Authors: Naomi Fraser
He cups my face and shifts a curl
behind my ear. His mouth opens, and a look of yearning crosses his face, while
his other hand drops to trace soft patterns on my back.
I stay rooted to the spot, my
heart hammering at the tiny electric jolts racing over my skin. “Come . . .
on,” I say, but my tongue tangles the words, distorting them. I grimace and he
chuckles.
We’re almost at the start of my
driveway, and the house sits silent and sad in the large yard that stretches
far out toward the cliff face. The sun is warm rather than fierce, and the tips
of the grass glow orange in the light. I wonder what Mum will say about my late
arrival home, considering I’m not even dressed in my school uniform. Yeah,
that’s one conversation I can do without.
The old weatherboard and wooden
construction on the lower level is powder blue. The same colour as the back
door. No cars are parked on the drive, which makes me think Mum’s still at
work. “Mum’s not here. That’s good. No awkward explanations.”
Lakyn shoots me a quizzical
glance. “Why would it be awkward?”
I shrug and say, “Sometimes Mum
asks questions I don’t want to answer.” We walk up the front stairs, and I hate
the idea I have to release his hand to dig out the key from my small, black
clutch. I love the feel of his skin against mine.
Lakyn presses a hand on the small
of my back, and I smile as I unlock the door and traipse down the dark hallway,
my wedges clicking in a hard tap on the floorboards.
Although it isn’t night yet, the
inside is too dim to see anything, and I slide my hand up the wall to switch on
the lights.
People leap out from everywhere,
yelling,
“SURPRISE!”
THE WORD ECHOES in the room. No doubt it’s audible in
Siberia.
I stagger, dropping the clutch
and then stumble. I grasp the sideboard, but my hands slip from the varnished
edge, and my knuckles scrape against the side of a blue vase.
A solid arm wraps around my
middle and drags me up against a hard chest. There’s pressure on my solar
plexus, but it stops my fall. The china vase wobbles and smashes on the floor,
erupting into twenty pieces. Finally, the crowd falls silent.
I cover my eyes with my hands and
then widen my fingers to peek through the gaps.
Everyone bursts into laughter,
and the blare of party horns punctuates the sound. A hand rubs my shoulders.
Mum shouts, “Happy Birthday,” so I lift my head and remove my hands to the
sight of about fifty smartphones recording my every move. Posterity, you suck.
An arm presses against my middle.
Lakyn.
His body heat warms my back, offering security
amongst the madness. And, damn, he has sharp reflexes. I guess air doesn’t
offer as much resistance as water.
He releases me at the same time
Mum drags me in for a hug. I must be saying something, but I can barely hear
myself speak over the noise that everyone’s making.
She laughingly pulls me into the
circle of well-wishers.
Bethany hugs me, squeezes again,
then Cal,
Alexa
, Megan, Jordan, Carla—so many girls
from my classes, so many faces, plus guys from the swim team. Most of the girls
record everything with their smartphones, looking gorgeous with their in-style
clothes, straight hair and makeup. Oh man, I must look a mess.
They’re here for my birthday.
I don’t even know this many
people.
A gold banner
with,
‘Sixteen’,
written in dark blue letters hangs across the timber
arch leading into the living room.
Flashes go off and I blink, shielding
my eyes, but it’s just Mum with her digital camera.
“Happy birthday to you,” everyone
sings in unison.
“Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to Eloise, happy birthday to you.
Hip, hip,
hooray!”
Streamers blow out from poppers
over the lounges, and I just start shaking and laughing. “This is incredible.
Amazing.
I had no idea.
No idea.
You guys are crazy.
Mum, thank you.”
She grins smugly and adjusts her
balloon birthday hat over her blonde hair. “You wouldn’t believe what I’ve got
planned for you. Go say hello to your friends first, then you’ll see.”
“Seriously?
This is amazing.” I lean over to kiss her cheek, and she moves away, smiling.
Trays of mini pies, chips and
soft drinks fill tables, and balloons bunch up against the windows. Someone
turns on the stereo and cranks it all the way up until a deep bass thumps out
and the floor vibrates. The room is so full, I can barely move. Another table
under a stained-glass window groans with presents, and the scent of vanilla
cake, coconut icing and perfume permeates the room.
Bethany winds through the crowd
and pushes a drink into my hand with a wink. “It’s from the punch bowl.” She
gestures with a jerk of her chin to a crystal bowl filled with pink liquid. “No
alcohol allowed, but I think someone might have snuck something in there.” She
laughs.
I take a cautious sip of the
sweet smelling liquid. A sugar hit and intense warmth coats my tongue and then
punches the back of my throat. I cough. “Wow.”
