Oakley

"Oakley?" I frowned and pressed my face into my pillow to ignore Mum calling me. Why couldn't she let me sleep? "Oakley," she repeated. I felt like I'd only had three hours. Sighing in defeat, I rolled over and waited for whatever she needed me for at...10:30am...

Alright, so it wasn't that early.

"Morning, honey. Sorry to wake you, but I wanted to let you know that Auntie Ali's going away for the night, so Lizzie's staying with us. She'll be here soon. You need to make some room in your wardrobe for her things, okay. Apparently, she's packed a lot and wants to hang a few things up."

No, this is not okay. Who unpacks clothes for one night? There was only so much she could physically wear in a day. I tried hard not to show the disappointment because Mum loved her niece, but I couldn't keep a frown from dominating my face.

"Oh, she's not that bad! Come on, you, up. Dad's making pancakes for breakfast."

Mum left me to get up. I flopped back in bed. Lizzie for a whole twenty-four hours. Groaning in frustration, I jumped up and stomped around in a mood.

This is not a good start to the day.

The second I got downstairs; she walked through the front door. I didn't even have time to drink a hot chocolate – or force down a coffee – to mentally prepare myself. Jesus, I'd literally just woken up.

"Oh, I can't wait for your birthday party, Oakley!" Lizzie gushed, pouting her lips and fluffing her hair. Well, hello, Lizzie. "Your mum's practically invited your whole year! She's so cool, you know."

No.

I was suddenly filled with dread. Did that mean Julian had an invite, too? I didn't want to have to face my classmates until I absolutely had to – on the first day back at school. Not a nanosecond sooner.

But it's not like I get a choice in what happens in my life. To my body.

"Pancakes, girls," Dad announced, poking his head around the kitchen door with a celebratory smile. Dad was the self-proclaimed pancake king. Everyone raved about them; they got stuck in my throat.

I followed Lizzie to the kitchen table and sat down.

Twenty-four hours. I can do that.

You've had worse for a lot longer.

This will be a walk in the park.

"Hey, look who I found," Mum said as she walked into the room. Cole trailed behind her smiling. It faded as his eyes landed on Lizzie.

"Hi, Cole," Lizzie purred.

I rolled my eyes. He frowned and sat beside me. With a nod of his head, he replied a quick, "Hey."

"Look what I have, sweetheart." Mum handed me a folder. An A4 piece of paper was taped to the front with typed letters: OAKLEY'S SWEET 16.

God. Please say this isn't happening. What the hell was she planning on having at this party? My skin prickled with unease.

I flipped the folder open and died a little inside. The first page was a list of guests. I slapped it shut, not wanting to know. It wouldn't change anything. This was Mum's desperate way of moulding me into a normal teenager, and I'd let her run with it.

"I was thinking we could get one of those chocolate fountains, what do you think?" Mum asked, and held up a magazine cut out of a giant white chocolate fountain. I'd been warned about that one. Honestly, I was fine with chocolate, though.

I nodded along with her idea and dug my fork into my cherry pancakes.

I wonder if Dad remembers making these after his friend had finished hurting me?

I remembered.

I can't forget.

"Great," she said, pulling me out of the tunnel I was about to disappear down. She grabbed a pen and circled the phone number.

Picking at the pancakes, I glared at them like it was all their fault.

Why did he make cherry?

"Ice cream?" Cole offered.

If no one were around, I would've kissed him. But, then, if no one were around we wouldn't need to escape. Nodding gratefully, I stood up and took our plates to the side. I hadn't touched breakfast. Dad noticed, but he didn't say a thing. Not that he would.

I had no idea if he thought about the past or if he was just better at blocking it out. It didn't matter either way, I suppose. Nothing could change it.

"Take Lizzie with you," Mum ordered.

I narrowed my eyes at her, and Cole's expression mirrored mine.

"Oooh, one minute," Lizzie sang as she ran off up the stairs, no doubt to change.

"Tell her we're in the car, please," Cole said to my mum.

Five minutes later, he sighed and slammed his head back on the headrest. "A minute? More like a fucking hour," he grumbled.

Well, that was Lizzie.

Finally, ten minutes later, she strutted out of the house wearing a very short denim dress.

"Jesus," he spat. "Where the hell does she think we're going?"

Hooters. Nightclub. Church. It didn't matter with her.

***

We drove in silence. Well, Cole and I did. Lizzie sang along with the radio. Her voice wasn't the worst in the world, but it certainly wasn't made for the higher notes. I wanted to bash my head against the window repeatedly.

"We're here," Cole announced loudly, forcing her to stop singing.

Thank you.

"Here?" Lizzie scrunched her nose up as she looked at the quaint little diner style café. What did she expect? We were fifteen and seventeen and born without a silver spoon in our mouth. I didn't work and Cole did the odd job with his dad. This was about all we could afford.

I gritted my teeth and got out of the car. Lizzie followed behind, her heels clicking against the tiled floor.

"Do they do low fat milkshakes?" She asked, briefly looking around in bewilderment at the quiet café.

