I closed my eyes and waved a hand. Darius grabbed it and effortlessly pulled me up like I weighed nothing. The sudden movement made me squeal. I opened my eyes to tell him off when I came face to face with his chest.
"Eh, the random cliche?" I asked, looking up. His green eyes stared down at me, his eyebrows knotted. I only just realised how close we were. I could even smell his cologne or whatever it was. I stepped away first and walked down the aisle.
"Or was it about monkeys and a planet?" I asked, yelling over my shoulder. That was the last black and white movie I watched before. I had fallen asleep on someone else's shoulder. I shook my head and tried to erase that memory.
I heard him chuckle as we both hit the pavement for the walk back home.
"What's the plan for tomorrow?" I asked as I placed my hands in my jacket pocket. It was freezing and I was grateful I had brought my jacket.
"What do you want to do?" he asked. I shrugged as I looked up at the bright moon. The clouds looked gray in the sky. There were a few stars here and there you could see between the clouds.
"Snorkeling?" he asked.
I shot him a look. "Seriously? I just went!"
"Well I didn't, so let's go again," he said. I shrugged. I did have a good time last time, apart from one thing.
"As long as you don't book the same guy as last time," I muttered.
"What?" he asked.
"Nothing," I sang, walking faster. "Hurry up. I am starving and I might make food when I get home," I said, looking over my shoulder. I saw the glint of his teeth as he smiled and walked faster home. Damn, I was hungry.
Dinner was quick and quiet, which really meant opening a packet of chips and eating them. Yep, we were so healthy. Darius left and said goodnight, which was a first, and I went over to the computer to see what we can possibly do.
I was Googling things when I remembered we were in Melbourne, and apart from the fashion, food and culture of this town, what else is famous? Football, of course!!
I quickly Googled possible AFL matches and nearly screamed when I realised my team and a rival were playing tomorrow night! Only the tickets were nearly sold out. Grabbing my purse and the credit card number, I went away booking the few seats that were left. Thank god I managed to snatch them.
Of course, they were double the price of normal seats but whatever, this was amazing. Wait, maybe I should have asked Darius first.
Saving the page, I ran upstairs two at a time and rushed to his room, opening the door.
"Dar-"
He wasn't there. Oh crap, which was his room? I walked down from the empty room past mine and opened another door. There he was!
"Darius."
He turned around staring at me as I leaned against the door.
“So I was thinking AFL tomorrow. It's much more fun. Unless you follow a team, then I can look it up."
"AFL?" he asked.
"Footy, ya bone head," I said. "Have you never been to a footy match?" I asked, crossing my arms.
He shook his head and I gasped in disbelief. "How very patriotic of you. Well then, after snorkeling or whatever, football it is. Actually, it's pretty fun. I used to hate it till I watched it live. The atmos-"
"Can you give me a moment?" he asked.
"Why?"
He raised his eyebrows and I looked at him. It was only then that realised he was wearing a towel and his hair wet, just out of the shower.
"OH MY GOD, WHY THE HELL ARE YOU NAKED?"
"My eyes! You idiot." I screeched, turning around and in my haste slammed into the wall instead. Grabbing my head, I rushed out of the room without closing the door and I swear I heard him laugh at me. He could have told me he was in the shower or something.
I leaned against the door shaking the image – or at least trying to – from my mind and sighed as I walked back to my bedroom. Horrible image. How did I not notice him standing there in only a white towel wrapped around his bottom half?
I shuddered, going into my room and making sure my door was looked. I flopped onto the bed without bothering to change. I was just too tired.
Chapter THIRTEEN
6 months ago
The look on my mother's face when I came out in the horrible orange color was priceless. I was just waiting for her to faint. She didn't, but it was damn close when she fanned herself, yelling at the shop assistants for picking such a hideous dress.
I turned around in the mirror, smiling. Wow, I really think orange is my color.
"Ivory, get down here and try this on," she said, looking away like I was hideous and holding out a massive princess ballroom puffy type dress with pink ribbon. I grimaced.
Damn, I hate pink. But being the 'good' and 'obedient' daughter I was, I grabbed the dress and marched into the trial rooms. My phone vibrated and I looked down on the seat where I have placed it and picked it up as I unzipped myself.
Can we talk?
I didn't even need to see whom it was from, I knew. Switching off my phone, I leaned against the wall, the cold seeping into my back.
"Can we talk," I whispered to myself. With a scoff, I muttered, "Like hell we can."