Pretend

I stared at the piece of notepaper and read over Cora's familiar scrawl. She had such messy handwriting. Sometimes it was illegible. The amount of times she'd asked me to write out her birthday invitations because of my sloping calligraphic script were innumerable. I flicked the piece of paper with my finger and tucked it back into my pocket. Rex sniffed at the marbles as an idea dawned in my head. What if I wrote a message in return, but didn't tell her about it? Waited for her to notice it herself? I stared at Rex as a grin rode my lips. I'd spent most of the afternoon with Kat. Surely I should spend some time thinking about my best friend?

I hurried home, eager to perform my idea, and have it prepared before the day even sank into dark.



I opened the cupboard doors in Cora's kitchen because I needed the cocoa for something. But instead of shelf upon shelf piled high with top-of-the-range ingredients, the cupboard doors opened onto a carpeted hall. Without wanting to, I followed my feet down the hall to the arch pulsing with a red-yellow glow. At the arch, I saw a bedroom barren except for a four-poster bed made from a dark, polished wood and fitted with white silk sheets. There was a window in the roof letting down a shaft of buttery sunlight which fell like spotlight onto the bed. The room smelt like a cupboard. But it wasn't a cupboard at all.

Suddenly, a door opened in the far wall and Cora stepped out of it. At first, I didn't realize. But then I noticed the amount of freckled, ivory skin exposed. I noticed her smile, her mouth opened slightly so I could see her tongue poking her chipped tooth. I noticed the way her beautiful hair fell down her back in uncharacteristic corkscrews. I noticed she was wearing frilly underwear. I noticed the faint smell of strawberry in the air. And I noticed the fact that she was holding a canister of cocoa in one hand.

"Hey, Sebbie," she said easily, sashaying towards me. I was captivated by the motion of her hips, mesmerized by the blue-green glow in her beautiful eyes, turned on by her promiscuous smile. I swallowed and zeroed in on the canister to avoid looking her in the eye.

"Hey, Corry," I replied in a hoarse voice husky with lust. I could suddenly feel how close Cora was to me. So close that I could feel her chest close to mine and I could feel the warmth radiating off her and the intoxicating strawberry smell. I let out a involuntary groan as I felt her hand on the zipper of my jeans. It was as intimidating as it was sensual. Her smile widened and her tongue glided down the slant of her chipped tooth to moisten her top lip. I swallowed loudly and felt her hand press harder into my groin.

"Cocoa?" She uttered provocatively, letting a thin sprinkling of the chocolate powder tickle her cleavage. I bit my lip because I'm finding it hard to concentrate on anything except the sensation of her hand on my zipper. Tentatively, I reached out and brushed my fingertips across white lace, and Cora sighed blissfully. Her hands slipped away from my zipper and I moaned in protestation. But she grinned, pressed her finger to my lips, and then slid her hands sensually down her sides and behind her back. For a second, I'm utterly confused, and then she's unclipped her bra and is tugging it off. She leaned in closer, until her face was so close I could see the amber chips in her eyes. She hangs her bra around my neck and leaned in closer still to whisper in my ear. "You can keep it, Sebbie."

I was jolted awake by someone rapping viciously against my door. For a second, I was completely broken from the confusing euphoria from what must have been a dream, and I was scared shitless that it was my mother. My mother, who had entered this house in the last five years. My mother, who hadn't tried to make contact with anyone since she discovered Belvedere.

"Seb! What the hell! I texted you a gazillion times!" Cora is banging at my door. "Hurry the hell up! We have fifteen minutes! You said you'd come to school today!"

I sighed and extracted myself from sheets, shaking off the explicit trembling Cora's voice incited in my aroused body. I ran a hand blindly over the floor and came up with a crumpled pair of jeans that look like they're one wash away from falling to shreds and the hoodie Shelby sent me from uni. I pulled on my beanie as I tried to locate socks.

"SEB!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you little nerd!" I shouted back, tugging on socks and my battered converse. Rucksack over my shoulder, I grabbed my phone and my sketchpad, and yanked open the door. "Jesus, you look like hulk."

She swatted my arm, grabbed my hand, and hauled me downstairs. I waved goodbye to Rex, who stood forlornly behind the closed door whining. Cora's hair was up in an expressive do with butterfly clips and lots of mascara. I wondered what was the occasion, and shrugged it off as I got into her car.

Cora started chattering away about what her and Renny had gotten up to once we'd parted ways, and I wasn't sure if I should mention her note or what happened with Kate Maxwell.

So instead of listening, I tuned out and felt bad about leaving Rex alone in a house that stunk of neglect. I sighed, and then saw the sun dance across Cora's smooth, tan thigh, and I swallowed because I was acutely aware of the fact that I would never be able to look at Cora the way I'd always wanted to.



People assume that I ditch school because I can't be bothered. And that's partly true. I hate the strict rituals that run the school. I hate the stupid bell, the stereotypes, the clichés, the socialization. But mostly it's because I don't see the point. Point Chase High School has a Victorian façade and teachers with weird hair or ugly shoes.

In homeroom, Mr. Carvoski is scribbling on the whiteboard while we chatter at our desks. The windows faced the quad, and there were a couple of freshman scurrying towards the library with Miss Harmoss marching after them. I was talking to Zach about my dream, quietly with our heads together so that Renny and Cora, sitting behind us, wouldn't overhear.

"Define 'naked', again," Zach said, shoving a fistful of almonds into his mouth and raising an eyebrow. I gave him a look and he shrugged. "What? I don't think we perceive nakedness in the same way. See, I think you're exaggerating."

I cocked my head to the side.

"Being naked is when everything is off," Zach waggled his eyebrows at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Shut up, dick," I said, shoving him. Zach chortled, spitting almonds, and I started snickering too.

"What the hell are your guys's problems?" Cora interrupted, and we both stopped simultaneously. We gave each other a sidelong glance of understanding before snickering again.

"Don't bother with them, CoCo," Renny sighed, curling hair around her index finger. "Ils sont stupide! It's probably sexual."

Cora wrinkled her nose in immature disgust and mock-shuddered. Zach and I shared another look and broke down in another round of snickers. Cora, noticing our amusement at her prude-ness, poked her tongue out at me and I had to bite my lip to keep from envisioning something completely inappropriate for school.

I sighed and looked back at Zach, who was chewing through his almonds with a considering look on his face. I didn't want to know what he had to say. In fact, I didn't really want to stay here at all. I glanced at the clock. Five minutes until we were released from homeroom and expected to continue on to the rest of our classes. Hell, I couldn't remember what class I had next ... Maybe I could skip for the rest of the day and hang out with Rex at the Lighthouse.

But then I glanced over at Cora, and I sighed. Because I'd promised her, and I was so incredibly obsessed with her (honestly, it was really starting to get annoying) that I knew I wouldn't break it.

Zach jabbed me in the ribs, and when I looked at him, he had a cheeky grin plastered across his face that wasn't altogether unattractive. I arched a brow while he waggled his brows and leaned in to whisper, "So ... naked. Did you see tits?"

I gladly accepted Zach's diversion, and concentrated on tossing insults at him for the rest of the period. When the bell did ring, I watched Cora gather her things, still in discussion with Renny, and waltz out of class. She didn't even acknowledge me with a wave. I sighed. Ever the friend.

I ignored Mr. Carvoski's warning and jumped out the window into the flow of student traffic out in the quad. (Thank God homeroom was on the first floor or I probably would've broken my ankle.)