Thomas O'Sullivan & Edith Montgomery

Nothing

We had the test on Monday, and got the results on Thursday. Edith got top of the class, 98%. I got second 93%. I don't know how she did it. She was smart, really smart. 

It was Friday night. I was on my way to Bill's 17th Birthday party. My mother was driving me, despite her moans and groans and a thousand reasons not to do it.

"Send a happy birthday from me." She requested, pulling up outside his drive.

"Yeah. Bye mum." I mumbled.

"Wait. Kiss." And she kissed my head. I brushed it off, slid out the car and shut the door. I could hear loud pop music with a heavy beat blaring from inside the house. My mum drove off.

I went in, into a real party. People had beers in their hands, jumping up and down, screaming, laughing and yelling. I suddenly got a hard pat on the back.

"Glad you could make it!" Bill shouted over the noise.

"Hello." I replied. He laughed, and handed me a drink. "Thanks." I muttered.

"Come on, we're outside." And he dragged me away. There was no one outside by the illuminated swimming pool, no one but Edith Montgomery. I stopped dead in my tracks, whilst Bill carried on. He approached her, and she smiled slightly, only a little. Then, Bill madly waved at me to come over. I did, shakily. I gave an awkward smile and went bright red.

"Hello... er... drink?" I asked. She shook her head.

"I don't drink." She replied softly. Bill put his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll leave you to get acquainted while I get myself a beer." He told us, and winked at me as he went by.

I sat down on the deck chair next to her and opened the bottle of beer. She glanced at me and looked away, going back to scrolling on her phone.

"Well done with the history test." I complimented.

"Hmm." Was all she replied. I tapped my foot on the floor, taking glances at her. Then I noticed something on her hand.

"Hey, what's that. It looks pretty bad." I remarked, pointing to a deep cut on the outside of her hand, which was embedded in a big bruise.

She hid her hand in the sleeve of her grey cardigan and hugged herself with one hand, scrolling on her phone with the other.

"Nothing." She answered.

"Nothing?" I queried.

"Nothing." She confirmed. I nodded and sipped my beer. Then, it sort of just came out.

"You're hot." I blurted out.

"Huh?" She murmured, looking up from her phone.

"Nothing." I mumbled.

"Nothing?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing." I added with a smile, she did too, a shy, little smile.

Silence.

"I think you're... um... rather fit." She uttered.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing." She added quickly.

"Nothing?" I breathed.

"Nothing."

We were both looking at each other, close up. 

Then, as if we both went mad, we kissed, her lips against mine. She dropped her phone as she shuffled closer to me, until she was on my lap. I put my arms around her, stroking her bony back. She kissed me passionately, her hands ruffling my brown hair. I could taste her mouth, she was delicious. She pulled away, breathless.

I stared at her in disbelief. Was it a dream?

No.

She kissed me again, pulling me towards her by my black hoodie. I put my hands on her slim waist, and my mouth pressed against hers, licking her.

But, it was too good to last.

"Whoa! Yeah! WOOOOOOOOO!" A gang of drunk teens from the party, half of which I did not know. They laughed and Edith pulled away from me, looking mortified. She picked up her phone, stood up and ran off.

I stared after her, disappointed and still enjoying her sweet taste. One guy, a big one, came up to me and put a hand in his pockets.

"Here." And he held out his hands, holding a condom.

"Er... no thanks." I stammered and tried to walk off. He held me back, smiling cruelly.

"How 'bout this." And he pulled out a little pill.

"No." I answered firmly.

"You bastard." This, of course, cost me a punch and a black eye.

"Coward!" The guy yelled and pushed me in the pool. The pack of boys laughed, jeered and yelled.

I gasped for air as I came to the surface and watched them stagger away. I climbed out by the ladder and stood there, gasping in the Cold November air. I went inside, shivering.

Bill came up to me, laughing.

"What happened to you?" He chuckled.

"Dunno." I grumbled and walked off.

"So, did you hit it off?" He asked curiously, following me.

"Yes." I sighed. "Until those baboons came out." I gestured my head to the group of drunks.

"Oh, yeah, those guys. Woops, sorry, mate. She ran for it then?"

I nodded.

"Ah, you'll get her next time." He reassured me. "C'mon, let's get you another drink. What would you like?" He enquired.

"Beer." I mumbled.

"Cool. I've got info, by the way." He added.

I stared at him, eyes wide.

He chuckled and took a sip of his beer.

"She's an only child. Her status is single. She's a virgin. Lives with her dad and is pretty rich, but doesn't live in Chelsea anymore, she lives quite close by." He told me.

"That it?" I asked.

"Yep." He replied.

A sexy looking blonde approached. "Bill, you promised." She cooed.

Bill smiled. "Alright, cutie. Sorry mate, gotta get down to business." And with that, he was dragged away by the shirt.

The party went by, I sat on my own, unable to find Edith. She was still there though, because when we got picked up at 3 a.m. I saw her get into a wide, Mercedes sports car.

I watched her, mouth half open. But, when her dad got out to greet her, he smiled oddly, hugged her tight and let her go. Then, he smacked her right on the bottom and roared with laughter. She only flinched, and just ignored it. I scowled and I was about to go right up to her dad, when a car beeped from behind me.

"Thomas! Get in the  bloody car before my bladder bursts!" She yelled. I rolled my eyes and groaned.

I got in next to her, arms crossed.

"So, how was it?"

"Good." I replied shortly as we drove off.

"You look wet." She remarked. "And hung-over."

I shrugged.

"What did you get up to?"

There was a pause.

"Nothing." I sighed, and closed my eyes.

"Nothing. Nice." She muttered and started the engine.