Nineteen

by E. S. Carter

  Walking straight up to him I acknowledge Eva’s glance and before she can open her mouth I smile ‘He’s with me, it’s ok, C’mon Harry, let’s get you inside before you cause even more of a commotion.’ H holds both hands up in a jokey, defensive pose and shrugs his shoulders.

  ‘I did try and tell them I was with you Jake but my charms didn’t work on any of them!’ he laughs. ‘I guess I’m not as persuasive as you Foxes’ he drops a sly wink at me while assessing Eva and her ample assets.

  ‘C’mon H I need a drink, let’s play’. With a smile and nod to all the staff outside I walk H into the club where he slaps a hand across my back and gives me a face splitting grin ‘No playing for me Buddy, I’ve come out on a wing man capacity only or else Bella will have my nuts pickling in a jar by breakfast!’ We both laugh and I know this is going to be a good night. Laughs with H should take the edge off my shitty mood and a pretty young thing to take home and sate my carnal urges will have me feeling more like myself by the morning.

  Travelling home on the train I feel my phone vibrate in my bag. It can only be Liv, I rarely get texts or calls from anyone else.

  Hey Em, how’d the interview go? Call me when u get home. We r going out 2night ;)

  Are we? I’d never agreed to any such thing, unless it was when she got me steaming drunk last weekend and made me watch 27 dresses for the 27th time! I probably agreed to go out just to get out of watching it or PS I love you again. I mean both are great films to watch once, twice at most but romcoms aren’t really my thing.

  I laugh to myself when I remember the film night I convinced her to watch From Dusk til Dawn focusing on the George Clooney element. Ha! She nearly had a heart attack when the twist to the story began! Safe to say she never trusted my film choices again unless she googled them first.

  Having had such a good start to the day, I decide to agree to go out without any of the fuss I would normally make. Hell I wasn’t going to be nineteen for much longer so let’s make the most of it, plus tomorrow’s family dinner would be far easier to get through if I was still drunk, even hung over would do.

  Interview went well I think. Where r u dragging me? Do I have to dress up?

  Almost an instant response as my phone buzzes again.

  Gr8 news Em! Let’s celebrate! I have tickets 2 a new club YES u do have to dress up! B over by 6.30 & don’t B late :)

  Oh God, what on earth would she try and make me wear in tonight?

  Liv always has bright ideas on what I should wear and how to style my hair and make-up, using me as a life size doll. I can’t complain really as I haven’t got a clue about these things myself and more often than not she does a good job, after all I’m not the easiest subject.

  Walking home from the station causes me to get absolutely soaked, the rain is now hammering down and by the time I get to my front door I look like a drowned rat.

  Oh I do hope my parents are out. I didn’t think to look if the car had gone but opening the door and stopping to listen for a second tells me that I do indeed have the house to myself.

  Good, I was starving due to skipping breakfast, now I can make myself lunch without my mother analysing the fat content or watching my every mouthful.

  How on earth I haven’t ended up with an eating disorder I’ll never know. Yes I do know, the fact is I don’t obsess or care much about my looks or worry about my weight, which is unusual for a girl my age or so I am lead to believe, the truth is I’ve never had a reason to want to worry about these things, my life has revolved around home, school and Liv.

  Going through all the food cupboards and contents of both the fridge and freezer, I come to the conclusion that my parents must have gone shopping, as the cupboards are all like Mother Hubbard’s; practically bare.

  Baked beans on toast it is then! Not being much of a cook does limit what I can prepare with so few ingredients but as soon as my quick ‘n’ easy lunch is cooked and on my plate, I hear a car pull onto our driveway.

  Great! There’s no way even I can force feed myself this before encountering my mother and her ‘Oh you are eating again’ stare.

  She has a knack of making my hunger pangs dissipate. Tough, it’s only beans on toast; she can hardly expect me to starve.

  Pouring myself a large glass of water, I take a seat at the kitchen table and begin to eat. Sixty seconds later my father squeezes himself and an unfathomable amount of grocery shopping bags through the kitchen door, followed by my mother carrying just a French baguette.

