Page 9 of The Book Swap

Georgia and I separate, talking to a few different people from school or who we know from around town. I bump into Bonnie’s parents as I make my way back to the bar. All of us stop and exchange stiff smiles.

“Erin,” Bonnie’s dad says, nodding at me.

“H-hi,” I try to say, but it comes out as a whisper. My cheeks start burning and I lift my glass up, ready to press it against them.

“How are you?” Bonnie’s mum asks, tilting her head. “You see the photos?”

I nod, tears filling my eyes as I try to force a smile. There’s a thickness in my throat as I speak. “I did. Thank you.”

She glances toward the wall and back. They’re both waiting for me to say something and I want to. I need to, but I can’t find the words. My throat feels too tight.

“We need to prepare the raffle,” Bonnie’s dad says, resting his hand on his wife’s shoulder and giving a small smile.

“Of course.” He holds his arm out to let me pass them, and I push my way to the bar, ordering a shot to go with my wine.

I turn around to see Georgia in a long discussion with Bon Jovi. She had a crush on him at school, despite the twenty-year age gap, and it’s looking worryingly like her feelings might finally be reciprocated. I make my way back to the photo wall and raise my shot glass to Bonnie, before downing it.

The night ends with the best-and worst-dressed prizes, which go to Big Foot and a pair of bollocks, and everyone starts to file out.

Georgia and I are staying at Mum’s tonight—I agreed, mostly due to a lack of options since Dad moved to Spain with his new wife and I can’t afford a hotel. When we’re reunited her eyes are somewhat glassier than when I left her.

As we walk toward the exit there’s a big laugh from a group of men, followed by a shout and a loud smashing sound. I hear it at the same time as I feel the sharp pain in my foot.

“Fuck,” I shout, bending down to see deep red blood spilling out of the flesh exposed in my sandals.

“What?” Georgia asks, looking down. “Oh Jesus.”

Someone appears beside me with a tissue, and hands it to me. Their sleeve is the deep blue velvet of the book I saw earlier. I look up, and my heart stops as I see the owner of the sleeve is James. I haven’t seen him since we were fifteen. I hoped I never would again. I don’t even know why he’s here, when Bonnie and I hated him, but I’m even more confused as to why he’s staring down at me, head tilted to one side and his pale blue eyes wide with concern.

“Are you okay? There might be some glass in there.”

He’s stopped bleaching his hair, leaving it a light brown that, combined with the thick black lashes, make his blue eyes quite piercing. They were hard to look away from in school. Now I tear my eyes from him and scrunch the tissue into a ball, throwing it back.

“I’m fine.” I spit the words out.

He catches the ball and holds his hands in the air, blinking.

“Sorry, I—”

“Oh, now you’re sorry.”

He steps away, like I’ve hit him.

“Bit fucking late now, isn’t it? But nice to know you finally realize that word exists.”

The lights come up, signaling the end of the night, and I jolt backward as I take him in. His eyebrows knitted together as he runs a hand through his hair. His eyes never leave my face.

“Come on, Erin,” Georgia says, bending down to take my hand, before pulling me up.

My flesh feels like it’s burning. I need to get away from him.

There’s a ripple of laughter among the men and I frown, looking from them to my sister, bringing my hand to my mouth as I see what they’re so amused by. When she bent down to pick me up she must have stood back up too fast, because she’s now standing beside me with her pink neon dress down to her waist, and her tit-taped breasts on display.

Georgia squeezes her eyes shut and purses her lips, then, without saying a word, readjusts her outfit before taking my hand and leading me away.

When I wake up the next morning, I can hear Mum and Derek downstairs in the kitchen, talking. I roll over and pull the pillow beside me over my head.

“Oi!” Georgia yanks it back from me, and I sit bolt upright.

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