Reprise

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

The rain has totally lifted by the time we arrive at the party. Ainsley has brought a bottle of wine instead of her usual sugary premixed drinks, and she tells me it's because she's trying to save money so that she can buy a car when she gets her license. I have a feeling it's more to do with the calories, but I don't say anything. Julian and Harrison had pre-drinks together at Harrison's house and the two of them are already shitfaced, to put it bluntly. When Julian is drunk he goes quiet and becomes totally incoherent, whereas Harrison suddenly becomes the life of the party. He screams greetings at everyone he sees and even hugs some random Landor boy from the year below us. Watson hasn't had a chance to start drinking because he had a late cricket match, so as soon as we arrive he cracks open a beer and downs it eagerly.

I follow Watson into the kitchen of the house, where he sets up his esky and pulls out another cold beer. I take out my drinks and pour vodka into a plastic cup. He sips his beer silently, watching me. There's a bass-heavy dance song playing on the big speakers set out in the yard, and from the kitchen window I can see an assemblage of plastic chairs strewn across the yard, with Hilverton students spread around, mingling and chatting.

'Is Taylor coming tonight?' I ask, adding a dash of red cordial to my drink.

'It's a Landor party, so yeah,' Watson says. He is leaning against the kitchen counter on the opposite side of the kitchen, but he pushes himself off and comes over to me. I'm struggling to open a bottle of lemonade so he takes it off me and twists off the lid, then pours it into my plastic cup. 'A pretty pink drink for a pretty girl all in black,' he says.

I laugh. 'And beers for a boy with big ears,' I say, pushing into his chest.

He pretends to look offended. 'Hey, my ears are perfectly normal! At least I don't have a big fat nose.'

I whack him gently across the arm. 'Neither do I, you loser.'

He laughs and takes another swig of his beer. 'You're just mad because I kept beating you at that Dark War game the other day. I swear even Ainsley could play better than you.'

'Oh, speaking of Ainsley!' I say, putting my drink back down onto the bench. 'While I have you alone, do you think we should do anything for Ainsley and Leo's birthday? It's coming up pretty soon. Did you remember?'

Watson shakes his head. 'Good thing I have you to remind me. I don't know what I'd do without you, Benn. What can we get them?'

'I literally have no idea. I was thinking books for Leo, but what for Ainsley?' I say. 'You know how she is. It's impossible to give her anything.'

'What about flowers?' Watson says. 'I mean I only thought of it because I'm thinking of getting Taylor flowers.'

'What's the occasion?' I ask.

'Nothing, actually. I just thought I'd be a nice boyfriend. She's always a bit down in the dumps, actually. I think she's just stressed out about school. Her parents put a lot of pressure on her to do well. Both of her parents are doctors and they want her to follow in their footsteps.' Watson scowls into his beer. 'She never talks to me about any of it though. I keep telling her that she can tell me everything that worries her, but she just bottles it all up. She's the opposite of you, really.'

I laugh. 'I don't know whether to be offended.'

'Don't be offended,' Watson says. 'Taylor and you are very different, but you're the same in a lot of things. That's why I love you both.'

I raise my eyebrows. 'You love Taylor?'

Watson shrugs. 'Yeah, I suppose so. I haven't told her, but I can tell you, can't I?'