Inevitable (5 page)

“
You got a feisty one there, man. Fucked her yet?”

“
It’s not like that Jase. Her mom is old friends with Trudy.
She’s new around here - I’m just showing her the ropes. I need you
to lay off her, okay?”

“
Whoa, you got it bad ain’t ya? Since when do you care how I
speak to girls?”

“
She’s not like other girls, bro. She’s…”
What is she?
“Look, Jase, just
back off, okay. You screw with her, you screw with Trudy. You screw
with Trudy and I’ll be the one getting the shit off my dad.” Yes.
That sounded like a perfect excuse for being protective of her. So,
why didn’t I believe it?

“
Sure, man. Whatever you say,” he agreed, surrendering his
palms in the air. “You’re gonna fuck her though, right?”

“
Drop it, Jase,” I snapped firmly and then that stupid thing
happened again where ridiculous words flop out of my mouth without
permission. “You up for a trip to the ice rink Thursday
night?”

Seriously,
what the fuck was I playing at?

“
Cute chicks falling on their ass and giving me a chance to
play hero? I’m in.”

Funny,
that would have been my reaction two days ago. But now the only
girl I seemed to want to play hero for was the feisty British cutie
waiting for me by the lockers.

Before walking back to Maddie,
I’d planned to ask Jason to switch
places with me next period, knowing he had the only table with a
spare seat for her to sit at, but that would only have fuelled his
belief that I wanted to get in her panties so I left it. I spent
the whole of physics gawping at them, scrutinising Jason’s every
move. Each time I saw him brush her arm with his or saw him making
her giggle my blood simmered a little hotter. I’d be damned if I
knew why.

The hour-long lesson dragged by in a haze and I was
thankful Mrs Montgomery didn’t call on me during the question and
answer session. When it was time to leave for third period I saw
Jason guide Maddie towards the door with his hand on the small of
her back. I clenched my fists by my side, eager to punch him in the
face. Realising I had no claim over her only made me madder, and so
I shoved past the pair of them and
got the hell out of there before I did
something stupid.

I sat in my car and worked my way through
four smokes, too
irate to actually drive anywhere. What the hell was wrong with me?
I didn’t want to screw Maddie. Honestly. Sort of. Well maybe only a
little. So why did I have such a problem with Jason getting a shot?
My cell phone dinged twice… speak of the devil.

Where u ran to
man? We got practice in 10. U gona be there?

Shit. My
dad would go ballistic if I missed football practice. But I just
didn’t think I could face it today – face Jason and his inevitable
interrogation. Plus, it was just one time. How would he even find
out?

Tell coach I’m
sick. CBA today bro.

Jason replied
almost immediately.

U never miss
practice. What’s gotten into u man? Wanna talk?

Christ, what
are we, girls?

No I’m good.
Just feel rough. Prob too much beer last night.

Tossing my phone onto the passenger seat I sparked up
another smoke. Then I cussed out loud when my cell dinged
again.
Leave
me the fuck alone!

U need me to
give Dora a ride home?

Fuck.
I’d not thought that one through. Like hell I was going to
let him be alone with Maddie for that long. He’d have fucked her
and thrown her to the curb before they’d even made it out the
parking lot.

No. I’m actually feeling better. C U at practice.
By the way, her
name is Maddie.

My aim all
morning had been to convince Jason I wasn’t interested in
Maddie. Yeah, I was doing a real great job of that.

After
flicking my cigarette butt out of the window I headed round to the
trunk to grab my kitbag for football practice. I was grateful today
was just conditioning exercises. I just didn’t think my mind would
have been on the game out on the field. Noting Jason was using the
pull up bar, I had no choice but to opt for the bench press at the
opposite side of the room – it was the only piece of equipment that
was free.

I hated the
bench press. It made me remember… Shuddering, I blocked all
thoughts from my mind, focusing solely on a loose ceiling tile
above me as I pressed ninety kilograms with Ben Duran spotting me
from behind.

