by L A Cotton
The irony wasn’t lost on me.
“Hey, come on.” Laurie twisted to look at me. “It's your birthday, Lo. Don't you trust us?” She arched her eyebrow and smirked.
“Do you really want me to answer that?” I shot back, and she shared a look with Kyle and they laughed.
“Just relax,” he said. “Tonight's supposed to be fun, Cous.”
“Fine.”
Kyle laughed again, but it was quieter this time. He was disappointed Maverick hadn't shown up at dinner. I was too. But Maverick Prince didn't owe me anything. And maybe it was better this way.
When the Jeep pulled up outside Laurie's house, I smiled. I’d spent a lot of time here recently. It felt familiar. Safe. But then I heard the music and rumble of voices from the back yard.
“What did you two do?” I groaned as a frisson of energy vibrated through me.
“It's your birthday and you only turn eighteen once, Cous. Uncle Rob said back in England turning eighteen is a rite of passage or something.” Kyle winked and climbed out of the Jeep.
I stumbled out after him and Laurie, my stomach knotted tight. Her house wasn't as big as Uncle Gentry's but it still made my home back in Surrey look small. We went around the side to the gate and my worst fears were confirmed. Kids from school swarmed the place. Autumn spotted us and jumped up from her spot on the sun lounger. “The birthday girl is here.”
Cups were raised in the air and people cheered but I wanted nothing more than the ground to swallow me whole.
“Don't be shy, Cous.” Kyle slung his arm around my shoulder and Laurie pressed close to my other side, forcing me forward. They played a sneaky game.
“Happy birthday, Lo.” Autumn reached us and my captors let me go so she could pull me in for a hug. “Surprise.”
Lips pressed in a flat line, I forced a smile, and the three of them laughed. “Don't look so worried. Everyone's here for you, to help you celebrate,” Laurie said.
Any normal person would have lapped up the attention, but the limelight wasn’t somewhere I enjoyed being. Still, I managed to force a smile to appease them. And I was flattered. They didn’t have to go to all this effort. But they did. For me.
The party went on around us. I didn't miss the way Kyle kept checking his phone. He needed to accept what I already had—Maverick didn't care it was my birthday.
He didn’t care at all.
A red cup was thrust into my hand and someone steered me over to a chair. I plopped down and swept my eyes over Laurie’s yard. It wasn't as crazy as I'd first thought. There were a few kids from school but they were friends of Kyle and Laurie. People who I knew by association. Matty and Trent and a couple of the other boys from the football team were playing quarters on Laurie’s mom’s garden table and Liam was splashing in the pool with some boys from our class. It wasn't like the parties at JB's, or Brendon Palmer's, where most of the junior and senior classes turned up, and I relaxed a little.
“You need to think about getting your license. I could teach you.” Kyle announced, mischief glittering in his eyes.
“I don’t need to learn to drive when I have you to chauffeur me around.”
Laurie stifled a snicker, earning her an eye-roll from her boyfriend. “It’s not as difficult as you think. It’d be good for you to learn. Give you some freedom.”
“We’ll see,” I muttered before sipping on my drink.
“Coming in, Lo?” Liam shouted across from the pool and I waved him off.
“No, I’m good.”
He pouted, but it soon slipped away when his friend leapt at him and they began to wrestle one another under.
“I swear, they’re like big kids,” Autumn said as we watched Liam disappear under the water in a big splash. “How would you have celebrated back home, Lo?”
Silence fell over our school group and Autumn clapped a hand over her mouth. “Crap. I’m sorry, I didn’t think.” Her eyes flashed with regret but I smiled.
It hurt. It hurt so much I could barely form words, but I managed to say, “It’s okay.”
Autumn had asked a harmless question. I figured she knew about what happened. Laurie’s best quality wasn’t keeping a secret, and that was okay. It wasn’t a secret—it just wasn’t something I wanted to advertise either.
If things had been different, I imagined Mum and Dad would have thrown me a party. I was never the most popular girl in college but I had friends. And Elliot and his friends would have made sure I turned eighteen with a bang.
