Off Limits Read online

  “It’s Angela.”

  “Nice to meet you, Angela,” I repeated, smiling as Luke hugged his mother and explained he’d be back later. It was a little bit cute that he didn’t care about showing her affection in front of me.

  “Catch you later, mum.”

  I practically sank into Luke’s car seat. “How is this so much comfier than mine? Can we switch cars?”

  “You’ve got no chance. This thing is my pride and joy. We can’t really afford it at all, but it worked out cheaper than the bus to and from school every day would have been. My mum stopped driving so I could have a car since she can walk to work.” He played with the dials on the front. “Besides, the heating kind of sucks. It’s unbearable in the summer when it takes half an hour for the air-con to get going.”

  “Yeah, I shouldn’t be able to afford mine, either, but my mum sets aside the child support for me to have it. My dad doesn’t work, that’s another reason it’s been so rough for him to move out.”

  Aside from being in maths that one year, Luke and I had never needed to have a real conversation before. I wouldn’t have said we’d bonded over what happened to our parents, but I certainly felt more comfortable talking to him about it than Phoebe. Her family was just so perfect all the time that she couldn’t possibly understand. That much was obvious when she insisted I should forgive my mum.

  “Yeah, that sucks.”

  It would have sucked less if he’d been able to swallow his pride and just get a job that was below his qualifications.

  We didn’t really talk much more, other than to jab a few insults around and explore more of what made our parents’ divorce so shitty. Mine was nothing compared to Luke’s. He’d had it beyond difficult and it made me feel bad for sounding so over the top about how miserable I was. I probably couldn’t have coped in his position.

  “I’ll pick you up for school at like half eight,” Luke instructed when we were back outside my house. “Please don’t be late. I’m quite sure it can’t take you that long to get ready considering the end result, anyway.”

  I fake laughed and gave him the finger as I hopped out of the car. “Thanks for the lift though, seriously. I really didn’t want to have to drive that.”

  “It’s no problem. See you tomorrow.”

  Back in my own house, I was forced to deal with my mother. She turned off the TV the moment I walked into the house – we didn’t have a nice little hallway, so I couldn’t sneak upstairs without someone seeing me. My front door opened straight into the living room.

  “Sit down,” she ordered, fixing me with a withering glare. “We need to talk.”

  “I really don’t want to talk,” I denied, taking the seat anyway. Maybe we just needed to have it out with each other and we could move on with limited contact. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

  “Who was that boy?”

  “That was Phoebe’s boyfriend, Luke. I’m just teaching him German.”

  “Luke, Luke?”

  “Yes.”

  “Your relationship has drastically improved since the last time you talked to me about him, then?” She raised a sceptical eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re not trying to hide that you’re really in the relationship?”

  “Do you want me to go on Facebook and show you their relationship status, or will you actually believe what I’m saying? I definitely don’t like Luke.”

  She sighed, “I really don’t want to fall out with you, I just don’t want you having a boy upstairs that… that you’re intimate with. That’s the rule and it always has been.”

  She’d never met my boyfriends and she had no idea how intimate I’d been with any of them. I hid my birth control pill well. “You don’t have anything to worry about. You know I hate Luke, I’m making sure he doesn’t fail for Phoebe’s benefit and even that was through blackmail.”

  “Well, that’s okay, then, but we still need to talk – about your father.”

  I sat in silence, really weighing up whether I wanted to do this or not.

  “I know that you’re angry with me, but you have to understand-”

  “No, I don’t have to understand,” I stood up and ran a hand through my hair. “I don’t have to understand at all. Goodnight, mum.”

  Maybe one day, but right now I didn’t want to hear excuses. My dad had left less than six hours ago and I wasn’t ready to forgive the bitch that had kicked her out quite yet.

  Chapter Three

  I cursed when my tights caught on a floor tack stuck in the stairs. I’d ruined so many pairs of tights this way and given myself plenty of cuts, too. I almost regretted never starting a tally when I was younger. Still, I was running late and so I’d have to hope the ladder didn’t get too big. If I was sent home for bad uniform, then I’d be mightily pissed off.

  The wings on my eyeliner were less than even and I was quite sure I’d stained my blouse with toothpaste, but that was what happened when you drank on a school night. Especially when you drank on a school night because of something miserable happening. My head was pounding and I just wanted to go back to bed.

  Dealing with Luke was the last thing I wanted right now.

  I’d given myself enough time for breakfast, though. Sacrificing my appearance for a bacon sandwich would have been completely worth it.

  My mum was bustling around the kitchen herself and I was beyond tempted to ask her to make me one. My mum made the best bacon sandwiches I’d ever had. It was her appearance that really stopped me. “Going somewhere?” I asked bitterly, taking in the over the top necklace and attempt to curl her thinning hair.

  “Just in to town to pick up some stuff.”

