Ominous Love (16 page)

She passes it to me. “What happened, Elle?
How did you manage to lose it in the first place?”

I close the door. “I don't know, but I'm so
glad you found it.”

“I didn't. Francesca picked it up yesterday.
It was on Richie's front lawn. Apparently she stayed the night.”

“Really?
And did Tom stay the night, too?”

Brooke's jaw drops. “Why? Did I miss
something?”

“Never mind, come in and I'll tell you while
I get ready for work.”

Grinning, she follows me down the hall to my room
and sits on my bed. “I had to get up early to bring you your bag. I knew you'd
need it today. Where were you yesterday? I got your text after you left the
party and I kept calling your cell phone, but you never answered, plus I phoned
your landline. And if you hadn't answered your door today, I was going to call
the police.”

“Well, I'm glad you didn't. My dad would've
caught the next flight home.”

“But why did you take off early from
Richie's? You missed out on a great party.”

“I didn't feel like staying, but I don't know
what happened yesterday. I must have slept for twenty-four hours. I don't even
know how I got home from the party. I remember calling a cab, but I don't
remember getting in it, or arriving home. And when I woke this morning, I
thought it was Sunday.”

Brooke's jaw drops. “Oh, Elle, that's a
worry. Are you all right?”

“Yeah, but I've been thinking that I might
have fallen asleep in the cab. If I left my purse at Richie's, I wouldn't have been
able to pay for a taxi. Maybe the driver felt sorry for me 'cause I lost my
purse. Who knows, I just can't remember.”

“Gosh, it's not as if you had any alcohol or
anything. Could someone have slipped something into your drink?”

I shrug. “I don't think so. I only had one
cola and I had it in my hand until I'd finished it. Then I left to call a taxi.”

“Why? Did you and Tom have a fight?”

I roll my eyes. “It wasn't a fight exactly. I
just took off when I found him in bed with Francesca.”

Brooke splutters, nearly choking on her
bubble-gum. “What? Were they …?”

I nod.
“Yep.
They
were in one of the bedrooms, naked and under the covers.”

“Shit. No wonder you went home, Elle. They're
arseholes.”

“It doesn't matter. Tom's only after one
thing. He couldn't get it from me and Francesca was available. No biggie.
They're welcome to each other.”

Brooke rubs my arm and smiles. “But what
about that hot new guy called Devlin? He seemed to really like you.”

“Devlin?”

She rolls her eyes. “Oh, don't tell me you
don't remember him. He was the talk of the party.”

“Yeah, I was talking to him when he was with
Francesca, but then he started flirting with me in front of her. She gave me a
filthy look, so I left and went indoors. That's probably why she slept with
Tom, for revenge.”

“Maybe, but, Tom didn't have to agree to it,
the two-timing creep.”

I blow out a breath. “Francesca probably told
him I said I was about to break up with him, so why wouldn't he? I don't blame
him really.”

Brooke scowls. “Yes, but he could have talked
to you first.”

I rummage through my bag for my cell phone. “Maybe
but he had been drinking. Anyway, I’m over him. Besides, they deserve each
other.”

‘Well, now you and Tom have broken up, you
should consider Devlin. He's so hot, and he's rich, too. You should grab him
before someone else does.”

I shake my head. “He's not my type.”

Brooke shakes her head. “You don't even know
him yet.” Then she stares at my top and snorts into her hand. “What on earth
are you wearing?”

Looking down at my pink stretchy pyjamas, I
laugh. “I don't know why I put these on. They're too short. I haven't worn them
in years. I must've been really tired and just grabbed anything.”

“They're cute if you're ten,” says Brooke,
getting to her feet.

Blood rushes to my face and I empty the
contents of my bag onto the bed. “I can't find my phone. It's not here."”

