The Hunted (17 page)

She gave me a wry look. ‘Where have you been, anyway? You left the pit ages ago.’

It hadn’t really been that long. Half an hour tops. ‘I just went and got a drink, met a couple of new people, just the usual.’

‘Anyone interesting?’ She rung out her wet pony tail and then smoothed the water away from her legs and arms.

‘The jury’s still out.’

‘Anyone good-looking?’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Is that all that matters to you? A pretty face?’

She frowned and put her hands on her hips. ‘Of course not,’ she said defiantly, and then allowing a small grin to lift the corners of her mouth. ‘They have to have a smashing body too.’

I picked her dress up off the sand and tossed it over to her. It landed in her face. ‘I saw Stephen tonight,’ I said as she grappled with the material and slid the dress back over her head.

‘Stephen?’

I nodded. ‘Apparently he just wanted to say hello.’ It was hard to stop my eyes from rolling. We both knew that Stephen never just stopped at hello. He always pushed things further.

‘Pity he couldn’t leave it at that,’ Kayla answered, smoothing her sundress back into place. ‘The guy’s a total loon. I’m glad you never got too close to him. He was clingier than Glad Wrap.’

I smiled. ‘He won’t be bothering me again.’

I think.

‘And you know that how?’ she answered, her eyes narrowing.

‘I knocked him onto his ass and then pushed his face in the sand. Then I told him in no uncertain terms to rack off and leave me alone.’

She laughed and slapped a hand on my shoulder, shaking her head from side to side. ‘You’re such a crappy liar, E.’

‘I swear to God that actually happened.’

She laughed again and wrapped her arm around my waist. ‘Sure it did.’

I shrugged. What else could I say? At least if she ever found out what I really was she’d never be able to call me a liar.

‘Do you want to go home now? Or do you want to head back and dance?’

She cocked her head to the side and smiled enthusiastically at the boys who were calling to her from the water. I could tell she really didn’t want to leave just yet.

‘I’m easy,’ I answered as calmly as possible, even though I was still unnerved.

She snorted. ‘Between the two of us, I’m the one who’s easy. You’re like Fort Knox.’ She bent down and brushed at
the jeans around my upper thighs. ‘See … cobwebs everywhere, and under those … steel undies.’

I slapped her hand away. ‘Don’t be disgusting. I’m just choosy.’

‘If you keep being
choosy,
Elena, you’ll never meet anyone.’

I sighed. Did we really have to have this conversation again? ‘I just don’t see the point in making out with a whole bunch of losers in the meantime.’

‘Kissing the losers can be a lot of fun, Elena,’ she said, smiling widely. ‘Consider it training for the sexual marathon that you might one day compete in if we ever find that key to your chastity belt.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Ha-ha. Why do I have to meet someone anyway? I mean, what’s the hurry? I’m sixteen for God’s sake, there’s no bloody rush.’

‘You’re not getting any younger.’

I nearly choked on my own laughter.

Did I look forty or something?

‘I’m not getting any older either.’

She frowned at me. ‘Be serious.’

‘I am!’ I said, laughing out loud now. If only she knew. ‘I’m in no hurry, believe me. Why don’t you stick to what makes you happy and leave me alone to worry about my cobwebs and steel undies.’

She harrumphed. ‘Fine, I just think you wouldn’t be so uptight all the time if you just got laid.’

I flicked my best irritated glare in her direction. ‘So are we dancing or going home?’

She glanced down at her watch. ‘It’s a quarter to two in the morning. We should probably get back before we get busted anyway.’

Thank god.

‘Are you sure?’

She nodded. ‘Yeah, there are no interesting prospects here this evening anyway.’

‘You didn’t find Prince Charming splashing around in the shallows?’ I enquired with a sideways glance as we very slowly trudged our way up from the water’s edge.

She smiled. ‘Not tonight. Maybe I’m subconsciously holding out for your brother after all?’

I cringed. ‘Never mention that to me again unless you want me to redecorate your dress with upchuck.’

She laughed, but wisely decided to keep her mouth shut, much to the appreciation of my swirling stomach.

We hadn’t managed to get very far through the crowd when I realised that my life, as I knew it, was about to end. The thumping music from the DJ booth was abruptly halted and the screeching sound of a microphone being turned on echoed in the night air. Everyone grunted in earnest to the agonising sound of feedback that rang in their eardrums, covering their ears with their hands.

Disgruntled booing sounds and a few accusatory words could be heard.

I glanced up, my gaze drifting across the heads of the crowd and settling on the DJ booth in the near distance. I heard myself audibly groan, recognising the cause of the disturbance.

My parents.

And worse still, they had the microphone. ‘Elena Manory—get your backside over here right now.’

I swallowed and tried to remember that at least none of these people knew me personally. I’d never have to see them again, and in all likelihood they’d never remember me either. But, still, how could they do this to me? It was so embarrassing!

