The Girl Who Wanted Everything

The famous Vi-Jay-Jay

The good weather continued into the afternoon, and the evening brought flushed skies and sultry air. I took extra care preparing for Tyler's party. I opted for something I almost never wore: an actual dress. It was a short black sundress with a flared skirt and sprigs of tiny white flowers. Hardly daring, but for me, a step out of my comfort zone.  

I know they say guys prefer very little makeup, but I think that applies more to girls like Jamie whose skin is naturally even and eyelashes naturally long. A dash of mascara and a smudge of BB cream were most definitely an improvement to my own minimal charms. I even went so far  as to add earrings.

In the living-room, my mum was sitting on the couch with Ronnie. Giselle had gone off on her own again, but the two of them were drinking herb tea and they looked like they were engaged in a real heart-to-heart.

"Oh Nades,'' Ronnie said, "Jamie told me to tell you and Sam to go ahead. She and Adam are running a bit late so they will meet you there."  

Hmmm. What had they been up to that made them late? No, actually, I didn't want to know. 

"Sam!'' Ronnie yelled, "Nades is ready to go!" 

Sam mooched out of his bedroom, hands sunk deep in the pockets of his ripped jeans, loose white shirt sagging casually. 

"You look... nice,'' he commented.

"You really do Nades,'' my mum added. "I wish you would make an effort like this a bit more often. See how pretty you can look when you try.''

"Oh my God mum!" I couldn't get out of there quickly enough.

We took our shoes off and trudged along the beach. Even from our deck we could see the bonfire blazing in front of the low stone wall that marked out where Tyler's garden met the sand. Festive music was pealing from large speakers set up inside the garden walls and about fifteen or so kids were whooping and dancing and generally having a good time.  

Sam looked nervous, he looked back over his shoulder as if to check for Jamie, or to reconsider coming at all, but Tyler had spotted me.

"Nadine!" he called out, jogging up to us. On his face, I could read the exact moment when he realised it was just Sam and me. 

"Hey. Hi. I thought Jamie was coming with you tonight?" He ran a hand up through his fringe and into his hair, a motion that suggested intermingled confusion and tension.

"Hi Tyler,'' I said with sing-song sarcasm. "This is Sam.'' I made an exaggerated gesture like a game-show hostess unveiling a prize.

"Nice to meet you man,'' Sam extended a hand. 

"Oh, sorry dude,'' Tyler shook it. "That was really rude of me. Are you Nadine's boyfriend?"

"Me? No... Just an old friend.'' He sounded more surprised than I would have hoped.

"In answer to your question, Tyler, Jamie is on her way,'' I said prissily.

"I guess it takes a while to get that whole look perfect. Am I right?" he winked at Sam. Had I ever said he was a nice guy? I was wrong. Wanker.

Tyler led us over to the rest of the party and organised us each a drink. With no Jamie at hand, he didn't stick around, and was off and mingling within a minute, but I noticed several sets of female eyes taking good note of our presence.

"So, do you, um, know all these people?" Sam asked me nervously, kicking sand around with his bare toes. I was familiar with the energy of a fellow introvert panicking madly at an unwarranted social situation.

"Some of them.'' I looked around, trying to decipher the faces in the moonlight. ''A bit anyway.''  I scratched my neck. I recognized two local boys who worked in the ice-cream parlor and a brother and sister who also holidayed regularly at Westport.  

Another group, I did not recognize. They were three girls, sniggering together over near the fire and casting glances in Sam's direction. Eventually one of them, a pretty girl with long wavy black hair, came over. She gave me a once over that equated to the look of death and then turned to Sam with a flirtatious smile.

"Hey,'' she said invitingly. "My friends thinks you are cute. Want to come over and meet them?"

"Thanks. I'm good.'' Sam replied blandly and the girl scuttled away, humiliated.

"Ouch. That was cold!" I laughed. I almost felt sorry for the girl. I knew what it was like to hanker after Sam, but to receive such a shutdown was just brutal.

"I didn't mean to be.'' Sam looked a bit sheepish. "It's just that I don't really enjoy new people, you know? That's not my idea of fun.''  

I know Sam. Believe me, I know.

"Kiss, kiss bitch! A year is too long.'' Steff descended on me with a sort of half-assed hug and a peck on the cheek.

"Always a pleasure,'' I teased back. It was a pleasure, actually. Steff could always be relied upon for a breath of fresh sarcasm. He was my people.

"Where is the glamorous Ms. Jaimie this evening? The Jaimster? The famous Vi-Jay-Jay... Ok maybe scrap that last one.'' He laughed at his own tackiness. "That came out wrong.''

"She's coming. How many times do I have to tell people,'' I whinged. "You could just be happy with my company. Ridiculous, I know, but I hear it might be possible.'' It was so typical of me to make a joke out of my true feelings.

"Hmmm,'' Steff gave me a look that suggested he saw right through me and started introducing himself to Sam. Then he flitted off to charm and harass his other guests, and I spotted Jamie and Adam walking across the beach towards the party.