I swallow hard, my expression softening. “I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe he wants to come here and clear his head, get away for a while.”
I know firsthand how much losing a parent hurts. I’d never wish it on my worst enemy.
If I had a worst enemy.
He sighs and picks up the box of cupcakes in one hand, half his apple still held in the other. “Yeah, it looks like it. It fucking sucks. I know how close they were. It’ll be good to see him, despite the circumstances. Anyway, I’ll see you tonight, Trill. Lock the door after me.”
“Okay,” I reply, locking the door as he leaves. I clean up the kitchen then have a shower and get dressed for uni.
Chapter Two
Trillian
“This cake is amazing,” April says as she takes another huge bite.
“I’m glad you like it.”
“Like it? I fucking love it. You should open your own shop,” she says, moaning.
My lip twitches as I watch her devouring the cake and making orgasm noises. “So I’ve been told.”
“Trill, you look stunning tonight!” Amanda calls out. All April’s closest friends are here. Some I know, like Amanda, and some I don’t.
“Thank you, Amanda, so do you,” I say shyly, fiddling with the hem of my black dress. It isn’t anything too revealing, nothing like what April is wearing, but it’s fitted and shows my figure. I’m not a slender girl. I’m curvy with an hourglass shape, or so April tells me. I have wide hips, a bigger ass than I’d like, and my breasts are more than a handful.
“Told you,” April says. “Love your hair like that, too.”
My hair is normally extremely curly, but tonight, I’ve tamed it with a hair iron and it’s dead straight, sleek, and falling down my back. “Thank you.”
“Do you want another drink?” she asks, eyeing the premade vodka mixed drink I’m holding.
It’s a girly drink.
It also doesn’t have too much alcohol in it, and I don’t mind the taste, mainly because you can’t taste any of the alcohol.
“I’m good,” I tell her.
She reaches up and plays with a lock of my hair. “I wish I had your hair.”
I eye her slim body, blonde hair and wide blue eyes. “Shut up, April.”
She laughs, and then takes a sip of her drink. “I’m serious, Trill. It’s so black it almost looks blue, and with your bright blue eyes, holy hell.”
I look down into my drink, trying to hide my blush. “Thanks, girl.”
“Hey, just being honest. You okay here? I’m going to mingle.”
“Go ahead,” I tell her, smiling. “You don’t need to babysit me.”
She puts her hand on her hip. “I know. I just know this really isn’t your scene so I like to keep a close eye on you.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m fine. I’m enjoying my drink and listening to the music.”
She nods. “I’ll just check in with everyone and be back.”
She walks off, her hips swaying as she talks with some of her other friends. I finish my drink then get up and head to the fridge for another one. I choose a cranberry and vodka this time, then smirk to myself—look at me, trying new things.
“Hey, Trill,” Amanda says from behind me. “Guess what I heard today?”
This doesn’t sound good. “What?”
“Richard is coming to Drake’s tonight.”
Drake’s is one of the pubs in town we’re going to tonight. April works there on the weekends as a bartender, sometimes even on weekdays after school. She’s studying to be a teacher, like me, but high school instead of primary.
“And?”
“And he told me he wanted to ask you out,” she says, grinning. “Come on. He’s good looking, admit it.”
He’s okay. I mean there’s nothing wrong with him. I just don’t feel any kind of attraction between the two of us. It explains why he comes to get ice cream almost every shift I work. My hours every week are the same and he usually seems to pop up.
“I’m not interested, but I’m sure he’s a nice guy,” I say. “Why don’t you go for him?”
She grins. “Maybe. I am looking for someone to party with tonight.”
“Well, there you go,” I say with a smile.
Two birds with one stone.
“If only Zach would even look my way,” she mutters, tipping back her drink.
“Zach will be there, too, probably,” I say to her.
“Yeah, but he’s not interested,” she pouts. “He’s so dreamy. I don’t know how you live next to him without jumping his bones every night.”
I choke on my drink. “I manage.”
We all hang out for the next hour before we pile into two maxi taxis and head to the pub. The place is packed when we get there, pretty usual for a Friday night. I start to regret wearing four inch heels as we line up to enter. With a stamp on each of our wrists, we walk inside as one big group, but soon split up as some of the girls head for the bar and some for the dance floor. April and I choose the dance floor. I try to let loose as much as I can, swaying to the music.
A few songs later, I tap April on the shoulder. “I’m going to get some water. Do you want some?”
She shakes her head and flashes me a smile that I return. I head to the bar then open my handbag and take out my wallet. When I look up to my right, I do a double take.