'If you try, you risk failure. If you don't, you ensure it.'
| fourteen |
''There's a party Friday night,'' Davey tells me as we walk out of the front door of school, his elbow nudging my side. ''Wanna go?'' We're heading to our respective cars but since they're next to each other, we walk together, Bumper and Reagen behind us, chatting to themselves, Brad and Alex nowhere to be seen.
''I have to work Davey,'' I sigh, unlocking my car and throwing my book bag into the back, where Reagen sits. ''But even if I didn't I wouldn't go.''
''What? Why?'' he asks, slightly shocked. I guess for a seventeen year old to dislike parties is weird or something.
''I don't know.'' I shake my head and it's sort of true. I used to go out a lot but now I'm more all for staying in and watching movies whenever I can. I did like to stay in and watch movies before but I like doing that even more now.
''Well you've gotta come!'' Davey whines, grabbing my arm and shaking it as we wait for his brother to appear. ''It's my first high school party I'm allowed to go to. I gotta have backup there!''
I look at him sideways, noticing how much he looks like his brother, but then again, he's got something different about him too. I give him a suspicious look. ''How come it's your first and you're only allowed to go to one now?''
Davey blinks then looks away, a hand going up to scratch his head, messing up his blond hair. ''I, uh- My parents are out of town so I'm just gonna make the most of it and go.'' he blurts, watching me for my reaction. I let out a little laugh, shaking my head at him. ''Is Brad all right with that?''
He shrugs, ''I'm not sure. I haven't asked yet. But if I say you, Bumper and Reagen are going I'm sure he'll let me!'' I open my door, ready to climb in, having seen Brad's tall figure walk towards us. It's not like he's very wide, and by wide I mean football player wide – or well built – but people move so they don't knock into him. The perks of being popular and good-looking, I guess.
''Look, fine, but you owe me one.'' I point a finger at him and he yells in victory, hauling me in for a hug, squeezing me until my bones crack. ''Ow, Davey, fuck off!'' I whack him on the back as he lets me go. ''Dude, seriously one of these days I'm gonna punch you.'' I stretch my arms above my head, making my back less painful, watching as Bumper and Reagen, laughing at us, climb into my car.
Davey winks and saunters off to his brother's car, who slaps him softly upside the head, chuckling to himself. Davey turns around and shrugs, then calls, ''I'll pay you back!'' as I shut the door of my own car, shaking my head to myself with a smile on my face. Who knew I'd be friends with my crush's little brother?
''I guess I should go...'' Delilah drifts off, her mouth closing and her small body curled up on the sofa. We'd gotten back from school – Being Tuesday, I had to wait for Bumper and Reagen to finish in their clubs so I did my homework after driving them round and parking closer to the pitch – to find Delilah had cooked us some lunch, which was nice. I guess that's what she'd meant on the phone by ''Done'' and to be honest, it tasted awesome. Delilah can cook some mean meatballs, definitely.
After eating, Bumper and I broached the subject of school, Delilah staying eerily quiet until now. She's actually quite friendly with Bumper, which is good, but right now she's looking at the couch and its material.
''I don't want to force you, I mean, all I wanna do is help you,'' I start, pulling my right leg up so I'm sitting half Indian style, my body facing hers. ''I just think finishing school would be the best thing to do right now, because otherwise, you'll have to start all over again next year, in the same class and you're so close to finishing this year.''
