Now and Again

by Natasha West

‘…So you can go back to your little spandex slut,’ Daniel almost screamed.

  Oscar gave a worn-out sigh. ‘Daniel. We’ve talked about this. I mean, for fuck’s sake, I thought you wanted me to get in better shape. It was you that booked him in the first bloody place.’

  Daniel folded his arms. ‘Oh yeah, that’s right, make it my fault. “Daniel’s a paranoid nutcase.” Well, it’s not paranoia when there are pics of him bending you over on Instagram!’

  ‘He’s just stretching me out, you twat! He does that with everyone!’ Oscar yelled, angry himself now.

  As Riley watched them go back and forth, it seemed like this flat share probably wasn’t going to work out for her.

  ***

  Riley let herself into the house and made a beeline for the stairs. She didn’t want to see anyone right now because she was heartily disappointed. That ad had seemed so promising. She’d thought she was incredibly lucky to have seen it before anyone else. Now that she knew it would have probably been taken down an hour later and she could have saved herself the drama. As she’d left, it seemed as though Daniel and Oscar were trying to work it out. The arguing had turned to tears, which turned to hugging. Riley had slunk out quietly.

  Now she was back in the bosom of her father’s home. Nice, clean, yet cold. The polar opposite of the flat where Daniel and Oscar lived in messy, pokey passion. Hard to say who had it worse.

  ‘Riley!’ yelled Amanda, popping out of nowhere and scaring the bejesus out of her.

  ‘Christ, Amanda! You might want to look into a bell,’ she said, clutching her chest.

  Amanda was instantly contrite. ‘Sorry, I was just wondering how you’d gotten on with that viewing?’

  ‘No good,’ Riley shrugged.

  Amanda smiled. ‘Oh dear.’

  Riley’s mouth hitched up in one corner. ‘Just so you know, your face doesn’t match up to the sentiment.’

  Amanda tutted and screwed her face up. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to… I guess I just always wanted a house full of children. And your dad has made it clear we’re not having a second. So having you here is about as close as I’m going to get.’

  Riley could have cried for Amanda. The poor mare. She’d have done anything to avoid being stuck alone with her husband. ‘Yeah, I mean… I guess I don’t have to hurry off, then. If you’re… If you don’t mind having me about?’ Riley said carefully. She didn’t really want to call Amanda out. She had a feeling that if she said anything about her dad, Amanda, happy or not, would be the first to jump to his defense. It was better to let Amanda dress it up if that’s how she wanted it.

  ‘Oh, great!’ Amanda said. ‘That’s… Yeah, that’ll be lovely. I mean, I know you want your space and everything but yeah, this way you can really take your time, find something perfect? So just, just don’t look too hard for somewhere, eh?’

  Amanda skipped happily off, and Riley went up the stairs, wondering what the hell she’d just agreed to. She sat on the edge of her bed and pulled off her shoes. She was just starting to relax when there was a knock at the door.

  ‘Come in.’

  Amanda’s head swooped in. ‘Sorry, me again! I forgot to say...’

  ‘What?’

  ‘You’re going to have a new roommate!’

  ‘Wuhh…’ Riley gaped.

  ‘I mean, not really,’ Amanda clarified. ‘You won’t be sharing a room, of course. She’ll be next door. Juliet, I mean. She’s moving in! Isn’t that wonderful! She’s got to move out of her old place, and I thought it might be good to have her on hand permanently.’ She smiled goofily. ‘You’ll be here and she’ll be here… Full house!’

  Riley did her best to hide her shock. It wasn’t a great success.

  ‘I thought you’d think this was good news,’ Amanda said. ‘You know, having someone down the hall. Someone you could visit in the middle of the night.’

  ‘Why would I visit Juliet in the middle of the night?’ Riley asked through a slight case of dry mouth.

  ‘I don’t know, to chat about things. Like, I don’t, know, boys or something?’

