Pandora returns the dress she bought for the Love Ball; for her not going with Thomas means she'd be going alone and she doesn't want to do that. She pretends not to be upset and agrees with her mother that there will be other parties [privately adding that there will be other boys, or maybe that one boy will change his mind, though she doesn't hold out much hope].
Effy has already decided to boycott. She transmits this decision to the others solely through her secret smile, so they're surprised when they show up in their finery to find her absent. They're reluctant to go in without her. They're reluctant to do anything without her approval. So they call a taxi, which idles outside her house while Cook goes in to persuade her to join them. Except she's not home. Their next stop is Freddie's; they pay and pile out and head for his shed.
She has decorated. There's a mirror ball dangling from the centre of the ceiling, various types of fairy lights strung up round the room and a table laden with a buffet, consisting largely of alcohol, brightly coloured pills and neatly rolled joints.
Pandora leaps up to greet them, beaming and making the overly enthusiastic gestures of the drunk. "Isn't this wizzer? Eff's brill! It's our very own Love Ball, all for us!"
JJ almost instantly relaxes. He was far from comfortable at the prospect of spending an evening amongst so many strangers. This more intimate gathering is more their style and it's what he's grown accustomed to.
Emily and Naomi immediately take advantage of the fact that they can openly display their affection here, without the fear of bigots' comments or teachers' disapproval. Katie still isn't comfortable with the relationship, but she isn't in a position to criticise, considering she almost killed someone fairly recently, so obviously isn't an expert on love. Katie grabs a bottle of vodka, promptly gulping down half of it; she figures getting wasted will get her through this. She hadn't been looking forward to the Ball either, though not attending had never crossed her mind; it was the sort of thing the old Katie would have enjoyed.
Freddie is her date, or he was when they were going to the Ball. He reckons he's relieved of that duty if no one's around to see. He doesn't hate Katie for hurting Effy. He does hate that her attack somehow drove Effy into choosing Cook, deciding against him. He acknowledges that the basis of their relationship was staring moodily at each other, which they still do, whenever she wasn't fucking Cook, which she still does; the only thing that's changed is... It's not palpable; he can't quite put his finger on what it is. The vibe between them is different. The atmosphere overall is different, less sexually charged. The way she looks at them both is nothing alike; Freddie gets a look that's slightly mocking, part regret.
Effy blows a smoke ring with her eyes closed. Cook leans over her shoulder to take a pull from the cigarette she's holding, then tilts her head until their lips meet. She doesn't open her eyes.
"What brought this on? Not hiding from the pricks at school are we?"
Her mouth twitches and an eyebrow arches, wordlessly asking if he really thinks she'd ever hide from anyone who didn't want her there; she may avoid people, but it's on her terms and usually when they'd prefer it if she was with them. She tips her head back until it's resting on his chest, wraps his arm around herself and holds his hand on her shoulder. "No hiding."
A couple of hours and a few too many drinks later, Freddie interrupts the happy couple. "No hiding, Effy? That's a big fucking joke. All you ever do is hide and lie and run away. You love me. I know you do. She does, Cook, she shows up in my garden in the middle of the night all the time. You don't love him."
"Fuck off Freds." Cook's voice is low, warning. He is tense, a few steps away from Effy, his hands curled into fists. "She does love me."
"She loves me more!" He doesn't care how desperate and pathetic he sounds. This is true and it's time they got it out in the open.
The others have gone quiet, watching warily. The mood has changed too quickly, as it often does with alcohol as a catalyst. JJ edges over to Cook, wraps one arm round his waist and tugs on his sleeve; his eyes look huge and his face is rapidly paling.
"What's the matter J?" Cook ruffles his hair. His hostility flickers away with the change in focus of his attention.
"Don't. D-don't do this again. Please."
"I don't want to. I love you, both of you, and I don't want to hurt you, but Freddie's being an arsehole, isn't he?" This last part is directed at the other boy, accompanied with a sharp glare.
"She shouldn't be with you." Freddie starts, but Cook's bitter laugh cuts him off.
"Oh, and you're so much better? You nearly got her killed. You chose someone else. Don't blame me because your choice was a shit one."
"You didn't give me a choice! You took her from me!"
JJ's arm pulls tighter and Cook forces himself to relax a little in response. "I didn't take her. Are you four fucking years old? She came to me. She wanted me. You fucked up and you lost out. Get over it, or get out."
"It's my shed!" He is whiney and petulant and he is not quite drunk enough to be unaware of how childish he sounds, how he's just proving Cook's point that he's being really immature.
Pandora turns the music back on, resumes her bizarre version of dancing, which breaks the last of the atmosphere. Emily and Naomi go back to giggling and kissing, Katie opens another bottle, JJ hesitates for just a moment before letting go of Cook, who grins at him and claps him on the shoulder. Effy is all feline grace and catlike eyes as she gets up, finally looks at Freddie. She waits until she knows he's watching and then very deliberately holds Cook's hand, pulls him in to a deep and passionate kiss. When they break apart Freddie's still watching, staring and she smiles.