by Kylie Price
We pushed ourselves through the crowd. I spotted a lot of people I knew and some I did not. Like that guy standing near the rest room. He was cute. Really cute, yet there was something about the way he stood there. Just watching everyone. Maybe he was a security guard in disguise.
We made it to the bar. Nikkee ordered Sambuca shots. I just wasn’t sure if I should have one.
Nikkee must have seen the look on my face when she said. “You are 18,” she paused to look at her watch, “in an hour and a half.”
Should I do it? It was technically underage drinking. I couldn’t. It was bad enough that I had snuck into the club.
“No, I can’t. I can have fun with a coke. In an hour or so I will,” I said to Sky, Nikkee and Mark.
“That is so like you,” Sky said as she downed her shot and leaned in a little closer to Mark.
I just rolled my eyes and ordered a coke.
Sky and Mark started to dance and Nikkee was off talking to some guy I had never met. I was standing at the bar by myself. That was ok. I was aware of every little thing that was going on, like the fact that the hot guy that was standing near the toilets was not there anymore.
“Are you drinking?”
A dark, husky voice vibrated through my eardrum. A shiver erupted down my spine and slithered its way down to my toes. I froze. I could not move for a split second as my body reacted to the voice next to me. I turned around, half in a daze and the other half of my head off somewhere else.
My gaze fell on deep brown eyes. Or were they black? He raised his eyebrow as I studied him. My eyes drifted over him, taking note of the black hair no longer than Marks, and the black eyebrows that matched; lips pink, smooth and very kissable. I shook myself mentally. What was I thinking? I had just met this person. Well, not even that but he was the one I had seen standing near the rest room earlier.
“No, not for thirty more minutes,” I replied.
His eyebrow raised again.
“Really? Why the time frame?” he asked me.
“That’s when I’ll be 18,” I answered him feeling stupid and immature. Half of the people in the room were probably under age.
“I just don’t want to drink until its official,” I explained.
A slight smirk rose on his face. I just wanted to lean in and kiss his lips. What the hell? And what was with his sexy cologne? I started feeling woozy.
“Are you sure about that? You could have one with me,” he said as I watched his lips move.
God, he smelled so good, and his clothes were sexy as hell with jeans and a black button shirt. I mentally slapped myself.
“I need some air. I will be right back,” I said as I pushed past him.
Temptation at its worst. I knew that, so I left to get some fresh air to clear my head.
I found Nikkee and Sky near the pool table.
“I’m going to go outside for a few minutes. I’ll be right back,” I said as I started walking away, not giving them a chance to reply. They knew I would be safe since security would be outside.
Fresh air hit my face and I sucked in a deep breath. It felt good in my lungs and on my skin and the scent of the mysterious man started to fade away.
I looked around at the empty car park and started walking towards the edge.
What was with that guy? I felt an instant attraction to him. I almost fell for that player’s pick up line. I sat down on the ground for a long time just enjoying the night and listening to the slight echo of music that came from the club. I liked sitting alone.
After a while I got up. The others would start to worry and I wasn't sure how long I had been out side.
My ears picked up a noise as I walked past a bush.
I stopped dead in my tracks and listened.
Another sound came from behind the thick shrub.
“Hello?” I said and kicked myself mentally because that is the scary movie cliché, why on earth would a villain reply if they were trying to kill you?
There was another rustle.
My feet started moving before my head could think. A low growl came from between the leaves, then came the sound of the door to the club opening. Nikkee stood in the doorway. She started walking towards me. I turned to go and meet her, glad for the company.
“Ow!” I said loudly.
As I had turned, I must have scratched my arm on the bushes.
“What happened?” Nikkee asked as she reached me.
I looked back to the bush and then down to my forearm at the deep gash that was bleeding freely.
“I must have snagged a thorn,” I replied.
Nikkee looked around me at the bush and said, “It doesn’t look thorny.”
I shrugged and put my hand to my arm, feeling blood slowly seep through my fingers and drip down.
“Oh no, Trinity,” she said in horror.
“I’ll be fine. You know what I am like, my blood runs like water. It’s not that bad. Really.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yes I’m sure.”
She threw her arms around my neck and squealed, “Happy Birthday Gorgeous!”
Chapter Three
I groaned and rolled over on my bed. My head was pounding a little, along with the gash on my arm. I did not drink much the night before, yet I was feeling a little queasy.
After Nikkee had come out and gotten me from the club car park, we had swiped a bandage from the first aid kit behind the bar for my arm, then I had let her buy me a few drinks. We had a shot of Tequila and then I had two rum and cokes. My eyes had scanned the room for the cute dark haired guy that I had been talking to before I went outside, but I had not seen him again.
I sighed a little to myself. He was really cute.
We had all caught a cab home and dropped each other off until I had been the last one left in the taxi. I had gotten the driver to stop at the corner near my house so I could sneak back inside, undetected. I didn’t feel too well when I had gotten out of the taxi. I was a bit baffled. Was I really that much of a lightweight?
