Forces of Nature

Midnight Snack

The drive back to the beach house was awkward to say the least.

The tension in the air was so palpable I could almost reach out and touch it with my bare hands. Of course, only Tyson and I were acutely aware of the bad vibes invading the cab of my truck. Quinn and Ash were too busy caught up in the backseat making out like there was no tomorrow, and Drew was snoozing beside me in the passenger seat. Courtney, wedged in between Tyson and Ashleigh, definitely knew something was up but couldn't quite put her finger on it. From the nervous glances she was flicking between me and Tyson, I could tell she was coming up with some pretty accurate conclusions.

I pulled the truck into the drive just after one in the morning and was the first one out, throwing my keys at Courtney to lock it up. I didn't even realise I was power walking until I found myself slamming the room of my bedroom door and flinging myself onto the bed without even turning on the light, slightly out of breath.

Laying on my stomach, I let all of the feelings I'd squashed at the club float to the surface. Anger and humiliation were quick to take the lead, almost choking me with their intensity.

Stupid, stupid, stupid! I thought, reaching out to strangle one of my pillows. For a moment, I imagined the pillow was Tyson and that it was his neck I was squeezing. Then the moment passed when I figured I was just as stupid as he was. I mean, who was I kidding? Guys like Tyson didn't date girls like me. It was just the way the world worked.

Telling myself that only created an ache in my chest, which fuelled the angry fire more. I brought the pillow to my face and let loose a frustrated scream. Feeling slightly better, I repeated the process again and again, right up until something brushed my leg.

Startled, I bounced up and shrieked in alarm, actually managing to flip myself right off the bed. Courtney shrieked as well, flinging herself away from me. We both hit at the same time - me going splat on the hardwood floors, and her crashing into the bedroom wall. We took a second to stare at each other in shock, then both of us cracked up laughing so hard tears were rolling down our cheeks. I pulled myself over to the bed and clambered back onto it, and Courtney flopped down next to me.

It took several minutes for either of us to calm down; every time one of us stopped, the other would double over with a new wave of the giggles.

"You should have seen the look on your face," Courtney said, hands clutching her cramping stomach.

"My face? What about yours. You looked ready to bolt right through the wall," I said, turning on my side to face her. I could finally take a complete breath, and my oxygen starved brain was eternally grateful.

"Well, your reaction wasn't quite what I expected. The way you freaked out, I half expected the grim reaper to be looming over my shoulder."

"Sorry," I mumbled, my brief spurt of happiness evaporating.

"So, what's up?" Courtney asked, rolling so she was facing me. Her mascara had run a bit, creating dark smudgy circles under her eyes. Despite that she still looked like a million dollars.

"Why would something be up?" I asked, deliberately avoiding the question as well as her piercing gaze.

"Oh, right. Because screaming into your pillow like a crazed loon is what all the kids are doing these days. My bad."

When I failed to respond to her teasing, she nudged me with her arm. "Come on, No. I know you. Something is definitely up. And I have a feeling it has to do with a certain brooding male in the room down the hall."

I opened my mouth to argue, but all that came out was a sharp exhale.

"I just, I just think, I mean," my voice trailed off and I groaned, back to squeezing the life out of my pillow. I didn't know how to put anything I was feeling into words, and more than that, I just couldn't bring myself to tell Courtney what had happened in that alcove at the club. I knew she wouldn't laugh at me or make fun, but for some reason I was embarrassed to tell her the truth: That I'd finally kissed Tyson, and he'd rejected me right afterwards.