L E O N I E

Clothes sat scattered all over the floor, the scent of perfume and hair product filled the air and make up was spread from one end of the bathroom counter to the other. This was arguably one of my favourite parts of an evening out. The music, the disaster zone of a bedroom, the pre drinks that sat on the desk, condensation dripping down the glass bottles. Jess and I moved from the bedroom to the bathroom while we got dressed and beat our faces.

She slept over last night but there was no mention about the lack of parental supervision. She had managed to convince her mother that we had an assignment that we would be spending the weekend on. Which was semi true.

There was an assignment and she did plan on finishing it. We had spent a little bit of time on it this morning just for good measure. I didn't want to send her home without having made a decent dent in it. She would just end up in trouble and not be allowed to come back.

But now we were getting cute so that we could go to Jade's. Bray told us that he would pick us up at seven which gave us another half n hour of prep. Jess was dressed in a denim high waist skirt that she fished out from the back of my closet. I told her that she could keep it.

I forgot that it existed and had no intentions of wearing it again. She paired it with her own thin green t-shirt and a pair of white All Stars. It was hard not to be a little bit jealous over her height and curves. Despite the fact that she whined about her figure all the time, I was envious as hell. She didn't realise what a babe she was.

Youngblood sounded on the bluetooth speaker that sat on a floating shelf above my bed. The tune was impossible not to dance to, so I bopped around the room in my bra and underwear, guzzling a Jim Beam RTD while I decided what I would wear.

I had already done my make up and hair. A full face with natural eyes. The ten coats of mascara made them pop. My hair never took a lot of time to deal with. A bit of setting product so that the waves didn't go nest in the humid weather. Jess had a harder time. Her hair was thick and took about eighteen hours of straightening before she was satisfied.

"What should I wear?" I shouted at Jess as I set the bottle down on the side table and stared at the floor, hoping that an outfit option would materialize and emerge from the abyss. "Have you seen my t-shirt dress thing?"

"That's specific," she called back with sarcasm. "You have about seven of them. Which one?"

My brows furrowed as I glared at the floor. I could have sworn that I saw it earlier. But now all I could see was silk, sequins and heels from the closet section that I reserved for high class events. We were going to a house party in Flagami. Not a sit down with Harry and Meghan. But Jess was more than excited about spending the evening with Bray and so I'd had to talk her down from dressing in a plunging silk dress that would be more fitting in Beyonce music video. I wasn't even sure how I ended up with half of these items. Shopping was a horrible habit of mine.

After another song change, I had finally settled on a pair of fitted overalls with a white tank top on underneath and a pair of Timberlands. It was simple but cute and Jess and I spent a few minutes taking photos in the bathroom mirror. Shameless but I loved to document. I knew how meaningful photos could be. When there's nothing left but a memory, it's fun to sit down and look through the shots of what once was. Even more so when someone is gone and the pictures are all that you have left.

Bray arrived at seven, as organised. Freddie - the door man - was on his break at seven. There was less chance that he would see us and tip Mom off that we were creeping out of the building in cute outfits with a case of pre mix. Jess hopped into the front seat when we found Bray parked beside the curb and I didn't bother arguing.

Both of them seemed pleased to see each other. His van was spacious but dark with tinted windows and black carpet interior. He'd bought it - well, his parent's bought it - as soon as he got his licence. He wanted to have a form of transport that allowed us all to trip around together. It was useful when it came to the football team as well. All he asked was that we chip in for gas and for a few months, I was the one that sat up front wherever we went. But I was happy for Jess. She smiled a dazzling grin at him as we pulled out from the curb.

"Looking beautiful tonight ladies," he complimented, shifting the van into gear as he merged with traffic.

"Thanks," Jess answered, peering over the seat with a wide disbelieving grin. It was sort of strange to see the transition. She had found him attractive for as long as I could remember. But she had never sat there, gushing and blushing over his compliments. It made me giggle. "You look nice. Is that a new shirt?"

