The Secret (Boston's Best 1)

Chapter Thirty-Two

Maddie

My eighteenth birthday is tomorrow and I know most people think of going out to pubs or nightclubs with their mates and having their first legal drink for their eighteenth –at least at home where eighteen is the legal drinking age unlike the ridiculous twenty-one here.

But I've never had a big enough group of friends to even imagine having a big party or going out. Aebhín and I, while we are extraverted loud people, have always been more than happy to just sit at home and watch a Marvel movie marathon.

And when Brooke suggested that she would organise a party for me because according to her and Penelope it's basically the law to have one for your eighteenth.

I didn't really like the idea of them throwing me a party because I'd seen what their parties looked like but we've compromised and Brooke has promised me that she is sticking to my pre-approved guestlist and that it will just be a small party at the house Penelope rents –I'm starting to realise that Pen's house is the designated spot for every party.

Because Aebhín is lucky and her birthday is in February so she already has her licence so she can drive. And so can everyone else here because the legal driving age here is sixteen. So everyone can go off and drive and enjoy life, meanwhile I'm stuck at home waiting to finish my twelve lessons.

Aebhín is badly trying to drive and usually she is a good driver but everything is opposite here –the road, the car, the way you turn, she's just having absolutely no beginners luck and she's causing Evelyn to lose their mind.

"Aebhín watch the people there!" Evelyn shouts from the backseat looking just about ready to cry.

Aebhín waves her hand, "Ah sure it's grand, they're fine." She presses her foot on the accelerator and speeds up, "I'm basically a pro at this already. Formula 1 is calling my name already."

I laugh at her, "I'm sure they are, Mulligan. Contract being put on your desk as we speak."

'Exactly!" She rolls the window down and shouts out of it, "Aebhín-Shira Isla Mulligan is joining Formula 1. Preferably McLaren!"

Evelyn falls against the back seat and mumbles, "I'm gonna die in this car."

I grin at both of them and turn the radio up and we listen to the music for the rest of the car ride.

Aebhín and Evelyn seem to be getting on nicely. Which is amazing because if my best friend and someone who I'm becoming really close with tolerate each other that would be ideal, especially because we're all going to MIT next year and this could be our little group.

We're all going shopping to find something to wear to my party tomorrow –per Brooke's request, because the dress code is 'party casual' whatever that means.

We're taking it as if it means don't show up in jeans and a t-shirt but also not a cocktail dress. So, we're leaning more towards skirts and flares and patterned items or just normal dresses.

Hopefully we find something up to Brooke's high fashion standards because knowing Brooke if we're not she will turn us right around and make us change into something more appropriate.

When Aebhín finally parks the car properly –and without scratching another car which I am very proud of her for, all three of us walk into the shopping centre and Evelyn leads us to Urban Outfitters.

The difference between Evelyn and Brooke and Pen is showing astronomically right now.

Brooke and Pen are super rich and they don't care who knows it, they will flaunt it like no one's watching. Brooke favours shops like Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Hermès, or Chanel and it shows gloriously in her fashion she always looks like she stepped right out of a magazine.

And Pen likes Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Prada, or YSL. She wears hers in a way that shows everyone what her status is without it being flashed right in your face in bright lights that say look at me.

But Evelyn's family is like the epitome of classy old money, like her mother looks like a Jamaican Audrey Hepburn. But Ev doesn't care at all about any of that, they'll gladly shop in places like Walmart or Urban Outfitters without even batting an eye. Most of their clothing is just a random pair of jeans and some ratty old band tee.

We all look around the shop for about thirty minutes just picking things out before we all head into the changing rooms to try on some things.

And after probably thirty more minutes of that –Nick and the guys were right the other day saying we all always take forever to shop but what can I say, I love me some clothes– we clean up our messes and put all the clothes back that we aren't buying and go and pay for our stuff.

Aebhín chose a cropped blue marble-effect sheer long-sleeved top and a short black tube skirt and she's going to pair it with her chunky black Bratz doll heels that she brought with her.

Evelyn got a pair of faded nicely ripped blue jeans and one of those white halter cut out cross over the front crop top and her white and black Nike Jordans.

I got a black mini dress with sheer sleeves and dainty black heels.

Kind of loving the vibes we're all going for.

We go to a Wendy's drive-thru –with Evelyn safely driving us this time around, and they order for me and Aebhín as neither of us have ever had it before.

We just got a vanilla Frosty for me and chocolate for the two of them and some chips and I got a Coke, Aebhín got Sprite, and Evelyn got Dr Pepper which I think tastes vile and disgusting.

"So, how are you liking it here so far, Aebhín?" Ev asks her.

She smiles, "Oh, it seems great. And I'm just glad that Maddie is feeling safe and comfortable here and that she's made great friends by the sound of things."

Evelyn nods, "Yeah, Penelope and Matt and Alex and the rest of that gang are great and I suppose Nick and myself aren't too bad either."

"Yous are amazing, Ev." I chuckle, "And thank you for being so nice to me by the way."

"No problem at all." They turn to the back seat to ask Aebhín, "What Hall or House is your dorm in for next year?"

She grins, "Baker House. Maddie and I put in one of those special requests so that we could be roommates and we actually got it so we're both there."

Ev turns to me, "Fuck off. I cannot believe after all of our talks about this we've never talked about this. I'm in Baker Hall too."

Aebhín squeals and claps her hands together, "Oh my days, this is amazing!"

I smile at my friends, "Yeah, it really is."