Heading to the
locker room after finishing up I’d got away without the third
degree.

Almost.

“
So, you go
nna tell me what the hell’s eating you or what?” Jason
cornered me by my locker.

“
Nothin’ to tell.
”
Now fuck off.

“
It’s Dora ain’t it? You can’t bullshit me, man, you been in a
funk ever since that chick showed up.”

“
She only showed up yesterday! You say it like I’ve been pining
after her for months.”

“
So, if you’re not interested… mind if I take a
shot?”

Damn right I
mind!

“
Sure. Just don’t fuck her around, bro. It’s not worth the
shit off my dad.” That had to be the most difficult lie I’d ever
told. And the most ridiculous. Hell, my dad couldn’t hold me
responsible for every guy that thinks with his dick. Plus I’m
pretty sure he doesn’t even like her. He sure as
he
ll made it
clear he thinks her mom’s nothing but a piece of cheap trash last
night.

“
Cheers, man,” he beamed, punching my shoulder. “I’ve never
fucked a British girl before. Hell, it’ll be like screwing the
queen herself.”

“
You sick bastard.
The queen is like two-hundred years old.” That was
my first reaction. The second was a warning.

“
I mean it, Jase. Don’t hurt her,” I said firmly, glowering
at him. “She seems real nice that’s all– not like the rest of the
sluts round here,” I tacked on when I realised I had no right to be
so protective of her.

“
Scouts honour,
” he said, holding two fingers in the air. “I can
be a gentleman. Hell, I might even buy her a pizza first.” He
winked at me and I was almost certain he’d have screwed her before
sundown. The thought rippled through my stomach like vomit. What
had I done?

Maddie
emerged from last period with Lori, giggling and whispering like
they’d been friends for years. It felt good to see her happy and
that confused the hell out of me.

“
I’ll
call you later, Maddie!” Lori practically sang in her ear
before hugging her and skipping away.

“
You made a friend?” I asked her.

“
You sound surprised,” she replied, with an offended glint in
her eyes.

“
No, I didn’t mean that. I’m just- I mean… Lori Hanson?
Seriously? I think my left shoe has more brain cells.”

“
Well I think she’s great,” she snapped defensively. “If for
no other reason than she’s the only girl who hasn’t been a total
bitch to me today.”

“
They’ll warm up to you.”

“
I wouldn’t want them to. I’d shoot myself before I’d be
friends with vindictive arseholes like them.”

“
That’s so cute,” I said, throwing my head back and
laughing.

“
What is?”

“
The way you say ‘arse’.” I tried to mimic her accent but
I’m pretty sure I sounded like some kind of Chinese/Irish
crossbreed. She giggled and I swear it was the most adorable sound
in the world.

I was liking
this girl more every minute… and that was a bad thing.

“
You know, I think my friend Jason has a crush on you,” I
blurted, seizing my opportunity to see whether she felt the same
and hoping she didn’t.

“
And Jason is?”

“
The fucktard who called you Dora.” She rolled her eyes and
made a cute little grunting sound which sounded like ‘ugh’. “So,
you’re not interested? Because most girls
are
.”

Shut the fuck up you moron!
I mentally chastised myself, followed by
images of me punching myself repeatedly in the face.
Next you’ll be
telling her what a great catch he is.

“
I’m not interested in anybody,” she answered flatly and I felt
this weird stabbing feeling in my heart like nothing I’d ever
experienced.

What did you expect her to say? No Blaine, because there’s
only you. There’s only ever been you.
What a dick. One day with this girl and I
was turning into a pathetic, desperate mess. I needed to get my
mind off her… fast.

I pulled
up outside the tin shack she calls a house and immediately her mom
came running outside… in her underwear. No shit – she bounced
towards the car in just a blue bra and red panties grinning like
she’d just won the lotto. I threw up in my mouth a
little.