“Maybe you used it when you got home.” Brooke
points to the pile of dirty clothes on the floor. “It could be amongst that
lot. Anyway, Elle, I didn't just stop by to give you your purse, I wanted to
let you know about a Francesca's seventeenth birthday party tonight. It's in
the church hall and she's hired a DJ. She asked me to invite you because she's
too embarrassed after what happened with Tom. Ruby and I are going. Please say
you'll come.”

I shrug. “Okay, it sounds like fun, I'll be
there. What time?”

“Seven o'clock. Do you want me to pick you up
from work?”

“Nah, I'll come home and get changed first.
The church hall is only a ten-minute walk from here, so I'll see you and Ruby there.”

“Oh, Ruby and I met some cool guys at Richie's
party on Saturday. I hope they'll be there tonight. I'm going home to wash my
hair and put on some fake tan.”

“Fake tan?
Who's gonna see your skin under
winter clothes?”

She grins. “You never know. Anyway, I'm not wearing
winter clothes. I'll be on the dance floor all night. The DJ's going to be
playing all the latest hits, including One Direction’s new album and Johnny
Ruffo's new single.”

I smile. “That's a great. I love One Direction
and Johnny Ruffo's so cool. Pity he couldn’t be there in person. He’s such a
great dancer.”

Brooke hugs herself. “I wish Reese Mastin
could be there. Now, that would be unreal.”

“Well, they’ll play his songs, too, I guess.”

Brook gets up to leave. “See you tonight,
then, and don't be late.”

“I won't.” I get up and walk her to the front
door.

“I hope you find your phone, Elle.”

“So do I. Thanks for bringing my bag.”

“See ya.”

I close the door and pick up the hall phone,
but when I dial my cell number, I can't hear the ringtone anywhere in the
house. Either the battery's dead or I dropped it when I lost my bag. I sigh. What
a klutz I am? With no time to worry about it, I dash to the bathroom and jump
in the shower. I wash and blow-dry my hair, then run to my room to dress.

The manager at the pet shop said to wear
pants or jeans because I'll have to clean out cages and look after the animals.
I'm excited and can't wait, but I can't find my black-stretch jeans. That’s
funny because I wore them on Saturday, so they must be here. I rummage around
in the pile of discarded clothes in the corner, but they're not there. I
scratch my head. That's strange. I can't find my red jumper either. Noticing a
long silk gown on the carpet, I hold it up. This isn't mine. I look at the
label. It's my size, but I've never seen it before. When I sniff it, my heart skips.
How weird. I sniff again. The sweet musky scent is strangely wonderful but I
can't think why I like it. Staring at it, I notice something stuck in the
bodice and I pluck it out. It's a feather, a large silver feather. As I run it
under my nose, a tingle goes right through me. How fascinating. It must have
been an awfully big bird to have a feather this size. Shrugging, I put in in my
bag for good luck.

After dressing in blue jeans and a black top,
I look for my boots. What? I can't find them either. Now, I'm really starting
to worry. Could my day get any weirder? My clothes and boots are missing, there's
a strange dress in my room, I'm wearing pyjamas that are way too small, and I
lost my bag and phone as well as my memory
.
Jeez, maybe somebody
did
spike my
drink. Trembling at the thought, I slip into my sneakers and jacket and pick up
my bag.

On my way through the kitchen, I grab a
banana from the fruit bowl and a protein popper from the fridge. After locking
the front door, I head up the street towards the beach, and as I munch on my
banana, I shudder with a weird ominous feeling. I glance over my shoulder to
see if I'm being followed, but there's nobody there. I know I shouldn't be so
superstitious all the time, but there's no wonder after this morning's
happenings.

Then I remember the dream I was having when
the phone woke me. My heart flutters as an image of a gorgeous boy with dark
hair and blue eyes pops into my head. He seemed so real and his body was so hot.
I inhale deeply. Gosh, no wonder I slept so long. I must have been enjoying
myself. I chuckle into my hand. What will I dream of next?
Deary
me.
It's time I stop living in a fantasy world and get a real life.
Maybe now I've broken up with Tom, I'll meet someone new. Walking faster, I
turn the corner, and as I head towards the pet shop, Tom's car pulls up at the
side of the road. He jumps out and grabs my hand. “Elle, I have to talk to
you.”

