Love You Like a Sister:
This begins to refer back to the conversation Rob and Michelle have when they are at the hotel together in 2012. Rob mentions that 'Davie Tuttle' has a fourteenth birthday party so thought I'd put it in!
Assumptions:
Michelle PoV
For once Carla was actually coming to West block to collect me. But that was because there was a group of boys doing cocaine on floor two in her building and she didn't want to risk me coming near them. Despite this however, she was already ten minutes late. I was hoping it was because she was slapping more make up on her face and she hadn't got caught up in another argument.
It was yet another Friday we were spending down the pub. I was glad to realise that Paul was out at a mates tonight so he wouldn't be joining us. Meaning I wouldn't be stuck with some sleazy bloke whilst Carla and him popped off for a quickie. I lean up against the wall, breathing a sigh of relief at the thought, before the door in the hallway swings open.
Carla enters, dressed up for her night on the town; black mini dress and stilettos, dark purple lipstick and her hair falling free over her shoulders. She doesn't even bother to knock, much to my mother's dissatisfaction.
My mother didn't like Carla, never had and I'm pretty sure she never will. Although, then again, there were very few people who did like Carla. She'd warned Paul off her several times, telling him he deserved a well behaved woman, one who worked hard on their studies, cooking his tea every night when he gets in. Yes, she was very 1900's driven. But that's the way she was.
Carla of course was the opposite of this. Despite wanting to slack off and marry a rich bloke, she had other ideas than to sit around brewing tea and cleaning the toilet. No, she wanted maids, personal shoppers, chauffeurs, the lot. So why she was placing her bets on Paul I didn't know, surely his future wasn't that bright. He'd been kicked out of college after all.
"Mrs C." Carla greets my mother once she claps eyes on her.
"Carla..." She eyes her up and down with disgust, observing her skirt length... If you could call it a skirt. "Nice of you to drop by."
"Here to pick up Chelle." She doesn't make the effort to be a charming goody-two-shoes like my mother wishes, but I wouldn't expect her to.
"Where are you going?" Mum inquires, not withdrawing her eyes from my best friend.
"To the-" Carla begins.
"Bowling." I cut in and Carla nods in realisation.
"Dressed like that?" She screws her nose up at Carla's outfit and then turns to my slightly less slutty one. I was dressed in a white lace skirt and black vest top, wearing stilettos with a slightly smaller heel than Carla's. "You know you have to wear flat shoes at the alley."
"Yeah but it's Laura's birthday so we thought we'd make an effort." I make up a random name, thinking it a good idea to choose the female gender.
"Who's Laura?" Mum interrogates me.
"Our friend." I sigh at her constant questioning. "She's in my year."
"I've never met her." She continues.
"Yeah, I wonder why." I roll my eyes. "Look, can I go please?"
"Back by midnight." She hesitates before ushering us out of the door. I shut it behind me and link arms with Carla.
"Your mother is honestly the most annoying person I've ever met." She groans and that's when I notice an envelope sticking out from under the doormat with my name on.
"Yeah well I don't think she's too hot on you either." I tell her, picking the letter up and opening it.
"Love letter?" Carla lets out a laugh. I pull the piece of paper out of its envelope and throw the rubbish down on the floor. "Davie Tuttle."
"Ew! You have a love letter from him?" She pulls a face.
"Birthday party." I assure her.
"Ohh." She nods. "Well that's not fair, he hasn't invited me."
"Have you ever spoken to him?" I raise my eyebrows.
"I may have... Slapped him once or twice." She mutters, searching her mind for any encounters she may have had with the boy who prods me in the back during maths class. He was actually in the year below me, but he had been moved up a year in maths because unfortunately he was too clever for the year nine group. "No wait! I have spoken to him; when I put his bag in the bin on his first day of year seven."
"...That'd be why then." I prompt her, smiling all the same.
"Well..." She ponders, scanning the piece of paper up and down. "Invite or no invite, if there's a party, I'm there. He should know that by now."
I link my arm back with hers as I shake my head in disapproval. She was right though, Carla Donovan wouldn't miss a party for the world.
Carla PoV
I endure the usual regime of leaning up against the bar, pulling my dress down to show my cleavage and pressing it up against the chipped wood. It was busy in here as expected of a Friday night and by busy, I meant rough. Michelle and I had to stick together to prevent either of us getting taken advantage of. Despite my attempts, most people in here knew I was under-age, as did the bar man, but they also know who I am, so they let it slide.
"Two vodi and tonic's Harry." I order once the bar man has finished serving someone else. He doesn't hesitate before turning away and making our drinks. I hand him the money I've counted out to the penny and carry them back over to where Michelle is perched against the window sill on a stool. "Dull as ever." I tell her.
"Yeah well you would be working here wouldn't you?" Michelle shrugs, taking a sip of her drink.
"Oh great. Look who's over there." I point my straw towards the corner of the room where Kimberly Doyle was sat with a group of lads.
