The following Monday, as I sat in Economics class, listening to Ms Erasmus preach passionately about the 5 types of Elasticity of Demand, and Supply, my phone vibrated to an incoming call. Even though it had been on because I just couldn't get enough of Jordan, It was actually Cassidy on the other end of the line, so I made up a dumb excuse to get out of class.
She was fuming and even had the audacity to ask me how it went, expressing
that Jordan had just opened up about me in front of his friends and her; and that she would have loved to be kept updated about Jordan and I, seeing that we were best friends after all.
"You could have at least told me that you two are an item, thought you knew how I felt about him", a distraught voice came from the other end of the line
"Cassie babes, I don't want to fight over this..." I paused to spit out my bubble gum. "You had your chance and you blew it. He's my boyfriend now."
"And what about that so called blessing you gave me, was that just one of your lies... Like the Carl that Jordan has just told us about; should I remind your that your precious Carl died in a car crash 4 months ago, while you were still dating him." Her rage poured into my eardrums and left my heart burning with pain.
Instantly I cut the phone, turned to the bathroom mirror and watched as the tears that which had filled my own reflection's lower eye lids rise to the corner of my suddenly red eyes. I was suddenly taken aback, to the day I'd watched with a blurred vision as Carl's coffin lowered into his grave before kissing the ground 60 seconds later.
Such a flashback made her mind numb as Carl's last words to her brought a sudden sting to her chest: "Hello Leigh', Sorry I'm running late, I just got this race to win... Will be there in 2 hours, I just wanna win this race."
How I began wishing I had bribed him to drop the race for his favourite dish of lasagna, how I wish i had had deja vu and stopped him from going ahead with that street race. But then again the solid truth dropped into her mind; that she had fallen in love with Carl because of his absolute fearlessness, which made him a cool surfer, street racer and soccer player. All this before he died at the tender age of 20.
"I will always love you Carl," I professed in a soft voice as I clenched my fingers into a tight fist. I witnessed as the greenish color of my irises dissolve into grey, due to the same sadness that also tightened my throat as I bit and licked my lower lip which had always been Carl's favourite in terms of kissing.
The thickness of my sorrowful tears made my sight foggy, so I shut my eye lids and imagined what my Carl would have said had he been still around. "Don't cry Ashleigh, I'll always be there for you, you'll forever be my One In A Million"; before kissing my tears away, drawing my pain away with his smile just before dancing with me to my favourite artists, Dua Lipa, Sam Smith or David Guetta.
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Four days later, after 3 nights of crying myself to sleep while sliding through the lovely pictures of Carl and I, and revisiting those moments thoughtfully, only for them to leave me with a wet pillow; Audrey soon brought me her phone with Cassidy's voice playing in the background for I had blocked her.
Even though she finally apologized after fully realizing her wrong for she could clearly see, not only from Snapshots or Instagram posts of Jordan and I, that Jordan was now taken; at least until Lilitha decided otherwise. I knew for a fact that she wouldn't give up, because she was the stubborn type. Hence, I decided to devise my own little plan, without involving Audrey nor Mia.
As much as I knew that Cassidy had infiltrated Jordan's clique, and circle of friend, I knew that I couldn't keep her away from him. She pretty much had strong access to his presence and friends. She was always with him, on campus, on weekends and even some weekdays.
Rumour had it that Cassidy had finally dumped her boyfriend, Josh, and was even planning on inducing Jordan's best friend, Nigel, into asking her out. Some said she just wanted to spite Jordan, since they'd pretty much become friends with benefits after all; due to all those parties they were known to attend together.
My plan was for me to talk to my identical twin sister, Audrey De Waal...
" 'Ree dear, we need to talk," I sung in a high pitched voice, pausing before her to to listen to the gospel rock that was playing softly in her room, but loud enough to pierce past her door.
"...And I will call upon your name, and keep my eyes above the wave, when oceans rise my soul will rest in your embrace...." Opening her door I found her singing in worship, her arms stretched up to the ceiling, just before she walked towards me, nodding, and pressed her ginger against my lips
"We need to talk," I whispered audibly.
"Like right now?" she whispered back, before walking to the edge of her bed, grabbing her phone and pausing the Hilsong's song.
"Sorry for disturbing you sis but I just needed someone to talk to... Mom's not around so I came to twinny" I said, unleashing my goofy grin.
"Ncoooh! I'm glad you did, sit with me 'Leigh... I'm here for your, whether its about School, boys or just life in general." As she said that, the rainy showers returned, making us slide beneath her warm blanket together, my delighted expression reflected in hers.
By the time the following song ended, I had already explained to her how I needed her to do me a big favour... To go on a double date with Jordan and I, but as Nigel's date, and leave him emotionally crushing for more. Such a plan seemed solid, so she dubiously accepted, the way she'd always done ever since Carl's death. And before we knew it....
