Dismissed (14 page)

He looked quizzically at Gabe, who was standing in the doorway, panting.

‘Lizzie, please stay. We need to talk,’ Gabe said, now looking pained.

‘We’ll talk when you’re sober and not acting so psychotic,’ she said, while staring pleadingly at Jacques.

‘Hop in, ma’am,’ he said quietly, and then went over to Gabe. Lizzie slid into the back seat and locked the door, while Jacques talked quietly with her so-called boyfriend.

Jacques soon returned to the car and turned on the ignition.

‘Are you OK, Ms White?’

‘Yes, thank you. So are you able to take me home?’

‘Of course.’

They drove for a few kilometres before he said, ‘he’s not normally like that, you know.’

‘I do know. Is there something going on I should be aware of?’

‘It’s not my place to say. But there’s a lot of pressure on that boy.’

‘For next year, you mean?’

‘Yes. Gabe’s parents are quite specific with how they’d like their son’s life to unfold.’

‘And I take it he’s not in agreement?’

‘That would be correct.’

‘That still doesn’t excuse him for his behaviour tonight.’

‘I know. But maybe give him a chance to explain on Monday.’

‘We’ll see.’

Jacques just nodded. Lizzie wondered how much he knew about the family and their personal matters. She assumed it would be quite a bit. Why was it that rich people always ignored those in service positions?

Lizzie sighed. She was feeling quite fragile, and she couldn’t help but wonder if Gabe’s attitude tonight was partly due to the fact that they still hadn’t slept together. They’d gotten pretty close a few times, but Lizzie just wasn’t ready yet. Was Gabe getting fed up with waiting? If so, they might have to break up. She wasn’t going to be pressured into anything she didn’t want to do.

When Lizzie got home, she gave Jacques a grateful smile.

‘Thank you so much for this. I know you could easily have refused to take me home. You’re not my employee, after all.’

‘No problem. You and Gabe make a lovely couple. I hope you can sort this out.’

‘Me too.’

Lizzie went inside and headed straight for her room. She lay on her bed and stared at the ceiling. The insomnia had returned since she’d deleted Brandon’s music from her iPhone, but she had figured it was worth it if it meant she could focus all her attention on Gabe.

But after half an hour of chaotic thoughts swirling around in her brain, she sat up and punched her pillow. She quickly went to her laptop, plugged her phone in, and copied an Orion’s Head album back onto it.

She lay back down and put her headphones on.

That did the trick.

CHAPTER 17

Lizzie ignored Gabe’s texts and phone calls all weekend. She even made her dad send him away when he tried coming over in person on Sunday.

But on Monday, she knew there was no escaping him. He was waiting at the school’s front gate with a big sad frown on his face and a small gift wrapped box.

He held it out. ‘Please take this. I know nothing can excuse my behaviour from Friday, but I hope this shows a tiny bit how sorry I am.’

Lizzie wasn’t swayed that easily, but she took the package anyway.

‘I’m mad at you.’

‘I know.’

‘You were disrespectful, and a bit scary.’

He started to tear up. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘Are you going to explain to me why you were being like that?’

‘I could, but it shouldn’t matter. There are no excuses to justify how badly I behaved.’

‘Well you can at least try to help me understand.’

He ran his fingers through his hair.

‘Mum and Dad want me to go to the States next year and study at Harvard.’

‘Why?’

‘I don’t know. So they can look cool to all their friends?’

‘And I take it you don’t want to go?’

‘No! My whole life is here. You’re here. I don’t want to go over to the other side of the world where I don’t know anyone and study with a bunch of preppy arseholes.’

‘I’m sure they’re not all bad. It could be a good opportunity.’

‘But I don’t want Mum and Dad mapping out my life for me. I already thought it was enough to stay here and do that stupid Economics degree. But apparently not. My Aunt Gayle even tried to talk to them for me, but they wouldn’t budge.’

‘That’s a shame. So what
do
you want to do?’

‘I’d actually quite like to be a stand-up comedian.’

Lizzie stared. ‘I never knew that. How come you haven’t mentioned this before?

‘Because it’s not going to happen.’

‘But you’re really funny. You’d be great at it.’

‘Maybe. Maybe not. I’m not going to find out. If I ever want to have any type of relationship with my parents.’

‘That’s so sad. I think you should do what makes you happy.’

‘That would be nice,’ he agreed. ‘But that’s not how things work in my world.’

‘Well I’m not sure if that’s quite a good enough reason to justify how you acted. I’m still mad at you.’

‘I don’t blame you. I still think you should open your present.’

She slowly ripped off the paper, and found herself looking at a jewellery box.

‘What’s this?’ she asked nervously.

‘Open it.’

Lizzie popped open the small velvet box and discovered a pair of diamond earrings.

‘Oh my God! Gabe!’

‘Do you like them?’

‘They look really expensive.’

‘Would it be better if I told you they weren’t real diamonds?’

‘I don’t know. Are they?’

‘I’m not saying.’

‘Well thank you. They’re beautiful,’ she said begrudgingly.

Taylor staggered past just as Lizzie was fixing them to her ears.

‘Ugh, I am so hung over,’ she groaned, and then perked up when she saw Lizzie.

‘Did you give those to her?’ Taylor demanded of Gabe.

‘Yes. She deserves them.’

‘What? Did she finally put out?’ Taylor chuckled.

‘Taylor, please fuck off,’ he said.

Lizzie bit back a grin. She’d never heard Gabe be outright mean to Taylor before.

‘Fine,’ she sniffed. ‘I’ll see you later Lizzie. When your dickhead boyfriend isn’t going to interrupt.’

Gabe turned back to Lizzie. ‘Sorry. Was I too rude?’

