Page 64 of Tricky Girls

I hop onto the kitchen counter, careful not to spill my drink. Thing about pregaming in these flats is there’s never any comfy seating unless we all pack into someone’s bedroom.

‘What’s their problem?’ I ask. ‘I’m guessing it’s to do with Nic.’

‘Ah, just stuff,’ he murmurs, looking anywhere but at me.

I drop the subject. I don’t want to be making him uncomfortable as well. I’ll try Elly when she’s in one of her softer moods.

‘If it makes you feel better, she hates me too.’

Tommy smiles, slow and unsure. ‘What didyoudo?’

I blow out a long breath. ‘No idea. Still trying to figure that out.’

‘Broke her heart maybe?’

‘No,’ I huff. ‘I’m straight.’

‘Are you? Oh. I’m surprised.’

‘Why? Do I give off gay vibes or something? Not that that’s a bad thing or anything.’

‘No. Guess I just assumed with you always being around those two. Nowtheygive off those vibes.’

I regard Tommy over the rim of my cup, wondering if he’s that way inclined himself. I’d been thinking that the other night at Vipers, wondering if that was the reason Elly and Haz enjoyed his company so much. Something tells me they don’t bother with straight guys. At least, not straight guys like Ryan.

Tommy has a peculiar softness to him, appearing years younger than his eighteen-going-on-nineteen years. I think that’s why I’m so drawn to his company. I’m sick to the back teeth of the kind of alphaholes I’m usually attracted to. Not that I’m attracted to Tommy at all. He’s goodlooking, for sure, but so, so far from my type.

Unfortunately.

He’d probably make a banging boyfriend. I can tell he’s good inside. It’s an energy thing.

It’s packed in the flat with all the hockey boys and girls. Pretty sure there’s some footballers in here with us too. I join in with some games but it takes so long for it to get to my turn that I spend most of the time just chatting with Tommy.

‘You know last week,’ I say to him, idly watching the guy opposite us down a dirty pint the colour of dehydrated piss, ‘when you said you’ve been fucked with here since you started?’

‘Oh, that.’ He draws in a breath. ‘Yeah, you know. Thought it was the guys in my flat at first. They’re kind of the macho type. I didn’t think they liked me much at first. But it was just little things—my window being egged, my posters in my room ripped down, someone sabotaging my hockey try-outs.’ He looks at me, lips twisted. ‘But it’s not them.Sooooo,yeah. Who fucking knows. I just know this place has it out for me.’ He squeezes the plastic cup in his hand, making it crackle. ‘Dunno, just heard somuch about it. My brother…he used to go here. Fucking loved the place. But I think it’s cursed for me.’

I stare at him with my brow furrowed. He’s just said a lot, and all of it heavy, but the vodka’s kicking around my system and there’s only one question that comes to mind as I study his grizzled profile. ‘Tommy, are you gay?’

‘No,’ he chuckles, seemingly glad I changed the subject so rapidly. ‘Hundred percent straight.’ He nods to me. ‘But you wouldn’t be the first to ask. And the first and only time I ever went to a gay club’—he tosses his arm out in an encompassing gesture—‘alllllllllllover me.’ He smiles a pleased smile. ‘I’m a catch.’

‘I can see it. You’re very pretty.’

He twirls an invisible strand of hair. ‘Well, thank you. You know, this is really weird but you legit looklike my little sister.’

‘I do?’

‘For real. I’ll show you a picture.’

He scrolls through his phone, showing me several pictures of his younger sister, a smiley brown-haired girl of about thirteen.

‘Damn, I do.’

‘Yep. So you don’t have to worry about me being into you either. I’m not into incest.’

He goes quiet after that comment and I have to nudge him to bring him back into the room.

‘That’s good to know.’ I smile.

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