Someone Like You (4 page)

I lie on my bed, feeling the vibrations of the music that is blaring and will myself not to cry.

I won’t let him get to me. I’m not going to cry again.

Heaving a sigh, I leave my room and bump into Anson.

He embraces me into a hug and plants a kiss on my cheek.

“Wise Girl! We meet again!”

I nod. “Yeah, my flatmate just can’t stop being an asshole!”

He chuckles and takes a sip of his drink. “Aw, you poor darlin’! The guy may be a dick sometimes but he sure knows how to throw one hell of a party!”

“Really?” I quip sarcastically. “I hadn’t noticed! Although, the bags under my eyes would tell you different.”

Anson throws me a sympathetic look. “Nonsense! You still look fabulous to me darlin’!”

I throw him a small grin. “Yeah, well I must be doing something
right. I’ve got a date tomorrow night!”

Anson claps his hands in glee. “Ooh!
Can I please help you pick something to wear? I totally thrive on stuff like that.”

I eye him in alarm but find myself nodding.

Hey, who am I to rain on his parade?

“Sure, why not?”

Anson grins and slings his arm through mine. “Oh goody! But we’re gonna have to hit the shops first … because no offence, you need to wear something other than jeans and over-sized shirts. You’re eighteen darlin’ not a middle-aged mother of three. Baggy shirts are a major no-no – unless you’ve just borrowed it from your boyfriend after a night of doing the nasty – then it’s okay.”

“Please stop!” I beg, my hands over my ears. “Way too much info!”

Anson throws his head back and laughs. “I’m just teasing darlin’. Over-sized shirts are
never
acceptable.” he adds seriously.

I shake my head in amusement and steer him back to my room.

“Well, can’t we see if I have anything suitable to wear before you go all Extreme Makeover on me?”

Anson rolls his eyes. “I doubt it darlin’ … but I’ll take a look.”

I flop down onto the bed as he flings open my wardrobe doors.

“
Darlin’, I’ve heard all about fifty shades of grey but I never knew there were fifty shades of denim!” he exclaims, eyeing me disapprovingly.

“What?” I say innocently.

“The shirts! It’s like the 80s threw up in here! Please tell me you don’t have anything with shoulder pads!” he says dramatically before flinging them all in a heap on the floor.

I frown at him. “Hey! I like
those shirts!”

An
son whips around, eyeballing the checked shirt I’m wearing with distaste. “Clearly.”

“Look, shouldn’t you be enjoying the party, not criticising my choice in fashion?” I say challengingly.

Anson rolls his eyes. “Let’s not be silly darlin’. This is more important than some party!”

He turns back to my wardrobe and continues to fling various clothes on the floor; over-sized t-shirts, baggy sweaters and faded jeans.

I watch him silently, secretly deciding that it will all go back into my wardrobe when he leaves.

“Have you left me anything there Gok Wan?” I ask drily.

Anson smirks. “Yes, just your skinny jeans collection – I’m surprised you have them in the first place.”

I roll my eyes. “See? I am fashionable after all!”

“Let’s not get carried away just yet darlin’.” Anson tells me, eyeing me critically.

I scowl at him as he roots around in the wardrobe again.

“Aha!” he cries dramatically, pulling out a dressy, low cut vest with an Aztec print. “This is what I’m talking about!”

I eye the vest unsurely. I vaguely remember buying it, with the intention of wearing a t-shirt under it, but I never did.

“I can’t wear that!” I protest.

There is no way that I’m going out half naked!

Okay, slight exaggeration but I like to be covered up.

After all, this is my first date and I don’t want to give Nixon the wrong impression.

Okay, maybe I’m slightly overreacting.

Oh God, why did I agree to this date in the first place?

Anson rolls his eyes. “Why not? It’s not like I’m telling you to go out in a bikini top, now am I?”

“Can’t I wear something over it?” I plead.

I am so not comfortable with the possibility of showing off my cleavage.

“No!” Anson declares. “Darlin’, showing a little skin won’t do any harm, trust me.”

I shake my head in protest. “Anson, you forget that Nixon has already seen the way I dress and he still asked me out – why, I really don’t know – but I don’t think it matters what I wear.”

Anson furrows his brow. “Nixon?”

I nod. “Yeah, that’s who I’m going out with. Why?”

“Nixon Kingsley?” Anson asks quietly.

“Yeah. Do you know him?” I ask.

He nods. “Yeah, I went to high school with him. Darlin’, do you realise that your boy Nixon and Priestly had a massive bust up just before school finished?”

I raise my eyebrows, surprised. “No. Nixon did say that Priestly was an ass to him but he didn’t say why.”

“
Priestly beat the shit outta him darlin’. Don’t know why – nobody ever found out – but Nixon was in pretty bad shape after it. I think he had broken ribs and everything.” Anson tells me with a frown.

“Seriously? Wow, poor Nixon.”

Anson nods. “Yeah, whatever you do darlin’, make sure the two of them don’t meet … ‘cause it won’t be pretty if they do.”

I nod as Anson hands me the vest and a pair of skinny jeans.

“Wear these darlin’.
They’ll do for now but we’ll have to go shopping some time. Oh and let me know how it goes, okay?”

We exchange numbers and Anson leaves the room to join the party again.

I glance at my watch – just after midnight.

The party is still raging and I stifle a yawn. I’m too tired to fight with Priestly – and after what I just heard – I don’t want to.

So, after hanging up everything Anson had thrown on the floor, I get ready for bed and cuddle up under the duvet.

Surprisingly, as the party continues, I fall asleep within minutes.

I guess two days of sleep deprivation catches up on you sooner or later.

