Chapter 23
Put this on.”
“Who does it belong to? I asked curiously as I examined the garment.
‘Aiden’s. He won’t mind.” Tammy then thrust a pair of my black jeans at me to add to the pile. Trust me!”
By thus point I was either too tired or the beer had kicked in. I simply took the clothes and changed once Tammy had left the room after ordering me not to look in a mirror. It was a challenge but knowing I wouldn’t be able to handle Tammy’s disappointment if she knew I looked, I kept my eyes firmly on the floor the whole time. Once I was done, Tammy came back in, squealing in delight when her eyes landed on me before she rushed over.
I think the shirt might be too big.” I muttered as 1 looked at the excess material.
“That’s why we do this!”
I watched as Tammy carefully folded and adjusted the hem of the t–shirt before using a hair tie and experience to tie a knot in the top, cinching it in and holding it in place.
“Okay, we better go. Tammy blew at a lock of orange hair falling into her face. “But go take a look!”
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I was finally allowed to look at my reflection. The first thing I noticed was that my neck was no longer covered in bruises. Despite the fact it felt like Tammy used everything she owned in her make up bag, she had somehow managed to make me look glamorous but not overdone. My brown eyes almost seemed like two obsidian jewels against the black smoky mascara and eyeshadow while my lips were a nude caramel, glistening in the bedroom light.
My hair was half up again but this time pulled into a messy half bun. I looked like me but not me. This was a sexier, more confident looking me, far from what I looked like forty minutes ago. The band t–shirt, black jeans and ankle boots made me look like Tammy who was hovering behind me with a proud smile.
“What do you think?” She asked.
“I look…” I couldn’t speak for a moment, utterly lost for words and I felt my eyes burning as tears threatened to form. “No one has ever done anything like
this for me before.”
‘Well you deserve it and you look beautiful.” Tammy muttered, her smile showing off her perfect white teeth. “Like a rock princess ready to take on the
world.”
I looked away from the mirror to look at Tammy properly. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled back and pulled me into a brief hug. “Now, let’s go. The boys will be waiting.”
She grabbed my hand and tugged me out of my bedroom and to the stairs. My brain was still trying to catch up and process what Tammy had said.
“Waiting? I thought we were eating cake.” I asked as I followed Tammy’s lithe form down the stairs.
“We are but the cake isn’t here. The boys have it.” Tammy explained vaguely as she shuffled through the masses of coats and jackets on the hook in the hall.
“Okay…” I had a feeling I wasn’t going to get much more from Tammy and went to grab my phone and keys. For a moment I considered grabbing my scarf but worried the material would undo all of Tammy’s hard work.
“Here.” She smiled as she handed me an old black denim jacket I bought a couple of years back but never wore because I was worried it didn’t suit me. “Pop
that on.”
Tammy was tight lipped after that point. With the house locked up, I followed her down the street heading into the city. Whenever I tried to find out what was going on Tammy either changed the subject or repeated the same line.
“We’re going to get cake.”
The air was biting and the tip of my nose was cold after just a few minutes of walking. I could smell the cold as well as wet dying leaves and the faint scent of smoke. Despite the chill and that was now heading towards 11pm, there was something exciting about being out at night, walking the streets with a girl
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Chapter 23
who seemed right at home making her way through the night towards some unknown adventure. I wondered if Liam had ever done stuff like this maybe when I was on a sleepover. I thought I knew my brother but it seems that there were sides to him that he kept from me for whatever reason
We must have walked for about ten minutes before Tammy tugged on my hand and led me towards a single storey building that looked like it had been recently built. Much of the front and the side I could see was made up of tinted windows that allowed the glow of inside out but nothing else. Feraldn’t we any signs save for one small one on the door that blinked closed in the colour red.
“Where are we? I asked curiously, the sound of music and people growing louder the closer we got to the doors.
“Aiden’s business. Tammy explained. ‘He’s opening a bar or something.”
We stepped inside and I was instantly hit by noise and humid heat. By the intensity of it I was expecting it to be crowded but surprisingly there was probably no more that thirty people, mostly males and mostly Aiden and Tammy’s age. The light was a mixture of warm vanilla and bold red that mixed into an odd pink colour. There were booths and tables and chairs stacked up at the back ready to be laid out at some point but for nows everyone was either lounging near what appeared to be the bar or on the numerous leather couches in the middle of the space. I glanced up to find exposed beams and a vaulted ceiling with a huge brass like Buddha head suspended from steel cables.
“Wow…” I breathed.
“Amazing right?” Tammy beamed as she led me towards the bar. “Let’s get a drink and I will introduce you to people. They are going to love you! Oh there’s Aiden!*
“Huh?” I glanced up from staring around me to the direction Tammy was pointing.
Sure enough, coming through a door in the back was Aiden dressed in a white t–shirt and back jeans and hair slightly messed up clearly from running his hand through it for some reason. His eyes must have seen Tammy waving because his ocean eyes instantly focused on her before moving to me.
I could tell that for a moment Aiden didn’t recognise me and I could see him trying to figure out who I was before it seemed to dawn on him, his blue eyes darkening and pinning me to my spot. I realised then I had seen this look before on a few occasions and just like those times, I was baffled as to what he was thinking but very aware of the shiver that ran down my spine and pooled in my core as a delicious heat.
Chapter Comments
Susan King
Mhmm! Aiden’s catching feelings!
knutcase k
POST COMMENT
there are other colors and comparison than vanilla for light. It was artistic, imaginative, and creative the first time now it is just over–used, tiresome, and repetitive.
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