But things were different.
I had no Elliot.
No Mum.
But I did have people. I had Kyle and Laurie and Autumn and Summer. I had friends. Good ones.
~
At five minutes to midnight Laurie appeared with a cake. “It’s time.” She grinned with excitement as she made her way over.
Everyone stopped, gathering around us as I sat awkwardly in front of the giant cupcake while Kyle instigated a very out of tune version of Happy Birthday. When they were done I closed my eyes, made a wish, and blew out the candle.
Laurie cut the cake into small pieces and handed them around on napkins. “What did you wish for?” Matty asked, before stuffing his mouth full of sugary goodness.
“That’s for me to know, and you to find out.” I stuck out my tongue and got up, brushing my crumb coated hands down my jeans. “Now eat your cake and get out of here. I’m an old woman now, I need my beauty sleep.”
“Really, Cous? You’re like a year older than us, hardly ancient.”
“Hold the phone, did you just admit I’m older?”
Kyle rolled his eyes with a groan. “Fuck,” he murmured under his breath. “I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?”
“Nah-ah. Now get your friends out of here.”
“Yeah,” Laurie said. “We should probably call it a night. Babe, can you and the guys bag up the bottles before you head out?”
Matty and Trent protested but soon started cleaning up when Kyle shot them a stern glare. I helped Laurie and Autumn take the glasses and dishes inside.
“Thank you for tonight,” I said when we were done.
“It was all Kyle,” Laurie beamed. “He loves you like a sister.”
“I know.” My throat tightened and the familiar ache in my chest rippled through me. I was glad to have Kyle. He’d wormed his way into my life, become one of my closest friends. But he would never replace Elliot.
“Liam is waiting, I’d better go. But I’ll see you both tomorrow.” Autumn disappeared off after her boyfriend and we went back outside to the boys.
“Where did Matty and Trent go?”
“They escaped before you,”—he jabbed a finger at Laurie and then stalked toward her—“made us mow your lawn or something.”
She slapped his chest. “Behave. You know Mom and Dad only leave me because they trust me.”
Kyle shut her up with his lips and I left them to it. “I’ll be waiting in the Jeep,” I called over my shoulder. “Night, Laurie, and thanks again.”
Her mumbled reply followed me as I made my way around the side of the house. Cloaked in darkness, shadows danced across the wall. I’d almost reached the gate when a figure stepped out in front of me.
“Maverick?” I gasped as my heart lurched into my throat. “What the hell are you doing?”
He didn't touch me. If he had, I might have broken down right there. But his presence seeped into every crack inside of me until I could see nothing but him.
He raked a hand down his face. “I wanted to wish you a happy birthday.”
“Well, thanks,” I clipped out. “But you’re a little late to the party.” I moved to go around him desperate to get away from him. The momentary shock at seeing him faded into irritation. I didn’t want to do this with him. Not here. Not now. But he blocked my path.
“I’m sorry, okay? I wanted to come, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t…” His voice was thick with emotion.
“You couldn’t what, Maverick?” My
voice cracked with frustration. “What is this? What are you doing?”
Silence filled the space between us and then he said, “The new house is okay?”
“Yeah, it’s okay,” I sighed, disappointed he’d chosen to ignore my question. But then why did I expect anything else. This is what he did best.
“Good, that’s good. You can focus on the things which are important, move on.”
Move on? Was he for real?
Lips mashed together, I tried to fight back the words forming on my tongue. When I didn’t answer, Maverick added, “Everything will work out, London.” His fingers brushed the stray wisps of hair out of my face, lingering there. On their retreat, he brushed the bare skin along my shoulder and a shiver worked its way through my body.
“Yeah.” It came out shaky as my gaze dropped away.
I wanted to be angry—I was angry. But I couldn’t deny the effect his presence had on me. It was confusing.
Annoying.
