Tag waves his arms around widely as he describes the first time he tried surfing. I giggle as he recalls his board shorts being pulled down by the strong current of the sea.
"Oh, man, it was so fucking embarrassing. All these tall tan Californian chicks all laughing at my pasty ass." he shakes his head sadly. "That was the last time I tried anything involving water. I just thought, you know, I'm good on a skate board and that's all it is right? A larger, wetter skate board."
I laugh again, and he looks up at me, grinning, cute dimples appearing on his cheeks. I feel my cheeks flush slightly, and bite on my lower lip. He smiles and looks round at the car park. A silver Ford had just pulled in, loud music blaring, and he waves at the occupant. "Hey, it's Mel!"
The blue haired girl gets out, unlaced DM's slopping around her ankles as she stomps over to us. Her eyes are slightly red, like she's been crying, and her blue hair is unbrushed. She stops next to me and shoves her hands into the front pocket of her Black Sabbath hoodie. I try to smile at her but she doesn't look my way.
"Hey babes! You good?" Tag gives her a big hug, which she stiffly returns. "This is Alice. The new chamber maid." He smiles at me again. Mel turns slightly and looks me up and down, slight frown on her forehead.
"Hi!" I smile and hold my hand out to shake. Her frown deepens before she turns her back to me completely.
"I really need to talk to you Tag." His eyes flick up to me. "Alone." she stresses the word.
Immediately I feel hot tears prick my lids. I blink and quickly retreat through the fire door. As it shuts behind me I hear Tag asking why she was acting like such a bitch. A few tears escape and roll down my cheeks and I wipe them away angrily.
Who the hell is she to be that rude to me? I've not done anything to her, all I was doing was trying to make friends. I know I come across as stuck up, hence the annoying nickname I know they call me, but I'm just really shy. I was home schooled so didn't have friends as such, only being allowed to socialize with the children of my fathers friends, like Claire.
I really like talking to Tag. He is funny, and easy going, happy to carry the majority of the conversation. It doesn't hurt that he's extremely easy on the eye too. But it looks like Mel might stand in the way of us having a proper friendship. I sigh and smooth down the heavy polyester skirt I'm forced to wear, and trudge slowly back up the the corridor I was cleaning today.
* * * * *
"Hey Mrs Holmes." I snake my arms around the housekeeper and give her an unexpected hug. She's worked for us for as long as I could remember, and the sight of her grey hair and big gold spectacles always made me feel better. She pats my hands. "Is my father home yet?"
"He's due back at six o'clock, Miss Kent. But he told me not to prepare dinner, so I think he's expecting to eat at the clubhouse. I already laid out a dress for you."
I feel my face drop. Not another night at the clubhouse. I open the fridge and take a can of Dr Pepper out.
"Did you want me to wash any clothes for you? Any leotards you need ready for next week?" I freeze in the doorway and slowly turn back to face her. She smiles and winks. "Don't worry, pet. Your secret is safe with me. I think it's a good thing, really." I run back to her and throw my arms back round her shoulders.
"Thank you." I breath into her neck.
The dress is one of my favorites, a simple wraparound jersey material in a deep burgundy. I switch my cd player on, swapping out the heavy metal record inside to my favorite Sleater-Kinney album. As I sing along I strip off and pull out a new set of lacy lingerie. I take a minute to pose in front of the mirror. Even though nobody ever sees my underwear I love wearing sexy sets. It makes me feel slightly naughty knowing what I'm wearing and knowing nobody else has a clue. I let my hair down from the clip it's been in all day and run a little serum through the large ringlets my hair naturally falls into. A little mascara is all the make up I usually wear, and I change my earrings to the pair Harrison had given me. Don't want to piss off the fiance now do I! What a crock. As I wrap the dress round and tie the bow in the back there's a knock on my door. I switch the music off and pull open the door to find Harrison standing there.
"Hey there beautiful." He leans in for a kiss, and again I turn so he gets my cheek. He breathes in deeply. "You smell amazing, as usual. And I see you're wearing my present." He tucks my hair behind my ear and runs his thumb down the shell of my ear. I try not to shudder and my skin crawls at his touch. I try to smile, but I know it comes off as more of a grimace.
Harrison steps away from me and gestures for me to make my way past him, downstairs to our waiting fathers.
* * * * *
After another long boring dinner surrounded by my fathers friends, I am close to sleep. I spot Claire's short black bobbed hair across the room and excuse myself from the table. She's sat at a table with a few other 'friends'.
"Oh, hi Alice." Claire smiles tightly at me, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Where's Harrison?" She tried to look round me. I shrug and squeeze into the booth next to her. "Oh, there he is! And he's found Caine and our drinks!" She giggles, and a cute boy puts a glass down in front of her. He winks at me and squeezes in next to me, forcing me even closer to Claire.
"I don't think we've officially met. I'm Caine Whitehall." He offers me his hand to shake.
"I'm Alice Kent."
I manage to get out before Harrison speaks over me. "This is Alice, my fiance. The girl I've been telling you about. Good stock, right?"
Caine looks me up and down, raising an eyebrow as he does. As I look at his face I realize he was the boy I'd seen Claire with in the hotel. I feel my cheeks flush and fidget in my seat. I hope he hadn't seen me there or everything will be ruined. He smiles slightly at me, then turns his attention back to Harrison. Claire leans over to me and whispers "He is so handsome. And very good with his hands...." She giggles a little, the alcohol from her cocktail causing a slight flush to her cheeks.
I sit back and watch Harrison and Caine discuss the latest change in the stock exchange. Where Harrison is short for a boy, Caine is easily six foot, about the same kind of height as Tag. Harrison has perfectly gelled back hair, and no chin. Caine has slightly unkempt hair which hangs down nearly to his eyebrows, and a cute dimple in the middle of his chin. I sigh, why couldn't my dad have chosen a good looking boy like Caine rather than the weasley Harrison? Although even Caine wasn't as cute as Tag.....I feel a tingle between my legs as I think of Tag wrapping his arms around me. I shift a little again in my seat, and Caine looks over at me me, eyebrow raised again and a smirk on his lips.
* * * * *
I step out from the hotel after a long day cleaning up after an extremely messy guest. Who knew hair removal cream smelt so bad? And took so long to get off the side of a bath tub after it had dried. I shudder again. I chuck my bag containing my uniform into the small boot of my car and turn as I hear someone call my name. I look round, smile on my face expecting to see Tag, but my stomach drops when I see Caine walking slowly over to me.
"C..Caine?" I try to swallow the dread creeping up my chest. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just meeting a.....friend." He smiles, but it doesn't touch his eyes. "What are you doing here, Alice?" He tilts his head to the side slightly.
"I....um....I just stopped by on my way home from dance class." I gesture at my leggings. "For a quick drink before I went home." I try to smile.
"Well, if it's not too much trouble of course, maybe you'd join me inside again for another before you leave?" He smiles again, this time the coldness in his eyes disappearing, and holds a hand out to me. I shrug and take it, allowing him to lead me back inside the hotel. Maybe he really did buy my dancing story?
YOU ARE READING
Just the three of us...
ChickLit*18+ Mature themes and language* Little did Alice know when she started a part time job in a hotel that it would end up changing her life. The tattooed boy and blue haired girl rescued her from a life her father had forced upon her, and together the...
