Entwine (17 page)

It mostly worked. With just the two of them, they shared house duties equally, and doing absolutely nothing, like most of her friends did, was a treat she hardly passed up.

But she’d been to her dad’s five weekends and been good. She couldn’t stand it any longer. This time, she’d sneak out, and no one would be the wiser. Sarah had thought this out the day previously. She’d act shitty, which wasn’t hard, and then retire to bed early, but not too early. There, she’d stay until her dad checked on her. Once he did that, she was sure she couldn’t get caught. It was a foolproof plan. After that, he’d go and have sex with the slut, Alyssa. Or fight. Whichever. The last two weekends she’d stayed proved they were as likely to do each other as try to outdo each other.

But tonight, Sarah struggled to act shitty thanks to Alyssa acting so nice. One inch of a smile, or a true-to-the gut, honest cackle—anything that seemed friendly—her dad could try to involve her in something: TV, a game, or help him in his garage.

Alyssa was the problem. She didn’t pick a fight. Not once, and Sarah wanted to yell because of how nice she was. But she shouldn’t have. Wasn’t Alyssa being nice so much more bearable than Alyssa being short, cut-off or bitchy?

The dinner was exquisite. The mashed potatoes … Sarah only just remembered not to moan in pleasure although they were ultra creamy, salted to perfection, and the right touch of butter and herbs to top them off. The beef had no fat, or “jelly”, as Sarah would call it. She couldn’t start slicing and then complain it was too hard to eat and go to her room. It was flavoursome and juicy, just tender enough. Alyssa even brought wine to the table, and though neither she nor Sarah had any, her dad sure enjoyed it. By the end of dinner he was talking twice as much as usual, and he then went to the TV and didn’t leave, even after Sarah had spent so much time on Facebook she was bored, which rarely occurred. She had browsed YouTube. Surfed for pictures of celebrity hunks with their shirts off. Finally, Sarah just told Alyssa the excuse her eyes were sore from staring at the computer for so long. She went to tell her dad so, too, but his head was hung back over the couch, and snores snarled and caught in his throat softly, then loudly.

Perfect!

Sarah lay in bed for only forty-five minutes that night. God, her girlfriends would be squealing and so excited to get an extra hour and a half with her.

At a quarter past nine, Sarah was ready to sneak out. Her bedroom at her dad’s was easy to escape from. It was a single storey, and she just had to walk down the side of the house, open and shut the gate, and duck off.

It was as Sarah was closing the gate, only metres from the sidewalk—her freedom—when she heard a noise.

Shock pierced through her body, rendering her motionless, until the pricks of adrenaline calmed and she could think without feeling like her mind had an enormous pressure on it. Moments passed, and then the sound was all too clear. It was a car pulling up outside her home. She didn’t hear a rev, but the engine growled, like the engine of the eighteen-year-old boyfriend of one of the girls in her group. He was the only one who was of legal age to drive, and so she made an effort to be nice, hoping to catch a ride. He had always boasted how he’d had his car altered. His exhaust was louder than standard, and he’d made adjustments inside the bonnet to enhance the performance.

The sound of that car was different to not only little Honda Civics, but also the V8 Ford Falcons her friends’ dads drove.

As Sarah clutched the gate and pushed the rest of the latch back in place, she knew it wasn’t just a big car, it was a hotted up car. A
guy
’s car. Her dad was asleep, so it wouldn’t be one of his friends. And her friends absolutely, positively knew to never come past. If she could sneak out of one of her parents’ houses, she’d call them when she made it out. They all lived close by, two of her girlfriends in the same suburb. She’d only wait out front for two minutes, tops.

That car left only one option, and she hated that she was surprised. Her anger crept up on her and she slammed her fist into the gate, until she feared she’d get splinters. Her dad may have not treated her the best, and he was horrible to her mum, but did he deserve to have Alyssa cheating on him too?

Sarah had to see if she was right.

She backed against the bricks and sidestepped, her hands pressing to the wall. Her hair and top snagged on the bricks, but she had to remain in the shadows, out of the streetlamp that was out the front of her dad’s house on the nature strip.

Sarah leant forward until she could just see two figures. She knew Alyssa perfectly. Long, silky straight hair. Thin body, with clothes that always hugged every inch of her skin, or that revealed a whole lot.