"Well don't say anything to her." She grimaces, knowing full well I wasn't going to let this slide. She never came in here; she was way too posh for places like these.
"I'll bet she's here to wind me up." I say through gritted teeth, as I see Kimberly flick her hair back and lock eyes with me.
"Believe it or not Carla, I don't think everything's about you." Michelle sighs, clearly annoyed that our evening had already gone to pot.
"Oi!" She suddenly yells and we both look in her direction. "Carla Donovan. Shouldn't you be too busy beating up little kids to be in here?"
"Original." I mutter, but not bothered in the slightest by her response. It didn't matter to me what Kimberly said, I hated her with every bone in my body and so I'd got used to her constant sniping and bitching. Actually I was used to that from most people. What bothered me was the fact that now several people had turned to look at me under the accusation that I hit little children. I only hit people if they crossed me and right now, Kimberly was crossing me.
"Leave it." Michelle warns me.
"I'm chill." I turn to her and grin. "Drink your drink." She takes another sip of her beverage, eyeing me cautiously and wondering why I didn't retaliate before raising her head to notice who has just walked through the door. I follow her gaze and notice Dean greeting people as he approaches the bar. How he had the guts to show his face in here after the raid the other day I didn't know.
"Ey up." I hiss at Michelle, who turns to look at me instantly.
"What?" She mutters, pretending to check her nails are in shape instead.
"Oh don't try that with me." I nudge her, seeing a smile slowly form on her face. "You saw him the second he walked through the door."
"Only because he was in my eye line." She shrugs.
"...Did you enjoy your kiss the other day?" I tease her.
"I don't know, did you enjoy your kiss with my brother?" She retaliates.
"Which one?" I bite my lip flirtatiously and she shoots me a look. "Hey now I've had all three of you." I smirk. I had got off with Michelle many times at parties, which wasn't making our reputation any better on the estate.
"You're a nightmare." She shakes her head at me. "But I love you for it."
"I know." I giggle, kissing her on the cheek as she brushes me off. "Ey, he's coming over."
I watch her casually brush her hair behind her ear as he approaches us.
"Hey." Dean greets us. "I cool to sit with yer?"
"No, fuck off." I wink at him and for a second I think Michelle thinks I'm serious because she gives me a sideways glance.
"Had a good time at the quarry the other day." Dean tells me, although I know it's aimed at my best friend.
"Yeah, especially for some people." I hint.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Michelle exclaims, finally engaging in our conversation. "Besides, I think you enjoyed it more than anyone else."
"Yeah not gonna lie Car, that kiss with Liam was... Something." Dean smirks. I just sit there in silence, hating on Michelle for bringing up the topic of Liam. Although I knew I'd deserved it. I was going to change the subject but the slut in the corner decided to do it for me instead.
"Ey! Dean, I'd stay away from her." Kimberly yells and he turns, not realising she was there. Michelle rolls her eyes and then grabs my arm to prevent me making a bigger scene. "Or are you enjoying third wheeling the two dikes?"
I exchange a look with Michelle, anger brewing in my fists. As untrue as it was and as much as I could handle Kimberly's childish comments, no one brought Michelle into this.
"Ok shut up you." I yell at her and the pub falls silent at the sound of my voice.
"Ooh, sorry did I spill your little secret?" She giggles, high fiving one of the guys she was sat next to. "Michelle, I'd get out of that relationship as soon as possible... Actually it might be too late, she's already turned you into a poverty-stricken tart."
I stand up immediately, Michelle tugging at me.
"You don't bring her into this." I hiss. "You hate me? Then you can insult me all you like."
"Oh trust me I will." She laughs. "I'll insult you all I like when you're bashed to pieces."
"Ey?" I frown.
"You want to have this out? Meet me outside the chippy, Monday evening, bring your fists." She proposes.
I can't help but break out into laughter. Was Kimberly Doyle actually asking to fight me? The girl who cried if her lipstick broke or her nails chipped.
"You're challenging me?" I scoff, through fits of laughter.
"Watch me." She spits and I nod.
"See you Monday then." I look her straight in the eye, grabbing Michelle and pulling her towards the door.
"Off they go." She continues to yell after us. "Back to their shithole to have some privacy. Make sure mummy and daddy aren't in... Oh wait no I forgot... Daddy's never in is he?"
"I swear to God I'm gonna swing for her." I scream, running at her before Chelle grabs me by my arms and pulls me back. Turning my head aggressively to face her.
"Don't." She whispers. "Don't give her the satisfaction Carla, it's what she wants."
"...Yeah it's what she'll get." I mutter, storming out of the pub before she could say anything else. "Are you ok?" I ask Michelle once we were outside.
"Tough as old boots me, you know that." She replies and I nod, even though we both knew it was untrue. I don't hesitate before pulling her into a hug, a hug that lasted for what seemed like forever.
