Cake // Ashton Irwin

Chapter 2

The cakes are only samples for a special occasion. Well that is what she tells me and then the subject simmers back to my school work or to what Michelle Jensen could possibly be serving for dinner. We make small chat until the driver winds down the window to press the buzzer for us to be let into the Jensen’s large estate. I am not surprised to see Michelle already waiting on the front door step, two drinks in hand and the closest thing to a smile her face can muster up. I open the door before the driver can get out and do the unnecessary deed for me and let myself out.

“Leyah how are you?” Michelle greets me but doesn’t let me answer, “I heard about the school president thing, we all knew you were going to get it anyway” She winks.

“Is Tate in his room?” I ask

“She’s been itching to see him” My mother steps out of the car, big carpet and paint sample books in her arms. I ignore the half false statement and walk into the house. Behind me I hear them greet each other, Michelle telling my mother that she needs to try her new recipe for grape juice. She emphasises on the grape part, wanting me to hear it. It’s as if they don’t want me to know it’s blasted with alcohol. I don’t take my time making my way through the hall way to get to my destination and I don’t knock either, hoping to surprise my boyfriend. I close the door behind me without a sound to find an empty room. I wonder over to his desk and take a seat on his swivel chair. Might as well wait for him, saves me going out to find our mothers laughing away after a few glasses of their new grape juice concoction. After a few minutes I get bored and start to swirl around the room on his chair. As I spin around I notice the lid to Tate’s laptop open so I glide over to check if it’s on or not. The screen doesn’t light up so I reoccupy myself by cleaning up his desk.

My heart jumps and I drop a pencil when the door opens,

 “Leyah?” Tate walks in, flustered and buttoning up his shirt.               

 “Hey Tate” I get up and walk to him, arms out for a hug.

“What are you doing in here?” He asks, while accepting my embrace. I am caught off guard; he’s never questioned my presence in his bedroom before and this isn’t the first time I’ve been left alone in here, “It looked like you were snooping through my desk”

“I was cleaning it” I tell him. His hair is unusually ruffled up so I comb it down with my fingers. It’s not wet so he can’t have just come from having a shower

 “Oh yeah that’s fine I just didn’t expect to see you here” He smiles and pecks my lips.

“So what were you doing?” I ask, wrapping my arms around his neck. He smiles at me with squinted eyes then swoops down to kiss my neck.

“Just a little football practise in the yard” He says and I giggle under his wandering lips. I watch as he pulls away and walks over to his desk. He scans around, looking at his now tidy work space, “Are you still up for Hudson’s party tonight?” He asks

“Why don’t we just have a night in?” I walk over to him slowly.

“It’s Friday, no one stays in on Friday” He complains.

“Fine” I give in, “But can we leave early? I have curfew”

“You don’t have curfew” He sighs

“I gave myself one” I smile innocently.

“It’ll be nice to let loose and have some fun” He pulls me into him, “You work so hard at school”

I sigh in defeat and nod. Flashes of Tate getting drunk and me having to soberly drag him to the car and drive him home safely reminds me of how this night will turn out. It always happens.