But despite how much I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, to tell him this—whatever this was—had to stop, I couldn’t do it. Because Maverick was here. He was here, and he was reassuring me everything would be okay. And it meant more than it should. Because it didn’t change anything. I understood that now.
Maverick cared.
He just didn’t care enough.
He watched me. His darkened gaze searching my soul for what, I didn’t know. My eyes slid to his, saying everything we never got the chance to say.
It was the wrong time.
The wrong place.
Everything about us was wrong.
We moved like magnets until our lips hovered over each other’s. Maverick buried his hands in my hair, pushing backwards until I felt the wall behind me. Our bodies blended with the shadows and I couldn’t help the smirk tugging at my lips when I realised he wanted to make sure no one could see us.
Then he kissed me.
And I let him.
My lips parted on a soft sigh as he swept his tongue into my mouth. Slow and deep. Something was different in his touch, but I didn’t want to think about what it meant. I just wanted to cling to the sensations running through me. Imprinting every stroke, every lick, every taste into my mind.
“Happy birthday, Eloise.” He pressed another kiss to my swollen lips, touched his head to mine and then let go. With one last lingering look, he melted into the darkness.
Like a whisper on the wind, Maverick was gone, and although I wanted to heed his words, to believe everything would fix itself, I couldn't get past the part where Maverick was here. He'd come to check on me. To wish me a happy birthday. Because sometimes, no matter how wrong you knew something to be, it was impossible to ignore how right it felt.
“Great seats.” Dad beamed, and I offered a strained nod. Things were still tense between us. Since moving into our own place—and after his heartfelt speech in front of everyone—he was trying. At least three nights a week he made it home for dinner and we ate in awkwardness. He talked about work. I talked about classes. Avoiding the important things, like Mum, Elliot… Stella. It was weird, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was worried I would go off the deep end again or if he was just softening me up ready to drop another bombshell.
Either way, it sucked.
“Robert, Lo, sorry we're late.” Rebecca looked elegant in her wide-legged trousers and matching blouse, her long glossy hair twisted into a slick bun. She was the most polished person in the gym, even if it seemed excessive for a basketball game. But that was Rebecca. She probably slept in full make-up and silk pyjamas that were worth more than my entire wardrobe.
I waved at Summer, motioning for her to squeeze in beside me. She slipped past Rebecca and Kyle and dropped onto the plastic seat.
“Hey, I wanted to sit there,” Kyle protested, but Rebecca hushed him, nudging my cousin into the seat next to his sister.
“Robert, may I?” She looked at the spare seat beside Dad and he half stood letting her past.
No one mentioned Gentry's absence. Whatever was between him and Maverick apparently extended to his opening game.
“Are you excited?” Summer asked me and for a second, I panicked. But then I realised she meant about watching my first basketball game. She didn't know I was more excited about seeing the team's captain.
A month had passed since that night when Maverick turned up at the pool house. Just thinking about it set my body on fire. But as the weeks went on, so had Maverick's withdrawal. Since the birthday kiss, he'd barely said two words to me. And every day that ticked by, I wondered if I’d ever meant anything to him in the first place. He'd discarded me so easily. Cast me aside as he’d done at the beach last summer. It hurt my head—and my heart—thinking about it.
An eruption of cheers snapped me out of my thoughts. The cheer squad were front and centre. Caitlin ate up the crowd's approval, shaking her hips harder and swishing her pom-poms higher. She looked possessed, but they were good. Really good.
Even Dad—the man oblivious to everything lately—noticed. “Macey and the girls look good out there,” he commented.
“She's a great dancer. I just wish she'd take things more seriously.” Even in the deafening noise, I heard Rebecca sigh. “I don't know how to get through to her sometimes.”
“She's just a kid. Give her time. She'll figure it out.” Dad patted her knee, unaware I could hear their conversation as he angled himself more to my aunt.
“Maverick's just as bad, Robert. The older they get, the more they pull away. Things have been...” her voice trailed off when the teams entered the court and she sighed again. “He looks so at home out there.”
