The morning after my mother’s third wedding Lachlan, Tabitha and I went back to our old house. Not Darren’s three story one. Dearest mother, brother and sister would be moving into the mini mansion after I left. How considerate. Mom and Darren would be honeymooning for a week in Paris (because it’s the city of love obviously) and then coming back in time for me to say sayonara to Philadelphia and bonjour to New York City and life as a college student.
Trust my mother to put her honeymoon less than two weeks before I embark on adult life. Clearly she has no desire to spend the next two weeks to bask in my presence before I’m gone for the next 9 months.
I wake up with a headache and a dry mouth. My tongue literally sticks to my mouth and it takes me a moment to work out why I feel incredibly ill. But it hits me soon enough. I am experiencing the after effects of too much alcohol, not enough water and a late, late night. Oh how wonderful it is to be young.
“You stink.” Tabitha says when I plonk myself down next to her on the couch. She is up and ready, prepared to face the day. Brown cut-off shorts and a white button down shirt are what she wears. I’ve never seen Tabitha dress casual in my life.
“I do not.” I protest.
“You do.” She says moving away from me slightly. “You smell like you’re dying.”
“It’s called fun.” I say shoving her. “Try it.”
“No thank you.” She says.
Lachlan comes out of the kitchen with mussed up hair and tired eyes. I laugh heartily. “Someone had a good night.”
He winces. “Not too loud.”
“Oh little brother, you’re still such an amateur.” I say shaking my head. “Wait till you get to my age. You’ll be a pro.”
“If being a pro is looking like you’re three days overdue for a shower and not waking up till twelve pm then I’ll pass.” Tabitha says.
“Wasn’t talking to you.” I say poking her.
Lachlan eases himself into an armchair. “I think I obliterated half my brain cells.”
“Not a hard feat.” Tabitha says, she’s crabby this morning.
“Little sister would you mind dialling down the moodiness just a notch?” I ask
Tabitha puffs out her cheeks. “You two drive me crazy. I don’t even know where you disappeared to last night.” She says to me. “And I saw you snogging some girl at half eleven and then you passed out in the taxi.” To Lachlan.
“Snogging? Are you British?” I laugh.
“She was not just some girl.” Lachlan says haughtily. “She was a goddess. The Harlow Franklin.”
“The Harlow? The Harlow you have been in serious crush with for the past year?” I ask surprised.
“Yes.” Lachlan says proudly. “Her.”
“Well done.” I applaud.
“Oh yuck.” Tabitha pretends to retch.
“Don’t be immature.” I scold.
“Me?” She scoffs. “I’m the immature one? Where did you even go last night Kat? Hmm?”
I pause a minute. What had I done last night? I’d been at the wedding, then the reception, I’d taken Lydia to the bathroom and then? Oh. Then I’d done unspeakable acts with Isaac Healy. That was what I’d gotten up to. And it had been marvellous.
“None of your business nosey Nancy.” I say getting up and then immediately regretting it. The room spun, and spun and spun. I place a hand on what I thought was the couch but was actually Tabitha’s head to steady myself.
YOU ARE READING
This Is How It Goes
Romance"Once upon a time there was a girl. She was an idiot. The end." Katarina Elizabeth Ryan, a self confessed heart breaker, lover of doughnuts and a worshipper of felines is about to have the strangest year of her life. College, the experience she's be...