  “You really don’t have to lie to me. Believe it or not, I’m actually not an idiot.”

  She was going to meet her fella and she had the audacity to lie to me about it. I could at least have respected her if she’d admitted that she was going to meet the guy who’d caused my dad to leave. “I’m going on a date with Graham. We’re going to a lunchtime performance at the theatre.”

  “Well, I really hope you enjoy yourself whilst my dad’s trying to find somewhere to live.”

  I stalked out of the room with my backpack and an apple, unable to converse with her any longer. Slamming the front door, I took a seat on the kerb.

  And now I had to sit and wait here for fifteen minutes before Luke got here. I was surprised my mum hadn’t asked about the lack of car, but I probably hadn’t given her a chance.

  Sitting by myself hadn’t chilled me out. If anything, it had made everything even worse. My anger had festered into a god-awful mood and I really wanted to kick something. It was all so horribly unfair.

  Luke fixed me with a questionable look when he pulled up. “I’m not late.”

  “Yes, I was early. I didn’t want to be in the house with her anymore.”

  “Ah, fair enough,” and that was the end of that conversation. I turned the music up to full blast and didn’t care that it made my pounding headache a thousand times worse. At least I wouldn’t really fall out with Luke this way.

  Luke didn’t try to talk to me, either. Silence was the most effective.

  At school, Luke noticed my tights. “You’re going to get sent home for uniform, I’d bet you anything.” The ladder had already climbed to the back of my knee.

  “Whatever. It’s not like my mum will be in, she’s going to the theatre.” I pulled out my mocking posh voice. “If I ever see them together, I’ll probably flip.”

  Luke rubbed the back of his head, grateful when a football came whizzing towards him. He caught it with ease, kicking it back to the red-headed guy walking our way. “Are you playing in the match tonight?” Jamie asked, narrowly swerving the ball out of the path of a car.

  “Nope, can’t do it tonight. Next week, though, for sure.”

  “Damn, that sucks. It’s a lost game, anyway, we’re playing the top of the league. Oh, hey Carmen.”

  I gave him a small wave whilst retrieving my backpack from the car and
allowing Luke to lock the door.

  “I hate playing the games that are a guaranteed loss. It always seems so pointless.”

  “What are you doing together, anyway? Managed to get over being at each other’s throats all day long?”

  I smirked, “I realised Luke isn’t the same self-obsessed, idiotic jerk I always knew.”

  Luke wrapped an arm around my shoulder, dragging him into my side. “Yeah, and I realised Carmen isn’t the same moody, sarcastic bitch that I always thought she was.”

  “Ah, I’ll take that as a no, then.”

  “Phoebe’s making me teach him German because he sucks so bad at it,” I explained, taking a step away from Luke before I got too comfortable.

  “Ah, well, I guess that sucks for all parties, then. Oh, shit, got to go and hand in an assignment before the bell rings. I was already late handing it in. Catch you later, mate. Good to see you, Carmen,” he flashed me a toothy grin before jogging off in the other direction.

  Luke blinked. “I didn’t realise you had some kind of man-eater charm I’m apparently immune to.”

  My cheeks burned, much to my distaste. “I definitely don’t. He was just being friendly.”

  “Yeah, right. He’s my best friend, I think I know.”

  “Wait,” my face lost all colour in an instant and the meagre contents of my stomach swirled unpleasantly. “Please tell me that’s not the same car.”

  I didn’t even want to point at it, but Luke followed my line of sight and his own teasing smile faded. “I think it is. It’s at least very similar. I mean, it’s probably just very similar, right?”

  Maybe my paranoia hadn’t been so unfounded after all.

  “We should take its number plate,” Luke managed a rational thought whilst I panicked. “Read it to me.”

  I did, barely able to see the numbers considering the distance. I still couldn’t see whoever was inside, but it was definitely a guy. Or, a girl with really short hair and a big build.

  “It’s the same car, I’m sure it is.” There was no way this was a coincidence. A rundown blue Ford following us last night and then one turning up outside school. “He really wants something with us. What are we supposed to do?”

  Luke was fidgeting and really trying not to turn around to outright stare at the car. “I really don’t know. I should go over there and demand to know what the fuck he’s doing.”

  “Should we go to the police?”

  “He really hasn’t done anything yet, we don’t even know if it’s the same car.”

  Our conversation was interrupted by Phoebe, but she had no idea as to the tension. “Hi guys. Best friends already, I can see?”

  I was in the mood to only grunt a response and give some excuse about how I needed to hand some work in before school started. Jamie’s appearance had been useful, at least.

  Chapter Four

  I’d just about calmed down by the end of the school day – the distractions of general school life were enough to keep my mind occupied. As soon as the bell ran, though, my uneasy paranoia had returned. If the car was there, I probably wouldn’t have been able to keep my cool.

