Page 138 of Tricky Girls

I spy Nic from the corner of my eye. Elly’s room is shut. I knock lightly before pushing it open, in case she’s getting changed or has passed out. It’s dark, the room empty. The bathroom’s unoccupied too, the light on and showing nothing. I turn it off, wondering where else she can be.

Nic’s still hulking at the end of the landing. She has the window cracked open, smoking out of it. My lip curls up. I know it’s her house but I hate that she’s doing that.

‘Hey, have you seen Elly?’

Nic lifts the cigarette and blows out a funnel of smoke. ‘Nope.’

I sigh, craning my neck left and right like she might simply materialise. ‘She’s fucking nowhere.’

‘Maybe she’s avoiding you.’

‘Oh yeah?’ I return my attention to Nic. She’s leant on the sill, bony arse pointing out. She must be freezing in just that loose tank. I can see each vertebra of her spine through it. ‘Is that what you’re doing up here then?’

‘Just trying to enjoy a smoke in peace.’

‘And making the rest of us enjoy it too. Can’t you take it outside or something?’

She doesn’t reply. Doesn’t even look at me. It pisses me off.

I come round to her side. ‘You’ve been a fuck today.’

‘Mm-hm.’

Her eyes are on the sliver of Hazelhurst Castle showing through the pines. It’s a full moon tonight. Can’t see it for the cloud but I know it’s up there. If only it was visible to shine its light on this fucking vault of a girl.

I thought I could better deal with her nastiness—laugh at it even, like I had her tantrum on Haz’s birthday. But not every day’s the same. Some feel more vulnerable than others and today I’m surprisingly raw.

It was so uncalled for. So cruel. Doesn’t she know how it feels to have your ugliness thrown in your face like that?

‘I didn’t appreciate what you said to me earlier.’

‘Yeah, didn’t figure you would.’

She’s still not looking at me, long fingers idly tapping off ash. I grab her arm, forcing her round.

She reluctantly turns her gaze on me, drunk-hazed eyes gliding over my body. A smile tugs my lips. Fucking bingo.

‘You’ve really not seen Elly? I was planning on sticking my tongue down her throat at midnight.’

‘Wouldn’t say even if I had.’ She flits her eyes over me in a more judgmental way. ‘I know you’re making her fuck you. You should probably stop that.’

‘Careful. You almost sound jealous there, Nic.’

She lets out a huff, bathing my face in smoke. ‘You don’t have a fucking clue.’

I push into her, warming her arm with my velveted tits. ‘I’ve seen you looking at me in this dress. You’re not subtle, you’re a fuckingguy.I know you fuck with me really, despite what you say.’

‘Oh yeah, I wanna fuck with you.’

‘Go on then.’ I gesture down the stairs, where London’s readying for the countdown on the telly. ‘Time’s a ticking, Nic. Countdown’s almost on. Now’s your chance.’

Nic’s eyebrow twitches. ‘My chance to what?’

I tap my lips with a finger. ‘No one’s around. No one will know. I’ll keep your secret. Just another ugly thing to bind us.’

She flicks her finished cigarette out the window without ever taking her eyes from me. ‘You have no idea what binds us.’

She turns fully, our hips touching. Have we ever stood this close before? Only when she’s forcing me up against some kind of surface. Just like she’s doing now.

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