‘’She’s been spending time with bad-boy Ben.’’ Jennifer teased.
Laurel gave her a look and stuffed a shrimp in her mouth to shut her up.
‘’I thought you hated that guy?’’ Amy piped up.
Laurel sighed. ‘’I did hate him. But now… I’m not sure. He’s helping me with something, that’s all. I can’t really say.’’
‘’He’s teaching her to skate!’’ said Jennifer, ‘’I think it’s so romantic!’’
‘’It’s meant to be a secret!’’ Laurel protested, ‘’Please, this conversation doesn’t go any further ok? And no, it’s not romantic, it’s just… business.’’
‘’Well, I think it’s romantic,’’ Mindy said, ‘’I mean, why would he be helping you if he didn’t like you?’’
Laurel sighed. If only they knew the truth. She was blackmailing Ben to train her. The only reason he was spending time with her was so she didn’t reveal his love of figure skating to his teammates or his dad. But why did he care so much? She couldn’t figure it out. And then there was his weird hatred of cheerleaders. He was certainly a complicated guy. But none of this she could talk about to her friends. She decided to change the subject.
‘’So what are you guys wearing to the party?’’ she asked. ‘’Jen bought a stunning new dress this morning. So maybe I can borrow her little black one…’’ she looked sweetly at Jennifer and smiled.
Jennifer grinned, ‘’Of course you can borrow it, you don’t even have to ask!’’
‘’Show us what you bought!’’ Amy said, clapping her hands.
Jennifer picked up a paper bag from under the table and pulled out a shimmery pink number.
‘’Oooh!’’ the girls squealed in unison and then laughed. They cooed over the dress and new shoes that Jennifer had bought and Laurel felt a tinge of jealousy that she couldn’t afford to buy new clothes.
‘’What did you buy Laurel?’’ Mindy asked.
‘’Oh just a lip-gloss,’’ Laurel replied.
Paul finally arrived and pulled up a seat at their table. ‘’Sorry I’m late ladies!’’ he said, ‘’I got carried away in the library!’’
‘’You’re such a rebel,’’ Laurel joked and poked him in the side.
Jennifer gave her a look and she wasn’t sure exactly what it meant.
Paul ordered take-out and they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways but planned to meet at 6pm later to get ready for the party together.
Laurel was wearing Jennifer’s black dress as planned and she looked smoking hot. By the girls’ admission, not her own, of course. Though she was pleased with how it fitted. A pair of silver heels completed the look and with a lick of mascara and a generous amount of her new lip-gloss she was ready to go! Paul looked handsome tonight, she thought to herself, but her mind was on Ben and whether he would be there or not. ‘’You look amazing tonight,’’ Paul whispered to her shyly, and she thanked him but backed away, confused.
‘’Cheers!’’ they yelled and licked salt from their wrists, threw tequila down their necks, sucked on wedges of lemon, and then screwed up their faces in disgust and laughed.
‘’Right, come on then ladies,’’ said Jennifer. ‘’Sorry. And Paul! We’re fashionably late enough to leave now. I can’t wait to see the band; they’re meant to be really good.’’
‘’Yeah and that DJ we saw at the club the other night is playing too!’’ Amy added excitedly.
Laurel sighed happily. It was good to be surrounded by friends and away from the rink for a while.
A little while later two bouncers ushered them inside the huge house where the party was already in full throw. There were students everywhere and the band was setting up on the terrace out the back. They squeezed their way through the crowds picking up another round of tequila shots and some plastic cups of beer on the way, and found a space from which to assess the room.
‘’He’s hot,’’ whispered Mindy, pointing to a long-haired guy standing nearby, ‘’and he’s in one of my classes. I’m gonna go and say hi!’’ She strutted towards him, flicking her long blond locks over her shoulder.
‘’She doesn’t waste much time does she?’’ smirked Jennifer. ‘’So who have you got your eye on Amy?’’
‘’Oh no-one in particular’’ Amy giggled, the shier of the two girls.