Kayla stood rooted to the spot beside me, her hand clamped over her mouth, probably in shock, but I suspected it was more to partially cover her face from the onslaught of spectators.

She started to slap her hand against my arm when Susan announced the same message over the loudspeaker again. All I could think about in that moment was getting over to them as quickly as possible. Someone had to stop her from killing my social life.

Laughter and a lot of finger pointing began to erupt from the crowd as we walked through the sand towards my enraged parents. This was not going to be good. I’d be lucky if I ever saw the light of day again.

George spotted Kayla and me through the laughing crowd first, his long slim finger pointing directly at me. It was like the finger of death—a pointed accusation that I was the cause of all their problems. He was probably right.

They gave the microphone back to the DJ and started marching over towards us.

I watched as George’s short blonde hair and Susan’s long windswept hair, hair the colour of corn, bobbed up and down hurriedly through the mass of people in front of us. I thought about making a run for it, briefly imagining myself running down the beach and disappearing into the darkness where they could not find me. Silly, really, considering the sort of creatures that loitered in dark places. But right now, I would have taken anything or anyone over the wrath of my parents.

People started yelling out to put the music back on. The DJ happily obliged and the rave kicked back into full swing again. At least it was a new distraction for the partygoers other than finger pointing and public ridicule.

Susan reached me first—no surprise there, her legs were longer than George’s—and her face spoke of murder. No doubt the effect she was going for, either that or her intent had slipped way past outward physical appearance and dipped into intended actions. I had to admit, she did look pretty scary.

She stopped in front of us and crossed her arms angrily across her chest. George was only seconds behind her, looking equally irritated.

I stifled a laugh. His problems were a little different from hers. It looked as if they’d left the house in a hurry because he was still wearing his pyjamas. Not exactly a good look for someone at a party full of judgemental teenagers.

‘Just what do you think you are playing at, young lady?’ Susan started. ‘Do you think that it is acceptable to sneak out of your room in the middle of the night and go to parties?’

The question was surely rhetorical.

‘Well let me tell you, your father and I are very,
very
angry with you right now and you are in
serious
trouble.’ I’d heard that word a lot lately.

She paused briefly and glanced at Kayla. ‘Does your mother know that you’re here Kayla?’ She shook her head not waiting for a reply. ‘I’m betting she doesn’t if you’re half as wilful as Elena. She
will
be receiving a phone call from me.’

Kayla hung her head and dutifully nodded in agreement.

‘Now, both of you get in the car. We are going home and I mean now!’

‘Um … Mrs Manory,’ Kayla stuttered, ‘Elena and I came in my car.’

‘Kayla, Lucas will be driving you home.’

Lucas. I should have known he wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut. I’ll have to remember to thank the dumb ass for this later.

‘Still want to make out with him now?’ I whispered in Kayla’s ear, as George walked around behind us and pushed us roughly towards the pathway leading back into the temporary car parking area. His bony fingers applied some serious pressure on both our spines as we walked.

She shot me a look. ‘I’d rather kill him.’

I snorted. ‘Me first.’

Once we were in the car park, I saw the green Subaru Forrester immediately. Lucas was sitting hunched in the back seat, looking sad and sorry for himself, though what he had to be so upset over I had no idea. He wasn’t the one who was about to have Susan go all Kathy Bates on his ass— club his knees, and keep him chained to his bedroom for the next century.

He looked up as we approached. He unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out of the car, keeping his head appropriately low to avoid eye contact. Smart move considering I’d more or less considered the idea of poking his eyes out if he even thought about smiling.

‘Kayla, give your car keys to Lucas, please,’ George said stiffly.

Kayla obediently pulled her car key out of the pocket and gave it to Lucas. It dropped into his palm with a slight jangling sound. He took the opportunity to look up and smile at her nervously.

Her raging, filthy look was what stopped my itching fingers from turning Lucas blind. The irritation on her face all but folded his non-existent tail between his legs.

Susan pulled out her mobile phone from her purse and asked Kayla to repeat her home number. She began dialling and after a few seconds of silence, and then apologies to Mrs. Johnson for calling so late, she engaged in a brief conversation with Kayla’s mother about our whereabouts and what we had been up to. During all the character sledging and disdainful reports on our activities she forgot to mention what a good time we’d actually had.

Apparently that was of little importance in her version of events.

The call abruptly ended a few minutes later, after we heard a few iterations of ‘Oh, I agree completely’ and ‘Yes, punishment is inevitable’. I’d heard that violin before.

Lucas began to shuffle uncomfortably from foot to foot, carefully avoiding eye contact with me. I was still surprised that I hadn’t decked him one yet. I decided it was because there were too many witnesses to simply say it had been an accident.

Susan shoved the phone back into her purse, her lips pressed together in a thin line as she motioned for Lucas and Kayla to get going.