Maddie practically pole-vaulted from the car and
launched
herself at her mom, covering her almost naked body with
hers and ushering her inside. She slammed shut the front door
without giving me a second glance and after giving my eyes a moment
to stop burning, I sped away.

That Annie chick obviously had some kind of mental problems
going on, which meant Maddie probably had a pretty screwed up home
life taking care of her. I remembered how this was supposed to be
her ‘fresh start’. I’m guessing that didn’t last too long. I felt a
peculiar and unexpecte
d pang of sorrow at the thought. In a way this was
a good thing. Maddie clearly has enough shit going on without
getting more from me – which she undoubtedly would if I took things
any further. I don’t
do
feelings or relationships. I screw until I get bored and
then move on.

That way, no
one can get too close.

Maddie

I
thought my mum would never fall asleep. After her elated
hysteria turned to desolate tears I lay next to her on the bed and
rocked her gently for nearly two hours before she finally passed
out. She’d not been this bad in months and I wondered if the huge
change in our circumstances was the trigger. That coupled with the
empty vodka bottle on the kitchen counter. How was I supposed to
leave her alone whilst I went to school?

This morning
that wouldn’t have been an issue seeing as I wasn’t planning to
return tomorrow. But by the end of the day I decided it wasn’t too
bad after all. Blaine was like my own personal bodyguard which
meant most people weren’t brave enough to insult me to my face and
despite my initial misjudgements I think Lori could be a really fab
friend. It had been so long since I had people other than my mum in
my life and possibly selfishly, I didn’t want to give that up.

When I heard
the phone ring I carefully peeled myself away from my mum and
scurried on tiptoes to the living room to answer.

“
Hello?”

“
Hey, Maddie.
Guess I didn’t scare you off today, I was half-expecting
the local take-out to answer.”

Lori spent the
majority of our half-an-hour conversation talking about Blaine and
the way he apparently looked at me. I spent most of it telling her
how ridiculous that was whilst trying to tease information out of
her about him and trying to remain uninterested at the same
time.

Blaine
is the quarterback of the football team, whatever that is, and
seemingly that makes him the most sought after boy in school. It
also explains his deliciously ripped physique. She then went on to
inform me that he’s slept with more than half the girls in school
at least twice and bizarrely seemed disappointed that she wasn’t
one of them, or that I wasn’t interested in becoming one of them.
She also pointed out that if he wasn’t too busy shagging girls then
he was fighting over them.

I just
couldn’t imagine that side of him. But then, as Lori
proved, first impressions can be misleading.

I’m ashamed to admit that I’d written Lori of as being
thicker than pig shit when I first met her – especially after her
Robert Pattinson comment. I saw blonde hair and heavy makeup and
instantaneously thought ‘dumb’. Don’t get me wrong she won’t be
winning the Nobel Peace Prize anytime soon but she’s sweet and
friendly… and she likes me. What
more do you need in a friend?

My heart suddenly felt a little heavier. The second the
word ‘friend’ crossed my mind
I already started to miss Lori. I barely knew her
of course, but she was my first ever friend and I knew it was only
a matter of time before we would need to run again. That’s just
what my mum does, and after so many years I was finally getting
tired. I wanted to settle. I wanted a life. A life I could
actually
live
.
Surrounded by other people and opportunities. I knew I should keep
my distance from Lori – like I’d done with everyone my whole life.
But I was tired of being lonely. I wanted – I
needed
– a friend… no matter how long it
lasted.

**********

Lori agreed t
o take me shopping after school since I decided I needed to
get a new mobile. Mum made me leave my last one behind after she’d
watched some American crime drama and they used mobile phones to
track people. It didn’t bother me at the time, seeing as the only
person in my contacts list was my mum and I spent almost all my
time with her anyway. But after Blaine witnessed a flash (excuse
the pun) of my mum’s latest episode four days ago, I wished I
could’ve text him to apologise.