B Crowhurst

Chapter 1

Abbie

I sit in my last class of the day listening to the rain fall against the window. English Lit is usually my favourite class, but today my mind is wandering. Something about the sound and smell of fresh rain always distracts me. It’s so mesmerising. I tune back into my teacher in time to hear her ask the class;

“Had Romeo and Juliet known their fate, do you think they would have still begun their romance?”

I stop and think about that for a minute, bringing my mind back to task. That’s a superb question, isn’t it? Would you embark on a great love affair if you knew ultimately it would end both your lives? Would you even have a choice? I try to imagine what it would be like to be that in love with someone; so in love that you would rather die than live without them. The hopeless romantic half of me thinks I would like to find out one day. The overthinking anxious half is terrified of the idea.

“Class dismissed” I hear the teacher announce from the front of the room. I realise I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts I didn’t even hear if anyone answered her question.

“Where you at today, Abz?” My best friend gets up from her desk next to mine and looks at me with concerned blue eyes. My real name is Abbie, but Louisa has called me Abz for as long as I can remember.

“Sorry, I’m just really tired, I guess.” I shrug as I lift my backpack over my shoulder and walk out with Louisa. “The end of term can’t come quick enough; these deadlines are killing me!”

“You give yourself way too much of a hard time, you know? Cut yourself some slack and try to have fun. F-U-N remember that?” She stretches the word and widens her eyes to emphasise her point. I roll my eyes at her, but really, I wish I could be more like Louisa. She’s so carefree and always smiling. She never really worries about anything, and she’s so confident. I wish I could be that way too. Me, however, I am a painful overthinker and self-critic. I set my own bar so incredibly high that I can never reach it and spend most of my time beating myself up for it.

“You are still coming tonight, aren’t you?” Louisa senses my hesitation and sticks out her bottom lip whilst making sad eyes at me.

“I don’t know Lou, I’ve got so much work to do, I…” She interrupts me before I can think of any more reasons not to go to the party with her.

“Abbie Grace Daniels, you promised me you would come with me to this party! It's going to be the best one of the year! Everyone is going to be there!” She stops walking in the middle of the corridor and puts her hands on her hips, almost tripping over a group of Year Nines coming along behind her.

“Fine,” I say as I blow out a defeated breath. “You full named me, so I know better than to argue with you. I'll be there.”

“Perfect, I'll pick you up at eight.” With that Louise turns and walks down the corridor sporting a face-splitting grin with her brown curls bouncing as she goes. Damn, I really do need to stay home and finish my assignment. I let out a sigh as I headed out the door. What will I even wear?

Just after eight, I hear Louisa pull up outside my house and sound her horn to let me know she's here. I take one last look in the mirror before I turn to pick up my bag. I settled on a pair of dark, snug jeans with black heels and a simple black halter neck top that has an open back. My dark blonde hair is down and hangs in loose waves below my shoulders. I don't wear a lot of make-up generally, but tonight I have a single sweep of black eyeliner across each lid and light lip gloss. I feel satisfied that I have achieved feminine but understated. I'm not one to draw attention to myself or the way I look. Most of the parties I've been to before are full of girls who are trying way too hard with their short skirts, cleavage-enhancing bras and foundation so thick you could dent it with your finger.

“Tell me again why you're so excited about this party?” I ask Louisa as we pull into the enormous driveway and park the car.

“Because this is Harry’s house from Sociology class and his parents are out of town. He’s invited the whole of Year Twelve! Rumour is he has a pool in the back garden!” She literally bounces up and down in the driver's seat with excitement. “I bet he'll have booze here and everything...not that I'll be drinking, obviously!” she says as she jangles the car keys at me.

I think I like the sound of tonight less and less the more Louisa tells me. “Just don't hook up with some guy and abandon me again like last time.” I grumble as we get out of the car. I look over at Louisa as she silently crosses her heart before confidently striding toward the house.

I look up at the enormous house in front of me. It is spectacular. Harry's parents are clearly loaded. I think I heard someone say once that his parents are both lawyers which is probably just as well. With all the things I've heard about Harry's parties, he may well need a good lawyer one day!

These types of parties are a fairly regular occurrence at our school. It’s quite prestigious and so there are many kids whose parents have an abundance of money and incredible houses but are never around to parent their rogue teens and so these wild house parties are the consequence. I am not one of these kids. I had to work my butt off to get into this school and my parents carry the burden of the fees around their necks so I continue to work my butt off to prove I deserve my place. I never used to even dream of attending these parties but as the school year went on Louisa has worn me down and I have tagged along with her for the last few.

“Hurry up Abz!” She yells. I do my best to keep up with her without falling in my heels on the gravel driveway. As we approach the front door, I can tell the party is already in full swing. The music is blaring so loud it makes my chest thump. The house is stunning inside but smells of beer and teenage boys. I stare up at the incredible chandelier above us in the hallway. Their hallway is bigger than my lounge! Louisa links her arm with mine and drags me towards the kitchen as she squeals and waves at some guys she knows. I internally eye roll. This is going to be exactly like last time.