‘Borderline. But she’ll get over it. She’s never really talked to
you
very nicely.’

‘Oh, and I meant to say, please don’t think that the other night had anything to do with us not… you know…’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes! I mean, I want to, of course. And if it happens, then good. But if it doesn’t, that’s totally fine.’

The bell rang.

Gabe squeezed Lizzie’s arm. ‘I’ll see you at lunch? I brought a culinary masterpiece for you to try today.’

‘We’ll see,’ Lizzie said cautiously. ‘You can’t just buy your way back into my affections with a bunch of stuff.’

‘I know. But I’m going to do everything I possibly can to make it up to you.’

Lizzie walked off to Maths. She wasn’t going to make it easy for him. Her boyfriend would have to work for her forgiveness.

***

Lizzie spent the next few weeks keeping her distance from everyone. Taylor had wormed her way further into Heather and Cara’s circle, and they were going out drinking together most nights. Lizzie didn’t mind. She had work and school to keep her busy, and if she was completely honest, life was much easier without Taylor’s drama. Things were still a little uneasy with Gabe, but for the most part, their relationship was ticking along OK.

The only person she saw more of, was Zoe. They sat together in all their shared classes and hung out occasionally on the weekends. She was a lot less work than Taylor, and Lizzie wondered why they hadn’t discovered each other’s company before.

Lizzie’s eighteenth happily fell on a Saturday. She talked with Zoe, and they decided to have a couple of drinks at Lizzie’s house and then go out to dinner. Zoe’s birthday wasn’t until February, so Lizzie didn’t think it would be fair to organise something she couldn’t participate in.

She had been indecisive about whether to invite Taylor, but in the end Taylor had remembered without any prompting and invited herself, Heather and Cara.

‘If you don’t want them there, you should just say,’ Zoe had reasoned.

‘Yeah, but you know Taylor. Once she gets an idea into her head…’

‘OK. But it’s your birthday.’

‘If they get too crazy, we’ll ditch them.’

‘Sounds good.’

Zoe came over to Lizzie’s house at six on Saturday evening. She was wearing a long hot pink skirt with a slit up the thigh, and a black boob tube. Her auburn hair fell in gentle waves around her shoulders, and her porcelain skin was made up beautifully.

‘You look amazing!’ Lizzie said, impressed. ‘I’ve never seen you all fancy.’

‘Well, you know. Sometimes it’s fun to dress up.’

‘That it is,’ Lizzie agreed. She had also made a bit more effort than usual, wearing an emerald green dress with a deep v-neck, and a pair of cream heels.

Lizzie poured them each a glass of champagne. ‘Here’s to a fun night.’

‘Cheers!’ Zoe said, smiling. She sat down in the living room and started looking through her phone for music to play through Lizzie’s Bluetooth speaker.

The doorbell rang. Lizzie answered it.

‘Gabe! I thought I was meeting you later!’ Originally, he had been going to come to the dinner, but when he found out he would be the only guy amongst a bunch of girls he didn’t like, he had asked to see her separately afterwards.

Gabe produced a bouquet of roses from behind his back. ‘I wanted to give you these first. And this,’ he added, leaning forward and giving her a kiss.

‘Thank you. You’re very sweet.’ She showed him her ears. ‘I’m wearing your earrings.’

‘Good to see. So are you just waiting on the girls?’

‘Yep. Zoe’s already here, but the others should be here any moment.’

‘I didn’t know you were friends with Zoe,’ he said, looking slightly confused.

‘Huh? I’m sure you did. Haven’t you seen us talking at school?’

‘Yeah, but I meant like good friends.’

‘Oh. Well, yeah, since Taylor has decided Heather and Cara are more fun than me, Zoe and I have hung out a bit more.’

‘Right. How funny I didn’t notice before.’

‘It’s OK. I know you live in your own little world.’

He gave Lizzie a hug. ‘I must do. Well, I guess I’ll leave you to it then.’

‘I’ll meet you in the Valley at ten?’

‘Can’t wait.’ He waved and left.

Lizzie inhaled the scent of roses as she carried them upstairs.

‘Oh, they’re pretty,’ Zoe said.

‘From Gabe.’

‘Naturally.’

‘He didn’t know we were friends. Isn’t that odd?’

‘I guess. But then you two are pretty oblivious to the rest of the world when you’re together.’

‘That’s true. But it seemed like he was weirded out by it or something.’

‘I get the impression that he can be a bit of a control freak. He probably just thought he should know already.’

Gabe a control freak? Lizzie didn’t think that at all. But then maybe she did have blinders on when it came to him. He had certainly showed a darker side to his personality on Taylor’s birthday.

Lizzie didn’t have time to think more about that though, because the doorbell rang again, and this time it was Taylor, Heather and Cara.

‘Happy birthday!’ they screamed as they ran up the stairs to air kiss Lizzie. Lizzie recoiled slightly at their excessive display.

‘We have a surprise for you tonight,’ Taylor said mysteriously.

‘What is it?’

‘You’ll see. Finish your drink and then come with us. You and I are going in a cab, but Heather is going to drive the other two so she can fill Zoe in.’

Zoe looked at Lizzie worriedly.

‘I promise I had nothing to do with this.’

‘I believe you.’ She turned to Taylor. ‘What about my dinner reservation?’

‘All sorted. Just go with the flow. We’re taking control tonight.’

Lizzie downed the rest of her champagne and nervously followed Taylor to a cab waiting outside.

‘Please don’t blindfold me and throw me in the boot.’

Taylor laughed. ‘Actually, I didn’t think of that. That would have been cool! But come on. We’re going to be late otherwise.’

Lizzie didn’t like surprises. And she suspected tonight would not be an exception.