Chapter 8
"How do we get in?" Asia mumbles as she tries shaking the monstrous iron gate.
I stare at the back of the Uber as it drives away, wishing I was in it.
"Here!" Asia yells. "It one of those speaker things."
Mia kicks the gravel on the ground, dirt billows up and she waves her hand to keep it away from her face. "Can you hurry up! It getting dark."
A high pitched noise comes from the speaker, making Asia step back in fright.
"Hello?" A voice says from the speaker.
"It's Josh!" Mia squeals.
"Mia!"
She bends down to the speaker. "Hey, we're waiting in front of the gate."
"I'll open it." We hear a buzz and the gate starts opening. "Just come inside, don't bother knocking. We're in the backyard."
We head down the gravel driveway that leads to the house. I walk ahead to keep distance between Mia and me.
We haven't spoken to each other for the last two and a half hours. She thinks I had no right to say what I did.
Maybe I didn't have the right to say any of what I said. Or maybe I did and she's just in denial about to it. Regardless, someone needed to tell her and unfortunately, it ended up being me.
After ten minutes of walking, the house comes into view. All straight lines and clean colours, this house is the definition of modern.
"Shit! This must've cost a fortune!" Asia gasps.
I open the front door, my eyes taking a second to adjust to the brightness. My steps echo as I walk on the tile floor of the entryway and follow the sound of laughter.
The hallway comes to an end, opening up to reveal a luxurious open plan living room. I walk across the slate grey tiles and head towards the sliding door, dragging my fingertips against the floor to ceiling windows.
"I don't think Xander's here yet." I say, looking for him in the group of people surrounding a fire pit.
Asia hugs me from behind and rests her chin on my shoulder. "It's only eight forty, he's probably just running late."
Mia walks past and calls out to Josh. The girl next to him gives her a death stare as Josh rushes to Mia.
"There's still a chance to leave if you want?" Asia mumbles.
"I was looking forward to seeing Xander..." I trail off.
"Flora's got a crush, Flora's got a crush." She sings into my ear. I wiggle out of her grasp and pull her towards the group of people.
__________________________
Xander hasn't shown up yet.
We've been here for almost two hours and all I've done is sit here, in front of the fire pit, and sulk. Asia keeps asking me if I'm okay and if I want to go home and as much as I want to, I say no. She's having fun and I don't want to ruin it just because I'm upset.
Mia is practically attached to Josh, much to Lily's; Death Stare girls dismay.
"I'm gonna go to the toilet." I whisper to Asia.
"I'll come with you."
After searching the house for the toilet, we finally find one upstairs. I close the door and lock it and Asia rushes to the toilet, almost tripping over her jeans as she kicks them off her ankles.
"Oh my god! It feels soo good." She sighs.
"Why didn't you go earlier?" I look at my reflection in the mirror, noticing how flushed my cheeks are.
"I didn't want to ask where the toilet was." She flushes and pulls up her jeans.
I turn the cold water on and lean over the sink, splashing some on my cheeks. I use one of the hand towels to dry my face and hands.
"Maybe something came up and Xander couldn't make it tonight." Asia says, trying to make me feel better
"Yeah."
"I'm gonna head back outside. Will you..." She trails off.
"Yes, I'll be okay." I tell her. "You don't need to worry about me."
She pops her head back inside as she's closing the door. "We'll leave in forty minutes." The door closes.
I can't wait forty minutes. I just want to go home and wrap myself in a cocoon of blankets.
As I sit on the toilet I unlock my phone and open the uber app. I pay for an uber and it tells me I have to wait fifteen minutes till it gets here.
Now I have to tell Asia I'm leaving.
The soap dispenser squirts a perfumed hand wash into my cupped hands, I rub them together under the running water and wipe them dry with a hand towel.
The door suddenly opens, scaring the living daylights out of me.
"Holy shit, Asia! I almost had a heart attack!" My breaths come out short and harsh as I try calming myself down.
"Sorry." She apologises, pressing her lips together. "Xander's here."
Fuck!
"I just ordered an uber! It'll be here in fifteen minutes!"
She widens her eyes. "Why?"
"Because I wanted to go home and stuff my face with pizza, okay?" We step into the hallway and I close the door behind me.
"Just say hi to him and we'll go home."
My hand slides against the railing as we walk down the stairs. "How about I sneak outside and you just say I'm not feeling well and we're gonna head home?"
Asia grabs my hand and drags me with her, towards the sliding door that leads outside.
The chilly breeze hits me as I step outside, goosebumps race their way down my arms.
"Here she is!" The smile Mia shoots my way makes my stomach turn.
I lean into Asia. "Did everyone else leave?"
"Yeah."
I smile at Xander, taking note of his confused expression.
He doesn't reciprocate my smile.
Asia and I sit on the seat around the fire pit. I slip my coat on and check my phone to see how far away the uber is.
Ten minutes away.
"Xander was just asking about you Flora." Mia says, her expression smug.
Why is she looking at me like that?
"Flora and I are gonna head home." Asia picks up her coat and bag.
"Before you go, why don't you tell Xander what you do for a living." Mia stares at me. "That's what he was asking me while you and Asia were inside."
"I work for a marketing company." I say through clenched teeth. My eyes warn Mia, telling her to keep her mouth shut.
Its moments like this when I wonder why I'm even friends with Mia. Most of the time she's a shit friend to Asia and me.
"You intern at a marketing company. That's not your actual job though is it?"
"Mia...don't." Asia warns, her words clipped.
"Come on Flora, don't be scared." She faces Xander. "People pay her to kiss them."
"Mia! Shut your fucking mouth!" Asia grabs her by the wrist.
I can't be here. I need to leave. My phone dings, notifying me of the uber approaching the address.
I drag Asia with me as I run through the house and out the front door.