An Endless Summer(98)
“Ugh! Go away,” I said, my voice muffled.
The light stopped flicking.
“Umm, what is this?” The polo shirt was ripped from my face, Tammy holding it out before her, inspecting it with a curved brow. She looked down at me, her big, blue eyes bugging out in horror.
She gasped in mock outrage. “What. Did. You. Do?”
I pulled myself up to a sitting position and ignored her question. “What time is it?” I smacked my lips together, my mouth was so dry.
“It’s seven-thirty, and don’t change the subject,” Tammy demanded.
“Seven thirty?” I peeled back the blind to see that the light was dimming as the sun melted into the horizon.
Holy crap, how long have I been out for?
“Amy!” Tammy stood with her hands on her hips.
I yawned and stretched, feeling my bones click and pop. “Yes, Tam?” I blinked at her with an air of butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-my-mouth innocence.
She threw Sean’s polo in my face. “Explain yourself!”
I peeled it off, trying and yet failing miserably to hide my smirk.
I shrugged. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“Why is Sean Murphy’s shirt in your bedroom?” She crossed her arms. “I’m scandalised.”
I rubbed my rumbling stomach as it demanded food. “How about we scoot downstairs, have dinner, and I tell you all about it?”
Tammy grinned. “Deal!”
***
Tammy chewed thoughtfully on a chip. “Wow, you don’t muck around.”
I straightened. “It’s not like I planned it; it just happened.”
“Aren’t you glad you conquered your fear of the boat?” Tammy beamed.
“Well, I wouldn’t say conquered it. It’s not like I will be waterskiing anytime soon.” I brushed a crumb off my lap. “So what time do we lob up at the party?” I looked at Tammy expectantly when she didn’t answer.
“I’m sorry, Amy, I can’t go. I have to get up at five and head to the city for a uni thing.”
My heart plummeted. I hadn’t realised how much I had been relying on Tammy being my wing woman, which was ironic considering how intimidated by and jealous of her I had been. I felt really stupid about it now. Tammy must have read the look of disappointment all over my face.
She tried her best to pacify me. “Tess and Ellie will be there, though.”
“No, it’s all right,” I said. I had never been one to be shy and nervous and have to rock up to a party with the girls, or had an inexplicable need to accompany my friends to the toilets. I had never really understood that. I had gone to hundreds of parties on my own and not once felt intimidated, so why now? Why did I feel so vulnerable that I needed to walk in with someone in tow? I shook off my ridiculous insecurity and smiled; changing the subject to Tammy’s city expedition.
After Tammy parted with a lame, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” I rushed upstairs to beat Adam to the bathroom to get ready. I skipped every second step and spun around the top bannister to dive into the bathroom only to be met with a locked door and the horrific wailings of Adam singing Cliff Richards’s ‘Wired For Sound.’ Good God!
I pounded on the door.
“Adam, hurry up!” I yelled.
He sang louder.
“Don’t even think about it; I’m next.” Chris poked his head out from his room.
My eyes narrowed. “No way! I’m a girl. I need longer to get ready.”
“Uh, yeah, but I have muscles to wash,” Chris said and he flexed his biceps. “And that doesn’t take five minutes.”
I rolled my eyes. Vomit!
“Who’s manning the bar?” I said.
“Max is until I get ready and then I’ll show him how to lock up. So, as you see, I need to get ready before you.”
I stomped my foot on the ground. “For God’s sake, it’s only Sean’s place. Why are you even bothering?”
“Exactly.” He gave me a knowing look.
To be honest, I had never really cared about my appearance. There hadn’t been much point to make-up and hair products at an all-girls boarding school. I hadn’t even started worrying about that stuff until I’d graduated and come home, so fighting over the bathroom – especially with two boys – was all new to me. Chris was looking right at me as if he was looking straight into my thoughts.
“Just hurry up,” I bit out, spinning around to storm into my room. I guessed I could use the time to pick out what to wear –another disturbing ritual I had developed.
Ugh! I was such a girl.
***
It was nine o’clock by the time Chris stepped into the hall with a poof of steam appearing behind him like a magician. He was meticulously rolling up his shirtsleeve when I pushed him out of the way.