Alyssa walked up to the male figure, wrapped her arms around his waist and let him paw at her ass. They kissed, which turned into what looked like a pash with the angles of their heads on the side, working furiously, and then she reached between them to stroke him.

From the silhouette, Sarah saw the pin heels of Alyssa’s, and the rest of her dark frame, walk up to the passenger side and slip in.

Sarah didn’t move for a minute after they’d left. She counted down sixty seconds, and then allowed herself to look around and to listen for movement. There was nothing.

Sarah looked to the path she was going to take and turned back, creeping along the side of the house, and into her bedroom. She texted her friends, saying she couldn’t come tonight.

For hours, Sarah waited up. She started drifting off, but by the time the sun rose, she’d hardly slept, and nothing deep enough to make her feel rested. Finally, she decided there was no point waiting for Alyssa. She hadn’t come home.

After Facebook stalking for fifteen minutes she found, through friends of friends and their posts, the guy Alyssa’d met up with. Why people left their posts public was beyond Sarah. If a teenager knew not to do that, why didn’t adults who were adept at using social media?

Robin Treel. She noted his profile, but knew she’d remember him anyway.

In the bathroom, Sarah almost squeaked when she saw her reflection: bags under her eyes, and red, bloodshot corneas. She looked a fright. She wondered if the computer excuse would work again.

Sarah made a bowl of cereal and sat down to eat. It was then Alyssa walked in the door, sporting leggings and an old t-shirt. She had a carton of milk in her hands.

“Oh, hey, Sarah. You’re up. Just got some milk.”

Sarah lifted her bowl. “We already have some.”

Alyssa tutted. “Damn! What a waste, I could have swore we didn’t have any.”

“Nope, still three-quarters left.”

When Alyssa joined her at the table, Sarah had to stop herself from squealing again. The state of Alyssa’s eyes matched Sarah’s. Sarah hadn’t been wrong, or fallen asleep. Alyssa had been out all night, masked by the excuse of grabbing milk.

PLANS

NOW

Sarah picked up the phone to see if Malik wanted to go to the movies with her. Maybe this time they could see the new Will Smith flick. As she held her mobile in her hand, her mind went back to the first day they’d met, and their random movie date. She’d never be able to see a movie at the cinemas with him again without a reminder of the night he’d swept her off her feet.

When he answered the phone, Sarah said, “How about that Will Smith flick tonight? We never got to watch that one.”

Sarah’s smile took over her mouth before she’d finished talking. She sounded deliriously happy. But Malik didn’t say yes right away, and moments ticked by. Sarah was on the edge of her bed, flicking through her bag of make-up. Brown or grey eyeshadow? Suddenly, it didn’t matter.

“I have to go out tonight.”

“Oh, that’s okay. I’m sick of you anyway.” She forced a giggle. “I was starting to get over this whole thing we have.”

“You better not. I wish I could see you.”

That piqued her interest. She pushed away her make-up bag and crossed her legs. “What are you up to?”

“I’m going to the movies with Lucy.”

Sarah let out a breath, one she’d held on to for too long. She had no reason to worry; Malik’s attitude toward her and their relationship proved that. Still, she’d never trusted guys and unlearning that habit, she was realising, would take a lot more time. She looked out of her window where the bright sunlight filled her room. She inhaled and looked out at the towering trees with the intense green foliage, and the two children on scooters racing each other while what appeared to be their mum jogged behind in exercise gear. Maybe she could go out and exercise instead. She could visit the gym. Yes, she’d go to the gym later, spend her time there.

After a moment of producing that plan, she nodded to herself, proud that she could be just as independent since meeting Malik as she had been pre-Malik.

“That’s great,” Sarah said.

“Before I say what I’m going to, please trust me, I
just
hung up the phone and was going to call you in the next few minutes.”

She waited for words she sensed she would probably hate to hear. It sounded like it would be this way.

“Alyssa called. She said Lucy had been bugging her about us three going to the movies because we never did anything together. She told Lucy we couldn’t do things together anymore but she really, really wanted this. I was torn between saying yes or no. I didn’t want to hurt you in any way, but I don’t want to hurt my daughter. It’s just a couple of hours and then I’m home. You can even come over afterwards. Are you okay? Are you mad?”

