The Opposite

Chapter 19

PC; weheartit // unknown

Approaching the front door to face the guest that had rung the doorbell over three times, I promptly unlocked it and twisted the doorknob.

"'Ello Ebby." The pommy greeted and even though he had been living in Australia for just under a month, his thick British accent continued to linger in his vocal chords. He smirked deviously at my current state, as I stared downwards to examine what was so amusing. I soon realised that I was barely dressed - a simple pale pink leotard concealed my entire body, with a strap flopping off my shoulder casually.

"You could've arrived a minute later, Connor." I grumbled, as my mother's heels echoed towards the front of the residence. "Sweetheart, Connor is hitching a ride with us to Casey's, so uh..." She paused, waving a hand disappointedly over my over-exposed figure, "...You better get dressed within five minutes max."

Attempting to slip in a bitter retort by parting my lips slightly, she raised her hands to halt my fiery attitude, "I don't want to hear it. Just go." As I ascended the staircase, I overheard my mother sugar-coating her previous harsh demand, by giggling falsely and offering sweets to Connor before the rehearsal. Someone needed to snap her back into reality, because she clearly wasn't getting it. Feigning a bitter-sweet personality in public wasn't going to let you off the hook.

Throwing my hair into an incidental messy bun, and shoving a thin hoodie and denim shorts into my dance baggage, I slipped on a pair of ballet flats, and cascaded down the rickety staircase, as my mother's eyes bulged shockingly at my speedy reappearance.

The car beeped, indicating that it had triumphantly unlocked, as we accumulated into the vehicle. "Accompany Connor in the back-seat, will you?" My mother heaved whilst piling into the driver's seat, as I retorted exasperatedly, "Do I have to?"

"I mean, come on! Do you really hate me that much, or are you just playing hard to get?"

Turning my head to face Connor, who had eagerly seated himself upon the cramped back-seat, I desisted, "Neither. I just really hate the back-seat." Unintentionally testing my mother's hot-temper, she pushed a hand on the horn, as it blared an irritating raucous noise. "Do you want a ride or not?" She squawked, as I crossed my arms, and stepped into the back-seat reluctantly. She was finally revealing her true colours to the public, and it's wasn't all fluorescent.

"You should've tried the food on Saturday." Connor began, as I gazed out the window, the buildings whizzing by in a blur. "I did." I snapped, as I felt my mother's burning stare scar my skin. She was going to spy on my every move, and gather every detail to form an agonising lecture later on tonight.

Connor released his seat belt vigorously, as he slithered into the middle seat. Draping an arm over my shoulder reassuringly, he whispered critically in my ear, "Oh really?"

"Yes, Connor, really." My lips slightly curled upwards into a small smile, as I endeavoured to wriggle out of his grip, though every attempt I made resulted to a tighter grip. My mother cleared her throat at our intimacy, as she inquired with curiosity, "So what happened on Saturday, Connor?"

"Uh, didn't you tell her about Marcus' birthday, Ebby?"

Shaking my head from side to side, I quickly clarified, "Ned, Connor and I threw a surprise birthday party for Marcus' eighteenth." She mumbled a positive response, before pressing, "Did anything happen at that party?" I knew exactly what she meant by anything, as it usually resulted to a sexual outcome, as I repeated my negative response.

Hauling the vehicle into a vacant parking spot, I flung the door open and moaned quietly as I stretched my legs until they cracked. Needless a cue to leave, my mother switched the auto mobile's gears and promptly exited the parking lot.