Chapter 48
Forty-Eight
ADDIE
If I thought summer slipped away in the blink of an eye, it was nothing compared to how quickly September passed. It was a blur of academic year prep and building a new skeleton for my thesis. Regular lunch dates at Vivi’s with Clara. And regular orgasms with Eli.
With three days to go before the door opened on the next school year, the twins were re-braiding my hair.
“I continue to be amazed that you choose to live seventy-five per cent of your life with arse length hair,” Lucy said as she came to the end of another braid and let go. It hit my hip. Summer was over, and therefore, it was goodbye to shoulder-length braids. It was my favourite time of year.
“Luce, you shave your head, so of course arse length hair is hard for you to imagine,” I replied.
They had been at this for two hours, and my bum was starting to go numb. I kind of hoped that they would say they needed a break before I did, but so far, they were holding firm. And therefore so was I.
“So, I was out with some of the history lot yesterday and the funniest thing happened,” Becky continued as she reached the end of her braid.
“Are you going to share with the class what this funny thing was? Because I am not going to guess.” I said.
“You’re no fun. Anyway, Josh mentioned you.” I couldn’t see her, but I knew she was smiling as she said it. I don’t know what Becky got from our two-minute conversation last month, but apparently, it was enough for her to try and make it ‘a thing’.
“Okay. And?”
“That’s just interesting, I think. Don’t you?”
I snorted. “No, not really. Why would it be interesting?”
“He seemed interested in getting to know you better,” she said, like I was missing something important.
“What, like dating? You know I don’t do that.”
“Okay, but why not?” I could hear her pouting as she started on a new braid.
If I could have shrugged, I would’ve, but with both of them mid-braid, I had to remain stationary as I responded. “It’s more hassle than it’s worth, and I like my peace.”
“Dating isn’t that much hassle,” Becky argued.
“Bex, you haven’t dated in well over a decade. You have no idea how bad it is out there,” I countered.
Lucy laughed. “She has a point, Becky. I date, and it feels like more effort than it’s worth sometimes. I can see why Ads has sworn off it.”
“At least you’re trying, though, Lucy. Addie, I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to find someone to share life with. How can you not want a partner in crime or a confidant? What about someone to come home to at the end of the day or someone to catch you when you feel like you’re falling apart?”
It all sounded nice. In theory. But there was another side to the whole being in love thing.
“And someone who can rip your heart out at the drop of a hat? Yeah, no thanks. I would very much like to remain in control of my heartbreak,” I answered. My tone was harsh.
“Is that really a way to live?” Becky asked as she finished the plait.
I took a deep breath and thought carefully about my next sentence. “I’ve got no complaints about it. Is that not enough?”
“I’m not asking you to do something that makes you unhappy.
But what is the harm in saying yes if he asks?
It’s just a first date. The worst that happens is that you waste an evening with a man you don’t connect with.
I need a snack and water break,” Becky said as she stretched her arms overhead before going to the kitchen.
“You know she means well,” Lucy said quietly as she finished the braid she was doing.
“Yeah, I know. But I wish she would focus on you before she moved on to me,” I half-teased, not needing that kind of attention on my love life. If she kept pestering, then she might start connecting dots that shouldn’t be connected.
“Ads, she has been needling away at me, and Rachel, for that matter, for years, to no avail. She’s got fresh blood now. Buckle up,” she replied as she pulled her fingers down to stretch her forearm.
I laughed half-heartedly and stood up, gratefully letting the blood return to my numb bum.
Later that night, with my hair freshly braided, we settled into our table at Vivi’s, and I saw Eli sitting in his chef blacks at a table near the bar with my cousin, Steffy.
Which was good.
Another way Steffy and I were different was that she was much more emotionally available than I could ever hope to be. That would be perfect for him.
I could get over the sour taste of jealousy that overtook me at the sight of the two of them together.
Eventually.