Several hours later I am sitting outside by the pool. Yes, the rumours were true. There is indeed a pool. I haven't seen Louisa for over an hour. Typical. I chatted with a few friends from my Psychology class earlier in the night before almost everyone at the party got too drunk to hold a proper conversation. Now I'm just bored. I've known pretty much everyone at this party since we all started school five years ago. Most of them I have no desire to stay in touch with once school is over and we all go off into the big wide world. Louisa is different, we have been friends since nursery. We are not at all alike but maybe that's why we work.

I look around the garden and breathe in the night air. The garden itself is beautiful with fairy lights in the trees and modern sculptures dotted across the lawn. Right now its beauty is ruined by the rowdy, drunken group of boys throwing each other in the pool and the multiple steamy make-out sessions that are taking place on various garden loungers. You know the type of drunk teenage snogging that is just a big messy grope fest? Then a fistfight breaks out over by the kegs, it would seem Jenny from Politics has been flirting again and her boyfriend Steve starts throwing punches. Nothing ever changes.

I decide to walk to the far end of the garden to try and get away from the noise and clear my head. I had a beer earlier which is now starting to take effect. I notice a gap in the perfectly manicured hedge that seems to lead to another part of the garden. As I put more distance between myself and the loud music, I feel much better. I really can't stand dance music. Totally not my scene. I follow the gravel path that leads away from the main garden and down a few steps. I'm glad no one can see me as I must look ridiculous trying to navigate these steps in my heels. These shoes were a mistake. It's then I realise I can hear an acoustic guitar playing. Now we're talking! Where is that coming from? I round the corner of the hedged pathway and find it opens into a beautiful courtyard with an oak tree in the middle. More fairly lights hang in its branches and lanterns decorate the edge of the space.

That's when I see him. The most incredible pair of chocolate eyes look up at me from under an unruly mop of tousled brown hair. The guitar music stops just as I realise that Mr chocolate eyes was the one playing the guitar. He's sitting on a bench under the tree with the guitar on his lap. A tight black t-shirt that makes no secret of his more than adequate biceps and a pair of faded jeans hug all the right places. I swallow hard and press my lips together to make sure my jaw hasn't hit the floor. Then just when I thought the view couldn't get any better his face breaks into the most breath-taking smile I've ever seen. I think I forget to breathe for a second and my heart adopts a new rhythm all of its own.

“Not your kind of thing either, eh?” he asks, not letting the smile fade from his lips. I think your exactly my kind of thing. I say to myself. Then I realise that although my brain is doing overtime, my lips and face are doing absolutely nothing. I have been rendered a silent, gawking idiot. He lets out a small chuckle and says “The party music I mean.”

“Right, yea of course. Err no not really, it's not my kind of music.” I stammer as I try to string a coherent sentence together.

“And what is your kind of music …?” he stands and reaches to shake my hand as he waits for me to fill in the end of his question with my name. His eyes twinkle and that smile takes my breath away all over again.

“Abz. Well Abbie, Abbie Grace Daniels.” I clarify as I take a step forward to take his hand.

“Lovely to meet you, Abbie Grace Daniels.” He says as he takes my hand and shakes it. A shock of electricity starts at my palm where his hand holds mine and runs right through my body straight to my groin. Holy shit, what was that? He's so close I can smell his aftershave and it makes me dizzy.

“I'm Jake Greyson.” He looks straight at me with those deep brown eyes and smiles again. I nod in response shyly at him as he releases my hand and I take a step back to try and regain some control over my senses. Get it together Abz! I mentally chastise myself for my appalling lack of coherence.

“So, you haven't answered my question yet.” He looks at me with a hint of amusement dancing around his lips. Oh God how embarrassing, he must get this reaction from girls all the time. I mean look at him! I subtly clear my throat and swallow. Talk to him, you idiot! I am literally screaming at myself inside to do something other than stand and stare at his beautiful face.

Before I know what's happening, words just start pouring out of my mouth.

“I'm sorry, I had a beer earlier and I think it went straight to my head and so I came out to get some air and get away from the music and all the idiots in there but these shoes are killing me- I really should not have listened to Louisa. Then I heard your guitar and wanted to see where it was coming from and then I was so surprised that I was a bit speechless and now… oh my god I'm completely rambling and can't shut up apparently.” You. Fucking. Idiot.

Jake laughs and flicks the hair out of his eyes. He puts one hand on my shoulder. There goes that lightning bolt of electricity again. “Well, Abbie that was a lot of information for a guy to take in in one go.” He beams that megawatt smile at me again and I think he is genuinely amused at my idiocy rather than irritated.

I let out a sigh and bite my bottom lip. Something I do when I'm nervous apparently. Louisa pointed it out to me before our mock exams last year.

“Can we start over?” I peer up at him shyly from under my lashes and I realise how much taller than me he is, even with these stupid heels on.

