Читать книгу Mine - S.A Partridge - Страница 10

By the time Friday eventually comes around, I’ve worked myself up into a frenzy. Like one of those tiny dogs that shiver uncontrollably all the time. Chihuahuas or something.

I like Sebastian. He clearly knows what he wants, and that’s me. Plus, he doesn’t hang out with Craig’s group. In fact, I don’t think their circles cross in any way – Music nerds and childish dorks don’t mix. So there’s a small chance that he hasn’t heard any of the rumours about me, which is definitely a good sign.

And he did say he thought I was interesting.

Another reason I know this might be it is that his dad arrives to pick me up. He shakes Jerome’s hand and mine as well, as if he’s heard about me from Sebastian and is excited to meet me.

“You kids have fun,” says Jerome. He’s actually smiling for a change.

Sebastian and I sit on the back seat, and it’s hard to stop grinning. Sebastian obviously feels the same way.

He looks out the window, but I can see his face reflected in the glass. He catches me staring and I look away quickly. We’re both excited. Just like you’re supposed to be on a first date.

We drive for about ten minutes and pull up into the driveway of a really big house framed by trees. It must be three storeys high at least.

“This is us,” says Sebastian, hurrying out the car and running around to open my door for me.

A middle-aged woman wearing a lilac dress and a silvery shawl rushes out the front door and kisses Sebastian on the cheek before slipping into the front seat. She aims an elegant wave my way. I wave back, feeling like I’m impersonating the Queen of England.

“Behave yourselves while we’re gone,” she says as the car reverses.

“What happened to going to see a movie?” I ask once the car has pulled away.

“I rented a couple of DVDs, if that’s okay with you, doll? My folks are going out for dinner, so I thought it might be nice to have the lounge to ourselves.”

I bounce on the balls of my feet nervously. “Um, okay.”

“Then we can chat as well,” he says, flashing me a smile. “Get to know each other.”

He holds out his hand and I timidly extend mine. To stay composed, I concentrate on breathing through my nose. I don’t want to give away how excited I am. But inside, my mind is simultaneously doing cartwheels and showing the finger to my enemies.

Sebastian Brown is holding my hand, bitches.

“Let me show you around,” he says, shutting the door. Still holding my hand, he leads me into the lounge, where I see a pile of rented DVDs on the coffee table. “I didn’t know what you liked so I just chose five new releases.”

“You could have just asked. You should have taken my number …”

He smacks his forehead. “Oh, right. What can I say, you make me nervous. I can’t think around you.”

My heart swells. It’s dizzying.

He shows me the kitchen, where two packets of microwave popcorn are positioned on the table. It’s a gorgeous house. Clean, shiny marble and antique furniture.

Even the art on the wall looks expensive. I wish I knew more about art.

“And this is my room,” he says, leading me into a typical guy room full of things like GQ magazine and hair gel. There’s a black electric drum kit squashed into the corner and his bed has a plain red duvet cover with a black frill.

“It’s neat,” I say, turning around to leave. He dances around me and closes the door.

“What about the movie?” I ask, still smiling.

He closes the gap between us and presses his lips against mine. “Never mind the movie,” he says. “I’ve been wanting to do this all day.” His fingers fumble with the buttons on my shirt.

I push his hands away. “Wait. What are you doing?”

He looks up in angry surprise. “You want me to stop? Why? You do this with everyone else.”

I glance up, shocked, my cheeks burning. “That’s not true.”

He shrugs. “C’mon, man. I tried to be nice with all that girl stuff. Would you rather I’d just come out and said I want to sleep with you?”

Oh. I see. This wasn’t a date after all.

I force myself to smile because the alternative is to burst into tears, and no one likes a miserable girl. I push the sadness back inside myself, where no one can see it.

“Never mind the movie then,” I say, trying to keep my voice even.

He grabs me and starts kissing me so hard our teeth bash together.

All the time I’m asking myself what made me think he actually wanted to date me. I’m not the type of girl who goes on dates. He probably just needed a rebound lay so that he could get over his ex. The movies, popcorn – that was for his parents’ benefit, not mine.

“What’s this?” he asks, pressing down his thumb on a lovebite on my arm.

“It’s just a bruise.”

He grunts and pushes me onto the bed, lifting up my denim skirt. A laugh escapes my lips.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” I say, and kiss him to stop further questions. What’s funny is imagining myself going to a movie with a guy like Sebastian.

I imagine him ordering the box of popcorn to share, offering me a drink. I’d pull out my wallet but he would insist on paying. Neither of us would watch the movie because I’d be too preoccupied with his hand lying next to mine.

Would he touch my hand or my knee halfway through? Would we end up standing outside my gate while he mustered up the courage to kiss me?

He would call me the next day and invite me somewhere super-fun like ice skating or a concert at Kirstenbosch Gardens. We’d run into Rebecca and Jasmine there, and when they saw Sebastian and me together, they would instantly regret breaking off our friendship. At school he would forsake his friends to sit with me on the grass, stroking my hair in his lap while we talked. Craig would be jealous because he’s secretly liked me all along. People would respect me for a change.

Did I really think any of that would actually happen? Sebastian rolls onto his side and pats his chest. “Damn, I needed that.” He leans over and flicks me on the shoulder. “You’re cool,” he says.

I try to smile and I pull his duvet closer to cover myself.

“I’m going to shower quick. Get dressed. I’ve got some friends coming over.”

Of course he’s got friends coming over. Because this wasn’t a date. It was never supposed to be a date. I collect my clothes and sit on the edge of his bed listening to the sound of the shower running.

I hope Jerome doesn’t ask me how my date went. I don’t think I’d be able to bear it.

WE WATCH Deadpool, which I’ve already seen about fifty times. Judging by the fact that Sebastian’s friends know every line, so have they. Seems I was wrong about Music nerds – they’re as dumb as everyone else. I sit next to Sebastian, but we don’t touch or even talk. It’s like I’m not even there.

Later he walks me to my gate from his dad’s car, his hands in his pockets. He leans into me but instead of kissing me, he says, “This stays between us right? You won’t tell your friends?”

The smile has frozen solid on my face.

“I don’t have any friends.”

I turn and walk inside. I don’t look back once.