“I know, right? There’s a DJ
parked around the back of the house so you wouldn’t see them. All part of the
surprise.”
“No.
Really?
A DJ?
”
“Get ready to party.” She grins,
spins on her black Converse and then struts over in her black leather short
shorts and white crop top to a crowd of hot guys. Her hair is straightened and
she’s wearing contact lenses.
The rumble begins deep in Lakyn’s
chest, and he’s squeezing my shoulders, his laughter warm against my ear.
I shoot him a wry glance. “I
know. You
gotta
love her style.”
“Yours is better,” he says in a
low tone.
A deep rush of pleasure floods my
system and I lean back against him.
Clair and Dana, two popular girls
from my form class walk over with their gazes stuck on Lakyn. The look they
give me is like I’m yesterday’s news. That piece of toast you left out
overnight, then threw in the trash because it had rigor mortis.
“Hey, Lakyn,” Clair says. “I hope
you don’t mind us crashing.”
“It’s all good,” I tell her since
it’s my house and my birthday. “How did you know about the party?”
“Well, everyone’s been watching
the news on TV. I know you haven’t mentioned the reports, but that’s all the
girls have been talking about, especially after the reporter showed up and
wanted an interview. We all knew it was safe to come then. The guys wanted to
see what the
big deal
was and they’re hoping reporters might show up so
they can get their prime time minute of fame.” She rolls her eyes, but her grin
proves she’s just as excited by the thought. “A few guys told us about this
party, and Bethany let them know. We tried to let you know we were coming. How
come you weren’t at school and not answering your Facebook?”
“What?” Lakyn asks.
“Facebook?”
“Oh.” I scratch my ear, sneaking
a glance at Lakyn. If I tell her about Ralph’s funeral, the sirens might make
her their next target. And I can’t really reveal that Lakyn doesn’t know
anything about Facebook. “Yeah, I had my phone turned off. I was hanging with
Lakyn. We went to the shops.”
“Cool.” She nods, her gaze
flicking up to Lakyn as though she were a moth and him, an inferno. “So many
people are here.” An underlying hint of surprise tinges her voice. “I can’t
wait to see who else shows up.”
I have the sudden unsettling
notion this party might get bigger than I wish.
Lakyn grabs my free hand and
draws it close by his thigh. His eyes gleam as he stares at me. He smiles in a
slightly crooked way with a hint of mischief. His dimple is utterly gorgeous.
“I have been carrying something around for you. I guess this is the right
time.” He pulls his hand out of his pocket and unfurls his fist, revealing two
large pearl earrings. “Happy birthday, Ellie,” he murmurs.
The girls exhale a soft, dreamy
sigh beside me, but I don’t look at them and focus on what he holds.
Light strikes off the luminous
white pearls. There’s a simple stone catch that ripples with white light, but
the delicacy of the precision is stunning. The catch isn’t like regular
catches, it’s a weird tail carving made of stone and a tiny, circular clasp.
“These aren’t regular earrings,”
he looks up and stares at Clair and Dana—hesitates, “you know . . . ?” He
whispers into my ear, “They release compounds, oils and acids into your skin,
which help ease your transition.”
“They’re beautiful. How did you
get them?” I ask in wonder. I love pearl earrings, and the bigger, the better.
No doubt, he’ll tell me more about them when prying ears aren’t listening in.
“They were a part of my mother’s
jewellery collection, handed down from my father’s mother.” Lakyn pauses.
“A family heirloom through the male bloodline.”
I pick up the earrings, though I
feel too shy to just put them on without a mirror. My hair is probably tangled
after the windy walk home, and my face must be a sight with tears of happiness.
I had no idea Mum would go to so much trouble to organise a surprise party or
Lakyn would give me such a wonderful gift.
Lakyn grins at my hesitation, his
fingers grazing my palm and then he slides my curls behind my ear. He picks up
an earring from my hand and slowly pushes it through my lobe.
The touch of his fingers almost
makes me groan, and I close my eyes, loving his scent, his warmth. The tender
touch of his fingertips tell
me so much about him. I
suppress a longing-filled shiver.
Another gentle touch and he moves
to my left ear, then with expert skill secures the other earring. The brush of
his fingertips against my jaw makes me lean into him slightly, my ears full of
hot blood.
I open my eyes to about ten girls,
staring at me. I blink and look away.
Lakyn shifts his legs wider.
“They suit you,” he says, satisfaction pouring from his voice. “You glow.”
My stomach melts with a tingling
sensation and my threatening smile finally breaks free. “Thank you. They’re
beautiful. I was going to tell you about my birthday on the walk back here,
but—”
He nods and says, “That was your
good news. Let’s go outside and see this DJ, Ellie. Enjoy your birthday. You
deserve it.”