  ‘Hey Pud, How did your morning go? Get the job?’

  Yes my father still calls me Pud, short for pudding. I guess it’s meant in an endearing sort of way so I let him, he’s called me that ever since I can remember, in fact I don’t think I have ever heard him call me by my first name.

  ‘Good I think Dad, the guy interviewing me was an enthusiast just like you, when he heard about your Stag he practically gave me the job on the spot’ I smile, my Dad is the only reason I still live at home.

  Although I never show it, neither does he really, I love this man to pieces. He has been my quiet constant, with his deep, soothing, voice giving me comfort even on my darkest days. In fact every happy childhood memory I can muster involves him.

  ‘Great news Pud, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you and maybe I can drop you off one day in the Stag, if you get the job, show her off a little’. My dad sounds a little excited by the thought.

  ‘That would be great, Thanks Dad. I’m sure Mr Silvester would love to look her over.’

  My mother has already began to unpack the shopping and never once comments on my lunch or my interview, maybe they have argued again, they always do if they shop together.

  Finishing my food I get up and rinse my plate before placing it in the dishwasher. I sense I can make a quick exit and mumble something about going over to Liv’s later, swiftly edging my way out of the kitchen and up to my bedroom.

  Kicking off my boots I fall onto my bed almost exhausted, it has been such a long day already and now I’ve gone and agreed to go clubbing with Liv without even putting up much of a protest, I must be mad! For god sake Emma, I chastise myself, you aren’t going to be nineteen much longer, let’s see your teens out in style!

  Filled with new resolve to have some fun I sit up and switch on my stereo, I have plenty of time before I have to be over Liv’s so I decide I deserve to chill out and listen to some tunes. I select a CD from my collection, pop it in the stereo and hit the random button.

  The melancholic voice of a young man long gone escapes from the speakers, ‘She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak, I’ve been locked inside your heart-shaped box for weeks’’, laying back down on my bed my mind skips over memories of my best friend, my brother, also long gone. I close my eyes and allow myself to remember happy days, to remember them now doesn’t hurt as much as it once did and I drift into a light sleep with a small smile on my lips.

  I wake panicked, rubbing my sleep filled eyes I can just see my room, it has started getting dark. How long have I been sleeping for?

  My bedroom is silent, the CD long finished and my alarm clock is blinking 5.32pm at me.

  Letting out a sigh of relief I rub my eyes again and will myself to get up and into the shower before I have Liv on my case nagging me to not be late.

  The shower is just what I need to wake me up, I could stay underneath the hot torrent forever but I’m actually looking forward to heading out with Liv tonight, so after quickly washing my hair and giving my legs a speedy de-fuzz I dry myself off, cover myself in coconut body butter (oh I love the smell!) and brusquely towel dry my hair. I know I don’t need to take anything over to Liv’s as she likes to dress and make me up herself, I’m just a life sized Barbie doll to her but who cares, it’s better than doing it myself.

  I get to Liv’s just before 6.30pm having nagged my dad for a lift, he is in fact eager to get out of the house as relations with my mum are still looking frosty and he needed some respite. Promising to behave myself,
I give him a small peck on the cheek and vow not to be late for tomorrow’s family birthday lunch. Liv is waiting for me and has opened the front door before I even have the chance to knock. Unlike my parents, Liv’s mum and dad have money and they live in a large detached house in a highly sought after part of town, somewhere you could call ‘leafy‘.

  ‘Here she comes, the birthday girl, let’s get this party started!’ she yells almost in my face. ‘Bloody hell Liv did you start drinking without me?’ I laugh. ‘Nope Campbell I just can’t wait for you to be an old woman like me!’ she grins and offers me a glass of what looks like champagne as soon as my foot is over the threshold.

  ‘To the birthday girl, Cheers! Let’s make it a night to remember!’ Liv beams at me, her perfect teeth and perfect smile only serve to make her prettier than she already is.

  ‘Cheers! I can’t believe I actually feel quite eager to go out, you are a bad influence on me Sullivan!’ I mock scold her.