From the back seat, I saw him glance down for a brief moment, assessing the plain white tee before he nodded. "Yeah. It is. It's not bad eh," I could see the grin on his side profile and I knew where he was going before he said it. "It'd look better on your floor."

"Too bad that's where your dignity is," I shouted.

He sighed with exasperation while Jess had a little giggle. The case of alcohol rattled beside me as we sped up on the highway. The van was adjusted so that it sat low which meant that it felt the bumps so much worse than a standard height vehicle. This idiot could afford some decent suspension but he was lazy.

"Is this what it's going to be like while I'm getting to know Jess?" He questioned, peering in the rear view mirror. "You hanging around like a third wheel, making subtle digs and shit."

"First of all, did you both suffer from amnesia? You do know each other," I glanced out the window and watched the sun setting on the sea. "Second, my digs are never subtle. Ever."

"True," Jess chimed in.

Bray shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "Given any more thought to the threesome? There is tons of room in this van."

Jess's mouth fell open and she twisted, turning around so that she could stare at me with that obvious puzzlement. I shook my head at her with an expression that made it clear, there was no threesome happening. Not that I would be totally opposed to it. But I know that she would be.

The conversation was dropped after that. Instead, I leaned back in the seat and managed to open a drink without Bray noticing. He was immersed in conversation with Jess but he hated it if we ate or drank in his precious pussy wagon. Which he had actually tried to name this thing and spent weeks convincing us that we should all refer to it as such. No chance.

When we pulled up at Jade's about half n hour later, Bray swung the van into the drive and killed the engine. He had first rights to use the only decent parking space because Jade owns the house and more often than not, he ended up sleeping in it. But there was a spare room now, thanks to the ever unstable Alexis moving out and leaving her room furnished. Not that I would ever sleep on a bed that she had been in.

We hopped out of the van and heard the telltale sign of intoxicated antics. The music made the windows rattle, the front door was wide open and the shouted conversations of people could be heard from the back garden. We started up the front path. "Where's Alex?" I questioned.

"He's having dinner with his Mom," Bray glanced down at me and quirked his brows with an empathetic expression. "He said that he might come after."

We stepped inside and I was surprised to see how crowded the open plan living space was. There were people swarmed around the beer pong table, the couches were occupied with the stoners who were doing bongs and passing around joints. We did our best to move across to the kitchen but even the vacant living room floor was home to people dancing on each other. Jade wasn't kidding when she said that she wanted to celebrate.

"Jess," I shouted and grabbed her arm. "Can you please go and get the drinks from Bray's van? I left them behind."

She rolled her eyes but held out her hand for the keys. When Bray didn't put them in her hand, I gave him a nudge but he shook his head. "I'll go and get them. It's alright."

He knew me well enough to know that I didn't want him to do that. I didn't even need to glare or use some form of intimidation. He could see that I wanted her to go and give us a minute alone. So he handed her the keys and we stood near enough the window that we could see her outside. A couple of acquaintances that I knew through Jade wandered past and said hello, but I didn't give them the chance to spark up a proper conversation.

"What?" Bray shrugged, staring down at me with confusion.

"Is Alex alright?"

"He's fine. His Mom just wanted to see him. Keep her conscience clean I suppose. Why? What'd you need to get rid of Jess for? That's not a secret?"

The fact that Alex's Mother was a career shark and had up and left Alex and his Dad when he was a child, wasn't a secret. She surfaced once every six months and spent a strained evening with him, pretending to care and then going radio silent again afterwards. The woman was in foreign affairs and had a government related position. No one was quite sure what she did but we all decided that we didn't care either. She chose that over her son and husband. She was a bitch as far as I was concerned.

"No," I shook my head. "That's not the reason that I got rid of Jess. You need to cool it with the comments dude."

He raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"The threesome thing. You and Jess haven't had sex, right?" He nodded, still appearing confused. "Yeah, so how do you think it might feel for her to hear that she's so unimportant that you could have your first time, with me there as well? That wouldn't make a girl feel so special."

