. I descend the porch stairs on my bum and, using the railing, I pull myself up and stagger onto the grass, pushing through the mess of dancers. “Where’re you going?”

  “I have a curfew.” It’s a lie. I just don’t feel like being here anymore.

  “I’ll walk you.” He takes my elbow in his hand and between us we manage to stay balanced. “What about Hayley?”

  “Shit, Hayley!”

  “I’ll go and get her.” He grins wonkily again and I feel his lips press against mine and his tongue push between my teeth before I fully register what he’s doing. When he pulls back, he’s breathless but I just feel numb. So numb and happy and… wait… I’m pretty sure Hayley is staying with Wesley tonight. Wasn’t I supposed to be staying with her at Wesley’s? “I’ll be right back, wait here.”

  “Okay.” He’s gone seconds later. I stare, fascinated, at a large lorry parked at the end of the road. “I know your secret, Optimus Prime.” I whisper and giggle at my own hilarity.

  A car door slams and footsteps rush around a car. I’m yanked off my feet and roughly placed in a comfy seat. There are lights. It looks like a spaceship.

  I’ve been in this car before.

  A bottle of water is thrust into my weak hands and the car starts to move. I really don’t like the way cars move. Not anymore.

  I open my mouth to speak.

  “Don’t,” Isaac barks angrily. “Don’t. I’m too fucking mad and I just did something really fucking stupid.”

  He’s glowing; I swear it. He looks so handsome, all rugged and unshaven and tired looking.

  “I’m taking you home.”

  “Yay!” I cheer, liking the thought of staying at his tonight. “We could pillow fi…”

  “To your home, not my home.”

  Oh. My bottom lip sticks out as the reality of what he said sinks in, in which case I start to panic. “Nuh-uh. No way. Nope. Take me back…”

  “I’ll drop you off. You can go inside and your dad can handle you.” He snarls, his knuckles turning white as his hands grip the steering wheel.

  “Are you kidding me? Try explaining that one to him.” I’m surprised my words sound a lot more sober than I actually am. Giggle.

  “This isn’t a fucking joke!” He yells, turning the next corner sharply, sending me flying into the door. Ouch. “Look at you, you’re a state.”

  “I take back what I thought about you looking good.”

  “You’re going to go home and sleep this off.”

  “You picked me up just so you could take me to a place where I’m not even meant to be sleeping tonight?” My giddiness turns to anger in a split second. “Are you fucking kidding me? Stop the car and I’ll walk back.”

  “So that arsehole can take advantage of you?”

  “What arsehole?”

  “The one kissing you.”

  I blink in shock. “You were watching me?”

  “Don’t be stupid. I happened to drive by as you were sucking face on the street.”

  “You were watching me. You have no right to watch me.”

  “You’ll wake up tomorrow on a couch, next to him, surrounded by other idiots, and wonder what the fuck you did tonight. Do you want that? Do you honestly want that regret?”

  I bang my head backwards against the head rest a few times. “It’ll be better than going home and facing my dad.”

  “Grow up, Eloise.”

  “I’m trying, but you won’t fucking let me! Now take me back!”

  “I won’t let that ugly, little son of a bitch use you!”

  I roll my eyes and before I can stop it, up comes the word vomit. “You mean like you did?”

  The car stops with a screech. It’s sharp and sudden and I am so lucky I’m wearing a seatbelt. Now I definitely feel sick.

  “You’re right. Why the fuck am I doing this? You don’t mean shit to me.”

  Ouch. I’m going to pretend that one didn’t hurt.

  I cross my arms over my chest, shocked when he reaches across my lap and tugs on the door handle, pushing the door with the palm of his hand. The air is colder than I remembered.

  “Get out then.” He snaps, his eyes facing forward, his hands now locked to the steering wheel.

  He’s kidding, right? “All of that… just to leave me in the middle of town?”

  “I used you, right? So what do I care?”

  “Fine. I’m going.” I unclip my belt and use the handle above the door to heave myself out. “Seems clever doesn’t it? Saving me from some wicked eighteen year old, only to abandon me by myself in the fucking streets, where there are probably worse couches to wake up on.”

  His jaw hardens. “You aren’t my problem, Elle. You’re not worth losing my job over.”

  “Whatever, I know my way back.” I slam the door and look around to get a grip on where I actually am. When I figure it out, I move my legs in the correct direction, only staggering a little.

  Fuck, it’s actually quite cold now I’m a little more sober.

