Tomorrow's Blues

12. Wine and Harry

"Okay, we've got food, wine, rugs, towels... am I missing anything?" Alice stood with her hand on her hip, tapping her chin as she surveyed the boot of the car. Surprisingly, Ryan had agreed to the beach party even though he hadn't seemed keen on it before, and Alice had planned it all. Alice's parents were driving us there and we were making our own way back. Joseph was coming, despite it being Ryan's birthday celebration, but Ryan was all up for it. He told Joseph he should bring a couple of his friends, too. I didn't even know if Joseph had friends, but turns out he did. He actually had a lot of friends. One of those friends who was coming along? Millie. Joy.

"Everything's here," I told Alice, patting her shoulder. "You're stressing."

"I know, I know. I can't help it. I'm a perfectionist. And I don't want to forget anything."

"I'm surprised you didn't make a list, or anything," I remarked. Alice looked sheepish.

"I might have made a list."

I huffed in amusement. "Of course. Okay, I'll go back inside to check there's nothing we're missing, you look through everything here."

I entered the house to discover Joseph standing there, holding cups in his hand. I stopped, and for a second I just stared at him. For some reason, he suddenly was looking really...attractive. Maybe it was the tight t-shirt, hugging his muscled torso. How had I never noticed how broad his shoulders were?

"She forgot cups."

I blinked. "What?"

Joseph nodded to the cups in his hands. "Alice forgot cups. For the drinks. Unless you were planning to drink out of the bottle."

I folded my arms and leaned against the doorframe. "I might have been."

His mouth twitched. "Well, not everyone is as much of a heavyweight as you are, so I think we may need the cups."

I gave him an even look. "Okay. You need some help?"

"Think I'm good." Joseph stacked the rest of the cups up and brushed past me with them. I turned and watched him walk outside towards the car. I wasn't sure why, but I was feeling apprehensive about tonight, like something was going to happen. It could have been a good or a bad feeling. Mostly I was just nervous.

On the car journey over, I was sat between Alice and Joseph, and I was trying very hard not to notice the warmth of Joseph's leg pressed against mine. Alice was chatting loudly with her parents while Joseph and I were quiet. I was sure Joseph didn't want to be here, but maybe his parents had somehow persuaded him to supervise us, or something. Maybe they used something against him to get him to come.

I shook my head to myself. I was being way too dramatic.

"...Ana?"

I suddenly realised Alice was looking at me expectantly, and I had no idea what she just said. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Did you invite that guy you met? Harry?" She was grinning. I'd told her briefly about Harry, but mentioned nothing about him being a friend of Dylan's. I didn't want to enter that controversy at this point in time.

"Oh." I frowned. "No, why?"

"From your description, he sounds super cute. And I bet he'd be into you."

I merely shook my head. "No, I barely know him. It would be weird to invite him."

"No it wouldn't." Alice nudged me. "Just mention it casually to him. Say that you and some friends are at the beach, and does he want to come."

"But it's Ryan's birthday thing," I hedged.

"Oh, Ryan won't mind, you know what he's like." Alice waved her hand dismissively. She was right, but I still didn't want to invite Harry.