11

Sienna neared her home after taking a shortcut through the park and a walkway loving known as 'dog shit alley' by her friends. She was careful, staring down at the uneven paving slabs as she stepped, knowing from experience that the name they'd assigned was apt.

As she neared her front door, she got a message but left it until she was inside. It was probably just Tamara or Rose checking up on her for the millionth time. It was sweet of them but completely unnecessary--everything was perfect in her world now.

Her heart pounded when she saw Adrian's name on her screen. That instant burst of adrenaline made her eyes swim, making it hard to read the text.

"Come over. You need to apologise to Scarlett. You will come to my room after," she eventually read.

An unconscious little smile formed on her lips as she pulled her clothes from her wardrobe, getting dressed in a blind panic.

She wanted to look hot enough to make him swoon, but at the same time, she didn't want to keep him waiting. Shoving on skinny jeans and her favourite vest top she left, stuffing her makeup into her bag so she could apply and walk at the same time. This was one of her many talents. None of the other girls she knew could do a full face while walking at a brisk pace. Not without looking like a panda moonlighting as a clown at least.

When she got to Scarlett's house she knocked, smiling meekly when her friend answered.

"I came to apologise," Sienna said, getting straight to the point. It was bad of her to admit, and she’d never admit it out loud, but all she wanted to do was get it over with so she could see Adrian.

'I'm actually pathetic,' she realised.

"Umm...tea?" Scarlett offered, flashing a matching smile.

Sienna nodded and followed her to the kitchen, sitting at the breakfast bar as her friend boiled the kettle and dropped teabags into mugs. She always gave Sienna the same cup, her favourite one made of delicate china with a sunflower design. Today was no different.

"I owe you an apology too," Scarlett said as she sat. "I shouldn't have pressured him to go out with you."

"It was completely my fault," Sienna said, seeing the truth as clear as day without the anger tinted glasses of yesterday’s humiliation. "I forced your hand. I'm sorry."

After taking a sip of her tea she went on. "I know I tend to act like a crazy bitch when I fall for a guy, and it's usually you who gets hurt because of me. I don't know why I do it. It's like I get an idea in my head, and I can't stop myself. I need professional-level help."

"You do a little bit," Scarlett confirmed with a cheeky grin.

"So... are we okay?" Sienna asked. "I don't want to lose you as a friend. I know I’m a bitch sometimes, but I do love you."

She watched as Scarlett shifted, rearranging her skirt and avoiding her gaze.

"I think I'm gonna try hanging with Damien and the others for a bit. It's not that I don't want to be your friend, I just... need a little less drama in my life," Scarlett said, gesturing at the moving boxes stacked up by the back door.

It stung. The pain of rejection was almost physical, like someone hacking at her heart with an ice-pick. The fact that she understood the reasons did nothing to ease that pain.

Sienna nodded. "We can still hang out sometimes though, right?"

"Yeah," Scarlett said, nodding with enthusiasm that didn't look fake as she took another sip of her tea. “Of course we can. All the time.”

After a moment of silence, Scarlett gave her an odd look.

"Adrian said to send you up to his room," she said, continuing to regard her with narrowed eyes. "Are you two—"

Sienna shrugged and sighed. Her chest felt ready to burst as she thought about what might happen in his room.

"Just... don't let him take advantage of you," Scarlett warned, making her wonder if Adrian had told her about their little arrangement. She felt her cheeks redden at the thought.

"I won't," Sienna assured her as she slipped from the wooden stool and made her way to Adrian's room.

Ill-fitting with the rest of the house's decor, his wooden door was covered in scary-looking posters and a warning to 'KEEP OUT.'

Ignoring the warning, she knocked, trying to calm the nerves that were causing her hands to shake and her knees to tremble.

"Come in," he shouted.

She pushed the door open to find the old 'Art Room' transformed into a stereotypical boy’s room. He had pained the walls black and covered them with band and game posters.

The room was tiny, especially now half of it was taken up by the bed. A clothes drawer and a computer desk took up the rest of the space, leaving very little of the original cream carpet on display. A good thing, considering they had covered it in specks of oil paint.

Adrian sat on the bed, but he stood when she entered, looking her up and down with a smirk.

"Turn around, bend over and place your hands on the bed," he uttered. No hello. No small talk.

She felt his breath on her neck and the hardness in his pants as he pressed up behind her.

"Did you apologise?" he asked as he ran his hand up her leg and squeezed her bum.

"Yeah," she replied.

She let out a cry of shock as he slapped her across the bum.

"Did you apologise?" he repeated.

"Yes, Sir," she said, hoping that was the answer he wanted. Her bum felt sore and tingly from just one hit so she didn’t particularly want another.

"Good girl," he said, much to her relief. "Now take off your clothes. You don't need them when you're in here."