"You could have strawberry or banana. Got fruit in 'em and all," Cole said sarcastically.

"Oh, banana, please."

"I'll go order," he replied.

"Erm, aren't you going to ask Oakley."

He looked at her like she was a toddler. "Yeah, I know what she wants."

Cole walked over to the counter to order, and Lizzie didn't waste any time in digging for information on him the second he was gone. "Is he seeing anyone?" She asked.

Yes. Back off.

I picked up a plastic coffee stirrer and debated whether I could get away with ramming it into her eye. If I nodded would she ask who? However, if I said no, she might try something on with him.

Bloody hell. I couldn't sit here and watch her flirt with him. I gave a quick nod, hoping that would make her stop looking at him as if she wanted to eat him. "Ugh, course he is," she grumbled and slumped back in her chair.

Surely Cole wasn't nearly rich enough for her. Cole reappeared, holding a tray with our milkshakes and ice creams. "So, Cole, what's your girlfriend like?" Lizzie purred.

He froze, looking like a dear caught in the headlights. "Girlfriend?"

"Yeah, Oakley said you were seeing someone."

I watched as a knowing smile swept across his face. "Really?" He asked. "She did, huh?"

"Yep. What's she like?" Lizzie repeated the question, needing to know what was going on with everyone.

"She's alright," Cole replied, lifting and dropping one shoulder in a casual shrug. "But I will say one thing, she's incredible in bed," he added.

What! I choked on my drink and slapped my hand over my mouth. Why the hell would he joke about that? I wasn't sure if I was burning in embarrassment, anger or need.

"You okay, Oakley?" Cole asked innocently. I nodded and forced myself to smile at him when all I wanted to do was chuck my ice cream all over him.

"Yeah? Really?" Lizzie asked, leaning her body towards him. "You're good, too, then?"

"Not had any complaints," he said proudly.

Okay, I wasn't comfortable with the direction this was taking at all. Sex wasn't something I could joke about or even have a light-hearted conversation about. It was a huge deal to me. Firstly, I never thought I'd ever want it. I had layers upon layers of issues surrounding sex. I didn't want anyone knowing any details about my intimate relationship with Cole.

I concentrated on my ice cream, swirling the spoon around to soften it up.

He thinks you were a virgin.

Maybe you were 'good' because weren't.

I drop my spoon and it clinks loudly into the bowl and take even breaths.

"Whoa, careful, Oakley," Cole jokes.

If I was at home I'd take a shower. Shame I couldn't scrub my brain clean. I give him a fleeting smile and pick the spoon back up.

That's not why Cole thinks it's good. It's because we're together. We are good.

I take a mouthful of ice cream and almost choke as my throat rejects it. Can in not even bloody eat properly now!

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Julian and two of his friends walk past the window. Please don't come in here, please.

They did. Of course. As soon as they spotted us, they strode up to our table. Cole's body tensed when he saw who was coming. He looked ready to defend my honour again. I loved him for it, but I didn't want him getting in another fight.

Not wanting him to cause a scene, I pressed my leg against his to tell him to stay calm. He got the message and relaxed his shoulders a fraction.

Julian and his friends ordered and sat at a table next to ours, even though the café was practically empty. Predictable.

"Hi, Oakley," Julian said in a friendly manner. What's his game?

I smiled briefly and looked away just as Lizzie fluffed her hair seductively. Oh, no.

"Hi, I'm Lizzie. Oakley's cousin."

Julian smirked, his eyebrow rising slightly. "Really?"

She nodded and turned around to face him. "Yeah. So are you going to her party on Saturday?"

He looked straight at me and replied, "Yep."

"Well, make other plans. You're not welcome!" Cole growled.

"Actually, I am. Got an invitation to prove it," he retorted smugly.

Great, so Mum did invite him. That's just bloody fantastic.

"Julian. Fuck. Off," Cole spat through gritted teeth.

Lizzie watched them with wide eyes, head flitting back and forth like she was watching a tennis match. Perfect, now she's going to be grilling me about this.

I'd had enough and just wanted to get away, so I stood up and started walking out. I heard footsteps right behind me, and I knew it would be Cole. Then, I heard Lizzie's heels clicking unevenly as she hurried after us.

"See you Saturday," Julian called. Cole turned around and gestured something, but I didn't look to see what. I got in the car and slammed the door.

"Don't worry," he said, stroking my hand. "We'll stay away from him. I won't let him come near you, I swear."

I looked up to the roof so the tears that were pooling in my eyes wouldn't fall. The summer holidays were supposed to be a break from everyone at school. The thought of seeing them all again made me feel sick.

"What was that all about?" Lizzie squealed so loud it made both Cole and me jump. She slammed the car door and huffed. "You were so mean to him, and he's lovely! He called me back and asked me to be his date to your party. Can you believe that?" Yes. "I have no idea what to wear! Oh God, we have to go shopping."

I put my head to my knees in despair. Getting the message, Cole put the key in the ignition and sped home as quickly as was legally possible.