Lime and Soda ✓

thirty - evolve

The little house is filled with people. Noise echoes through the rooms: music, laughter, the clink of glasses. The windows are open, a fresh sea breeze blowing softly in, carrying the sounds of voices outside, down the drive to the couple standing on the pebbles, taking a moment away from the crowd. Their hands are clasped together, their foreheads resting against one another, soft smiles on their lips. At least, until I fling the window open wide with a crash and they jump apart.

'Oi! Pizza!'

Astrid breaks away from Ross and hurtles down the drive, flinging herself into my arms and swinging me around and around until I'm dizzy, and not just from the three glasses of fruit punch. I've been following my detox rigidly ever since the camping trip, and my skin is healthy and glowing, so I decided to let my hair down a bit. It's my last night at Bea's before Mum and I drive home in the morning, and Elliot wanted to have a party to celebrate his birthday. After much begging, cajoling and attempted blackmail, Bea agreed.

'One,' she said. 'You can have one party between you. I'm not having a bunch of teenagers wreck my house twice in one week.' But she looked secretly a little bit excited, and spent the time since Ross came out of hospital cooking in preparation.

Astrid bellows something into my ear, but I can't hear because the music pounding from the living room obliterates all other noise. I lean closer to her. 'What?'

'I said I love you!' she screams over the music, pulling me into a hug, and I feel my face crack into a huge grin.

'I love you too!' I yell back at her, and hold up my empty cup. 'More drinks?'

She nods and links her arm with mine, and we navigate our way towards the kitchen. As we pass the living room door I see Celia and Eleanor dancing with a couple of Elliot's friends. They look up as we pass and wave frantically. I see Jules standing with some older girls, her friends from home, Sophia in a corner, talking quietly with a boy I vaguely recognise from the party at Eleanor's. I see him slip his arm around her waist and whisper something in her ear, and she giggles, blushing furiously as she makes eye contact with me. I smile at her, glad that it all seems to be working out and she's not hung up on Jay anymore.

We pass the living room, pushing past people into the kitchen. It's more sophisticated in here – Mum and Bea sit around the table, along with Sandy, clutching Max to her knee, Celia's parents who wave at me cheerily, and Heather, looking slightly overwhelmed with all the noise and people but happy all the same. I edge my way towards the table and bend down so I can speak to her while Astrid fills our cups up with more punch.

'Heather! I didn't expect to see you!'

The old lady cackles gleefully and raises her glass of wine to me. 'I didn't expect to be here, sweetheart. Your lovely aunt came into the cafe earlier today and asked if I'd like to come, and I saw no reason not to. I won't be staying late, though. I'll leave the partying to you young ones.'

I lower my voice. 'Have you thought about what I asked you the other day?'

She nods. 'It's all sorted, my dear.'

My heart leaps in my chest. 'Really? He's agreed?'

'You go and ask him about it. But yes, he's agreed. I'm so pleased, you know. I'm getting too old to run that cafe all on my own.'

Astrid returns with two cups brimming with orange liquid and a paper plate full of slices of pizza. I take a few sips of my drink hurriedly before it spills down my top, bend down to give Heather a hug, and we leave the kitchen, heading towards the garden for some fresh air. As we pass the long mirror in the hall I catch sight of my reflection. My eyes are bright, my cheeks slightly flushed, and there's a smile on my face I was completely unaware of. My long hair cascades down my back and I've abandoned my usual long-sleeved turtleneck and jeans in favour of a white summer dress, patterned with small blue flowers, which flows down my body, ending just above my knees and giving way to several miles of surprisingly tanned legs. I realise how much I've grown over the summer. My figure seems more curvy than before, too – I'm still slim, but there's a more obvious difference between my hips and my waist, and I had to go bra shopping with Mum the other day because mine were all suddenly too small. I look down at my arms, no longer red and angry but golden-brown from the endless days spent on the beach, and for the first time in my life I don't wish for anything to be different. For the first time, I'm happy in my own skin.