The summer had passed so bloody quickly, and school started again on Monday. I had just two more days off. At least this was my last year at sixth form and then I could concentrate on university. Now uni was something I couldn’t wait for. Studying something that interested me – structural engineering. I wanted to be the one figuring out how a big fuck-off building wouldn’t fall on top of people.
“Cole, will you hurry up! You take longer to get ready than my sister,” Jasper screamed. I winced as his high-pitched, pretending-to-be-a-girl voice cut right through me.
“Jesus, Jasper! I’m standing right next to you! I’m ready.”
I grabbed my wallet, slipping it into my pocket, and sprayed some aftershave on my neck. It was Oakley’s favourite, and the one she bought for Christmas for the last few years. I loved it.
Tonight, I was going out with Jasper and Ben. Oakley was having a girl’s night in with Sarah, Mia, my mum and Kerry. She seemed pretty excited to spend the evening pampering herself with that muddy-looking crap you put on your face. That I had once put on my face. Never again!
“Cole,” Jasper whined. “You’re wasting valuable drinking time.”
“I’m coming!”
Jasper chuckled. “I thought you looked a bit funny.” I pushed past him. What a loser. Mum and Mia had already gone over to Oakley’s with a bottle of wine, chocolates and neon nail polish.
The past few weeks had been perfect. Oakley’s parents were doing their best to accept that we were together and to be happy for us. We weren’t allowed to sleep over each other’s any more, as we had anticipated, but that didn’t bother me. It didn’t help that Jasper always seemed to have a stupid teen pregnancy joke ready.
“Alright man, I’m gonna bet you right now that I get more phone numbers tonight,” he said, slapping me on the back as we walked out to wait for the taxi.
Are we really doing this?
“I’m not getting any phone numbers tonight. I’m with your sister, remember?”
“So you fold? I win?”
I sighed in defeat. “Yes, Jasper, you win.”
The black taxi pulled up outside my house. Jasper stopped and looked at his reflection in the window, messing his hair up.
“Do I look okay?”
“What are you, a woman?”
“Hey, I have insecurities the same as everyone else. I may be so close to perfect it’s scary but–”
“You look fine, Jasper!” I said, cutting him off. It was generally much easier to agree with him and just go along with it.
“Yeah? You don’t think I should have gone with the blue shirt?”
I shook my head, taking a deep breath. “Are we really doing this?” He nodded, looking deadly serious. This is going to be a very long night.
“No, you shouldn’t have gone with the blue shirt.” I shoved him in the back of the taxi. “What you’re wearing looks good. So does your hair.”
He laughed and scooted over so I could get in too. I gave the drive Ben’s address, and we went to pick him up too.
“I’m flattered, man, I really am, but you’re with my sister, and if I’m honest, man bits just don’t do it for me.”
Why didn’t I drink before I left the house? A whole evening with Jasper, I must be mad. Ben was waiting by his front door as we pulled up.
“Hey.” He greeted us with an excited smile. “Ready to get shit faced?”
I laughed. “Oh yeah!”
It had been a while since I’d had a night out with the lads and I was looking forward to it. Most of my time was spent with Oakley now and I was more than happy with that, but it was good to do separate things too. We both needed time with our friends.
The queue into the club was short, and we barely had to wait two minutes before making it to the front. The built to hell bouncer shot his muscular arm out, stopping us just as we were about to go in. He must be eating ten pounds of steak and raw eggs every day or taking steroids. The veins in his neck were popping through his skin, and the material of his black top was stretched around his shape.
“ID,” he demanded of Jasper.
I watched with a smile as Jasper’s face fell and he pulled his driving licence out of his wallet. The bouncer studied it for a second and handed it back, nodding for us to go inside. We made our way through the crowd of barely dressed girls to the bar.
“I’m fucking older than you!” Jasper exclaimed, waving his hand in mine and Ben’s direction.
“Well, clearly you don’t look it.” Or act it. He grumbled something under his breath and turned to get the bartenders attention.
Just as the barman got to us, Jasper turned to his side.
“Well hello, ladies,” he purred. Oh my God! I ordered three JD’s and cokes and three shots of tequila.. Ben and I sat down on a stool and got comfortable, ready to watch Jasper make an arse out of himself.