Page 78 of Challenge
The four of us commandeer the corner picnic table that is now littered with empty beer bottles and a pizza we all shared. The band is loud, but not so loud that you can’t hear each other talk. It’s also not so soft that you feel like you have to fill the awkward silences with chatter.
It’s the perfect spot because there’s less lighting back here and, so far, my brother and I have gone relatively unnoticed, aside from a couple blokes who wanted to talk football in the loo.
It’s always the loo where they get ya. Dick in hand, minding your own business, and bam. “You’re a Harris, aren’t you?”
The ones that get me in the loo never know which Harris I am. They just generalise and try to play it off that I’m a twin so that’s why they couldn’t tell. Tanner and I haven’t looked alike all season, but whatever. People are in love with the idea of us all on one team, playing for the hearts of East London. If I become a Gunner and break up our trio, the Bethnal fans will be devastated. But I can’t think about that right now.
The night carries on and it’s a bit odd having a normal outing with Indie after everything we shared. Tanner and I are on one side of the table, and Indie and Belle are on the other. It’s so ordinary but it feels right. It makes me wonder what life might be like if I was in a relationship. Perhaps it wouldn’t be as bad as I’d always thought.
At one point, I get the sense that Tanner and Belle know each other more than they’re letting on. Something about the way he says her name, “Dr. Ryan.” I’d make a mental note to pester him about it later, but that means he’d pester me about Indie and I don’t want that hot, hairy mess coming at me.
“Oh my God, are you two the Harris twins?” a blonde croons as she wobbles up to our table in four-inch heels. She’s standing closest to me.
“That we are,” Tanner answers with his familiar prowling leer.
“I’m a huge Bethnal Green fan…You guys are like, the best.” The girl steps in closer and touches my shoulder as she stumbles. “You had a great season.”
I smile politely as her hand squeezes repeatedly. My eyes move to Indie when I hear a heavy sigh from across the table. Her mouth is hanging open a bit and she’s watching the girl with a definite curl to her lip.
“Would you want to dance?” the blonde asks, looking back and forth between Tanner and me.
“Which one are you asking?” I ask, unable to stop watching Indie out of the corner of my eye.
The blonde smiles knowingly. “Both of you.” Then she giggles in a way that makes my balls crawl up inside of me.
“Fuck. Off,” Belle growls, and all of our eyes fly to her. “Seriously. Are you blind? We’re sitting right here.”
The girl crosses her arms over her chest and cuts a determined look right at Belle. Then she glances at Indie and rolls her eyes. Looking back at Tanner, she says, “You’re not seriously staying here with these two frumps, are you?”
Belle slams her fists down on the table and shoots up while Tanner’s hands fly out to grab hold of her wrists. I remain silent and watch Indie as she frowns down at the table. She’s not moving to calm Belle down. She’s not glaring back at the girl. She’s just retreated completely inside of herself and blocked it all out.
Tanner’s voice is garbled from restraining Belle when he says, “Thanks for saying hello. Have a nice night.”
The girl cocks out her hip with an obvious look of disgust. Then she turns and totters away, trying not to fall on the jagged cobblestone and looking like a complete prat in the process.
“Relax, Tony the Tiger. She’s not worth messing up your surgically magical hands.” Tanner releases his grip on Belle.
She sits down in a huff. “Well, the cheek of her! Talking shit about us when she’s the one who looks like a prostitute.”
“You could have gone with her if you wanted,” Indie blurts out and her eyes are pinned right on me. “Nothing here to stop you.”
My gaze narrows at her obvious meaning. “She’s not exactly my type.”
“What’s your type?” She tips her beer and takes three long swigs in a row lowers it and wipes her hand across her mouth.
“I don’t know. I’ll let you know when I see her,” I answer through clenched teeth.
The tension is heavy as Indie’s toffee eyes stay locked on mine. Is she picking a fight? Is she trying to bait me? I shouldn’t have to remind her that she’s the one who told me to fuck off before.
I should be angry, but my strongest emotion right now is turned on. I’m turned the fuck on by Specs and the possibility of her being jealous.
“Camden gave me this black eye,” Tanner blurts out of nowhere.
Indie’s mascara-lashed eyes are drooping when she looks over to him. “That’s what looks different,” she replies as she quickly chugs down the remainder of her beer like she’s on a mission. She grabs another one out of the ice bucket beside me. “I could hardly see it around all your hair and all this…nighttime. Gosh, that beard!”
“Don’t mock the beard!” Tanner crows.
“What did he punch you for?” Belle asks, and I reach out to take the beer from Indie’s hand.