“Hi, I'm Abbie and I am definitely not crazy, despite how it may seem, and in answer to your question I love Indie rock mostly.” I hold my breath and wait for a response.

“Me too,” he says and holds my gaze for a second longer than necessary. “Would you like to sit with me?” He gestures to the bench for me to take a seat and then sits on the other side with his guitar back in place on his knee.

I start to relax ever so slightly and regain some sensible thought processes. No easy task when I can’t get past how hot he is.

“So where are you from Jake? I've known everyone at this party forever but I've never seen you before.” I would definitely remember. I add in my head.

“I just finished school in London, I was in a pretty good music programme there. Harry's family have been friends with my dad since we were little so we’ve come for the summer.” A flicker of emotion crosses his face but it's so quick I'm not sure what it was.

He starts to play the guitar and I instantly recognise the song. “I love this song.” I smile as I watch his fingers work their magic.

“Well, you’re full of surprises Abbie Grace Daniels.” He doesn't stop playing but he looks right at me and smiles a sexy lopsided grin. “No one has ever heard of this song.” He looks impressed. All I can think about is how sexy it is to hear him say my full name.

“Carry on, it's amazing”. I sit and watch him transfixed while he plays the rest of the song. I can't quite believe the surreal situation I find myself in. I watch quietly, drinking him in. I get totally lost in the moment listening to the guitar, watching his expert fingers strum the strings, marvelling at the way his arms flex in his t-shirt as he plays. I realise then that the song is over and he has finished playing. He puts his hand on the fretboard to still the strings as he looks at me.

“It's getting kind of cold out here. Want to go and get a drink?” I shiver as he asks me but I’m pretty sure it’s not from the cold.

“Sounds great but please don't laugh at me trying to walk along the path in these shoes. They were a major error in judgement.”

I am embarrassed just thinking about trying to walk in them in front of him. Before I realise what's happening Jake has dropped to his knees in front of me.

“Well, I'll just have to carry them for you.” He gives me that look again, up through his unruly hair. That look of melted chocolate that turns my insides to molten lava. And just like that, I have lost all ability to think or speak again. He gently starts to take off my left shoe. His fingers brush along my ankle as he undoes the buckle and then down the top of my foot as he slides my shoe off. Holy fucking shit. I can feel my toes curling and my heart racing. This has to be the single most erotic moment of my life so far. Granted my experiences in this area so far have been non-existence but still. He then repeats the action again with the other shoe, all the while his eyes never leave mine. I think I’ve forgotten to breathe this whole time.

“Let's get you that drink, shall we?” he asks as he stands up with his guitar over one shoulder and my black heels in his hand. I nod and stand up before realising that I have to get over the gravel path barefoot before we get to the grass again.

“Err Jake...” Just as I'm about to point out my predicament, he comes to the same realisation at the exact same time and a mischievous grin spreads over his face.

“Not a problem.” He says and he picks me up in one swift movement and throws me over his shoulder fireman style! I squeal in shock and laugh uncontrollably as he marches down the path with me unceremoniously hanging over his shoulder. Thank God I didn’t wear a skirt! I can't help but notice how his pecks feel against my thighs, he is rock solid.

Once he gets to the grass, he gently sets me down on my feet. As I straighten up his face is only inches from mine. He's so close I can feel his breath on my lips. I look into those beautiful eyes and hold my breath as I become only too aware of his hand on my lower back where he put me down. It feels like heat is radiating from the point where our bodies meet and it’s like nothing I've ever experienced before.

“Aaaabbz!!” Louisa's high-pitched screaming breaks through the magic of the moment. Jake reluctantly moves his hand and steps away as I turn to see what has got my friend in such a frenzy. I tear my eyes away from Jake and turn to see Louisa marching across the grass towards me with her bag and mine tucked under her arm.

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” she scolds. “Where were you?” She doesn’t even seem to notice Jake standing there which tells me something is definitely wrong. Louisa always notices a good-looking guy. “You know what, it doesn’t matter. We have to go. Come on!” She starts to pull me by the arm back towards her car.

“Wait, what? Why? What’s going on?” I’m asking Louisa but my eyes are on Jake. I don’t want to leave, not now.

“Someone tipped the police off about the party. There was a complaint about the noise and now they’re on their way. We can’t be caught here with alcohol when they do Abz! You know my dad will kill me!” She tries to pull me toward the car as she explains.

I know she’s right. My parents would be less than impressed if they knew this party had no parents present and copious amounts of alcohol. I don’t turn seventeen for another few weeks, I’m one of the youngest in the year.

Reluctantly I take one last look at Jake and give him a weak smile as I take my shoes from him.

“Sorry, we really have to go.” I feel a sudden sense of panic that I may never see him again. The thought of that is almost worse than the fear of getting in trouble. This is crazy, I only just met him!

We turn and run across the grass back to the car. As Louisa starts the engine and pulls away, I look back and see that Jake is still watching me. His eyes never leave mine as we drive away. He runs his hands through his hair as he watches and an emotion I can’t place crosses his face. Bye Jake.