"Everything I need Is you, my beginning - my forever...Everything I need Is you, is yooou!" The sound of her voice coalesced with mine as we held hands, swayed to the song with our hands held yet lifted up high to give Lord Jesus, Our God and the Holy Spirit our praise.
The more we sang, the more I felt my tension escape my body through my vocal cords. God's grace had truth warmed me up, despite the heavy rains that August had brought us. Everything seemed fine, but I just couldn't imagine the look that would be decorated upon her face as soon as I would tell her that the date was 3 hours away, so I decided to wait patiently for our divine moment to pass...
Beep! Beep! As soon as 18:47 hit the clock, I then slid aside the curtains of the lounge and saw the white Ford Fiesta pull up before my house, its headlights illuminating the Feistiness of the rain.
" 'Ree let's go, our ride is here, and please put on a waterproof jacket."
" Okay 'Leigh, give me a sec, just putting on my..." Her shouting voice came from the other side of the wall, until it was interrupted by our mother.
"Tight jeans in this weather, won't you freeze?... But anyways, do be safe out there. You two mean the world to me." Her sentence ended just in time for Audrey's hasty entrance as she quickly ran into the room, and joined me in our mother's hug.
Walking out the front door, 12 heartbeats later, we simultaneously kissed our mother on the cheek before running into the rain's wet embrace, using our hand as a cap as we both ran towards our Uber ride, through the cold windy weather.
Finally arriving at Cayla's place, in Heath Field where Jordan had said the small gathering would be. The car slowly came to a halt yet Jordan had not responded to my text yet. Opening the door and sliding out, I felt the cold wind blow some goosebumps onto my cheeks just before Audrey grabbed my hand and we ran towards the white gate, about 4 metres across the road, where Cayla and Tom, gesturing us to come quick.
Through the gate and into the garage, we were welcomed by the kind of house music one would love to hear on a hot summer's day, despite the raindrops which continued hashing against the garage's gate from the outside as it slid closed.
"Drinks and Snacks are inside, Jordan's waiting for you by the pool" Tom said as he pointed past the small, scattered youthful groups which were drinking and chatting; even though his eyes and smile were locked and reflected in Cayla's.
"Thought you said a date not a party 'Leigh," said Audrey, crossing her arms and bracing herself.
"Let's just go to Jordan and see what he has to say." I pulled her hand and dragged her past the party animals and their tipsy conversations, walking towards the small swimming pool which wasn't so far from the garage.
Audrey's next response faded in the music as we came closer to the house's door, which was fully slid open. But as we got ready to run through the grass and rush towards the pool, where nude boys were unashamedly swimming despite the rowdy rain, I heard my name.
That's when we paused and pursued that voice into the house, where almost everyone was dancing with a can in their hands. The fairly toned guy soon introduced himself to be Nigel, before making us chuckle to his puzzled facial expression as he asked us which of us was Audrey.
"I'm Audrey," my sister and I then said simultaneously, before giggling to the coincidence.
That's when I realized that Audrey had already met her date, if not perfect match, as she smiled at him while water dripped from his wet hair and ran down his chest. His red eyes and pale skin told me that he had been by the pool, as he began getting to know the real Audrey.
Not wanting to be the third wheel, I excused myself and walked to the kitchen counter before grabbing a cider and heading upstairs, with a mouth full of nachos.
"Bra, the way she pulled and sucked the smoke out that hookah pipe was enough to make me warm," a random guy said, before some guys burst into laughter, as I walked past them halfway up the stairs.
"Wait a sec, you're Jay Mac's girlfriend right...?" She paused and grinned. "He's with Cassidy near the balcony." She then continued to drink, before I watched her slip and fall into the arms of some boys that were also climbing coming up.
As my eyes clashed with another boy, he quickly brought his phone to his lips and said something whose sound was blurred by the screaming and partying sounds around me. I quickly realized that Cassidy had arrived with the same intentions and mine, that made my heart boiled with anger, for I couldn't help picturing her warming up Jordan's lips for me.
Worst of all I hadn't spotted any familiar face and I soon reminisced of our moment near the lake when he'd promised to be faithful and loyal, 'cause I truly didn't want to look like a fool.
"I hope he's not playing me," that thought soon floated above my head, dropping a cage of insecurities around me. Jealousy had begun overwhelming me. All until I ran into Cassidy's friend, Zoey, within the foggy, sweet-scented smoke. Her cocky smile between her lips, before waving at me and secretly pointing out to some sexy guys within her group.
As they went down stairs, carrying and taking their banana-flavored hookah with them," she stepped out of the group and came over to greet. Reason being that that she was intimidated at the view of seeing Jordan and I together, she was now Cassidy's new best friend after all.