  ‘Ah but who else is gonna put up with you?’ she chides. We both started to giggle.

  ‘Let’s get this show on the road, tonight Miss Campbell you are going to be... HOT!’ she takes my free hand and drags me up to her room where vast arrays of outfits have been arranged for me to try on.

  ‘What are you wearing?’ I ask, starting to panic a little at the selection I can see in front of me. Everything seems so. . . revealing.

  ‘Don’t you worry your little head about me Campbell, I have mine all sorted but now it’s time to find something killer for you, so strip if you know what’s good for you!’ Liv is bossy at the best of times but tonight she is in her element, best let her carry on with it, I trust her completely so I know she will not intentionally make me look stupid.

  Stripping down to my bra and knickers, I suddenly feel rather chilly and very self-conscious. Liv stands in front of me and stares, it takes her so long to speak I subconsciously wrap my arms around myself trying to hide ‘Ok which one should I try first?’ I ask quietly.

  ‘The way you are losing weight I’m not sure they’ll fit, Jesus Em have you been starving yourself? All my clothes are tens and the way your curves are disappearing they will hang off you. Please tell me you’ve been eating?’ She stares at me with a pained look in her eyes.

  ‘Of course I’ve been eating, don’t be so daft, I’ve just lost some of my puppy fat as Gran calls it. You know me I can’t stop filling my face, I didn’t get the name Pudding for nothing.’

  Liv still looks at me concerned and I’m confused at what she sees before her. I look in the mirror and see the same 5’11, lump of a girl I’ve always been. Yes my clothes have gone a little slack but I’m hardly skinny and I truly have not been starving myself. Cutting back yes but I’ve not dieted or denied myself anything. I eat what I want when I want.

  I shrug and decide to slip on the first dress I see. It’s a metallic pewter bodycon number and easing it on over my head and down over my body, it feels like a second skin, there isn’t a lot of room in this for eating, drinking or even breathing! Liv looks at me and grins.

  ‘Don’t bother trying on the rest, that one’s a winner!’ I let out a small laugh

  ‘Are u sure? I mean it’s very. . . tight’. I begin to feel nervous.

  ‘For Christ’s sake Emma you look Hot, don’t doubt it for a second because we’ll need to take a big stick out with us tonight so you can fight them off.’ I let out a disbelieving laugh, she is just trying to ease my nerves.

  ‘Yeah right, because that’s what happens when I hit the town.’

  She sighs before replying ‘One day Em you will see what everyone else does, until then go brush out your damp hair and let me work my magic’.

  It takes Liv all of 25 minutes to dry, tease and tousle my hair into loose, beachy waves that fall to my breasts, she spritzes me with so much hairspray I begin to feel faint and grabbing a large hand held mirror she shows me her creation. Wow, she has made my normally unruly hair look like something out of a Vogue magazine pre-Raphaelite photo shoot. I have no words so I just smile, she knows this means I approve and carries on with her work. Another 15 minutes later and I have perfectly applied, screen goddess make-up that looks au-naturel except for the smoky eyes and shiny lips.

  ‘I have to admit it Sullivan’ I mumble gazing at the girl reflected back at me in the mirror, ‘You have done yourself proud, I don’t even look like me!’

  ‘Oh Emma, I’ve just subtly highlighted what god and your mother gave you, many women would kill to get your blue/green eyes and killer cheekbones, come to think of it, I’d kill to get your blue/green eyes and killer cheekbones’ she nudges me playfully. ‘Ok now shift your HOT ass over there and get some more drinks poured, I’ve gotta get myself ready in order to compete with you tonight!’

  Standing up I catch a glimpse of myself in the full length mirror that hangs by her door, I really do not recognise my reflection and I wonder if I can pull this off. Closing my eyes and shaking my head I decide to just roll with it, who knows maybe I could have a new identity for the night, the thought gives me an idea.

  ‘Seeing as you have created a whole new woman tonight I’m thinking let’s play a game, you give me a new name and I give you one and we have to be our new personas for the whole night, no matter what’.

  Looking over at Liv she gives me a wicked smile and says ‘Well this could be interesting, OK Scarlett you are on!’