  Ha! I took his water with me.

  I turn and throw it in his general direction when he starts to pull away. I watch it soar through the air before connecting with the right wing mirror. It smashes. Not the bottle, no, that explodes. The mirror smashes.

  That was not meant to happen. Oh shit.

  I think walking away would be best at this point, so that’s what I do. I turn and keep walking.

  “Fuck,” he curses after I hear him climb from his car. “Are you fucking kidding me? Do you have a robotic arm?”

  I keep walking, still in shock over my apparent throwing skill. I bet I couldn’t do that again if I tried.

  “Psycho!”

  I flip him off over my shoulder and pull my ringing phone out of my pocket. It’s Hayley.

  “Hey,” I breathe, wrapping my free arm around my body. “What’s up?”

  “Where the hell are you? I’m all… where’s my bitch? And you’re all gone and stuff. We’re playing strip poker! Get your arse back here.”

  “I just went for a walk. I’m like crazy wasted.”

  “We skipping tomorrow?”

  “I don’t think there’s another option. I’ll be back soon. Save me a seat.”

  “Already have. Want me to send somebody to meet you?”

  I shake my head, even though she can’t see me. “No, I’m nearly there.”

  “Okay.”

  Hanging up my phone, I stop and press it into my pocket. The ground is severely spinning, but not as bad as it was. Nothing like a bit of adrenaline to get your brain focused.

  “You’re going back?” Isaac’s car slows to a crawl beside me. “You’re paying for my wing mirror.”

  I ignore him and keep on walking.

  “Come on, get in. I’ll give you a ride.”

  “No thanks,” I snap, shivering slightly.

  “Elle…”

  “Piss off.”

  “Look, you’ve been drinking. You’re not thinking clearly.”

  “No?” I stop and tilt my head. “So what’s your excuse for the events of tonight?”

  “Elle, just get in the car.”

  “No.”

  “Elle, get in the fucking car.”

  “I said no!”

  “Will you both shut up?” Somebody shouts from a nearby window. “People are trying to fucking sleep!”

  “Get in the car, Elle.” He orders in a hiss, ignoring the person in the window.

  “I’m going back to the party.”

  “I’ll drive you there.”

  I let out a laugh, like I actually believe that.

  “Elle, please… get in the car.”

  “Why?”

  “Because…”

  I wait but he doesn’t continue. “Because what?”

  “Because I br
ought you here against your will. I need to take you back. It wasn’t my place to interfere.” His eyes plead with me and I hear the sincerity in his voice. Part of me wants to argue with him, but the rest of me really doesn’t want to walk all the way back to the party.

  I let out a sigh and climb into the car. He waits for me to buckle up before starting the car and doing a U-turn in the road.

  When he stops on the corner of the next street, after driving in silence for only two minutes, I’m wondering why. But then I see and my heart stops.

  “What did you do?” I ask as my dad angrily storms towards the car. “Isaac… what the fuck did you do?”

  He closes his eyes. “You’ll thank me tomorrow.”

  The door is yanked open as a rush of feelings spiral through me. I’m dragged out, my organs doing a flip and bouncing around my body twice. “How much do we owe you for the window?” My dad asks Isaac.

  “Nothing, I’m covered.”

  “I’m so sorry about this. Thank you so much for picking her up.”

  I don’t know what to say. I think this is what shock is. Or maybe this is what heartbreak is.

  “I’ll see you in school, Eloise.” Isaac says softly, remorse in his eyes.

  “Don’t ever talk to me again,” I breathe, wondering how this night got bad so quickly.

  “Eloise!” My dad snaps, shutting my teacher’s car door before grabbing my arm once more. “I’ll take the cost of repair off your next rent cheque.”

  “No need, just get her home safe.”

  A tear falls from my eye. I angrily wipe it away and allow my dad to pull me to the car. He doesn’t speak. He’ll save it for when we get home.

  The second we do get home, he says only one sentence that breaks my heart. “No France trip.”

  I don’t even bother to argue. I push past my mum, who is waiting in the hall in her dressing gown, concern in her eyes, and race up the stairs.

  I hear them arguing, but I don’t really pay attention. I know Mum is defending me and I know Dad is disgusted. Mum thinks that now I’m eighteen I should be allowed a little freedom. Dad thinks that while I live under his roof I should follow his rules, that I need preparing for University. Mum argues that I’m a good girl, I’m just having fun. Dad thinks said fun could get me raped or worse.