“We get to tell everyone soon,” Cole said, smiling happily. That was the other thing. We had agreed to tell everyone after my birthday, but the closer that got the more I realised I wasn’t ready for everyone to know. Cole was really excited about it, but all I kept thinking was how much everything was going to change.
“You don’t want to tell them, do you?” Cole asked quietly, his face fell. Do I tell the truth or just go along with what we had originally planned for his sake? “Oakley?” he prompted. Sighing, I nodded, choosing the second option.
“You don’t mean that. You worried about what they’ll all say.” I nodded. “They’ll be happy for us, you know they will. Things will calm down after a week or two when it’s old news.”
So he knew they were going to be watching us like crazy too.
“We can wait longer if you want.”
He said the words, but I know he didn’t want to. I shook my head and kissed him quickly in case someone walked in. I missed being able to be physically affectionate with him. I missed being that intimate with someone I trusted with my life, someone I knew would never hurt me.
Two hours later, I was dressed and ready for the party. My nerves grew with every step I took downstairs. I was thankful that Cole, Kerry, and Ben would be with me. At least I could just spend the evening with them.
Some of my family had already arrived and were standing around drinking and talking. My grandparents from both sides of the family were sitting on the sofa, drinking wine. I didn’t see Dad’s parents often; they lived quite far away so only visited on birthdays and at Christmas.
The doorbell rang, and I took a deep breath, looking at Cole to stop myself freaking out. He smiled and mouthed, ‘Love you’ which made me forget everything, and everyone else.
“Happy Birthday, Oakley,” Julian shouted from across the room.
Cole glared at Julian, and if looks could kill, Julian would have been a goner by now. Why did he even come if he hated me so much? It made no sense. Did he just enjoy making my life a misery? Cole tugged on my arm and led me into the kitchen, away from Julian.
The whole house was covered in decorations. Pink decorations. You could barely move around all the balloons, banners, streamers, and enormous pink feathers! Feathers? What was I, eight! It was probably what Mum wanted for her sixteenth. My grandparents didn’t have much money so she never really had a big party
My mouth dropped open in shock as I saw what was on the kitchen counter. What on earth?! Blinking in disbelief, I stepped closer to the giant ice sculpture. It was of a girl doing a cartwheel. Me, doing a cartwheel.
“Honey, here.” Mum gave me a plastic cup of punch, and one to Cole too. Forcing my lips to twitch in a brief smile, I turned pretending to look at something different so she wouldn’t see how much I hated all of it. She still saw me as a little girl. Just a few hours, for her, I reasoned with myself, again.
“Well, this is all very pink,” Cole commented, stating the obvious. “She knows your favourite colour is yellow, right?” He knew that? “Come on, I need to tip some of that vodka in this before I hang myself.”
As we made a move, Kerry hopped in front of me and laughed as I jumped.
“Sorry. Happy birthday! This party’s awesome, by the way.” Is it?
“I’m guessing you like pink,” Ben said sarcastically and threw his arm over Cole’s shoulder. I stared at him flatly.
“She doesn’t like pink. Her mum organised everything,” Cole explained.
“Ah. Ouch.” Ben winced in sympathy.
Kerry waved her hand. “Don’t worry, Oakley, you have us to save you now.”
She pulled me into the living room. Her grip was tight, and she strode confidently through the small crowd that had gathered by the doorway. I wished I could be more like her.
“Sit,” she ordered, pointing to the smaller sofa that had been pushed into the corner of the room. Cole and Ben joined us, both sitting on the arms of the chair.
“This is our corner. If anyone tries to take it, kill. Okay?” Kerry looked at us sternly. I grinned in amusement and sat back in the sofa. Maybe this party won’t be too bad after all.
Occasionally I saw Mum chatting happily and laughing with Ali and other family members. That was why I was putting up with the stupid party. She deserves this.
Jasper knelt down in front of me and leered towards someone. I thought he had gone out for the evening.
“The blonde girl over there.”
He gestured towards Jennifer from my class, the girl he’d just been letching at. She was talking to her friends by the kitchen door.
“She over sixteen?” I nodded, confused. Jasper rubbed his hands together. “Fair game then,” he joked.
Suddenly I caught sight of Julian, dancing with Lizzie. I noticed how he moved her closer to where we were sitting, so they ended up right in front of us. I didn’t know how Lizzie could touch him. I would rather die than get that close to him.
With a sick feeling in my stomach, I turned back to Cole and our friends.
“She’s not pregnant, she’s just put weight on,” Kerry announced, looking at someone in the room. Okay, what have I missed?