He recoiled but scoffed, waving his hand in dismissal. "Na. I mean, that's just us. We flirt and mess around. That doesn't mean that I don't think she's special."

"Well maybe that shouldn't be us. Take it down a notch."

"It's harmless," he said, slipping his hands into his pockets. "She can accept our friendship for what it is. Or she can't. I'm not going to think about every single thing that I say just because it might offend her. You and I are not a thing and she has nothing to stress about."

He didn't give me a chance to respond because he turned around and disappeared through the kitchen doors, into the back garden. I wanted to punch him in the throat for being such a male about the whole thing. But he had a point.

Our friendship had been the same way for as long as I could remember and it might have seemed dumb to put emphasis on the comments now. But things were different. We'd been sleeping together before summer and now he was spending time with my best friend who was a hint more sensitive than me. It was going to be a balancing act. That's for sure.

Jess appeared beside me with the case of beverages and I gave her a grateful smile, leaning in so that I could shout over the music. "Bray just went to talk to his sister. He'll be back in a minute."

She nodded and slipped his keys into her skirt pocket. We went through to the kitchen and said hello to people as we went. I wasn't surprised to see so many of the college students here, considering classes started on Monday, I was sure they all wanted to blow off a bit of steam before homework took over their lives. I felt that.

We spent about three hours downing alcohol, participating in beer pong or dancing with the college girls. Bray still hadn't joined us. He sat outside with his friends and was no doubt talking a lot of shit. I spotted him through the open door whenever I went to the fridge. He never moved and I knew that once he stood up, he'd be out of his head. I could tell that Jess was getting anxious over his absence. She was supposed to be spending time with him on a more intimate basis and he was avoiding her with little subtlety.

We were in the middle of talking to Quinn, Jade's roommate, about the process of going from brown to blonde hair. She was doing hairdressing which is how Martha, Jade's other roommate, ended up with bright red hair. It was beautiful though. She knew what she was doing.

Quinn had shoulder length black Asian hair. It was as soft as silk and suited her pixie face perfectly. She was like a model with outstanding bone structure and posture. I saw Bray slip in through the kitchen doors so I left Jess and Quinn and beelined straight for the fridge where he was scouring for a beverage.

"Braydon," I leaned against the countertop and realised that I slurred a little. Oops. He shut the fridge and popped the cap off his drink, watching me with a blank stare.

"Leonie?"

"What's the deal?" I started walking towards him so that we were hidden beside the oven and Jess wouldn't see us. I didn't want her feelings to be hurt over the fact that I had to hound Bray to spend time with her. "Why are you avoiding Jess?"

He sighed and ran his free hand over his face. "If things are going to change between us, then I'm not sure her and I are a good idea."

"Why would things change between us?" I said, stumbling over a box of cookies on the floor.

"Because you already want me to change who I am. Next, I won't be able to hang out with you because I have to choose, you or her. And then the natural jealousy thing will start and she won't want me alone with you just because we've had sex before."

I watched him running his hand through his hair in frustration. I could see it. I could see how he was so popular with the girls. He was a chick magnet for sure thanks to his warm brown skin and golden brown hair. His height and definition. There was nothing but platonic feelings for him but I could appreciate what made everyone lose their fûcking minds.

"Our friendship isn't going to change Bray. And I feel like you might be using me as an excuse not to commit," I stepped closer and pinched his cheek. "If you're just not into it. Be honest. Before it goes too deep. And don't use me as the reason."

"I do like her," he said, stumbling forward and bumping into me. "I'm being genuine. You're one of my closest friends. Alex is the bro but it's different with you. You get me more. I don't wanna lose you."

He pulled me into an unexpected bone crushing hug. Such a man child. I rubbed his back and assured him that he wouldn't lose me. I think that he believed me. It was sort of hard to tell when he was talking into my hair with a muffled voice. He was significantly more needy when he had been drinking.

"What up Heath," he suddenly shouted and before I could re position myself, he spun me around and tucked me into his side, the cold bottle in his hand pressing against my shoulder.

