confessional

noun

1. an enclosed stall in a church divided by a screen or curtain in which a priest sits to hear confessions

2. an acknowledgement that one has done something shameful or embarrassing; a confession

Grant Hepburn is Mrs Hepburn's 21 year old son, who is a flirt and damn good driver. He has me in the front seat in giggles even before we've left the Overmeyer Estate.

"No, I not kidding. And there was fur from the west wing and feather in the east. I'm telling you, pets in the mansion are now forbidden because of that fiasco."

Grant is telling me about the first time he met my mother when he'd been caught with a cat and she'd just been given a new bird in a cage by Wallace. Through unforeseen circumstances, the bird got loose and the cat went crazy and it took fifteen staff, Grant, his mother and Wallace to get the bird free and the cat caught.

"Stop, I can't breathe, I can't breathe." I'm giggling so hard at Grant's story and they animated way he's telling it. I want to hit him hard to make him stop.

"But I'm telling you, that cat was of the devil. Went from a fluff ball of cuteness to tyrannical terror in fifty seconds flat. Came out with half a tail and a shiny bald spot on it head for its troubles. Can you imagine a bald cat? Its no wonder Mr Overmeyer had the cat removed from the estate."

"Oh stop it!" I really feel like I'm about to pee myself. I try to take a drink of my travel mug of coffee when I accidentality choke on the liquid and spend the next ten minutes it takes to get to Posh Mall before I'm able to breathe again.

Grant is looking terrible, feeling responsible for my medical emergency.

"You Ok, Miss Lily?" He asks. I manage to wipe the last of the tears off my face and smile at him.

"I think I lost all my lip balm, but I'm breathing properly now." He starts rummaging around in the glove department and pulls out a small travel kit of cosmetics that haven't been taken out of the store packaging. He hands me a brand new lip balm in cherry pink and gives me a wink.

"Thanks, this is perfect." I open it up and reapply my lippy then take a deep breath, determining if I'm ready to go.

"You look like you're about to hit a battlefield. Its only the mall, Miss Lily."

"Some say mall, others say Normandy. Same difference."

"Ooooh, history buff aye?"

"Nope, just listened to my dad when he used to watch old war movies." We sit for a moment longer in silence, me remembering my dad, Grant giving me a moment. I watch him checking out mall attendees as hot rich guys walk past the estate car.

"Well, take care then, Miss Lily. I'll be waiting here to drive you to your next location when you need."

"Oh, no!" I quickly turn to him, wide eyed and determined. "You're coming with me. I can only check out so many stores for school clothes without the inside know-how. You're going to be my fashion consultant, whether you like it or not."

"Whaaat?" He's looking at me dumbfounded, but I can see it is all an act to hide his true self.

"Oh, come on. I know there is a gorgeous little girl in there somewhere just dying to do this and dress me up so pretty." I pout my lips in a flirtatious way. But the stunned, scared look on his face is comical. I quickly change my face back to friendly normal and stop pretending to be a silly little spoiled brat.

"I'm sorry Grant, too much?"

"How did you know?" He squeezes out in a really high scared voice. How did I know Grant was gay? Been here before, but I can't tell him that. Firstly, he'd never believe me, and secondly, I need to make up for the horrible mistake I made the first time round, where I ridiculed him and laughed at his face, and told everyone his most private secret. He never recovered form that and after I left the mansion, I never heard from him again. I was such a horrible bitch and I want to make everything better, make it up to him this time around.

"Ummm... You didn't look at my lips when I mentioned all my lipstick was gone, and you were checking out the hot guys outside the car just before. Uh, I had a friend once who I accidentality on purpose exposed in the most sordid of ways his homosexuality, because I was angry at him for not returning my advances. I just didn't get it, didn't understand how badly I'd screwed up. I didn't see him ever again and I don't want to make the same mistakes as before. Please, I don't want to hurt you. But I was wondering..." I look down at my hands, fidgeting. "Do you think we could be friends?" I ask in a small voice. "At this point in time, I have no friends, and need one badly. Can you..."

He grabs my clasped hands and shakes them to get my attention. Looking up at him, he's smiling, and my heart thumps a skipped beat. He is so handsome is a roughish sort of way, light brown hair scattered over hazel eyes. And long eye lashes wasted on his ruggedly handsome face.

"Miss Lily, I'd be honoured."

"Really? I mean, I am totally manipulating you into doing this, both the shopping and the friendship..." I wave at the mall then between the two of us. "And it means that I know your secret but you know none of mine. How about this." I sit up straighter and shuffle to I'm facing him further. "How about I tell you one of my major secrets and that will put us both on equal footing."

"You don't have to, Miss Lily," he relies with a silly smile.

"I know I don't have to..."

"Its OK...." He's shaking his head, denying my secret, not giving me a chance to say anything, so I just blurt it straight out there.

"I backed my dad's car into the letterbox and blamed it on the neighbours and got away with it." We sat in silence a moment. No movement on either of our parts. "I stole Megan McCarthy's lunch box in year five because she had strawberries and I didn't. I ate them all and returned the box sans strawberries." Silence again, with a slight curl of the edges of his lips. "I put sand in my mum's facial moisturiser when I found out about her and Mr Wallace's affair. I also cut the strap on her favourite handbag hoping she'd have a spilling accident, and I messed up her best shoes. I also used to steal my dad's jello in the hospital blaming the filipino nurses; I caused Megan McCarthy to ruin her art piece last year coz she was winning the art comp and I wasn't and I threw my volleyball game last summer because I didn't want Marc ,the team captain, to move me into the next volleyball grade. Also, I knew Eyva was going to pull some nasty shit last night so I purposefully found your mum to help me as a witness and manipulated the whole affair."

I'm sweating like a pig by this point, leaning back in my seat, breathing so hard, trying to catch my breath. I wave my hand across my face and pat my chest, eyeing Grant sideways, watching him trying really hard not to burst out laughing.

"You can laugh." I give him permission and be cracks up.

"You for real?" He asks, cackling like a Minecraft witch.

"Yes, except the jello thing. I stole his ice cream too..." I cover my face in my hands, embarrassed for the first time in over six months.

"So embarrassing." I groan out.