| |
It took me a while to get relaxed. I was so used to being aware that I had to stay fairly sober, that instead I drank two cans of beer in quick succession and then felt so light-headed, I switched to water for my next drink. Nick came over just as I was filling a cup at the tap and proceeded to completely rip the mickey out of me for it.
I glowered at him and downed the water anyway.
“Please tell me you aren’t going to go home to bed at ten o’clock tonight?” Nick goaded me.
“Not this time, but I’m still not going to get ratted and make an idiot of myself if that’s what you were hoping?”
“No, mate. I just want to see you have some fun. You’re too tightly wound.” Nick clapped me on the shoulder. Thankfully the good one so it didn’t hurt.
“That’s what it takes to be the best,” I said, feeling flat now the light-headedness had passed.
“I know, but there isn’t any point if you don’t enjoy life as well.” Nick opened another can and passed it to me.
“Says the man getting himself a lemonade?” I quirked an eyebrow as I watched him pour the drink.
“It’s for Jenny, she’s not really a drinker,” he said, looking slightly shifty.
“So, it’s okay for her but not for me?” I grouched.
He laughed, “Just loosen up, we both know you’re not going to do much more than that.” Then he walked off toward the living room to find his girlfriend.
He left me wondering if I was maybe a bit boring? Yes, it was true I did take care of myself, I ate pretty well when possible and I didn’t drink much. It was also true I usually went home just as everyone else was getting going on a Friday or Saturday night, but it was necessary if I wanted to achieve big, wasn’t it? Or was I sacrificing my youth on a dream that might never even come to anything?
I went over to the kitchen table and absentmindedly picked at the food laid out there.
“You look miserable,” a girl said, coming to stand by my side.
“Yeah, sorry. I was just having a moment of introspection. But self-doubt is a killer,” I said, sipping the beer.
I meant it too; there was no room for self-doubt in tennis. You had to be confident of winning, otherwise you’d lost before you even started.
“I don’t think you have any reason for self-doubt, not with this face.” She poked a finger into the small dimple in my cheek as I smiled, realising she was flirting with me.
She’d completely misread my words, but I decided not to correct her as it seemed to be working to my advantage.
I looked the girl up and down as subtly as I could. She had long hair in a rich chestnut brown and a round but very pretty face. Her body was generously curved in all the right places and she wore a tight t-shirt with the words “Look Six Inches Higher” printed across her chest. I looked closer at the smaller line of text written underneath it. It said, “Is that what you call six inches?” I burst out laughing and she grinned at me, showing a row of straight white teeth.
“I’m Luke,” I said, holding out my hand to shake hers.
“Sarah. Do you go to school with Henry?”
“Yes, at Blue River. Are you at Greenlee?”
“No, I’m Henry’s cousin, but I only live in Wicklow, so I visit fairly often. His mother and mine are twins so they’re really close.” She gave a look like it was a bad thing, but it sounded nice to me.
“Do you and Henry get along?” I asked.
“Yes, as much as can be expected. We fight like brother and sister, and he can be a total pain, but he’s fun sometimes too.”
“And what do you like to do for fun?” I asked, moving a little closer as I set my beer down on the counter beside her.
“The usual,” she smiled in a sultry way. “Shopping, eating out, movies. How about you?”
It quickly occurred to me that she’d listed activities that could be construed as things to do on a date. Was it an opener to ask her out?
“I spend most of my free time playing tennis,” I said, honestly.
She gave a shudder. “Ugh, I hate to do anything sporty like that, it turns you into a total sweaty mess. I’m more couch potato than the running around kind. Snuggling up on the sofa, you know?” She was doing the sultry look again, but I felt my interest ebbing away.
She must have sensed it because she danced her fingers up my chest. “But I do like music, especially slower songs like this one. You want to?” She tilted her head towards the living room where some music was playing. I wasn’t sure if she was inviting me to dance or if she was inviting me to go and sit on the comfy sofas in a more romantic atmosphere, but I shook my head. I didn’t really want to do either.
“I’m fine here, but don’t let that stop you.”
She got the rebuff immediately and her smile turned a bit taut. “Okay, well you’ll know where to find me if you want to.”
I sipped my beer again as I watched her walk away through the door to the living room. Damon was leaning against the doorway looking at me and shaking his head.
“What?” I asked, petulantly.
“She was flirting with you.”
“I know that.”
“So, follow her then, you moron.” He gestured through the door.
“Not interested,” I said, bluntly.
“Why not? Weren’t you just complaining earlier about your lack of action recently? She was into you, and gorgeous, what more are you looking for?”
“Blue hair?” Nick suggested, appearing behind Damon.
“Hell no!” I replied, as Damon just looked confused.
But Nick had a point, Cami wasn’t the type to be concerned about breaking a nail or turning into a sweaty mess. And I couldn’t imagine her listing ‘shopping’ as an activity to do for fun.
“Any idea where Cami went to school before Blue River?” I asked Nick, trying to sound casual.
Nick got the point immediately and turned to Damon. “Ask Rachel if there used to be a girl at Greenlee called Cami Smith.”
“Sure, but it might have to wait, she’s being sick in the bathroom upstairs.”
“Really?” I chuckled as I'd never seen Rachel drink until she was sick; she was too perfect to do anything as gross as throwing up in a toilet.
“I think it was the yoghurt and cucumber dip, it tastes kind of fizzy.” Damon shot an anxious look at the kitchen table that had an assortment of chips and dips.
Nick huffed out an exasperated breath. “And it didn’t occur to you to throw it away before we all got ill?” He went over to the table, found the offending dip and disposed of it in the food recycling bin.
My stomach went a bit queasy at that moment.
“Oh crap, I think I ate some of it too, I wasn’t even paying attention to the taste.”
And that was the end of my night. My constitution wasn’t as delicate as Rachel’s and I didn’t actually barf, but I was immensely grateful for the cool night air as I walked home, and it was a relief to get back and lie down. I looked at the clock and groaned. I was in bed by ten thirty, same as usual. What a party animal!