  Riley tried not to laugh. ‘Amanda… You know we’re not twelve, don’t you? I think you’ve only got about seven years on us.’

  ‘Yeah, I guess!’ Amanda laughed. ‘Well, anyway, thought you’d like to know.’ She left.

  This day was going from weird to bad to worse to weird. Because now Riley was living with Juliet. How had she gotten here?

  THEN

  Riley was feeling this.

  She wasn’t sure how long she and Juliet had been kissing, but she vaguely thought a few minutes had gone by. Could have been two, could have been ten. Could have been an hour. She’d checked they were alone before it started, but now, she didn’t care who saw. She’d catch flack for this if it got back to India, but some things were worth a grilling.

  That was until Paul Prentiss - who Riley knew semi-well and was considered by all who met him to be a sweetie pie but an absolute idiot - came flying out of the back door of the house. She felt Juliet pull back and, out of respect, did the same. But she was less than happy about the interruption.

  Riley turned to the kerfuffle and heard Matt Jones, his best friend and partner in crime, cry out, ‘Paul! You can’t do a handstand in a pool when you’re fucking smashed, mate! I’m too drunk to save ya!’ Hot on his heels was Paul’s long-suffering girlfriend, Jenny Yang. ‘Paul!’ she was yelling. ‘Fucking stop!’

  This was not the first time Riley had witnessed something like this. Paul pulled this shit almost every party. Got hammered and got it into his head that he simply had to play fast and loose with his mortality while Jenny prayed he didn’t expire in front of her.

  Riley turned back to Juliet. ‘Well. That was…’ She didn’t have a good word to describe what had just occurred. There might not be one. The only word she had was inadequate but better than muteness. ‘…Nice.’

  ‘Yeah,’ Juliet replied. ‘Nice.’ But then she started to step backwards. Riley wasn’t sure what Juliet was thinking, but she didn’t look very happy.

  ‘Are you OK?’ Riley asked nervously.

  ‘Who me?’ Juliet said. ‘I’m absolutely—’

  What happened next was a moment by moment tragedy of small yet ridiculous proportions. Because while Riley usually watched from a distance while the clown show went on, tonight, she didn’t have the luxury of a nice, safe seat. Paul was coming right at them. Riley took a step away automatically, but Juliet seemed to freeze. Before Riley could do anything, it all happened, and she could only watch as Paul’s arm swung right into Juliet’s chest, knocking her into the pool.

  Riley gasped in shock and prepared to jump in. But Juliet came quickly back to the surface, pulled up by Paul, thankfully not so drunk that he didn’t know he’d taken Juliet down. He’d dragged her to the opposite end of the pool, and Jenny, who’d been in action before any of this started, was already poolside, putting her hand out for Juliet, looking mortified. ‘Are you alright, dude?!’ Riley heard Paul ask as she ran around the pool. She heard Juliet mutter something back as Jenny began to pull her out. Then somehow, Juliet let go and slid back down into the pool. People were coming out now, the party moving outdoors.

  But then Paul said something like, ‘Whoa! I didn’t know it was that kind of party. Bring back the sixties!’ Riley didn’t know what that meant, but the next thing anyone knew, Paul was upside down in the pool, as promised, legs jutting out of the water. He’d taken his bottoms off and his arse was on full display to the school. Everyone dissolved into laughter.

  ‘Paul!’ Jenny cried, mortified. ‘Put your arse away!’

  Of course, Paul didn’t hear her. He was underwater.

  A laugh burst out of Riley as she went around to help poor Juliet away from this ridiculousness. Riley put out a hand, and she could have sworn that Juliet saw it and ignored her, climbing out by herself, distress in her eyes. It seemed like it wasn’t just about getting wet. It got worse as Juliet stood shaking herself off. ‘Oh
my god! Are you alright?’ Riley asked, concerned, unsure what was happening, but knowing that there was something she didn’t understand.

  ‘Yeah, I’m OK.’ Juliet said, checking her watch. ‘Is that the time? I’d better get home.’

