Chapter 3 #2
‘Victoria,’ says the newcomer. She is holding a cigarette and she takes a deep drag and blows smoke into the air.
‘I only smoke when I drink too much,’ says Victoria, who has long dark hair and almond-shaped brown eyes.
‘It’s really not good for you,’ says Reese earnestly, as though Victoria has never heard this.
‘I know,’ says Victoria.
We sit in silence for a few minutes, all pushing the swing gently back and forth, until Reese says, ‘Let’s play a game.’
‘A game?’ I ask, wondering if this is my cue to get up and walk away. I’ve just met her and perhaps it’s time to leave and go and find someone less… enthusiastic to talk to.
‘A game,’ says Victoria. ‘Yeah, why not. We don’t want to go back in there, do we?’
‘No,’ agrees Reese.
‘Sure,’ I say because I am actually quite comfortable and I’ve had just enough alcohol to relax.
‘Let’s play two truths and a lie,’ says Victoria and she leans forward, dropping the cigarette on the floor and grinding it out with her heel.
There is a moment of silence as we both watch her and I wonder if Reese is waiting for the same thing I am.
What is she going to do with that cigarette butt, just leave it or pick it up?
Victoria picks it up and holds it in her hand.
‘Let’s do one truth, one lie,’ says Reese. ‘I always think people run out of stuff to say if it’s two truths and a lie.’
‘Okay,’ agrees Victoria, so I nod as well.
‘But we can’t talk about stupid stuff,’ says Reese. ‘It has to be real and important.’
‘Aye, aye, Captain,’ says Victoria, eliciting another laugh from Reese.
‘Before we play,’ I say, ‘we need more alcohol.’ I get off the swing and go back to the house, where the music seems even louder than it was.
I have to push past a whole lot of drunk people before I get to the table where all the alcohol is and then I just grab a bottle of vodka, before anyone can say anything, turning and leaving as I snag an unopened bag of chips on the way out to the garden.
For a moment, I think that I will get back to the swing and find no one there and that wouldn’t surprise me at all but when I get there, Reese and Victoria are waiting.
‘Ooh, look at you, well done,’ says Reese, allowing me to fill her glass.
‘Good move on the chips, I’m starving,’ says Victoria and she opens the bag.
‘Why don’t you go first, Camilla,’ says Victoria and I take a glug of my vodka, letting it burn into my throat and stomach.
‘Sure,’ I say, preparing what I’m going to say. ‘Um… I got the highest mark for ancient history in the state when I was at high school and I have topped my last two years at university as well.
‘Last week I caught Coach, aka Bert, my stepfather, watching me undress through my bedroom window.’
Reese gasps but Victoria smiles and grabs the bottle, sipping straight from it because she doesn’t have a glass. I admire her level of confidence. Reese wrinkles her nose but doesn’t say anything.
‘So?’ I say. ‘What’s the truth and what’s the lie?’
‘Who knew you were so clever,’ says Victoria with a small laugh and I smile.
‘Oh, thank God, oh, I really thought the stepfather thing was true for a minute but… wow, the top mark in the whole state and still killing it, that’s amazing. Well done, Camilla,’ says Reese. ‘I’ll go next.’ She takes a small sip of her vodka. ‘I broke up with my boyfriend of five years last week.
‘I was adopted.’
Victoria and I look at each other. Either one of those could actually be true.
We sit in silence for a few minutes as we sip our vodka and Victoria and I try to figure out what’s the truth and what’s the lie.
Reese looks at each of us, her green eyes sparkling with glee.
‘Have you met your biological parents?’ I ask her and she laughs at me picking the right one.
‘No, I’m not really… I mean, my parents are great and my mother has always made it clear that I can if I want to, but I don’t think I do.
Why rock the boat?’ She shrugs and I stare at her, unable to believe that she’s not even a little bit curious about where she comes from.
I think I would be delighted to know that I was adopted.
My father and I do not speak since he left my mother and got himself a new wife who had two young children he is raising as his own. Whatever.
‘Okay,’ says Victoria, lifting the bottle for another healthy sip. ‘My turn. My parents have been divorced for two years but have recently started sleeping together again.
‘I had a brother who died when I was twelve. He was two years older than me and he got leukaemia.’
And just like that, it feels like we have crossed over into something, moved from this just being a game between three strangers to something more because it’s easy to tell which is the truth by the way Victoria’s face changes when she mentions her brother.
‘Oh,’ says Reese. ‘That’s so sad. I’m so sorry, Victoria.’
Victoria shrugs and takes another mouthful of vodka. ‘My mother would be a lot happier if she and my father were doing it again,’ she says with a sigh.
I want to say something comforting but I can’t think of anything that wouldn’t sound clichéd.
And then we are quiet again, all three of us lost in our own thoughts.
‘I’m so glad I met you guys. I wasn’t going to come tonight, but look, now I’m here and maybe this will be the start of a beautiful friendship,’ says Reese.
‘Yeah, maybe,’ I say as I lean my head back but I say it softly so I don’t know if either of them heard me.
‘I could always use new friends,’ says Victoria and she leans forward, filling my empty glass and then Reese’s half-full one.
And then she tips her head back and takes a large slug of the vodka.
My alcohol buzz becomes a warm sensation in my stomach and I feel like I will know these girls forever. I’ve never begun a friendship with anyone where I instantly know so much about them. Surely that’s a good thing.
I smile as I imagine, years from now, this being a story we still remember, the story of how the three of us met and became best friends.
And I think that would be really nice.