I know the part about Lofty at the beginning couldn't happen, but humour me? Please?
westlife4ever80, thank you for your review - I'm really glad you like the story. I wasn't sure if it would work or not. Sometimes AU stories are loved and sometimes they don't get much response. On your toes is a very good place to be!
X-Sammii-X, I think Dylan used to be married so he presumably liked his wife, but he hasn't showed any interest in anyone but Dervla since I've been watching! I think Cal would have to do a lot wrong to make us stop loving him! Thank you for your review.
Tanith Panic, I think Cal would be flattered if someone said he was 'mad, bad and dangerous to know'! I wanted to mention a few more fairy tales and there was only one story for Jack! There's another revolting bit in this chapter. Thank you for your review.
EDSidekick, thank you for your review. I have to admit I do like teasing people! I like Cal's ears really, but I couldn't resist. I'll see if I can get Honey to throw herself at a few people before she goes home. But I can promise there won't be any suicides. Probably.
Guest, thank you for your review. I'm so glad you like how this story is turning out so far. You couldn't write a story about all the characters without having a bit of Zax!
Lofty looked in the mirror. In his jeans and shirt, without his hair extensions and make-up, he looked completely different from the 'girl' Dylan had danced with.
He didn't want to go back to the party. It had ended so perfectly (apart from the fact he'd had to leave) and he was terrified of what might happen when he saw Dylan again, but he was worried about Robyn.
He was a bit worried about Zoe too. She could usually take care of herself, but sometimes she got herself into a mess and needed help. Cal was definitely the kind of guy you might need help with.
So going back to the party was the sensible thing to do – but there was one problem.
He'd already tried going down the stairs twice. On both occasions, his parents had woken up and asked what he was doing.
The window seemed like the only option.
Lofty opened it and looked down. There was no way he could jump and there was no convenient creeper or drainpipe, as there usually was in books. All he could do was make some sort of rope. He'd read about people making ropes out of sheets, but Lofty knew his parents would have something to say if he tore one of his sheets up. Or even if a sheet mysteriously vanished. Parents always noticed things like that.
Lofty looked around the room and his eye fell on something. It wasn't ideal as it could break, which would mean not only that they'd be ruined after only one use, it was likely to result in a very painful landing.
But it was all he could think of and nothing was more important than Lofty's friends (and Dylan).
Lofty picked up the hair extensions. He clipped one to the other, then clipped the top one to one of his curtains.
Lofty climbed backwards onto his window sill and pulled on the hair. It seemed fairly solid. Very slowly and nervously, he began his descent.
Zoe sighed. Clearly it had been a mistake leaving Lofty and Robyn to manage without her. "I hope Robyn's with Ethan," she told Dylan. "What do you want Robyn for anyway? Where's Benjamina?"
"Benjamina went home at midnight." Dylan did at least look disappointed when he said this. "Robyn ran off a few minutes ago. Ethan found her in his bed and she said she was waiting for me, which she was, but Ethan must have thought she was waiting for me so we could… it's a long story." He looked at the bag Zoe was carrying. "Tell me that's not more booze."
"Ethan asked me to get it," said Zoe.
"Ethan's changed his mind about the booze," said Dylan. "And the party." He sighed. "And Robyn. He even thinks she broke the chair on purpose now."
Zoe looked startled. "Robyn broke a chair? My friend Robyn? And she got into Ethan's bed? What has that girl been drinking?"
"Well, cider, I think," said Dylan.
"Ethan said there was only wine and beer," said Zoe, "but what does he know? It's only his party. Just tell me how Robyn managed to break a chair!"
"She broke the arm off, I think. But that's not the worst thing." Dylan waved tiredly towards the house. "Ash has smashed a window; Jacob has smashed the TV; there are two different couples having sex in Ethan's parents' bed – and I don't think they know about each other - and Lily's vomited all over Alicia. I think it was an accident. Ethan's in his room, heartbroken over Robyn. I'd have thought that would be the least of his worries, but there you go."
"He should have known what was going to happen," said Zoe. "Do you remember when we went to that party at Iain's house and we ended up dancing naked in a thunderstorm, singing 'It's Raining Men' at the tops of our voices?"
"No," said Dylan, who almost certainly hadn't been there.
"I don't remember it either, to be honest with you," said Zoe. "That's just what Iain told me. I also can't remember the time me and Rita stole that shopping trolley and we fell out and had to go to the ED and ended up being treated by Louis Fairhead's dad."
"Oh, I remember that," said Dylan.
Zoe looked at him in surprise. "Were you there?"
"No, but you called me every fifteen minutes to give me an update on the volume of blood you'd lost," said Dylan. "It was incorrect, by the way. Otherwise, you would have been dead."
"I was drunk!" said Zoe. "My maths skills were probably a bit off. Anyway, have the police been called?"
"The neighbours on both sides threatened to call them if Ethan didn't keep the noise down," said Dylan.
"It doesn't sound very wild to me if they've only threatened it," said Zoe. She paused. "But if Ethan isn't happy, we'd better sort it out. Do you need some help? I'm good at getting rid of people who aren't wanted."