We head for the door together,
leaving behind a trail of collected sighs. Guys from my form class light
sparklers and move outside to the fresh air. It’s still warm, but no longer
muggy and a van arrives on the drive. Three men exit and set up a marquee for
the DJ.
Five or six of the girls from
different classes at school close in around me. I can’t remember all their
names, I’m better with faces. There’s Lisa, and Amanda, but as for the rest I
have no idea. The guys join and chat to Lakyn, finally pulling him away to talk
about the swim team.
One of the girls asks me, a glass
of punch in her hand, “I didn’t know you spent the entire day with Lakyn. Clair
just told us. That would have been a good birthday.” Her mouth twitches at the
edges. “Someone’s not going to be happy about that.
Ashly’s
so jealous of you, you know.”
I shrug, not wanting to dwell on
that and not caring. It’s no one else’s business why Lakyn was with me, and
hopefully it stays that way. Two fire barrels light up the yard, lawn chairs
surrounding the blaze, and people mill around while a few guys sit on the
ground. They laughingly pass around soda cans to the girls on their laps. The
DJ starts playing music and a deep thump throbs out over the yard.
“Do you want a drink?” a girl in
a grade above mine asks me. At my nod, she hands over a can, and I take deep
swallow. I’m thirsty after my walk, but I immediately cough and press a fist
against my mouth.
“Steady on,” she whispers. “It’s
not soft drink.” She angles her head toward my mum and the adults around the
marquee. “Don’t let them find out.”
“Thanks,” I say with a smile and
then look up and a few different coloured string lights swaying in the breeze
next to the house and along the roof of the marquee.
“No worries.
Can’t
have you going without on your birthday.”
She smiles and moves off toward
a group of girls.
Mum wheels out a slushy machine
and parks it near the marquee, but a man walks alongside her. He lifts his hand
and rubs her back, then leans over to kiss her cheek.
My drink freezes halfway to my
mouth. I watch. Swallow like my throat has razor blades.
She smiles up at him, and his
hands lift to cup her face. Right then as though he feels my incredulous stare,
he turns and meets my gaze. We stare at each other for a few seconds, wordless,
and then he leans into Mum’s ear, says something and saunters over to me.
I hold my ground, though my hand
trembles.
“Eloise.
Happy
birthday.”
He nods and my gaze moves over his dark, spiky hair, the
square jaw and cocoa-brown eyes. He doesn’t look like my father at all. This is
an entirely different person. “It’s nice to meet you. My name is Eric.” He
holds out his hand, waits.
The cold eddy in my stomach is
simply fear.
“Hi, Eric.”
I clasp his hand and shake it
pleasantly.
Mum hurries over to us. He’s
watching my face, and although lights dance in his eyes, he must sense my
trepidation.
“This is . . .” Mum trails off.
“Ah, Eric.
He’s . . .” She casts him a quick glance. “The
one who asked me out on a date the other night,” she says in a rush. “He wanted
to get to know a few locals before he bought a house here. He owns an online
business.”
I grin. Nerves attack my stomach,
but I manage to control my tongue and act normal.
I turn to Mum and release Eric’s
hand with my eyebrows raised in question about the situation. Why the heck do I
feel like a parent right now?
“We’re . . .” she begins,
dithering on her next word.
“Dating,” he finishes.
I have the sudden vision of them
finishing each other’s sentences for the rest of my life and happiness grips
me. Tears prick my eyes. If she’s happy, then I’m happy. I think about how much
heartache she’s been through with losing Dad.
“
Aww
, honey.”
She moves closer and rubs my shoulders,
pecking my cheek.
“No, it’s OK.” I knuckle the
tears from my eye and sniff. “I was just thinking you two are so cute finishing
each other’s sentences.”
Eric chuckles and wraps an arm
around Mum’s waist, pulling her close and kissing her temple. She giggles.
Giggles! “I think your mother is
very cute
.”
Lakyn appears to my left and his
hand slides down from my elbow to clasp my hand. I take another sip of my
drink. Eric’s gaze shifts to the newcomer and he holds out a hand.
Lakyn shakes it and murmurs
a greeting.
“How do so many people know about
my party?” I ask Mum.
“I posted it on your Facebook timeline
and tagged a few people, asking them to tag more. I invited lots of people from
your classes and I guess they did the rest,” Mum says. “I know you don’t
normally—”
The ground beneath my feet
trembles and my heart leaps. “What the heck?”
Lakyn growls, spins around and
then steps away toward the cliff.
“What was that?” I ask, frowning
at his expression.
“A pulse,” he mutters and
half-twists back to me, then looks around him. “There are too many people here.
It was a strong one.”