smile crosses his face and he puts his arm around my shoulder in a very protective like manner. My legs feel distinctly wobbly at this precise moment, I hope they’ll hold me up. Though if I do fall Guy can catch me. Mmm, now there’s a thought.
Surely I’m not wrong in thinking he’s a little bit interested in me if he’s acting like this.
“Um, yeah. I guess. But a bit over-awed by it all.” What sort of answer is that? Over-awed. I ask you.
He gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze then lets his arm drop to his side. Crap. I guess he doesn’t want everyone else to realize he’s interested. Either that, or it’s not appropriate behavior for the VC. Or am I kidding myself? Whatever. There’s definitely some connection between us, that much I can tell.
“Suzy. Suzy,” Lori hollers in my ear, distracting me for a moment. She gives me a huge hug. “You did it. I’m so proud of you. We both are, aren’t we Rach?” Rachel, who’s standing behind Lori, nods in agreement. “After the meeting we’ll go celebrate. Everyone back to mine. Mom’s out for the night and won’t be back until really late. Some boring dinner in aid of the hospital.”
A party. That’s more like it. Can’t remember the last party I went to. Yes, I can. Nearly a year ago, just after camp. Dani’s sixteenth birthday (this girl at my old school). It’s a all bit hazy but I have it on the best authority (Maddie, who else?) that we had a good time—though I suppose the less said about that the better when you think about where I am at the moment.
Not that I did it or anything. But whoever made the punch got a bit carried away and I was truly wasted. Good job I stayed with Maddie that weekend. I’d have been grounded for months if my parents had seen the state I was in—Maddie’s really lucky because her parents are always so busy they don’t notice what she does.
Maddie asked whether she should have a party for me when we moved away but I said no. Hardly surprising under the circumstances. I just wanted to leave quietly.
I wonder if this party includes drink. I’ve still got some allowance left even though someone else will have to buy it for me. My fake id was ‘borrowed’ ages ago and I didn’t bother to get it back—what with everything else going on. Maybe Lori’s older brother will get us some, if he’s around. I’m sure he’s over twenty-one. Older brothers and sisters definitely have their uses. Or did, in my case.
I shake my head to try and rid the cloud of depression threatening to fall. I can’t think of Rosie now. I’ll save it for later when I’m on my own.
“Sounds great.” I say brightly (hopefully not so brightly they think I’m faking it). “You coming Guy?” The words tumble out of my mouth before I’ve time to check them.
What did I tell myself earlier? Not to come across as too keen. And what have I just done? Correct. Come across as keen. Will I ever learn?
“Sure, I’ll try and get there.” He shrugs and looks away—in a very shifty manner, if you ask me.
I notice out the corner of my eye a look pass between Lori and Rachel. The ‘poor-thing-doesn’t-have-a-chance’ sort of look that Maddie and I have been doing for years. Now I feel like a right idiot.
“Whatever.” I turn my back on Guy. See, I can do ‘who-cares’ like the best of them.
“So, what do we do now, Lori?”
The meeting seems to have fallen into disarray, with everyone talking amongst themselves. Unless that’s all the meeting is. I mean what else is there to do after we’ve multi-pledged? Unless—nah. They wouldn’t do that ‘let’s-help-each-other-in-our-quest’ sort of thing. Would they?
“Jamie asks for anyone to come up on stage who’s found themselves tempted and they talk about their feelings and we support them in their drive to stay on the right path.”
Geez. I was only joking. This is too much. I can’t believe that kids go along with this sort of stuff. After taking the pledge that should be it. Who the hell would want to get up on stage and tell everyone what they’ve been up to? No way will I ever do that. It’s not normal.
“Surely no-one will admit to it in front of all these people.”
“I thought that when I first took the pledge,” Lori says, making me