“It’s all cool. It would be hard for a little girl to have two separate lives when her friends do things together with both their mum and dad. I’ll be fine.”

“But are you okay with it? Really? I can hear it in your voice, you’re thinking about something.”

“Well, she’s the last person I want you to watch a movie with in a dark cinema, but it’s for your daughter, and I want you and Lucy happy more than I want to take that time away to be with you. Go, enjoy. Really.”

“Sarah …”

“Yes, Malik?”

“It’s you who I want to be with. Not her. I promise you.”

“I know, I know.” Sarah didn’t feel strong but she noticed the tone of her voice had taken on a determination. She’d probably bite her nails down to the quick, but she’d survive. She’d only feel guilty and horrible if she told Malik not to go. He probably would listen, and Sarah didn’t want Lucy or Malik unhappy. They always had loads of time, but he had priorities, and Sarah was fine to fit in amongst them. “I won’t say I’m thrilled, but I hope you and Lucy have fun. I know you don’t see her much. This will be great for you.”

“Yep. Okay, true. It feels like I’m cheating on you.”

Sarah giggled. He could make her laugh, even when her nerves were as thick as steel and she trembled with anxiety. Now that the tension was broken, she felt more confident about what she’d said. She didn’t care. If anything, it’d show Alyssa that Malik was all hers. Yet another mark of what she’d stuffed up and lost.

“It’s only cheating if you touch her between her chest to her thighs, if you kiss her, stick your doodle in her, or flirt suggestively.”

Malik guffawed on the end of the line, and Sarah couldn’t help but fall into fits of giggles, too.
Seriously, what am I worried about?
It was irrational. Malik was probably six foot two, he was solidly built, and he didn’t have a problem with his confidence. What was a twiggy woman like Alyssa going to do? He had every advantage, plus the fact that nothing repelled him more than her—except for maybe Sarah’s father.

“Two problems with those rules.”

“Yeees,” Sarah said hesitantly. She could hear the humour in his voice, but played along.

“What if I touch her ankle or toes? Looks like that’s allowed. I, however, find that incredibly intimate. You should consider adding those to your rules. The other thing, is I do not have a doodle. I have a hard, thick, long man-cock. There’s a big difference. You should also consider adding that wording to your rules.”

“Fine, smartass. You can’t stick your doodle-slash-cock in her, and also don’t touch her ankles or feet. It weirds me out thinking about anyone touching me there.”

Malik made a “Hmm” sound. Resolutely, he said, “Great, well, the rules are set, my beautiful girlfriend has approved my plans, and I’m starving for lunch. Time to go and prepare to deal with that headcase tonight. Yes, it will take that long.”

“I don’t doubt you.”

There was a silence, one where Sarah felt she should slip in something. Usually, it’d be an “I love you” between a couple, but they’d been together a week, and she wasn’t sure what she felt for him, and she knew those words were one way to scare him off. “I like you” was a ridiculous alternative, but it popped up in her mind anyway.

After an awkward silence, Sarah knew Malik had felt it, too. She rushed out a goodbye before he could say anything more. “Well, enjoy lunch. I’ll chat to you later. If I don’t, it may or may not be because I’m busy hiring spies to follow you.”

“Sarah, I just love your humour. Talk later.”

Malik hung up, while Sarah’s hand was still clutching her mobile to her ear. She didn’t miss the way he said he “loved” part of her. After a few seconds, she drew the phone away.

Sarah decided to grab some lunch, too, and when she did, there was a spring in her step, similar to a skip.

• • •

NOW

Sarah went to a nearby shopping centre for lunch. Sitting in the silence of her own home, even while getting ready to go out, ate up the rational side of her brain. She imagined maybe Malik was a sweet talker. Maybe he secretly wanted an excuse to see Alyssa. Sarah’s mind had built up a case against her until she’d wanted to scream. So she’d grabbed her keys and took off.

It was a beautiful Saturday. Few clouds littered the blue sky, and she didn’t have to turn on the air con or the heater during the drive. She rolled down her windows, turned up the radio, and sang. She did a couple of laps, and eventually found a park. As she was walking to the entrance, she realised she hadn’t celebrated her first successful week at work.