The Heart Series: Complete Boxed Set (99 page)

I grabbed two beers on the way, handing one to Ollie, making our way over to the sofa in the corner. We flopped down and watched as everyone in the room became even more intoxicated. People were dancing and grinding their bodies hard against each other. The sexual tension was soaring high as they slowly made out in front of our eyes. They were all certain to be getting some action tonight and that thought made me jealous. Ollie chuckled beside me bringing my attention back to him as he pointed at the crazy dancing guy in the corner, going all out. I didn’t know who the hell he was, but he sure was providing us with some great entertainment.

We sat just chatting watching on in great amusement when Ollie got a text, he clicked it open and smiled. “My dad has given me the day off, so I get to be with you all day on your birthday, that’s if you want to hang out all day?”

“I can think of nothing better. You should come ’round in the morning when I’ll open my presents, much to my mother’s delight. Then we’ll be having a birthday breakfast of a huge fry up. We’ll go for dinner say around two-ish, if that’s okay with you?

“Fine, what time can I come around?”

“Say ten, give me time to get ready.” I winked, I always liked to look my best for my man. He rolled his eyes mockingly, and I shoved him playfully. He should know now my getting ready regime could not be rushed.

I drained the last of my beer and headed towards the toilet. I was praying no one had followed our example; I was hoping for a swift visit.

I quickly zipped up my fly and flushed, washing my hands before heading out the door, only to be shoved back in. Before I knew what the hell was happening a pair of lips locked with mine. I shoved Luke away pissed as hell that he’d had the audacity to force himself on me.

What the fuck?

“Fucking hell, Luke, what is your problem?” I growled.

“You’re my problem,” he slurred. His eyes stared deep into mine, but I could see he was struggling to maintain any kind of focus.

“What the hell do you mean by that?”

“You–you keep teasing me.”

“How the fuck did you come to that conclusion?” I asked, annoyed as hell that he would even think that.

“You know I like you,” he muttered.

“What?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at me, and I know you like me too.”

My eyes widened in horror. “Luke, I think you need to go have a coffee and try to sober up as you’re clearly not thinking straight.”

“I may be drunk, but what I’m saying is true. I know you like me. You’re just scared because I’m with Brianne. I like her, I really do, but I can’t help the feelings I have for you. I’ve been trying to ignore them, pushing them to one side and concentrating on your cousin, but every time I see you it just makes me want you more.” His confession made my stomach turn. I had no idea that his feelings went that deep.

“Does Brianne know you’re gay? Because I’m guessing not.”

“I’m not gay,” he protested, looking angry by my suggestion.

“Then what the fuck?”

“I’m bisexual.” He shrugged, like it was a small detail he had forgotten to mention.

“Have you been with other guys?” I needed to know just how far his deceit went when it came to my cousin.

“Yes and no.”

“Either you have or you haven’t, which is it?” I snapped, annoyed by the blaze approach he was taking.

“I have kissed a guy,” he finally admitted, dropping his eyes down.

“And that’s what you’re basing this on, one kiss?”

He had to be kidding me!

“I know how I feel,” he replied defensively, his eyes snapped up to meet my angry ones.

“I think you’re confused.” Right now, I was pretty sure he had no idea what he was feeling.

“I know what I want.” He made to walk towards me, but I pushed him away.

“Stay the fuck away from me,” I warned. I didn’t want him anywhere near me.

He frowned at my response. “Why? I know you like me too. I’ve seen the looks you give me. I know you think I’m attractive, Brianne told me.”

“You’re a cute guy, but I don’t fancy you that way. I’m with Ollie,” I protested, I had no desire to ever like Luke in that way. He had gotten it all wrong.

“He isn’t right for you.”

What the fuck?

“And how would you know?”

“I want to be with you. Just give me a chance. I know we could be good together. Please Elijah, give me this chance,” he pleaded, but each word just made me angrier.

“I can’t–I won’t. It’s Ollie I want to be with. I’d never jeopardise what we have. I more than like him. What you think we have has been blown up in your head. It’s all fantasy. I don’t like you that way, and I would never hurt my cousin. Do you know she’s falling for you? That she never willingly opens her hear to anyone, yet you come along and she does and now you’re going to break it.”

He signed looking guilty. “I know and I feel shit about it, but it’s not what I want.”

