Page 20 of Now and Again

Juliet looked down at herself. ‘My sister dressed me,’ she admitted.

Riley smiled. ‘She did a good job.’

Juliet seemed to relax. ‘Do you think so?’

‘Give her my number, I could do with some pointers,’ Riley joked, grabbing two beers. She handed one to Juliet. ‘Do you drink?’

Juliet shrugged. ‘Not really. But this is a party, isn’t it?’

‘That was kind of where I was at.’ Riley looked at her beer. ‘Actually, what I’d like is coffee. I’m so tired.’

Juliet put her beer down and smiled, that smile that lit up her face. ‘I’dlovea coffee.’

‘I’ll put the kettle on, then,’ Riley said, filling it up at the sink. Several people in the kitchen looked at her like she was weird. ‘Look, grandma’s having a nice cuppa!’ someone called. She paid them no mind.

Once she’d made two coffees, she handed one to Juliet and said, ‘It’s too warm in here. You wanna go outside and have these?’

***

Riley and Juliet were sitting on patio chairs next to a kidney-shaped outdoor pool, having their coffees. A few drinkers milled about, having their own chats on the other side of the pool. Riley felt a bit nervous suddenly. She didn’t really know Juliet, but she wanted to. That’s why she’d invited her to the party. That thing that had happened in English had been a bit uncomfortable. Riley had thought India was talking out of her arse before Juliet said it. And then she’d seen the horrible sharky way that India had looked at Juliet, and she’d been ashamed to call India a friend. She knew that India wasn’t the most empathetic person in the world, but she was usually pretty chill.

But Juliet? Riley didn’t know who she was, and she was growing more intrigued by the day. This was a real chance to get to know her. ‘So, your sister gave you some guidance, did she? You get on with her?’

‘She’s alright. I mean, we’ve never been that close. We’re pretty different.’

‘Yeah?’ Riley asked.

‘She’s erm, I don’t know… normal?’ Juliet said.

Riley chuckled. ‘Yeah, I know what you mean. I kind of feel that way about India.’

Juliet looked surprised. ‘Oh?’

‘Yeah, she’s a bit… You know, a bit…’ Riley considered the best way to put it. ‘It’s like that shit she said in class about money. She can be… She’s my oldest friend and everything but… she doesn’t alwaysthinkabout stuff,’ Riley admitted. She’d never said anything like this about India to anyone; everyone she knew was also a friend of India’s. But Juliet was outside the group. It was safe. It felt quite nice to be free of her incestuous social circle. ‘One time she told me she thought she could probably cure cancer if she had the time,’ Riley said.

Juliet guffawed. ‘Wow. Does the World Health Organisation know about this?’

Riley chuckled. ‘We can only hope they never find out. Because they’d be right on it, forcing her to invent that cancer cure. Which would be very hard on her because it would cutrightinto her workout time.’

Juliet laughed even harder. Riley liked seeing it. But too soon, she seemed to force herself to stop. It was sad to see that smile go.

Riley knew then she was developing quite the little crush. It wasn’t a big surprise. There had to be a reason she’d asked Juliet to come out tonight on the spur of the moment. Now they were here, Riley wondered if it could go anywhere. Sitting out on this porch, sipping coffee and laughing, it didn’t seem like such an outlandish idea.

‘Butyoudo, don’t you?’ Juliet said.

‘Do what?’ Riley asked.

‘Think about things,’ Juliet said, suddenly serious. Riley felt a bit naked under Juliet’s gaze. She thought she should make a joke, but it wasn’t what came out. ‘I like to think I do. Sometimes I worry I’m just as ignorant as India. But, like, maybe I’m too ignorant toknowthat I’m ignorant?’ she said with a light laugh to cover the fact she was saying something quite real.

Juliet looked at Riley seriously with that lovely smile back and said, ‘I wouldn’t go to India for reading recommendations, I’ll tell you that much.’

‘Not unless you like the kind of magazine that wants you to please your man,’ Riley joked.

Juliet laughed again. Riley felt like she was getting addicted to the sound. So she kept talking. For five whole minutes, she babbled on. Trying to be amusing, trying to be engaging, trying, trying, trying to keep Juliet’s attention. Eventually, she realised she’d fallen into a monologue. How embarrassing. Juliet must feel like Riley had with Jack. Just a mirror for her to preen into. Riley didn’t want to be that or make Juliet that. ‘So, tell me about you,’ she said.

Juliet raised an eyebrow. ‘Tell you what?’

‘Anything you like.’

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