"She is. You should have seen Cal running away," said Max.
"Max, you're getting confused again," said Zoe. "It was you who made Cal run away,"
"You'd have made him go away if I hadn't come along," said Max.
They smiled at one another.
Max had a lovely smile. Nice teeth too. And lovely eyes and lovely ears and lovely…
"Perhaps you could stop dribbling over each other for a second and help me?" said Dylan pointedly.
"I wasn't dribbling!" said Zoe indignantly.
Max grinned. "I was!" He caught Zoe's glare. "But I'll stop now."
"Firstly, we need to make sure Robyn's okay," said Dylan.
"I'm sure she'll be…" Zoe stopped. "Oh God, Cal's skulking about out there somewhere. Not that I'll think he'll do anything except bore her to death but…"
"I can deal with that, Zoe," said Max. "You get on with ejecting the drunks."
"Hey, Robyn. What are you doing out on your own?"
Robyn knew that voice. She felt ice on her spine and she slowly turned to see Cal.
If Zoe was there, she might not have minded so much, but she wasn't there. It was just Robyn, Cal and the dark, dark night.
Or rather, it was Robyn, the dark, dark Knight and the dark, dark night.
"Why are you crying?" said Cal. He moved closer. "It's not because you're scared of me, is it?" He sounded as though he quite liked that idea.
"Don't flatter yourself!" choked Robyn. She decided she didn't much care if Cal murdered her. Ethan hated her so she might as well be dead. "I'm crying because my heart is broken and you needn't think you broke it because you didn't!"
Cal shook his head a bit sadly. "No, you've never been interested in me, have you? You've only ever looked at Ethan."
"Who?" said Robyn unconvincingly. "I mean, I do know who Ethan is and everything, but that doesn't mean I've been looking at him."
"What happened?" said Cal.
"I drank his energy drink and broke his chair and lay down on his bed!" wailed Robyn. "Um, not that I'm saying it's Ethan. Just someone."
Cal laughed. "Someone who happens to live in Ethan's house. Must be Ethan's dad then. Unless he's got a good-looking older brother I've never met."
"Yes… I mean no…" Robyn gave up on pretending. "What am I going to do? How am I going to get over it?"
The amusement faded from Cal's face. "I'm really not the best person to ask about that, Robyn. Not when I'm still not over Taylor."
Zoe and Dylan arrived back at Ethan's house to discover Honey having a very loud and tearful conversation on her phone.
"Dad, please come and pick me up!" she wailed between sobs and sniffles. "It's the worst party ever and I want to go home! I know you're having your boys' night in with Big Mac, um, sorry, I mean Mr Chalker, but I'm your daughter and my life has just like, ended! Ethan hasn't talked to me like, all night; Lofty and David aren't even here; Dylan wouldn't let me give him a lapdance, um, I mean a… a tap dance and Jez and Jack really are in a relationship! I thought they were just doing it to be fashionable! Then I, um, tripped over my shoes and accidentally fell on Ash's lap and he didn't even try to grope me! Then Louise called me names and made me cry! Then I, um, I got really really scared because, um, there was a really funny noise and I thought it was a… a wildebeest or something and I completely accidentally jumped into Jacob's arms and then Connie gave me this look and I was so scared, I literally died! I love Ethan so much and my heart is just completely like, broken, Dad. I want to go home!"
She listened for a while and started to cry even harder. Zoe could couldn't help thinking Mr Garcia would definitely agree to pick Honey up if she gave him a few more details about some of the things that were going on here.
"Okay," said Honey at last. "Thanks, Dad. I'll see you soon." Then she started howling again. As soon as she saw Dylan, she threw her arms around him. "Dylan, my life is literally over!"
Dylan was very tense. "I'm inclined to doubt that. Can you let go of me, please?"
"But you're so big and strong!" sobbed Honey, as she rubbed herself up against him. "You're just what I need, Dylan. A big, strong man."
"No, I'm actually very small and weak and not the least bit suited to your purpose," said Dylan. He tried to move away from her.
Zoe came to help him. "Honey. Leave Dylan alone or I'll tell your dad you were harassing him."
It worked like a charm.
Alicia, who had replaced her soiled dress with a coat that barely covered her, ran over and gave Honey a big hug. "It's okay, Honey. I'll look after you till you're dad comes. I'll tell you what: why don't we have a proper girly party soon with cake and hair straighteners and no boys at all! Except Jack because I know he'd love it. Come and sit over here with me and Lily. Lily's not very well so she's waiting for her dad too."
Lily, who had a bucket on her lap, was looking close to tears. "My father will be so angry with me. All I ever wanted was to make him proud and now I have done this!"
"You could tell him you were here to offer first aid!" suggested Alicia brightly. "Loads of people get ill at parties and there are often injuries too."
"And you can tell your dad your drink got spiked," said Honey. "That's what I tell mine!"
Lily looked shocked. "But that isn't true."
"Of course it's true," said Honey. "Someone put alcohol in your drink, didn't they? Who cares if it was someone at the party or someone who works at the alcohol-making factory? They still put it in, didn't they?"