  ‘Scarlett? Geez Liv don’t go easy on me!’ I laugh and try to think up what on earth could I give her? ‘Right Miss Sullivan, tonight you are going to be . . . . Tallulah’ a loud belly laugh escapes me as Liv gapes at herself in the mirror, mouth open applying her lipstick.

  ‘I can work Tallulah along with the best of them’ she winks at me ‘Game on!’

  After sinking a whole bottle of champagne between us and a vodka cocktail, Liv, I mean Tallulah, calls us a cab.

  She has chosen to wear a stunning, pink, silk crepe dress with a lace overlay to the bodice and a flirty, short pleat skirt. It looks glamorous, girly and yet sexy all in one. To be honest she could wear a bin bag and look like a million dollars. She attaches a thin, silver, leather belt to her waist, then hands me my studded clutch that she’s chosen to go with my outfit.

  ‘Come on Scarlett, let’s go paint this town . . . Ummm . . . Scarlet!’

  We both giggle like school girls, I think it’s from the bubbles in the champagne. Outside a car horn beeps.

  ‘Taxi is here, have you got everything?’ Liv checks her hair, make-up and contents of her hand bag, knocks back the remainder of her drink and nods. Here goes nothing.

  Getting into the taxi in this dress is quite a feat and I can feel the driver’s eyes all over me. Best get used to that look I muse, I do have all my wares on show after all. It’s only then I think to ask her where we are going.

  ‘To the new club on Squire Street please driver, it’s called Acquiesce’ she sits elegantly into her seat and slams the door shut.

  It takes us less than thirty minutes to get into the city by cab and everything looks different in the dark, the lights dazzle me and I can feel butterflies in my stomach. I think Liv can feel the tension and she begins to ask me questions about my interview to try and distract me, plus throws in a few like ‘Are there any hot guys there?’ ‘Do you get staff discount straight away?’ within minutes my nerves are forgotten and we are soon pulling into Squire Street.

  The driver pulls up outside a swish looking pillared entrance, the only clues that a club lies within is the name Acquiesce carved into the stone above the door, the 4 burly but immaculately dressed doormen and a stunning dark haired hostess with a clip board in her hand, plus a large queue of customers waiting patiently behind a gold rope, hoping it will soon to be their time to enter.

  Liv pays the driver and gets out of the cab, I struggle to get out even half as gracefully as she just has but I think I pull it off. Walking confidently up to the hostess she waits and offers her name, the hostess gives Liv a polite smile and opens u
p one of the solid wood, double doors in front of her. ‘Come on Scarlett, I’m freezing out here’ Liv links her arm into mine and strides past the doormen into a huge foyer.

  The interior is stunning, all sumptuous chandeliers and heavy velvet drapes, it looks like the entrance to an expensive burlesque club. In the corner another stunning brunette sits behind an antique, carved, dark wood desk. She smiles over at us and Liv smiles back.

  ‘Hey Jo, Thanks ever so much for sorting us out with VIP entry, I couldn’t believe it when David said you started working here’.

  I thought I’d recognised her, Joanna is Liv’s brothers long term girlfriend. She smiles at me in recognition and then double takes.

  ‘I know’ Liv smiles proudly, ‘Scrubs up well doesn’t she?’

  ‘Hey Emma, I didn’t recognise you for a moment, it must be the hair, you look amazing’ she seems to be totally genuine in saying this and it makes me blush.

  ‘Thanks Jo, all Liv’s handy work’.

  ‘Well you girls have a good night, I’ve arranged a seat for you in the VIP area and if you tell Ray behind the bar I sent you, he will sort you out with your first drinks’. ‘Thanks Jo, I owe you big time, catch you later’ Liv says whilst linking her arm back into mine. I swallow hard and like a good girl allow Liv to lead the way.

  To our left yet another impeccably dressed doorman stands and guards another set of heavy wood, double doors and just before we reach them he opens one for us to enter, checking us both out as he does so. Liv goes to walk through and crashes into someone walking out of the door at the same time as we are trying to walk in.