Underdawgs

Chapter 12

'Fuck off I did.'

      'You did.'

      'Ya full of shit.'

      'In front of everyone.'

      'Seriously?'

      'Yeah, I told you way before it happened that you were too pissed.'

      'I wasn't.'

      'Well, you made Becky cry.'

      The bedroom door opens and Sarah sticks her head in. 'Who are you talking to?'

      'Lily.'

      'What?' Lily asks through the phone.

      'No, I'm talking to Sarah.'

      'Hey Sar,' Lily yells.

      'Hey Lily,' Sarah yells back, jumping on top of me to get at the phone.

      'Sarah, fuck off.'

      'But I wanna talk to her.'

      'You can but later,' I push her off me and head for the bedroom door.

      'Bye Sar,' Lily's voice comes through the receiver.

      I walk out the front door and down the corridor to the stairwell.

      'You be nice to her,' Lily scolds as we resume the conversation.

      'I always am.'

      'Yeah, yeah.'

      Sarah didn't believe me at first when I told her I had a girlfriend. I think she doubted any girl would have the patience to deal with a guy like me. But when I finally introduced Sarah to Lily, the two of them they hit it off like a couple of pill heads at a bush doof.

      Sarah is absolutely and completely in love with Lily. From the moment I get home to the moment I go to bed it's a non-stop Lily Q and A. What she wears, her favourite brands, what she says – it actually kind of gives me the shits.

      I'm glad Sarah has found a positive role model, but I don't need to hear about every word she says or every single thing she does. I see Lily enough.

      'Samantha was saying the other night that Kev got locked up again?'

      'Yeah, he did. Driving without a licence.'

      'Shit.'

      'Yeah, he's got a court date in a couple of months.'

      'How does he reckon he'll go?'

      I didn't actually know. Truth is, I haven't been spending much time with the guys lately. I've been spending most of my time with Blackjack, Lily and our shared school friends, getting fucked up with them instead.

      'Dunno,' I reply, shrugging. 'Hey, I just remembered you said you'd help me do my maths homework this weekend.'

      'I thought we were seeing a movie this weekend?'

      'We are, but Mrs Poltick reckons if I do well in this test, she'll forgive me for doing so shit at the start of the year and let me through with a low pass.'

      'Yeah, okay, but after you take me to the movies.'

      'Deal.'

      'Okay, I gotta go. I'll see you at school tomorrow ... I love you.'