“Well, you’re not what I want. I choose Ollie, and if you have any decency you’ll finish with B and stop living this lie,” I urged. I wasn’t going to let him continue to string my cousin along. I would tell her myself if I had to.

“Elijah, please—I want this so bad. I need you. Just try,” he begged, urging me with his eyes to relent.

“No, I don’t want you. I have to go.” I made to walk forward, but he lunged and grabbed me, holding my face between his hands. “Please, for me, try. I see it there in your eyes, the truth. Stop lying.”

I shook my head away from his hands and stepped back bumping into the sink. Luke made to move forward again, but I pushed him back hard. He landed with a loud thump, banging his head hard against the wall. His eyes looked at me, sad at my reaction, but there was no reasoning with him. He just wouldn’t listen.

“I’m sorry, Luke, but no means no. Tell Brianne the truth, or I will do it for you.” I stormed out the bathroom and headed over to Ollie. He looked at me surprised by my red face.

“Are you okay? You don’t look so good.” he asked, immediately looking worried.

“I need to leave.” It was all too much. I had to get out of here before Luke tried anything else. The walls were closing in on me, and too many people, I could barely breathe.

“What’s wrong?” His eyes stared deep into mine full of concern and for a moment I wanted to tell him, to offload, but now wasn’t the right time.

“I just feel a little sick. I felt a little dizzy in the bathroom, too much alcohol,” I lied. Hoping it would be enough to end his questioning.

“Okay, let’s go then.” We grabbed our coats and made a swift exit. I heard my name called out in the distance, but I just kept on walking. I didn’t look back.

“Happy birthday to you,” my mother sang, opening my bedroom door.

Oh fuck. I was in hell.

I squinted as she towered over me and attempted a half smile, but my face didn’t seem to want to comply.

“Hey Mum,” I croaked, not adding any more. I’d barely had two hours sleep, after the night I’d had, sleep had completely evaded me, and I wasn’t surprised at all. I had gone over and over about telling B, but the thought of causing her pain every time was my stalling point. I’d have to tell Ollie too and that thought alone killed me.

“Now come on, lazy bones, get up and celebrate the day I spent sixteen hours in agony bringing you into this world.”

“Cheers, Mum, for the visual.” I grimaced.

She flung the cover back, I still didn’t attempt to move and groaned. “Alright, alright, I’m up, sheesh, I thought people got spoilt on their birthday, not tortured.”

“Oh quit the complaining and meet me downstairs once you’re showered and dressed,” she added with a smile.

I grumbled and nodded, and she left the room chuckling. I quickly gathered my things heading for a much needed shower.

* * *

The doorbell chimed, and my mother rushed to the door. She was very eager this morning. I didn’t want to put a downer on this day by my sour mood. I guess for the rest of the day I was fixing on a happy face and would deal with the fall out of what had happened tomorrow.

In walked Ollie several moments later with a card in hand. I could feel my face light up just at the sight of him. He always had the ability to brighten my day.

“Happy birthday.” He grinned, handing over the card. I quickly tore it open and smiled at the sweet sentiment he had written inside. The message gave me butterflies so much so I almost missed the gift card that had dropped onto my lap.

“You know you really shouldn’t have bothered, I’m just happy you got to be here on my birthday.” I made short work of the envelope and smiled at the fact he had taken notice of my regular haunts when it came to shopping. “Fifty pounds is way too much, Oll.” I frowned. I didn’t want him spending that kind of money on me.

“I know you have expensive taste and that boutique, well I had a look at some price tags and whoa.” It was true, but I loved that place. It was the main source of my spending. I had a part-time job working in a café bar two days a week, but it was my mother who kept my account regularly topped up. I think it was her way of making up for my dad’s absence. He still regularly sent money for my upkeep, but his lack of presence in my life overshadowed that part.

“Well thank you. I’m sure I will find something completely fabulous, and every time I wear it, I will smile at the fact it was a gift from my amazing boyfriend.”

Ollie grinned, no longer scared at that label and I couldn’t help but smile back, feeling happy we were in such a great place. I kept my thoughts from wandering to Luke. Not today, today was my birthday, and I’d enjoy every moment before I had to face the inevitable.

“You know I would have attempted to buy you something, but I know how select you are in your individual tastes.”