  Thankfully, it wasn’t and I could listen to Phoebe’s ramblings about the people in her dance class that I’d never met. It was easy to just nod along and I welcomed not having to actually think up a response. “That’s really terrible,” I agreed, hoping I’d heard right. “Cheating on her boyfriend like that.”

  “I know!” Phoebe agreed, throwing up her hands. “I couldn’t believe it when she told me. She sounded so pleased with herself, too. Proper fucked up. Are you in your own car today?”

  “Erm, no Luke gave me a lift. Do you know where he is, by the way? I think we’re doing more shitty German today.”

  Phoebe blinked, “wow, you really did click, then?” There was only the tiniest hint of suspicion in her voice. I’d known Luke longer than she had and we’d always had a relationship, even if it was a poor one.

  “Yeah, it was all dark and stuff and I didn’t know the way back to my house. We figured it was just easier this way.”

  Phoebe snatched the sleeve of my blouse, eyebrows having shot up. “Are you saying you went to his house?”

  I cringed. Of course I’d been stupid enough to screw that up the day after he’d told me. Luke wouldn’t want to look at me ever again. “Ah,” I dragged the word out. “Not really, I just dropped him off outside. I didn’t go in or anything.” That might have been a suitable lie. Or it might have been suitable to just go with the truth and stop Luke’s ridiculous lies in their tracks. He was being stupid about the whole situation – Phoebe was my best friend as I wasn’t the wealthiest woman in the neighbourhood.

  It didn’t stop Phoebe’s shoulders slumping. “I don’t even know where his house is. I don’t know why he’s been so secretive about it all.”

  I shrugged, trying desperately to think of a way out of the situation. I should have just outright lied, now Luke was going to have to put up with so much rubbish.

  Not that I should ever care what happened to Luke over what happened to Phoebe. The fact Luke was making me feel better about my current problem didn’t just erase the years of friendship I’d had with Phoebe. She was my best friend and he was a temporary comfort. At least, I attempted to drill that into my brain.

  “I don’t know either, I’m sure he has a reason, though. He’ll probably take you there soon.”

  “I’ll just have to pester him some more,” she decided resolutely and I could only groan mentally. Of course she would. “Anyway, I’ve got to head off to dancing so I’m glad you don’t need a lift from me. Luke had PE last, so I’m sure he’ll be a bit late.”

  “Right, thanks,” it would be best to just wait by his car, then. “Have a good practice.”

  I couldn’t stand still waiting by Luke’s car. I should tell him now so that he didn’t get Phoebe’s badgering dropped on him later. But then the entire car ride would be painful.

  Luke had appeared before I’d made up my decision and I’d apparently not controlled my expression very well. “What have you done?”

  There was no point in lying now. “I kind of told Phoebe that I’d been to your house. Well, actually I told her that I’d dropped you off, I didn’t mention that I’d met your mum or anything.” I looked up at him with a wince, really hoping he wouldn’t be too mad.

  Then I wondered why I cared. This was the kind of thing I’d have done without a second thought if it wasn’t Phoebe – sabotaging Luke because it was the way our relationship had always worked.

  Either my opinion towards Luke that had changed, or I was too much of a mess to be thinking coherently. It wasn’t wrong to have changed my opinion because we now shared a messy family life, was it?

  I was sure it would be back to normal and we’d be at each other’s throats in no time.

  “Please tell me you’re joking,” I was dragged from my weird thoughts by Luke’s angry figure looming over me. “I expressly said not to.”

  “I didn’t mean to! I’m not good at lying to my best friend, I don’t exactly have a lot of practice with it.”

  He waved a dismissive hand. “Whatever, let’s just get you home. I really want to spend as little time with you as possible. Telling you anything was such a horrid idea.”

  I slipped into the passenger seat and felt incredibly guilty. Or maybe I just felt sad that I was going to have to suffer silence for the next half an hour.

  And silent it was. Luke didn’t even put on the radio, he just drummed his fingers in an irritating tune against the steering wheel and forced me to stare out the window and consider apologising again.

  “Right, you can find your way back now, then?”

  I’d been too pre-occupied with deciding what to do about the awkward atmosphere that I hadn’t paid any attention to the route. “Whereabouts is the chippy you’re working at?” I asked instead, putting off the second berating at my inability to memorise a few roads.

  “Chesterfield, tho
ugh I really don’t know why you’re asking. Just hurry up and go away, please.”

  “Look, do you want me to help you out with your German, or not? I need to go and buy some mascara, so just let me come with you and I’ll help you out during the drive. Cool?”

  Luke was really loathed to accept my offer, but he sighed and turned his engine back on. “Fine. I really wish I didn’t need your help. What did Pheebs say, anyway?”

  I winced. “She just said she was going to pester you and stuff. I’m really sorry about that, she was being all weird and kind of jealous about it and I was being defensive, it just kind of slipped out.”