Page 65 of Fire Fight

Another roar fills the harbour before I hear the splash of him entering the water. I scurry back inside, tiptoeing up the stairs as quickly as I can, blockading the door and pulling the duvet over my head. Not giving a shit that the room’s still stuffy.

You made me hate the only girl I ever wanted.

Last night, the second part of that sentence rang far louder. Now it’s clear I should pay more attention to the first.

Drake has problems and years of supporting my mother gives me insight of how much work those mental health issues involve.

I don’t want it in a partner. Especially not at my age.

With the caffeine rushing through my system, I hold my knees, close my eyes, and wait for the sun to chase away the darkness with its unwavering light.

DRAKE

Both Arnold and Raelene seem inappropriately happy when I wander into the kitchen in search of lunch.

“There are some cold cuts in the fridge,” my father says, cutting into a loaf of freshly baked bread and cursing as it squashes in his grip.

“I’ll do it,” I offer, getting a far larger serrated knife from the drawer just as Cadence walks in.

She does a double take, half turning like she wants to walk out again, then grabs a seat at the table. As I bring the sliced bread to the table, I stand between her and Raelene, my hipnudging her shoulder. When I turn to take my seat, my fingers brush against the back of her neck.

Arnold clears his throat, nose buried in his phone. “Did you enjoy the movie?”

Cadence launches into a long spiel about character arcs and engaging performances which sounds suspiciously like a review I read last week. I hide my smile, wondering if she’d be half so shy if Raelene wasn’t seated right beside her.

“There was a trailer for one you might like,” Cadence tells her mother, blushing when I raise my eyebrow. “About a carer who gets superhuman powers, but not one of the franchise things. It’s by the guy who did the boxing road trip one that you liked.”

“You enjoyed that one, too, didn’t you?” I ask my father while my foot bumps Cadence’s under the table. “We could go as a family.”

Another couple of hours in the dark, sitting side by side, hiding our interactions from those seated near us. I rub the back of my neck as it prickles, the hairs standing on end. The self-inflicted bruises on my knuckles throb in time with my quickening pulse.

Giving in to temptation is underrated. My senses feel sharper, my brain alert now I’ve admitted the truth to myself.

I want her.

Not to torture or to stop anyone else from laying claim to her, but because she’s the girl I want and have always wanted, even when I convinced myself otherwise.

There are a multitude of details still to sort, the massive roadblock about the medication top of that list, but I feel lighter. Calmer.

Even the near-constant ache in my head falls away.

If this is what coming in my jeans can do to clear my head, I can’t wait until tomorrow when I have her in my car again.Certain that she feels this way, too; unable to do anything but give in to me.

Maybe I’ll just keep driving. Steal her somewhere far away. I’m sure someone in my network must have a bach or a crib or just a shed we can use to hide from the world for a week while we discover how to be together properly.

Somewhere I can keep her happy until she forgets there are other men in the world. My smile broadens until it’s practically beatific.

I lean back in my chair and glance outside.

Hudson walks into the driveway, heading for the entrance.

Before anyone else can react, I stride to the foyer, anger striking as I wrench open the door.

“You can fuck right off,” I say in greeting. “We had enough of your appalling behaviour last night.”

He acts like I didn’t say a word, staring behind me rather than meeting my eye. “Is Cadence around?”

At her name, she walks to the connecting door, nodding to Hudson.

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