“Oh no, you chose right. I would just have returned it for something more appropriate.” I winked and Ollie gasped at my blatant openness.

“Wow Elijah, I can’t believe you just openly admitted that.”

“Oh please, do you know how many things I’ve returned that B gave me?”

“I don’t want to ask.” He laughed and shook his head.

“The weird thing is she’s never noticed. She never was that observant so I just keep returning. Thank god for store credit.”

“She’s never once asked?” He looked surprised.

“There was one time she commented on a top she bought me, and I just lied saying I’d stained it so it was ruined, and well, she fell for it. I did feel a little bad for lying, but trust me, if you saw the top you would have sympathised.”

“Wonder what she’ll get you today?” Ollie asked and I grimaced.

“Oh god knows, I dread to think.” My eyes widened just at the thought of it.

“Well I’m pleased I took the safe route then,” he added, poking his tongue out in jest.

I was glad he had too.

“See that’s why we’re good together because you know me so well in such a short space of time.” I smiled, every day I could feel myself falling a little deeper.

“I want to know you better,” he added, making me smile.

“I’m sure that can be arranged.” I leaned in for a kiss, and he met me halfway.

Oh happy birthday to me.

“Ahem.” We jumped apart the moment my mother cleared her throat. I could have cursed her breaking our moment together.

“I hate to break this happy moment up.”

“Well you decided to anyway,” I muttered sarcastically as Ollie chuckled.

“But breakfast is ready.”

A huge smile crept over my face. My mother wasn’t one to fry a breakfast always wanting to go down the healthier route, but each birthday she made the exception, which I loved her for.

“Oh lord, I am starving. Lead the way, Mother, I could eat a horse.”

She frowned at my expression, but she knew it was all in jest. Ollie chuckled behind me, and I heard his stomach emit a small rumble behind me signalling he was more than ready too.

I grabbed his hand seating him beside me. We scooped up the cutlery ready to devour each delicious morsel that was sat in front of us.

“Mmmm,” was all I could say in between bites, and Ollie agreed too. We didn’t take long to clear our plates. Sitting back, we sipped on our coffees, smiling in satisfaction.

The doorbell chimed again and I laughed, here was B. My mother answered the door, and she barrelled in present in hand, full of smiles. “Happy birthday, E.” She kissed me on the cheek, thrusting the present at me.

I smiled staring down at it, wondering what delights were beneath the paper. Ollie looked at me in wonder as my fingers tore open the present. After a few seconds, I pulled out a pair of leopard print pyjamas. I just stared at them in silence.

“Do you love them, E?” B finally asked as the silence grew.

“Wow, they are so fierce,” was all I could reply.

“Right? I know you always like to be fabulous so when I saw them I thought you could be fabulous in bed too.” She winked and I kept the fixed smile on my face.

Ollie’s face was priceless, but it changed the moment B looked at him turning from a look of disgust to a hasty smile.

“Aren’t they so E, Ollie?”

“Oh yeah,” he murmured unable to say anything else.

“I always buy good gifts.” She winked and I almost choked on my coffee, little did she know. “Is there any bacon or sausage to spare, Auntie Pam? Please don’t tell me I missed the birthday brunch?”

“No, I kept a couple of sausages warming in the oven for you. Sit down and I’ll get you a coffee too,” she insisted.

“Err who’s birthday is this?” I asked, watching B get looked after.

“Oh shut up, E, a girl needs to eat.”

“You don’t do anything but.” I snorted. That was a fact.

Her reply was to lob a cushion at my face, but thanks to a quick reaction, I grabbed it saving myself from a mouthful of cotton.

“Alright, sheesh, no need to get violent about it.”

“Well no one comes between me and my food,” she huffed.

“Don’t I know it!”

“Do you want a slap?” she asked sarcastically. There was a part of me that knew she wasn’t kidding.

“Come on, Oll, let’s leave little miss cranky to eat alone.” We needed to get out of here and snatch a little bit of privacy.

“Don’t forget your pyjamas, E,” she called after me.

“Oh wow, can’t believe I almost forgot those,” I muttered sarcastically, snatching them up.

“Top birthday present or what?” She winked.

I didn’t answer. I didn’t trust what would come out of my mouth. Opening up the door to my bedroom, I threw down the offending articles onto the bed.

