Candy [MCCARTNEY]

TWO

SOME LIES, SOME TRUTHS

  ✞  

Four days had passed since church, and I still felt electric. I felt hot and cold simultaneously, just thinking about the way those dark, chestnut eyes flicked across the room, blinking slow. How his lip darted across his lips before he grinned.

Was it illegal to have a sexy preacher?

Was it wrong to think about him at night?

I smiled to myself in the mirror and thought about the word 'sexy'. Admittedly, it was a dorky word, and I felt funny saying it.

Finally, I got my necklace to clasp around my neck and turned around, finished with getting dressed. Nothing fancy, just something cute. Tonight, Mum was having a few people from work over for dinner, as Christmas was just around the corner, and I didn't mind so much. Usually, she made too much food for these events anyway, and I had no issue with the days of leftovers.

Down in the kitchen I sidled up beside Mum, breathing in her perfume.

"Mmm, Dolce and Gobanna? Is a hot co-worker coming over or something?"

She rolled her eyes. "No. Can't I wear perfume for myself?"

"Just making conversation," I replied, popping an olive in my mouth. "When's everyone coming?"

Mum shrugged. "Do you think you could go and unlock the front door just in case some come early?"

"Yeah," I said, making my way down the hallway to the big oak door. Unlocking it, I swung it open and gazed outside, not really expecting to see anything but the garden, when a black car pulled up.

Through the tinted windows, I recognised a passenger. "Oh she did not."

Leaving the screen door locked, I dashed back to the kitchen where Mum was chopping lettuce, tendrils of ichor black hair falling over her forehead.

"You did not invite the Harrison's," I hissed, putting my hands on my hips in mock anger. "You don't work with either of them."

She looked up. "So what?" Another shrug. "George can play with Louis."

I laughed, feeling delirious. "You know damn well I'm going to have to keep him company all night—"

A knock came at the door.

Mum stopped cutting lettuce. "Is that such a bad thing?"

✞

I was on the edge of my bed, legs dangling, while George sat on the chair to my desk, his eyes directed on the floor.

We'd spent the past five minutes at the dinner table with the rest of the adults, but now that they'd started to drink and gossip about who was fucking who in the office, I invited George up to my bedroom.

Having a boy in my room made me giddy, obviously. Especially considering that boy was George. He was cute, but not dangerous enough.

I wondered if he had a girlfriend, or even maybe kissed someone. Perhaps even a crush on someone that I knew, and I wondered if he'd be uncomfortable if I asked. Admittedly, I just wanted to fill the awkward silence.