Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
W hen the band played, Evie joined with the others and danced on the cleared space in the middle of the backyard. Tall rainforest trees and palms surrounded the house, the flickering flares scattered around the yard giving a magical glow to the area.
The loud music filtered into the hot night air and, as she puffed on the thickest joint imaginable, she released any inhibitions she once had and danced like she was part of the music, part of the crowd, and part of Sugar House. A couple of times she glanced up at the band and noticed Bob looking at her. She averted her eyes as she danced with Peace and Sissy, her body filled with different sensations, and a dreamy contentment that she had truly found friends who understood her.
As the night wore on, the band stopped playing and a record player on the back veranda pumped out music that made her want to throw her arms in the air and float up to the clouds that scurried across the sky above. A full moon cast its light on the yard and she reached up to try and touch a colourful rainbow that floated above her. Sissy laughed when she told her what she was doing. ‘That’s not a rainbow. That’s the colours of your mind,’ Sissy said, as she swayed and moved to the music.
Evie giggled as Bob came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. By now she had drunk a large amount of wine, and she nearly fell over as he gently held her hair in the air and smothered her neck in kisses.
When she turned around, a faint smile crossed his lips and she looked up into his eyes, which by now were dulled from the effects of whatever he had taken that night. She laughed and pushed him gently away as he danced around her before he shimmied over to another group of girls. He danced and talked to the group before looking back towards her. When he gestured for her to follow him, she tipped the last of her wine down her throat and automatically did as he wanted. Throwing a smile at Sissy, she turned and walked behind him, giggling and thinking how Bob was like the Pied Piper, and she was a child who couldn’t resist following him. He offered his hand as she followed him into the house and down a long hallway. She took one more step through a door he held open, an empty bedroom in front of her.
It was only a small room, yet she could barely make out what was in there. A candle burned in a glass jar and she could vaguely see a pile of blankets in one corner and a bed in the other. She didn’t really care where she was, though, because now Bob’s mouth was pressing down on hers. He tasted like a mixture of beer and wine, and his lips were a bit rough on hers as he held her against him. Thank goodness he held her tightly because by now she could barely stand up without swaying or falling over.
He muttered her name, smothering her face and shoulders in kisses. She kissed him back and held onto his arms, following him as he led her to the bed. It squeaked as they fell back on it and he drew her closer, his arms strong as he pulled her against him. The bed was only narrow and they barely fitted, but it didn’t matter. She wanted this to happen. To hell with Chris, her mother and father. Tonight was hers and she was going to become a woman. With Bob.