Chapter Five

Priestly

I wake up to Temperance’s music blasting again.

This time it’s The Black Keys.

I stifle a groan and glance at my alarm clock – 11am.

Okay, since it’s not that early – and it’s Friday – I guess I can’t give her shit about it. Besides, for being such a nerd, the girl has great taste in music.

As
Gold on the Ceiling
finishes off on a dirty blues guitar riff, I make my way to the kitchen.

She’s dancing about again, making coffee and toast – only this time she’s wearing extremely short pyjama shorts and an over-sized t-shirt.

What is with this girl and the baggy shirts?

I shake my head as she twirls around and then screams at the sight of me.

“Holy fuck! What the hell Nerd Girl?”

She clutches her chest and breathes heavily, a blush creeping up on her cheeks.

“Don’t do that!” she tells me loudly. “You scared the hell out of me!”

I smirk. “Well, I
do
live here. Why are you not in class, inhaling the pages of books and whatnot?”

She throws me a dirty look. “I got an email to say my class was cancelled for today.
Why are you not in class? Wait, let me guess. You decided to blow it off yet again.”

I raise an
eyebrow. “I don’t have any classes on Fridays.”

She looks surprised but doesn’t say anything. Instead, she turns back to the kettle and finishes making her coffee.

“Hey, make us a cup too, would you?” I ask.

My head is banging and I’m too
hungover to do anything myself.

Temperance throws me a dangerous look. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen. You sure you wouldn’t prefer a beer instead?
Top up, you know.” she quips sarcastically.

Ooh, touché. Nerd Girl
does
have a backbone.

Fuck. Getting rid of her is definitely going to be a problem now.

I raise an eyebrow. “Well, if you’re offering …”

I trail off as she sighs in disgust.

“Get it yourself – unless you’re too hungover to function – in which case, you can go to hell.” she fires back before sauntering out of the room.

Damn. This girl is going to be the death of me.

She has to go.

Seriously.

The game is on and this time … there are no rules.

***

Temperance

Okay, so not having class today was a nice surprise. It means that I have more time to get ready for my date but it also means that I’m stuck with Priestly for most of the day.

What the hell am I going to do about him?

He’s determined to kick me out but that’s not going to happen. I may be a nerdy loner but I’m not going to back down.

Everything is changing. I have a date with a cute guy and I’m finally making friends.

From here on out, I am the New Temperance: fierce and confident.

I sigh as I stare at my reflection it the mirror. I pull my hair up into a sloppy bun and push
up my glasses.

Okay, maybe not fierce and confident but I’m not going to give up without a fight.

The Old Temperance would just sit back and not say a thing but the New Temperance … she’s a fighter.

I am a pushover no more!

Feeling empowered, I pull on some skinny jeans and one of my beloved baggy shirts and look around for Priestly.

First o
n the agenda for New Temperance is telling Priestly to clean up this pigsty!

I find him lounging on the couch, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he’s surrounded by empty beer cans and currently sitting on a tub of sour cream dip.

“Hey!” I yell. “Since you don’t have class today, I have a good idea.”

He turns to look at me and smirks. “What? You’re finally going to move out?”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You wish. No, I’m going out for lunch and when I come back, you’d better have this place cleaned up, or I’m gonna go all psycho on your ass.”

He stares at me for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. “Yeah, right. Like that’s gonna happen. Dream on Nerd Girl.”

“I’m serious Priestly. Clean it up or else.” I threaten.

He smirks. “Why, wha
t you gonna do? Make a complaint? Hit me with one of your pathetic books? I don’t think so. You know there’s a word for someone like you … naïve. Let’s not kid ourselves here Nerd Girl, you and I both know that you’re full of talk but no action.”

He throws me a meaningful look and I know he’s not just talking about my false bravado.

I feel myself blush and am at a loss for words. All fight has suddenly left me. New Temperance isn’t as tough as I thought.

He really is an asshole.

I heave a sigh. “Yeah, well there’s also a word for someone like you … womaniser … jerk … asshole. Take your pick. Whatever you choose, I don’t care because I’m out of here.”

And with that, I storm out of the flat.

***

Priestly

Okay, maybe I was a bit of dick but I know Temperance was talking shit when
she threatened to ‘go all psycho’ on my ass.

The girl is a pushover.

I know it. She knows it.

It’s only a matter of time before she walks out for good.

But, there’s only so many things that I can do to get the girl to crack and I’m running out of ideas.

Acting like an asshole and throwing parties every night has certainly annoyed her but I’ve got to do something else if I want her gone.
I need to step up my game.

My lack of cleanliness concerning the flat is certainly starting to push her over the edge but it’s not enough.

What else?

Hmm … the mere innuendo of anything remotely sexual seems to make her squirm which makes me wonder how she’d cope with some overnight visitors. I c
ould have girls over more often – running into them in the morning is sure to make her uncomfortable.

Man, this is going to be fun.

She has to go insane eventually.

I grin to myself and then
make my way back to my bedroom.

Concocting these evil plans isn’t reall
y helping my hangover. In fact, I feel worse and I just want to sleep.

So,
I flop down onto the bed and fall asleep within minutes.

***

Temperance

I’m not surprised when I come back to find that the flat is still a mess … or that Priestly is back in his room sleeping.

Heaving a sigh, I grab some bin bags and start cleaning.

I know that I’m being a doormat yet again but I can’t have Nixon finding the flat a mess when he comes to pick me up.

I glance at my watch – four-thirty.

It’s two and a half hours until my date so that gives me two hours to clean and just half an hour to get ready.

I sigh heavily and grab more bin bags.

Did I mention that Priestly’s an asshole?