  Riley tried not to look hurt. ‘Oh. OK.’

  Juliet turned away and headed for the back gate. Riley watched her go, bewildered. Why had she gone? Riley had thought they were… something. They’d talked, and it felt like more than just saying stuff. Riley had felt sparks. And then that kiss.

  But Juliet couldn’t get away quick enough.

  Sure, Juliet had gone in the pool, and she was drenched through and probably needed to get home to dry off properly, but it didn’t seem like it was just about that. Then again, she’d looked kind of funny right before she’d gone in the pool.

  ‘Hey,’ said India, wandering out and joining her at the side of the pool, looking pleased with herself. ‘Totally snogged that guy.’

  ‘That’s nice,’ Riley said, distracted.

  ‘Yeah, it was alright. I’d give him about a six out of ten?’ she said casually. ‘He wants to take me out. Properly. On a date.’

  ‘Yeah?’ Riley asked, barely listening.

  ‘Yeah, you think I should do it? I mean, I’m already sort of seeing that guy from my gym.’

  ‘Mmm,’ Riley nodded, disinterested. ‘Tough one.’

  Lucky for her, India was quite happy to keep blathering on about her non-existent problems. Which left Riley’s brain free to pick over what had just happened. The clues were these: She’d kissed Juliet, and then Juliet had seemed awkward. Then the pool thing. Then she’d left.

  When Riley thought about it like that, it was obvious what had happened. The pool episode was incidental. The meat of it was that Juliet had allowed herself to be kissed, not enjoyed it very much, and then had to make excuses to get out of a difficult situation. Riley was shocked she’d misread that kiss so badly. She’d believed that if she was into it, then Juliet had to be too. Apparently, that was an incorrect assumption. Riley didn’t know how she could have been so out of touch.

  Could she be wrong? There was only one way to find out. She would text Juliet. Not right now, of course. That was way too eager. Riley liked Juliet, but she wasn’t stupid. She’d wait a day, maybe even two, and then she’d send a carefully constructed message that was just the right blend of casualness and warmth. Whatever reply she got, she’d know if she was right or wrong.

  She wanted badly to be wrong. How could you have a night like this end like it was nothing?

  Thirteen

  Juliet couldn’t believe how fast the sale went through. But ‘No forward chain’ was apparently how you went from hearing it was happening to being out on your arse inside a couple of months. Her parents had a place sorted for themselves, the absolute bastards. A one-bed flat twenty minutes down the road, they were ensconced, happy as pigs in shit. Juliet didn’t understand how they could be so unsentimental about the house they’d lived in for thirty-plus years.

  Juliet had taken it differently. She’d gone into full-scale denial until her parents were clinking cava in front of the mantel. ‘Sale’s gone through! You need to move out in two weeks.’

  Thank god Amanda had stepped in. Been happy to help, actually. Juliet had tried to get Amanda to cut her pay in exchange. But Amanda laughed it off and said, ‘Just babysit on an occasional evening, and we’ll call it square.’ God, she was a nice woman. Too nice for her husband, that was for sure.

  Juliet had thoroughly believed that Riley wouldn’t be living there by the time she moved in, so she hadn’t worried about that situation too much beyond its current status. But here she was, all her worldly belongings in a few boxes and bags, being helped in by Riley.

  ‘Jesus, what’s in this one?’ Riley asked, lifting a small box.

  ‘Books.’

  ‘You need a kindle,’ Riley puffed. ‘I could be carrying all this in my back pocket right now.’

  ‘You’re not the first to make that argument, but I can’t seem to bring myself to get one,’ Juliet told her. ‘Give me that box,’ she said, holding out her arms.

  ‘No, no,’ Riley said, stepping back. ‘I’m fine. Just complaining for fun.’ She took the box into the house.

  Juliet grabbed another box and followed her in and up to her new room. It was big, beige, plush.

  Riley dropped the box gently on the floor, and Juliet put her own on top. ‘You need help unpacking?’