“I see what you mean about her taste.” Ollie laughed hard falling onto the bed and snatched them up. “They will look good on you though.”

“Don’t you start—”

I loved B, I really did, but her taste was beyond bizarre. How could we be so different in that way? We were so alike in some things yet different in others.

“Sorry, let me give you a birthday kiss to cheer you up.”

“Well that’s an offer I can’t refuse.” I smiled, eager to feel his lips on mine. We were more than enjoying our private moment together when an unannounced B barged through the door minutes later. I guess it didn’t take long to devour her sausage sandwich. She must have inhaled it. We quickly sprang apart as she laughed at the awkwardness of it all.

“Ever heard of knocking, B? Jesus,” I fumed, not happy by her unwelcoming appearance.

“Now where would be the fun in that?” She flounced down on the bed and made herself comfortable.

Ollie frowned and I could understand why, all I wanted was to have my lips on his for the next hour. It wasn’t too much to ask, it was my birthday after all.

“So what are we doing for the rest of the day?” B asked, grabbing a copy of Cosmo as she started flicking through.

“Well, we are going for my birthday lunch at two.”

“So that leaves what three hours?” she asked looking at her watch.

I sighed in despair; I guess she was tagging along all day then. I put on some music and we sat and chatted until an hour later when my mother shouted for us to come down to receive my big birthday present. I looked on in great intrigue as she handed me the large box. She grinned and I wondered what the hell was inside. It was heavy. I made little time tearing the paper to bits to find it was a MacBook laptop.

“You did not!” I all but squealed.

“Yep,” she grinned.

“But this is too expensive, how could you?”

“Hey, your dad chipped in for half. I told him you’ve been looking for a laptop as your other is on its last leg. So here it is,” she explained reassuringly.

“Wow, you are the best.” I hugged her hard and she giggled. When I pulled back I could see the tears forming in her eyes. “I’m so lucky to have you as my son, all grown up. You know you make me proud every day.”

“Mum—” I could barely talk through the tears. “I don’t know how I was ever blessed to have a mother like you, but I’m thankful every day.”

“Oh don’t. You’re going to make me cry even more.” She batted me away playfully.

“It’s true.” I kissed her cheek. “You are my hero. I love you with all my heart.”

“Oh god, I think I’m going to puke,” B muttered.

We both stared over at her now pretending to gag at our little outburst of emotion.

“Oh shut it, ice queen, just because you’re immune to affection.”

“Oh whatever, Elijah,” she huffed, rolling her eyes.

“Do you want a hug? Will that make you smile, thaw that ice of yours a little?” I enquired, knowing the reaction it would invoke.

“Stay the hell away from me,” she warned, pursing her lips.

“Oh no, I think you need a hug.”

“Elijah, I am warning you—”

I lunged at her, pinning her down on the sofa as she screamed for me to get off her, but I ignored her pleas and cuddled her. After several moments, she stopped writhing and cuddled me back.

“Happy birthday, E,” she finally said.

“Thanks.” I pushed myself up and wandered over to Ollie who was busy setting up my laptop.

“Hey, you don’t have to do that.”

He shrugged and continued. I smiled running my fingers over the shiny metal case. My old Mac laptop was ready to die a death, so this had come at just the right time. I smiled looking at the screensaver on my phone of Ollie and me together. I knew I wanted that on my laptop too.

“Can you make this my screensaver?” I asked, passing the phone and connection cord to him so he could upload it.

He smiled staring at it for a few seconds. “Sure,” he finally said. We headed back to my room, Ollie began transferring all my school work over. Whereas I got down to more important matters like purchasing an amazing cover. I was going for something blingy, eye catching. I wanted this computer to be as equally fabulous as I was.

My mother shouted for me to come down not long after. I headed into the kitchen where she held the phone out to me.

“It’s your dad,” she mouthed.

My eyes widened and I shook my head not wanting to speak, but she pushed the phone into my hands and urged me with her eyes to do this.

I scowled and narrowed my own, she smiled at the fact I had conceded to her pleas.

“Hey Dad,” I said reluctantly. I was not up to having a conversation with him. This was my day, and I didn’t want him spoiling it.

“Elijah . . . err, happy birthday, son.” His voice sounded a little shaky, which surprised me.

“Thanks.”