Heath stood beside the countertop with his hands in his pockets. He really was stupid attractive. His chocolate brown hair was cropped and styled. His shoulders and arms were toned. Not too big. Not too small. I had a weakness for defined shoulders and arms. His long sleeve v neck shirt complimented his figure in all of the right places and his joggers fit his strong legs.

"Hey Bray," he smiled before his gaze shifted to mine. "Leonie."

"Hey Heath," I grinned, glad to see him. This was the third time that we had met on chance in the last week and the fog that clouded my brain led me to believe that I was thrilled to be near him again.

Bray pointed between the two of us. "You two know each other?"

Heath nodded and I answered. "We've met and hung out a little bit," I pinched my thumb and finger together to express just how little time we had spent together. "We're friends. How do you know Heath?"

Bray gestured at him. "He goes to College with Jade."

That brought me up short and I turned to him with confusion. "I thought that you were in high school?"

He winced and Bray curled over with laughter, his strong arm weighing down on my shoulders. "Look at him. He's got stubble and that body. Phew. Dude ain't in high school."

I stared at Bray with amusement for a moment and then turned to Heath who was giving me a sheepish grin. "So . . . You're how old then?"

"Twenty one," he responded and moved aside so that a girl could get a bottle opener out of the kitchen drawers.

"That's not so bad," I shrugged. "Why would you lie? I mean wouldn't you usually do that for like predatory reasons. I'm eighteen. Twenty one isn't that much older."

"You assumed that I was in high school," he shrugged. "I just went along with it. I'm not sure why. But there we go. There's nothing sinister about it. I swear."

I laughed. He was right. I had made an assumption. And now looking at him, I wasn't sure where that assumption had come from. I mean, Bray could have passed for being a college student as well. Alex might have been lucky and there was no chance that Ethan could. He had the face of a baby with his soft mocha skin and flawless features. But Heath, he was all man.

"So, I uh, I didn't realise that you two were dating," he pointed at us before scratching the back of his head. Poor awkward orca.

I slid out from under Bray's arm and shook my head. "We're definitely not," I said and Bray laughed.

"This girl," he pointed at me. "With a boyfriend?
I'd see Dua Lipa on this dick," he pointed at his crotch. "Before Leonie went exclusive. Na na. She breaks hearts and feeds on the souls of unsuspecting men, but she don't do commitment."

"Pleasant, isn't he?" I said to Heath who was watching us with a mixture of amusement and puzzlement. Bray grinned and I began pushing him out of the kitchen. "Go and find Jess. The one girl here who does want to put up with you."

He turned around and his eyes became wide with fear. "What should I do? I haven't talked to her all night. I mean-"

"This is easy," I interrupted, waving my hands to silence him. "Go up to her, cup her face and kiss her. She'll love it."

"Do girls love that?" Heath questioned as we walked to the edge of the kitchen and stood near beer pong. "I thought it was kind of wrong to touch someone without permission."

"You're so right," I smiled at what a gentleman he was. "But this is a little different. Jess likes him and she knows him and I know that she would love it. If some dude did that to me without warning or permission, I'd stand on his neck."

He laughed and we watched Bray march through the crowd with purposeful strides. Jess and Quinn were dancing beside the coffee table and I winced when he almost tripped over the leg. But he didn't. He took her by the waist with one hand and cupped her neck with the other and he kissed her. It was the perfect execution. I felt a little wound up just watching it. And of course, Jess responded with no hesitation. She kissed him right back.

"Two of my best friends," I told Heath as I turned around and searched the countertop. The bottle of Tequila that I had seen earlier was still sitting there. So I grabbed a plastic shot glass from the stack and poured one. "I'm playing matchmaker and I'm hoping that it doesn't backfire. Which it could. Want one?"

He denied the offer with a soft smile. "I'm driving. Plus I'm sort of here as a babysitter. Jade is needy when she drinks and I'm the only one that she will let hold her hair back while she's over the toilet. She reckons it's because I'm in med school. Doctors are trained not to judge that sort of thing."

"You're in med school?" I