#
I sat up a little resting on my elbows and blinked a few times as I looked at the crack in my blinds where the sunlight was rudely poking through. I hung my head in defeat and let the sun win the stare off. My stomach churned but I was not sure if it was because I was feeling slightly ill or if I was hungry. Maybe both? I have never really drank much alcohol, only tost a couple at outings so I wasn’t sure of the effect it should have on me.
Feeling torn between more sleep and eating, I decided to get out of bed and take a shower. I knew Nikkee and Sky would ring me soon so I had better be at the top of my game to handle the birthday screams I got every year.
The shower had been a comfort. Yet, when I had taken the bandage off my arm it looked wrong. I had held it under the shower to clean it but more blood started running out. I started to freak out a little that it may be infected on a massive level or worse. Was I going to get Leprosy?
I wrapped the washcloth over it to dry the gash out. It was about six centimetres long and sat diagonally across the middle of my forearm. The bleeding had slowed again to a slight weep. It made my heart rate drop slightly. If it was not any better by Monday, I would go to the doctors to have it looked at.
I stood in front of the mirror. The steamy mist had fogged it all up. I reached my hand out, touched it and swiped my hand down and back up a few times till I could see myself. I just looked. I was not sure what I was going to find. Did I look older? No I looked like crap. Under my eyes were dark circles and my eyeballs were so bloodshot. I hadn't even been out that long. I was home before two am and had a good sleep. Why did I look like shit on my birthday?
“Eighteen suits you Trinity,” Sky said as she came barrelling through my room towards me.
They did not ring. They had actually come to my house. I felt privileged. I knew they didn’t like coming here to see what I had to live with. I couldn’t blame them, I didn’t want them to see it either.
“My baby girl is a
ll grown up,” Nikkee fake cried as she was right behind Sky and then both of their arms were around me. Suffocating my 18 years away.
“How do you feel?” Sky asked.
“Ok. Better now that I had my shower,” I told her.
They mustn't have noticed my tired bloodshot eyes.
All three of us sat down on my bed.
“Did you have fun last night?” Nikkee asked.
I thought for a moment and then replied, “I actually did.”
“I can’t believe you are finally 18. We are going to have so much fun now,” Nikkee squealed in excitement.
“What’s all this noise for?” the foster monster spoke from my doorway.
We all stopped and froze. I wasn’t sure if she scared me or if I just did not want to listen to her. I always just said sorry and carried on with what I was doing. I did not know why she would want to be a foster parent if she hated it so much. I had been with some great foster families, but they were never long term. Why did I have to get the bad one in the bunch of good ones?
Nikkee piped up and looked her square in the face then said, “In case you don’t know, its Trinity’s birthday today.”
Her eyes widened a little as if she may have been happy, but then her look turned sour. “So that makes you 18 now. My payments will be cut off. You better start looking for a job so you can finally start to pull your own weight around here.”
“Ummm, school is nearly finished. Can’t I wait until after that? You know I wanted to go to college,” I spoke up all of the sudden feeling fierce.
“And I will have to support you for free until then won’t I? How will food be put in the fridge Trinity?” she spat out.
“What food? Trinity has to eat at my house and sneak out just to have dinner. Meanwhile you are passed out in your stale moth smelling lounge room most of the time. She doesn’t need you, she has us. It is you that needs her,” Nikkee said with conviction and stood up grabbing my hand. “Come on Trin, let’s go enjoy your birthday. We’re not going to let this old cow bring you down.” I stood up as my foster monster’s eyes bore into me.
“You want to bring friends here that will speak to me like that? If you leave now, don’t bother coming back. I do not need you, or want you. You will never be anything important and I will not waste a single cent more on you.”
Nikkee took a step forward ready to lash back but I put a hand on her shoulder and said, “Don’t. It’s ok. We will just go. I’ll grab a few things.”
It was quite comical, as I packed my things. There was not a lot that she had ever given me so it was just a sports bag with some clothes and a few trinkets. One in particular was very special to me.
My EX- foster monster ranted on the whole time; I was going to be nothing, I was lucky I made it to adulthood, I caused her nothing but grief, I was the worst thing that ever happened to her!
Nikkee fired back the whole time, giving back her own piece of mind. Fifteen minutes later, we left and Nikkee drove us back to her place. She barged through the front door and told her parents. “I got Trinity kicked out so she is going to stay with us, OK?” She then grabbed my hand pulling me out to the back yard towards the granny flat they had. It was pretty much the size of a regular house.
Her mum came in and gave me a hug, wishing me a happy birthday and that maybe now things would start to look better. They had been trying to get me to move in for a few years but I had not wanted to walk away. I had wanted to try to have a good relationship with the only mother I had been given. It was too late now. Too many bad things had been said and now it was over.