Chapter Eighteen

I pull away from him. “I don’t have time, Tom.
I have to go.”

He blocks my path. “Come on, Elle, I'm sorry
about what happened with Francesca. I'd been drinking.”

“I don't care, tell her your problems.” I
push past him.

He grabs my hand. “But we didn't do anything.
We stopped after you caught us, then I got plastered and fell asleep. I was
sick all night, and on Sunday.”

“Good. It serves you right.” I yank my arm
away. “You would’ve kept going if I didn’t catch you.”

“No, I wouldn’t. I don't want Francesca, I
want you. If you’ll just give me one more chance, I’ll make it up to you.”

I sigh. “Francesca's not the problem, you are.
You keep trying to make me to do things. That’s not very romantic, and you
probably didn’t even have any protection. You could’ve got me pregnant, or
given me some horrible disease.”

He jaw drops. “I don’t have a disease. I
haven’t even had sex yet, well not properly. And I wouldn’t have forced you to
do anything either. I just wanted to look.”

“Look at what?” I belt him over the head with
my handbag.

“Ouch.” He puts his hands over his head to
protect himself. “I said I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I just had
this strong urge.”

“Well, the next time you get a ‘strong urge’,
remember to ask the girl for permission.”

“But, Elle, you’re the only girl I want.
Please, give me another chance?”

“No.”

His brows knit together. “What about you? Do
you get a ‘strong urge’ for your naked cousin?”

I frown. “What naked cousin?”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh, so he's not your
cousin. You lied just like I thought.”

“I don't know what you're talking about, Tom.
My cousins live in Perth, and I haven't seen them in years.”

“Oh, come on. What about the dude who's
staying with you, the poser who walks around flashing his dong all the time?”

I laugh. “Who in heaven are you talking
about?”

“Don't play games. You know I mean Seal, the
creep you're always drooling over.”

“Have you been drinking again? There's no one
staying with me and I don't know anyone called Seal.”

Tom shakes his head. “You're unbelievable,
Elle. Why are you lying? At least I was honest with you about Francesca.”

I press my lips together. “You call sneaking
off in someone's bedroom being honest? You're delusional, Tom, and you're
making me late for my first day at work. I have to go.” I run ahead of him. He
really has lost the plot.
Seal?
What's he on about? I
don't know anyone called Seal.

“Hypocrite,” he shouts.

Ignoring him, I jog the rest of the way to
the pet shop. When I walk in the door, the supervisor called Linda smiles.
“Follow me, Eloise.” She shows me around and gives me a sheet of paper with my
daily duties on it. “You can clean out the guinea pig cages first,” she says.

Though I'm nervous, I enjoy handling the
sweet baby animals, and as I change the newspaper and water, they popcorn and
squeak around my hands. I clean out the bunny cages and dog kennels,
then
change the cat's kitty-litter for the kittens.

The morning flies by and before long, Linda
tells me to go to lunch. “See you back in an hour,” she says.

“Thanks.” I grab my bag and walk along the
main road to the boutiques to look for a present for Francesca. As I wonder
around the boutiques, I sip on a banana and yogurt smoothie. I can’t seem to
find anything for Francesca, so I buy her a gift voucher and head back to work.

The afternoon goes as quick as the morning,
and at five o'clock, I say goodnight to Linda and dash home to get ready for
the party.

I grab a glass of cranberry juice,
then
have one last check around for my cell phone, but I still
can't find it anywhere. Drats, it looks like I’ll have to buy a new one on
payday. After showering and changing into tight green pants and a white top, I
put on my coat. As I slip into my shoes, the phone rings. Oh, thank goodness
for that. I'd forgotten about Mum calling. Jeez, I would have gone out without
thinking,
then
I'd be in trouble. I glance at the
clock. It's already six-thirty. Good timing. I pick up the handset.