  ‘Oh, no thanks. I’m gonna leave most of it boxed. This isn’t a permanent thing. I’ll probably only be here a few weeks.’

  ‘That’s what I said,’ Riley remarked grimly.

  Juliet chuckled. ‘Not found a place?’

  ‘Oh no. I’ve found loads of places,’ Riley said dryly. ‘Yeah, if you want to share a tiny shithole with a hoarder with poor hygiene, you’re well catered for. I guess I was just hoping I might find a nice-ish place with a boring but pleasant enough housemate. Turns out, that’s asking too much.’

  ‘Don’t tell me that,’ Juliet grimaced. ‘I’ve got to start looking myself.’

  ‘It’s not that bad, don’t listen to me,’ Riley assured her. ‘Anyway, I’ve kind of stopped looking recently. Amanda, she… she asked me to stay on a bit.’

  ‘Did she?’ Juliet asked, surprised.

  ‘Yeah, she… I mean, she’d never say it, but… I think it’s been a bit of a relief for her to have some adults around the place that aren’t my dad.’

  This was tricky territory. Juliet had found that you were never supposed to say bad things about people’s families, even if they started it. She had to be careful here. ‘So, things are a bit tense?’

  Riley smiled. ‘Come on, you know what he’s like. You don’t have to be cool about it. He tried to sack you on your first day, for the love of god.’

  Juliet had to laugh. ‘Yeah, he’s… he’s been a challenge.’

  Riley looked at her fondly. ‘God, Juliet. You’re so fucking appropriate.’

  Juliet shrugged. ‘I’m staff. I have to be.’

  Riley grimaced. ‘Jesus. Please don’t refer to yourself that way. It turns my stomach.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I don’t know. But it does,’ Riley said. ‘I mean, we went to school together.’

  Riley’s eyes flitted away on the word ‘together.’

  Juliet was slightly thrown and groped for the first conversational life preserver she could reach. ‘Yeah, I guess. You still close with India?’

  Riley sighed. ‘Yeah, I see her now and again. I mean, we’re kind of… We don’t have a ton in common now, but we have a long history. You have to keep that going, don’t you?’

  ‘I feel like that when I see my sister,’ Juliet said. ‘Though we never had much in common except a roof.’

  Riley smiled. ‘How is your sister these days?’

  ‘She’s about the same. Well, except that she manages a clothes shop, and she’s married with a son, now.’

  ‘Wow. Sounds like she’s a proper grown-up.’

  Juliet smiled. ‘She still just seems like the same old Becca to me. Clothes obsessed and flighty. Even with a kid.’

  ‘I’m not sure people change after a certain point,’ Riley agreed. ‘It all sort of sets in. Look at my dad. He faked being nice just long enough to snag Amanda and boom. Reverted to the same old prick I grew up with.’

  ‘Yeah, I remember,’ Juliet said without thinking. She added quickly, ‘I mean, I remember… you talked about him. That time.’

  Whoops. Here came the elephant in the room, walking in all big, snuggling itself onto the bed and getting comfy.

  ‘Did I?’ Riley said. Juliet had to assume she didn’t remember a lot about that night. Then again, why should she? All of that might have been a big deal, but only to Juliet. Riley couldn’t know how that night had marked her.

  THEN

  It was Monday morning, and Juliet was faking sickness. She knew it was under suspicion. Her dad ha
d given her the eye this morning, but her mother was doing more than looking. It was her day off work, and she’d been sniffing around Juliet all morning, asking about symptoms. Juliet had told her she felt hot, sick, and tired, the last two of which were true. Her mother had nodded and left. Juliet thought she was safe. But not twenty minutes later, her mother burst into Juliet’s room with a small plastic device.

  ‘What have you got there?’ Juliet asked.

  ‘It’s an ear thermometer,’ Juliet’s mum declared.

  ‘We don’t have one of them. Where did you get it?’ Juliet exclaimed nervously.