Distraction: The Distraction Trilogy #1 (25 page)

“Sorry, Mr Price.”

The old man winks at me and walks away chuckling.

I turn to Isaac and mimic in a babyish voice, “Sorry Daddy… I fix it Daddy.”

“You’re not funny.”

“Aww, don’t cry little baby.” I pat him on the head, but seconds later I feel teeth sink into my wrist and shriek, smacking him on the head with the spray bottle in an effort to get him to release me. “Arsehole.”

“Detention.”

Eye roll. “That again?”

“This time I’m serious.”

I look at the ring of teeth marks embedded in my flesh. “Then I’ll just report you for assault.”

“Two days of detention.”

Sigh…

Isaac

I think back to the food fight and it still brings a smile to my face. I don’t ever remember a time where I had that much fun.

What’s even more fun is sitting at the top end of the hall monitoring the twelve or so students who are currently writing lines on blank pieces of paper. Eloise is among them and she looks extremely pissed.

I wander around, checking to make sure everybody is writing the lines assigned to them. They usually receive lines based on their punishment.

‘I must not play on my phone during lesson.’

Is one of them.

‘I must not argue with my teacher during lesson.’

Is another.

My favourite, however, is this…

‘I must not throw eggs in kitchens and proceed to beat someone over the head with a bottle of any kind.’

Although she hasn’t quite written what I’ve told her to.

‘Next time I’ll just hit harder.’

I laugh, causing the students to look my way, but shift it to a glare. They quickly turn back to their own work.

The thing is, I didn’t actually manage to get Elle into detention. My dad decided that, as punishment for our fight, she’d be in detention and I’d be supervising. So basically I’m also in detention, I’m just not writing lines. I haven’t told that to Elle though. She thinks I’m here to gloat.

And that’s what I’ll continue to let her think for the next forty minutes.

I’m so hungry. Normally I’d grab something on my way home on the nights I don’t go to my parents, but this detention has kept me in an hour too long. I need to eat.

When the hour is up, the students file out one by one. I smile when Eloise waits behind for me. She looks unsure about whether or not I want her here. I’m not a mind reader, but Eloise isn’t hard to figure out.

“Did you have a good weekend?” I start pushing the tables to the corner and, with her help, we stack them properly.

“It was okay. I had a job interview at that shoe shop in town, the one on the corner of the high street.”

I know that one, I think. “Zone?”

“Yeah, I think I got it, which means twenty five percent discount. Can’t go wrong with twenty five percent discount.”

This is true. “Well, good luck. If only the other students had your drive.”

“I’m lucky.” She tucks her hair behind her ear and helps me lift another table, sliding it into place.

“How so?”

“I know what I want. I know that being a teenager isn’t going to last and I know that, in order to get where I want to be, I need money.”

“You’re a smart girl.”

She shrugs. “I just pay attention.”

This makes me chuckle. “Not including during my lessons.”

“Yeah, it was easier when I didn’t find my teacher attractive.” Her eyes widen as she turns her face away from me. I try not to laugh, but fail and it feels good. “I can’t believe I just said that.”

“I can.” Okay, so my new found arrogance might annoy her, but I can’t help it. She makes me feel good and I like to tease her when I feel good. I shouldn’t. It’s not appropriate. I just don’t know how to stop and, even if I did know, I don’t think I would.

“Can we just do this already?” I know she’s referring to the table, but my mind still wanders to other places. I can’t get it out of my head, the way she responded to my touch and kiss. It can’t happen again, but it’ll be something I fantasize about for a very long time. “The table I mean.” She flushes pink along her cheekbones and curses under her breath. I guess I’m not the only one letting my mind wander.

We lift the final table and slide it into place. I’m still smiling and she’s still blushing.

“I should go.” She grabs her bag off the floor and slips it onto her shoulder.

“Do you… do you need a ride?” Why am I offering to drive her?

“No, that’s okay. I’m meeting Hayley and some friends at the hangout.”

My body tenses, not only because she doesn’t want a ride, but because I know what the hangout is and I don’t like it at all. “Meeting anybody in particular?” I try to sound casual, but my voice holds an undertone of… I’m not sure what of. Annoyance?

“Our usual gang: Riley, Wesley, Becky, Shannon.” She shrugs a little. “Oh and Garrett too.”

Something hits me in the chest. It’s not physical but internal. I scratch at the spot between my ribs to rid myself of the tingling, but it’s under the skin. I don’t like it. This feeling is foreign to me. “Garrett?”

Her smile is easy and for some reason I don’t like it. “Yeah, he switched to a mechanics apprenticeship so I haven’t seen him since Halloween.”

“Right.” I pull open the door and follow her into the hall. “Didn’t you used to date him?”

I see her look at me out of the corner of her eye as I walk slowly beside her. “No. Well… not really.”

“Not really?” Translate please.

“We hung out a few times.”

“And kissed.” I point out and have no idea why I pointed that out.

“Yeah, sometimes.”

I feel my jaw harden. “And what do you plan to do at the hangout?”

“Hang out.”

“Smart arse.”

She sticks her tongue out at me. “I should go. I need to get changed. I smell like school.”

“No you don’t.” Why can’t I shut up?

“Still, we’ll probably go out for a few drinks afterwards. Or head back to Wesley’s.”

“And your parents don’t mind?”

Her shoulders shift and her head turns towards me. “Why would they? I’m eighteen, I’m keeping out of trouble and my grades are good.”

“There’s room for improvement.” Yep, I just insulted her. What the hell is wrong with me?