Nevertheless, Zoey kept glued to me, competing with my shadow as we looked for Jordan because every time I left her behind she would be quick to look for me, leaving me tangled up in her game of cat and mouse.
So i devised a plan for Audrey and Nigel to keep her distracted and as soon as she fell for it, i quickly spotted another drunk friend of Jordan and quickly followed him to one of the rooms I hadn't bothered to check. Two smoking dudes outside the door to remind any unwanted guests to turn around.
"Can't go inside!" one of the douche bags asserted loudly as he stepped in front of me, his lips an inch from mine.
"But You can...," I rapidly brought my knee to his groan. "take this."
. His eyes remained fixed at me he painfully moved aside.
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"What the...?" I soon yelled, as I walked into the room reeking of alcoholic beverages, a room not so far from the staircase, and saw Jordan and Cassidy making out all over each other; and grabbed the attention of the big circle of peers which cheered them on as three bottles continued to spin up on the glass table."
"Ashleigh babes, it's really not what It looks like!" Jordan pulled away stepped out the circle, with a concoction of emotions displayed above his face.
As I rushed out, ignoring the devious smile that I saw Cassidy shoot at me even from the corner of my eyes, I didn't want Jordan or Zoey to follow my shameful trail, so I pretended to run towards the stairs before running past them and rushing towards the very end of the passage.
"Mind if I join you?" he dawdled into the dimly lit room, step by step, and walked up to the red couch which faced the entrance to the balcony.
"Of course not," I braced myself.
"Won't we at least talk about it?" He sang in a croaked voice, crouching down to my level.
"So this is what you invited me here for?" I shook his hand off my shoulder.
"I'm really sorry, peer pressure ot the best of me... But I actually invited you to give you this." He then reached into his belly pockets and took out a small circular container. "You wanna see what It is?"
"I really don't know, but maybe." I looked away to avoid catching his smile.
"I bet It would look good on you though." He then took my hand in his and pulled me past the bed, towards the window; his eyes locked in mine as though he had eyes at the back of his head.
Soon enough, my devious smile emerged as his eyes smiled at mine. My right hand clasped with his left hand before we peered up to the moon, whose light was slightly blocked by some scattered, pregnant clouds which roamed the sky, leaving it smudged in blacks and greys whilst the background remained enticing and stylishly lit with stars.
"Isn't this weather just perfect?" his voice drew my attention from the moonlight as it shone through and past the clouds. "Guess its time you closed your eyes."
Closing my eyes I felt his neck pressing against my pony tail, as his hands groped along my jacket's high collar before slowly pulling down my zip and letting the wind caress my skin as his hands slowly moved the jacket off my neck and shoulders.
"Woooh!" I shrieked to the bits of cold which stung my neck as he placed and adjusted what felt like a necklace around my neck. "It's so chilly"
"My bad, I couldn't make out the hook." That's when he zipped up my jacket and embraced from behind, heating away whichever grudge I had developed against him. As much as I felt foolish for letting him warm his way into my heart again, I just kept craving for his warmth.
"This is for kissing Cassidy!" I softly dug the back of my elbow into his ribs.
"Ouch! I was just worried that you'd break them sexy legs," he teased.
"Well now you gonna wish i had," that's when I slipped out of his arms and ran as fast as I could, hoping to leave him deafened by the sound of my footsteps as I ran to the nearby bed; only for him to capture me back into his embrace and press his torso against my small bosoms.
Listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat, I felt as though I would never tire of enjoying the sensation of his torso against mine, as the stars which were still captured in his eyes left me standing on my toes as they lured my lips towards his for a kiss.
Although his alcohol-flavored kiss had left the moment of when he'd kissed Cassidy replaying in my mind, it wasn't long before he carried me on my back and took me to the bed. With my head upon his chest, I felt his heartbeat picking up its pace before surpassing the the rhythm of the house music which was playing on the other side of the wall.
Before we knew it, our eardrums were filled by a bashful rhythm of a bed hitting against the wall, just before squirming sounds of a female Michael Jackson emerged alongside it. Without thinking further we were soon standing on our bed, kissing passionately as we hastily ran our hands on each other's bodies in an attempt to undress each other to undress each other.
It was when I paused in short of breath, and left him craving for more as I rushed to close the exit to the balcony when I suddenly heard cheers and chants from beneath the balcony. That's when I braced myself and slowly tiptoed onto the balcony, braced myself to reduce the cold while also hiding my nipples, and prudently peered down...
Only to find Audrey with a glass in her hand, softly kissing Nigel alongside other 2 couples while a group of party animals encircled them, cheering them on. Guilt stung me from within, alongside a surge of anger when i soon saw the other girls of the two couples to be Cayla and Zoey...
"Babes what's up,"
"Nothing Jordan," I laughed despite the sorrow that now held my voice hostage.