My eyes landed on Maverick. I'd never seen him in team colours before, but the red and white jersey stood out against his tanned skin and dark hair.
“Rick's looking good,” Kyle chortled leaning back to catch my attention behind Summer. I shot him a terse sideways glare. His head shook with laughter but it was drowned out by the crowd.
As if he heard his stepbrother, Maverick's head lifted to where we were sitting. His gaze moved over Kyle and Summer until his eyes found mine. He hadn’t looked at me in so long, I felt it like a punch to the stomach, and I shuffled uncomfortably on the seat. But then he was gone, jogging to his team as they prepared for the game.
I knew nothing about basketball. Back home, it was football in the winter months and cricket in the summer. But seeing Maverick, being here, I wanted to know everything. Because Rebecca was right, Maverick was at home out there.
At peace.
He still had an air of hostility about him. As he pulled the team in, he reminded me of a General about to lead his army into war. But when the referee called the captains in for the coin toss and the first buzzer sounded, I saw a glimpse of a different Maverick.
A boy in love with a game.
He glided around the court, commanding the ball, his movements precise and sure as if he was born to play. And when he pushed off the floor, cutting through the air in a move that seemed to defy gravity, grabbed the hoop and slammed the ball through the metal, I stopped breathing. I wanted to leap up out of my seat and cheer right along with everyone else.
But I didn't.
I couldn’t.
My eyes drank him in as his teammates tackled him and congratulated him. His head snapped over to our side of the room and part of me wanted to believe he was searching me out. That he felt whatever I was feeling. But his eyes never found mine.
Maverick's early slam dunk set the tone for the rest of the game. The Wicked Bay Wreckers dominated. Even someone as clueless as myself could see that. Blurs of red and white zipped up and down the court. Maverick scored another five points, securing their first win of the season.
“I've never seen anything like that,” Dad said to no one in particular as we filed out of the gym.
“Rick's one of the best,” Kyle replied. “He'll get a full ride for sure.” His eyes lifted to Rebecca, and they shared a look.
�
�It would a crime if he didn't,” Dad added. “He could go all the way.”
“You must be so proud, Momma P,” Kyle grinned, bouncing up and down on his feet, punching the air rapidly. “Rick's going to play for the NBA one day and I'm going pro. Just think what it'll do for your street cred.”
He was joking, but there was an undertone to his words that made me wonder just how much Rebecca supported her sons’ dreams. She let out a frustrated groan. “Kyle, please do not call me that in public.”
“Boys will be boys,” Dad muttered under his breath with a slight shake of his head. “Elliot used to—” He stopped mid-sentence, catching my eye. I gulped and turned away. He never talked about Elliot.
Ever.
Summer slipped her arm through mine and tugged me ahead of them. “Are you okay?” she whispered.
I shrugged. I didn't know what to feel anymore. Everything was so different now. I was eighteen. I had my whole life ahead of me, but I couldn’t think past tomorrow. Or the next day. Being here, in Wicked Bay, it still didn’t feel real.
Maybe it never would.
Kyle's head popped up between us and he wiggled in, slinging his arm around the two of us. “Are you partying with us?” He turned to Summer. “Not you, little sis, you go home with Mom.”
“Kyle,” she hissed, shucking him off. “You're so annoying.”
He laughed, rustling her hair. “And you're cute, now go meet Mom and Uncle Rob at the car.” His hold on me tightened.
“Bye, Lo.” Summer lifted her hand in a small wave. “I guess I’ll see you at school.”
“Bye.” I returned her wave and Kyle tapped his head to mine conspiratorially.
“Now we party.”
~
“Whose house is this again?” I took in the brick house, lit up like a fairground with twinkle lights draped over the gated perimeter.
“Luke Taffia’s. He’s Rick’s—”
“Best friend,” I grumbled not realising I’d said it out loud. Kyle’s head whipped around and he arched his eyebrow, flashing me a knowing smirk.
Rolling my eyes, I stomped past him slipping between the crowd huddled on the huge porch.