The Tutor

Chapter 27

Nora never took a taxi in Berk. It was always a walk, or for colder weather, the bus. Unlike the crazy traffic of London streets, everywhere was a ten-minute ride in Berk, even on a busy Friday night. Tonight, she didn't stand a chance walking in these heels, and being on the bus with her outfit was a fashion faux pas in itself.

The cab pulled outside the bar booming with loud music. Queues of eager students lined up outside. Girls stood in skimpy dresses and open-toed heels on a freezing January night.

Nora walked towards a short, blonde woman with a clipboard in her hands who was chatting with an enormous bouncer. Puffs of smoke came out of her mouth from the cold as she spoke. She had enough sense to be wearing a thick puffer jacket and a hat.

"Hi, we're here for Rafe Ferreira's party," Nora said.

"Hi! Welcome! Can I get both of your names, please? And I'll need some IDs," she said. As soon as she got them, she began scanning her list of names. The bouncer scrutinised their IDs. Benny shuffled nervously. They were both already eighteen, but he hadn't gotten used to the fact that they could legally enter bars and order alcohol. They were, by law - adults.

Last year when Nora would use her fake ID unfazed or lie through her teeth about her age, Benny would be a wreck of frazzled nerves.

The woman with the clipboard found the name in the long list. "Great! Found you both. My colleague will take you upstairs. Please put these on your wrists so you can come and go through the VIP area."

"Thanks," Benny muttered, following the hostess into the loud bar. "VIP area? I didn't know this place had a VIP area," he shouted. It was the only decent, chic bar in the whole town, but compared to bigger, flashier places in the city, this place was tame. But this was already impressive to Benny, who had lived in Berk his whole life.

The dance floor was alive, with people dancing to the beats of the latest hip hop remixes. The long bar was lit up in different colours, and the whole place was decorated with a variety of Vodka bottles. The front bar had trays of different coloured shots. Some of her classmates were drinking, talking or dancing. Some were not of legal age yet so she wondered if anyone has been caught out with a fake ID and wasn't allowed in. By the looks of it, everyone got in,and Rafe invited half of the school. After seeing so many familiar faces, she realised that the entire second-floor area was hired out just for his guests.

Nora spotted Rafe surrounded by people, only half of whom she recognised. The confidence she'd had only a minute ago diminished, and she was tempted to turn back, put on her glasses which felt like her mask and put up her hair and remove the clothes that made her look like a completely different person. It was so much easier to be a wallflower.

She didn't want to go back to being in the centre of attention, the stupid drunk small talk, the flirting. It made her nauseous but before she could even think of turning, a similar voice cut in loudly through the music.

"Nora is that you?" William's clear voice cut through the music.

"Hey!" Nora said. What would William think of her?

"You clean up nicely," he said, approaching her. "I almost didn't recognise you."

She let out a long breath and told herself off for overthinking. Seeing William relaxed her. Seriously, it was just a bloody birthday party.

She smiled. "Thanks."

"How's the party so far?" Nora asked. He looked so effortlessly cool in jeans and a white polo shirt. Somehow even his style screamed good boy. Someone you'd meet in a posh country club and who'd be the one to drape his sweater around your shoulders should you get cold.