Page 69 of You Had Me At Thirteen

I turn my head, lying my cheek on my folded arms in front of me. ‘Wren kicked me out again.’

Audrey winces. ‘Koby might have spilled the beans about his mum.’

‘Jesus. Well… that’s the reason he wanted me out of there. He doesn’t want anyone’s help, hellbent on doing everything himself. I want to help, I do, but he pushes me away any chance he gets. One minute I think we’re getting somewhere, the next I’m being thrown out like garbage.’ I blink back tears, recalling the way he made me feel when he kicked me out.

Audrey presses her cheek to my shoulder. ‘You’re not garbage, Til. It must be so hard for him to watch his mum suffer, but it still doesn’t give him the right to play with your emotions the way he is. Have you tried telling him how you feel?’

‘This is Wren we’re talking about. Do you think he cares about my feelings?’

Audrey shrugs. ‘Koby reckons his dad is a piece of work. He’s obviously going through a lot right now. Maybe just give him some time?’

‘How much time, Audrey?’

‘I don’t know… but he’s lucky to have you right now.’

I snort. ‘Not sure about that. Anyway… how much truth serum did you give Koby last night? Sounds like he spilled the beans on a lot of shit that isn’t his to tell.’

A sudden pulsing settles in my forehead, right between my eyes, so I rub it, hoping to chase away the impending headache. How could Koby announce Wren’s business like that? Audrey is my best friend, but whatever is going on in Wren’s life is his business to tell, not Koby’s. Maybe I’m just jealous that Koby actually wants to open up to Audrey. Getting Wren to open up is like trying to pry open a crocodile’s mouth once it’s latched onto its prey. That sucker is dead and gone.

‘It’s not like that, Til. Koby is really worried about him. Said he’s been really up and down the last couple of weeks.’

‘That’s the understatement of the century.’ Audrey tilts her head, but I dismiss her with a wave of my hand. ‘So… you and Koby, huh?’

She grins again, her perfect teeth on full display. ‘He’s so different from what I imagined. He’s sweet, and kind, and sexy. And he asked me out… finally.’

‘That’s great, Aud. I’m so happy for you, really I am.’

Audrey shrugs. ‘It’s nothing too serious, just hanging at Emerson’s tomorrow night. Wren will be there – you should come.’

I bury my face in the mattress. ‘Hard pass.’

‘Please? I’m sure it’ll be fine. Plus maybe it’ll give you guys a chance to talk.’

‘You’ll be fine. Besides, Wren doesn’t talk, and I really need to chill. I’ve been doing way too much lately, and I need to focus on this race coming up. I can’t afford to lose.’

Audrey pouts, then gives me a small smile. ‘I know, but this is you, Til. I’ve never seen you lose. You’ve got it in the bag.’

‘Hope so.’ I try to smile, but it falls flat.

I’m not excited the way I should be, and I don’t know why. It’s been eating at me for the last couple of weeks, a sinking feeling always there in my stomach. Sometimes I can’t tell if I’m hungry, or coming down with an illness. I keep telling myself that it’ll pass once I get the race over and done with. Once school finishes and Wren and I are no longer tied together, it’ll move on to the next hopeful.

After calling Clive to ask him to come over, the three of us spend the rest of the afternoon watching old romance movies on my laptop. If I had it my way, we’d be watching something with high crime, or a thriller, not this sappy crap. But, when it’s two against one, I don’t stand a chance.

The last thing I need is another reminder that my love life is walking the plank, barely holding on to save itself from the shark-infested waters below.

TWENTY-NINE

Matilda

* * *

My phone vibrates against the timber top of my bedside table, so I reach over, keeping my eyes closed and pick it up. ‘What?’

‘Matilda?’

‘Yeah?’ My brain fumbles, not quite recognising the voice on the other end.

‘It’s Koby.’

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