“Is there a reason behind this questionnaire, or am I free to leave?”

It’s now that I realise I’m holding the side exit door closed and probably have been for a short while now. I remove my hand and scratch the small tickle on my neck. “Feel free to leave.”

“I’ll see you on Wednesday.”

“Aren’t you going to my parent’s tomorrow?”

“Nah.”

“Nah?” I’m not even sure what that means.

“No, I’m doing homework tomorrow. My history teacher assigns us pretty tough essays every week.” She winks and tugs on the door, letting the cold air into the hall. “See you later.”

I watch her walk away with that annoying feeling still burning in my chest, except now it’s worse. I want to punch something.

“Somebody looks stressed.” I feel her presence close to my shoulder and glance her way.

“I’m fine.”

“Somebody sounds stressed too.”

“What do you want, Katherine?”

She sighs deeply and runs her fingers through her jaw length hair. “I think we need to start again. I don’t like how strangely distant we’ve become.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m glad you agree.” She smiles and places her hand on my shoulder. “Lunch tomorrow?”

Should I? “Fine, sounds good.” It will get me out of here for a while. “I need to get home. I have more work to mark than I know what to do with.”

“I hear you.” She pulls open the door and we exit together.

Eloise

A number lights up my phone, beneath a name that has my heart racing.

Isaac
:
Stay safe!

I don’t respond. I don’t get the chance to, as Hayley snatches my phone away, shoves it in my pocket and drags me to the shop. Seeing as I have identification, I’m the one buying the alcohol tonight.

Vodka it is, along with a ton of cranberry juice.

I stagger to the right, my head spinning. My hand catches the wall, stopping me from actually falling. I feel so sick.

“Oh my god.” Garrett snorts, falling into me. “I feel so drunk.”

He sits on the porch swing and shuts his eyes. I do the same, letting the cold wind settle over my skin. It’s the only thing keeping me alert.

I can’t stop laughing.

“Where’s Hayley?” I slur, looking at the door to Wesley’s house.

“Inside somewhere.” Garrett’s smile is wonky and his eyes are red from intoxication, but I don’t care. He’s still cute.

“I am so drunk.” I blink a few times, trying to stop the spinning.

“Me too. How much did we drink?”

I lost count after drink number five. “I shouldn’t have bought that second bottle.”

We both laugh when Riley staggers out of the house with a girl whose name I’ve forgotten. They kiss almost violently, their hands groping at one another, before finally tumbling down the porch steps. They land on the grass and continue kissing. I have no idea how they pulled that off and I can’t stop laughing at it.

“You’re so fucking pretty,” Garrett whispers, leaning his shoulder into mine. “Like for real, you’re so pretty.”

I stop laughing and smile at him, my body swaying slightly. I really did drink too much. It’s probably because I haven’t eaten since lunch time. “You’re sweet.”

“I… am an idiot.” He blurts loudly, throwing his hands in the air.

“Oh my god… I LOVE THIS SONG!” The girl beneath Riley screeches and, twenty seconds of staggering later, they’re up and dancing on the grass. Others join them as the music volume is turned up and the windows are thrown open.

“Want to dance?” Garrett asks and I really do, but I don’t think I can. “Want to kiss me?”

My breath catches and his hand grabs at the back of my hair. A split second before his lips touch mine, I lunge away, causing myself to fall backwards off the swing and land on my side with a thud.

Garrett laughs loudly as he drops to his knees and crawls towards me.

This time he does kiss me, pinning my head between his and the wooden deck.

I feel sick.

Oh crap.

“No.” I snap, shoving him away with my arm.

“Elle.” His voice is whiney and irritating. I descend the porch stairs on my bum and, using the railing, I pull myself up and stagger onto the grass, pushing through the mess of dancers. “Where’re you going?”

“I have a curfew.” It’s a lie. I just don’t feel like being here anymore.

“I’ll walk you.” He takes my elbow in his hand and between us we manage to stay balanced. “What about Hayley?”

“Shit, Hayley!”

“I’ll go and get her.” He grins wonkily again and I feel his lips press against mine and his tongue push between my teeth before I fully register what he’s doing. When he pulls back, he’s breathless but I just feel numb. So numb and happy and… wait… I’m pretty sure Hayley is staying with Wesley tonight. Wasn’t I supposed to be staying with her at Wesley’s? “I’ll be right back, wait here.”

“Okay.” He’s gone seconds later. I stare, fascinated, at a large lorry parked at the end of the road. “I know your secret, Optimus Prime.” I whisper and giggle at my own hilarity.

A car door slams and footsteps rush around a car. I’m yanked off my feet and roughly placed in a comfy seat. There are lights. It looks like a spaceship.

I’ve been in this car before.

A bottle of water is thrust into my weak hands and the car starts to move. I really don’t like the way cars move. Not anymore.

I open my mouth to speak.

“Don’t,” Isaac barks angrily. “Don’t. I’m too fucking mad and I just did something really fucking stupid.”

He’s glowing; I swear it. He looks so handsome, all rugged and unshaven and tired looking.

“I’m taking you home.”

“Yay!” I cheer, liking the thought of staying at his tonight. “We could pillow fi…”

“To your home, not my home.”

Oh. My bottom lip sticks out as the reality of what he said sinks in, in which case I start to panic. “Nuh-uh. No way. Nope. Take me back…”

“I’ll drop you off. You can go inside and your dad can handle you.” He snarls, his knuckles turning white as his hands grip the steering wheel.