My shoulders felt lighter from leaving the weight of disappointment behind in my old room. Now my heart swelled with love for the friends and second family that I had.
I sat down on the couch. Well more like flopped. What a way to start my 18th birthday and it was only nine in the morning!
Nikkee sat down on my left and Sky on my right. We watched as Nikkee’s mom, Mrs. Jane, busied herself by pulling sheets out of the linen cupboard, heading for the three bedrooms down the hallway.
“This is awesome. What an epic birthday you are having. Although I think I feel like it is more my birthday than yours,” Nikkee gushed with a look of excitement.
Sky had been quiet most of the morning. I looked at her and smiled but she only gave me a half smile back. I wanted to ask how things were with Mark but I felt I should leave it for now.
“Tonight is going to be so much fun Trin. First, we will go back to the main house with mom to open your presents. Then we are going shopping. I want you to look fantastic for tonight. And I won’t take no for an answer,” Nikkee said excitedly.
She was rattling off a list of things I would need to get ASAP. Her comment had caught me short. I knew she was talking about celebrating my birthday but it felt like it was going to be the last day of my life!
Chapter Four
The rest of the morning had been spent setting up the granny flat for Nikkee and me. She had decided I couldn’t stay out there by myself. Her mum, dad and brother helped bring all her stuff down. Mrs. Jane or as she always told me, “Just Angela would be fine,” had gone out shopping to stock up the kitchen with food and some other odds and ends for the bathroom. After that we had gone inside to have some lunch and cake. It was nice sitting at the table with Nikkee’s family. They always treated me as if I was theirs. Jason, Nikkee’s older brother worked away and was only home every so often, so it was just her and her parents most of the time.
Lunch was great, and then I opened some presents. Nikkee had gotten me an IPod on which she had already uploaded all our favourite songs. Mr. and Mrs. Jane had given me a gold necklace with a locket, on the inside was a tiny picture of Nikkee on one side and Sky on the other. It was perfect. I had hugged them and thanked them so much. Sky, who also had lunch with us, was still quiet but gave me a gold bracelet to match the necklace. I squeezed my besties hard and thanked them for always being there for me. I almost went to hug Jason in all of the love and affection, but I quickly pulled back feeling shy and self-conscious. I swear I was going to tear up. Well we all did actually, except Jason.
After all that, I ended up waiting inside Supre’ watching Nikkee and Sky pull as many clothes off the racks as they could.
“Is all of this necessary?” I asked while they ushered me into the dressing room.
“Mum gave me her card and her instructions were simple,” Nikkee replied.
“What instructions?” I called out as I pulled a dress down over my head.
“To buy you a whole new wardrobe.”
“Did she say it needed to be the size of yours?”
“No, Why?” she called back.
“Then why did you hand me so many clothes?”
No reply came but as I finally got the dress pulled down my body, the door swung open and a new armful of clothes was handed to me.
Great.
“Do I have to try them all on? This is the fourth shop we’ve been in,” I asked, sighing at the new pile.
“No, but if you like them lets go pay and get home so we can get ready,” she called back.
I liked them all. But how could I tell her that? I felt so bad that her mum was buying me clothes. My foster monster always got angry when she had to get me them. Most of the time I would get old ones from Sky and Nikkee. However, I had a feeling Nikkee had been going out and buying some because they looked brand new, and I had never seen her wear them.
The door burst open again and Nikkee came barging in, grabbed all the clothes and walked off. I still had the dress on so I quickly pulled it back over my head, which was a lot easier than putting it on. I got dressed, grabbed the dress and walked to the counter where the sales lady had a big smile on her face as she started scanning all the items. She probably thought we were just going to try heaps of stuff on, leave the mess and buy nothing.
“I like this one,” I said handing Nikkee the dress.
“Great, you actually picked something,” she
replied rolling her eyes at me.
Sky laughed. She was carrying four big bags full of clothing from other stores.
“Well considering I couldn’t even pick my own underwear, I thought I better pick something,” I retorted with a giggle.
“I picked them,” Sky said with a big grin then added. “But she picked your bra’s,” pointing to Nikkee.
Where would I be without them?
We went home, and for the first time in so many years, it actually felt like one.
Angela helped pull tags off the clothing and put them away for me. I was overwhelmed yet at the same time embarrassed. I was going to get a job so that no one had to pay for anything. My cupboard was fully stocked, so was my underwear drawer. I sucked in a deep breath and then sighed. It was an amazing feeling and yet overwhelming to have so much love when you were not used to it. I was just staring off out the window into the back yard. I wasn’t looking at anything in particular while I let all my emotions and feelings settle. Then my eyes focused on Jason who was out there with no shirt on, just jeans and boots. He was bending down then standing up. I stood up on my tippy toes to watch him better and saw him grabbing arms full of leaves. I watched him and his muscles contracted as he bent down and grabbed them. His skin was shiny from the sweat.
“What you looking at?” Nikkee asked as she walked into my room to help.
