Avoiding August (ONGOING)

Chapter 7

Today was the day that I would go out on a date with August Right.

I didn't even mention my date to Thandiwe, Gabriel or Louis, because they'd ask me why, and I couldn't exactly bring myself to tell them that August had blackmailed me into it. Besides, even the three of them combined couldn't do anything against August.

So, here I was, on a Friday night, in my messy room, mourning my used-up foundation, leaning over my vanity and scrutinising the eyeliner I had applied on my eyelids. It seemed neat enough, I decided, and fiddled with the hem of my t-shirt. The sign of the deathly hallows illustrated on it stood out against a white background.

I should have been absolutely mortified, seeing myself making an effort to look pretty for a date I didn't want to be on. But, it was August Right. As much as he was an asshole and a delinquent, there was still something about him that was remarkably attractive.

And if an attractive boy asks you on a date, isn't it completely necessary to make an effort and look attractive too?

He'd said he would arrive to pick me up in his car at 5:40PM, and I was growing unbearably anxious once my pink bedroom's clock struck 5:37PM. To pass the time, I took out my phone, sat on my pastel-coloured bed, and began to play a game. My fingers were shaking so much that I couldn't play it properly.

My phone narrowly avoided smacking down onto my carpeted  floor when I heard a knock downstairs.

I grimaced when I heard my mum's murmuring voice. It was muffled, as I was too far away to hear what she was saying. I shoved my cellphone into my clutch, grabbed a thin, cotton scarf, and steeled myself.

Although mum had agreed to let me go out (I'd told her it was a hang out and not a date. I also failed to mention that my 'friend' was a boy), I was hoping that she would see the delinquent boy at our door and refuse to let me go with him.

I eased open my bedroom door and listened for her shouting, or her doubtful voice, or her telling August to get out and go disturb another household.

Instead, I heard, "Aren't you the perfect gentleman. Would you like anything to drink?"

What in God's name...? I felt my eyebrows screw together and my mouth dropped open in gaping silence. Then I hastily wiped the look off of my face to peek over the bannister, trying to see downstairs.

August was smiling pleasantly and chatting away with my mother as if he had never savagely kicked a trash can over in his life. I knew better.

Fighting a scowl, I crept down the stairs and let my dread grow. There was something off and awfully eerie about August Right acting so sweet in front of my mother. Did she really believe this act? I was half expecting him to pull out a vulgar comment just to see her reaction. But he didn't.

Instead, his eyes landed on me and he beamed. My mother cooed, clutching her smooth, pale hands together, obviously oblivious to the mischievous glint in his eyes. I felt faint.

"Quinn, are you ready to go?" He grabbed my hand, innocently interlacing our fingers. I noted that my fingers were chubbier than his.

I hesitated, and felt a painful squeeze from August, glancing at my mum in hopes that she would see it and chase him out. When she didn't, I replied with a blank, "Yeah. Let's go."

"Bring her home as soon as you can, darling!" Mum called after us as he opened the car door for me.

"I'll bring her home before 10, Janice." He gave me a real cheeky look; I frowned at the fact he called my mother by her name. "She'll be in good hands." A chill went through me as he shut the door and slid into the driver's seat.

This wasn't going to be good.

His plain white car hummed, and I felt it jerk beneath me as he began to drive. I watched as my home slipped further and further away from my sight, and finally disappeared around a corner.

Through ten minutes of nothing but silence and the steady sound of the car's engine, I snuck another glance at August.

Once again, I saw his smirk, and I felt another nervous tug from my stomach. Was he even planning on going on a date? I bit my lip and stared down at my fingernails that rested curled in my lap.

"Don't you want to know where we're going?" August's voice broke the silence.

I chose not to pursue the noise, and didn't answer him. He didn't say another word, and I was surprised he wasn't angry at my ignorance. Maybe August Right was calmer than I thought.

I chucked the thought out the window when he rolled into a petrol station, stopped the car and turned to face me as much as he could in his seat. My face began to heat up, and I didn't bother hiding it. My colourless complexion made it impossible to conceal.

"Quinn." With saucer-big eyes, I looked up from my lap.

I met his unreadable, dark eyes, and tried to stop my shoulders from hunching.

"Y-yes?"

He broke out into a broad grin. "Do you want anything?"

I attempted not to look so confused. I don't think I succeeded. "Pardon?"

"From inside. Do you need anything?"

Before I could stop it from slipping out of my mouth, I heard myself say, "Foundation."

His face remained unreadable. "Foundation? Make-up?"

I undid my seatbelt and went to open the door. "Actually, I should probably get it myse-" He locked it again and buckled my seatbelt.

I shrunk away from his touch, while he said in a serious, insisting tone, "No, I'm getting it for you. Wait here."

As if I could even go anywhere. I hadn't lived in this area for long, and I had no idea where we were. I didn't mention any of this to August, and let him go.

He returned quickly, and handed a small tube of foundation to me. He stepped on the pedal and we were off again. I squinted at the writing on the tube, and saw the colour of it; way too pale. I knew he'd paid for it, so, once again, I said nothing.

"We're almost there." I melted into a puddle of shivering nerves. "It's just around this corner." As he spun the window to turn the corner (the car's rubber tires screeching at the sudden movement), I spotted our supposed destination, and realised that maybe he was actually serious about taking me on a date.

Where do you think the place is? ;)