Page 90 of Tricky Girls

My pissed-off-ness expands to even her as I remember the bet. I don’t doubt their affections for me are real, but did it really start out that way?Pricks.That I’m PMT’d this week only adds to the fire.

‘I’m having a bath. You’ve got five minutes to piss or you’ll have to hold it.’

‘Ooo-kay.’Haz eyes me as she slowly closes the fridge. ‘Who wazzed in your cereal?’

I ignore her, not able to concentrate on anything other than getting warmed up. Nic is on the sofa, her stupid dumb ankle perched on a cushion. God, I want to kick it. But I’m not that mean. I’m nother.

A few hours later, I’m warm and tipsy and feeling a million times better as I walk through the doors of Vipers with Haz and Elly. Nic’s staying in tonight on account of her ankle so I don’t have to worry about her dragging me off to the Vaults. I’d be happy to never set foot there again, NDA be damned.

I buy my own drinks much to Haz’s and Elly’s disgrace. I know I’m punishing them in some subtle weird way but I’m too much of a chicken to confront them head on. What if the bet’s still going on? What if this all crumbles under my feet?

PMT gets me like that. It makes me panicky and paranoid, like the whole world hates my existence. Nic backs that up on the daily and Mum’s still hacked off that I’m not going homefor Christmas and hasn’t spoken to me since. Really doesn’t take much to get me into that headspace.

Haz and Elly try to dance with me for a bit but after forsaking them for my hockey lot, they wander off to dance with some other girls.

I watch them from the corner of my eye, the sight making my insides twist up. Even though Nic’s not here, I hear her in my head.See, you are just leading them on. You don’t want them but you want them to want you. They deserve better than that.

Yeah, and so do I. It’s shit they’re betting on who gets to fuck me first. That they get to play with me just because I’m straight. Some challenge to bolster their egos.

Well, three can play at that game.

From across the dance floor, Elly smiles at me. Sweet, confident, flirty Elly.

I return it before turning away. I spot Tommy arriving with some lads, an idea forming in my head.

‘Hey,’ I call to him. ‘Wanna go smoke?’

‘I don’t smoke.’

‘Yeah, me neither.’ Grabbing his arm, I pull him into the smoking area. It’s freezing, bordered on all sides by concrete apart from the back that’s open to the elements, the forest beyond creepy in the dark.

I pull him to a stop beside a graffiti-ridden wall. ‘How drunk are you?’

‘Was getting there before you booze blocked me.’

‘Are you drunk enough to wanna do something dumb and petty with me?’

Tommy smiles, his boyish face lighting up. ‘Just about. What’s up?’

I tell him about the girls’ bet, smacking him on the arm when he tips his head back and laughs. ‘It’s not funny, dude. It’s mean and gross.’

‘Kind of is though. So, what, you want revenge or something?’

‘I want to show them that they’re barking up the wrong tree.’

‘Right, and I come into this how?’

Leaning on the wall, I bat my eyelashes. ‘You can be my right tree?’

‘Ooooh,I see.’ He nods. ‘I got ya. You want them to think we’re something?’

‘Yeah. Proper rub it in their faces. Are you in?’

‘Might be after a few more beers.’ He looks at me until I roll my eyes.

‘Fine. I’ll buy you drinks for the rest of the night as payment. That alright with you?’

‘Good enough, I reckon. How convincing do you want this?’

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