Breaking Her Rules

Chapter 3

Dan and I are lying head to toe on his bed, listening to the latest single by Two Soap Dolls, and passing an ice-cold beer between us. I'm watching the ceiling fan spinning, and I'm tapping my fingers along my ribs, in time with the bass guitar. My thin white dress is sticking to my skin with sweat. Dan is only wearing shorts. It's Sunday afternoon and the stifling humidity isn't helping my hangover.

When the song finishes I pull my head up and look over at my brother. He has his eyes closed, and his curly brown hair is sticking lightly to his forehead. The rest of his hair is pulled back into a little ponytail at the nape of his neck. He hasn't shaved in a few days and there's a faint line of stubble across his upper lip and along his chin. He has the beer resting on his ribcage, and the condensation is dripping onto his skin.

'That was good,' I tell him. 'It's not like their old stuff, but I like it.'

He gives a small nod with his eyes closed.

'When is everyone getting here?' I ask.

Dan sits up, opening his eyes. 'Three, maybe. Lucas is coming, you know?'

I grab the beer off Dan and take a swig.

'Have you spoken to him lately?' he asks.

'He was there last night,' I say.

Dan scratches at his hairline. 'You guys ever gonna make up?'

I sit up and swing my legs off the bed. 'After everything he did to me in grade ten? No.'

Mum and Dad are both in the kitchen. Dad is sitting on one of the bar stools, slouched over his computer. He's wearing a collared cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up to show the fading tattoos on his forearms. He's got the same large earrings and brown haired ponytail as my brother Dan.

Mum is mixing a salad and drinking white wine.

'Hi, Emily,' she says, turning around. She's the immaculate mother, with neat blonde hair, flawless makeup and manicured nails. She's wearing a peach kaftan that reveals her overly bronzed décolletage. 'The Elmhirsts and Shepherds should be here soon. The Whitneys are running a little behind.'

My dad's old band mates, the members of Dime's the Limit, are coming over to celebrate his book deal, and bringing their families. Lucas hasn't been to my house since we had our big falling out in grade ten, and my anxiety is turning into irritation. I steal the glass of wine from Mum when she turns her back and take a huge sip.

The Elmhirsts are the first to arrive.

Dan emerges from his bedroom just in time to greet Lucas and his older brothers while I slink further into the kitchen and pull out glasses in an attempt to avoid Lucas.

Lucas's father, Trevor, launches into a conversation with Dad about the good old days. They head out to the back deck. Dan leads the Elmhirst boys out towards the pool, and I allow myself to breathe once they pass.

Ainsley and her parents arrive after. Ainsley is wearing a plain black dress with sleeves that would look uncomfortably hot on anyone else, but the way she holds herself with her arms crossed over her chest makes it seem like she's cold. Ivan and Karen Shepherd, her parents, greet Mum enthusiastically and then follow her out to the deck and pool area, leaving Ainsley and me in the kitchen.

'I'm glad you're here,' I say. 'It's weird having Lucas here.'

Ainsley sits down on a stool and starts picking at her black nail polish. 'Are you going swimming?' she asks me.

'Hell yeah,' I say. 'It's hot as.'

'I don't want to have to wash my hair tonight before school,' Ainsley says. 'Maybe I won't go swimming.'