I opened my eyes, just a crack and quickly closed them again. It was waaaay too bright. I lay perfectly still and took stock of my body.

I had a raging headache, my stomach was lurching and there was a horrible taste in my mouth. I definitely drank too much last night. Thinking hard, I tried to remember if I'd done anything horrible. Please tell me I hadn't been sick on my mother!

I remembered being at the party and thinking Miss Hart wasn't going to show up. Disappointment had filled me, curling in the bottom of my stomach. I remembered Tanya had forced me to dance with her and then retreating to the second room to find Sheridan. Mr Crawford had shouted me over and told the person he was with to dance with me. I remembered who it was, and the dance and, and... shit... I didn't... oh my god, I was so screwed! I had to call Tanya!

I opened my eyes again and waited for them to adjust. With every wave of sunlight came a sharp stab of pain. When the pain finally subsided enough to allow movement I sat up and promptly vomited over the bed.

Groaning I wiped my mouth then pushed the covers away from me. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. Slowly, I pushed myself up and stood shakily, holding the bed.

I scanned the room for my phone but didn't see it. Swallowing painfully, I made my way, very slowly, across the room. Once at the door I slid down it and rested on the floor until I had the strength, and energy, to push myself back up.

I stumbled out the room and along the hallway to the stairs. I had to sit going down them because I was sure I'd fall otherwise. I reached the bottom and made my way along a second corridor to the kitchen which was brightly lit, to my complete dismay.

My mum was sitting at the table, reading a newspaper and consuming a breakfast of cereal. She looked up and saw me holding myself up with the door frame.

"Lilly, you're up!" She exclaimed. "How are you feeling?"

"Not great," I admitted and she smiled at me sympathetically.

"If I were you I'd go have a nice warm shower, but first, drink some water."

"I'm never drinking again!" I moaned, as I sipped from the cup she handed me.

"I seriously doubt that." She said. Then, after a long pause, she added, "You've never been drunk before, sweetie. Are you okay?"

I stood uncertainly, not sure how to answer.

"It was just, you know, part of the fun, a new experience... got a bit carried away."

"I can understand that. Peer pressure can be a good thing sometimes. But when it comes to drinking or drugs, Lilly, don't succumb to it."

"I know mum, but it was all me. No one made me. It was my choice. I was just having fun."

"Good."

"Can you make me something to eat after I wash?"

"That's fine dear." I was halfway to the door when she suddenly said, "I invited Laura over for lunch." I turned around.

"Who?"

"The nice woman who brought you home last night. She said she knew you."

"Mum, I don't know anyone called Laura."

"You must, dear, she was quite tall and had black hair."

"Lots of people are tall with black hair." I replied, exasperated. My temper was short right now.

"That's strange, isn't it? She left her number so you can call her! I'll just have to find it..." Her voice trailed off as she rummaged around in a drawer of the desk. "Here."

I came over and stood beside her, looking at the red numbers neatly printed onto the paper. I spotted my phone on top of the desk and grabbed it before returning my focus to the paper in my mother's hands.

"It's a mobile number," I noted and reached over to take it. "Thanks, mum."

"Alright, dear. Go have your shower now and text her when you feel better."

"I will... and could you clean my bed? I was sick on it."

"Oh, Lilly!" Mum groaned as I left the room.

I returned to my room, picking up a towel along the way. I organised what I'd need to change into and turned on my phone. Quickly checking my Facebook and answering a few messages, I headed to the nearest bathroom. Then I slowly typed the numbers on the paper into my phone. I sent:

I laid my phone on the window sill and quickly stripped off.

The warm water felt heavenly on my skin as it massaged my aching muscles. I washed my hair, being careful not to irritate my head further.

The phone buzzed itself onto the floor, landing with a clatter. I ignored it until I was clean and had relaxed enough to bring the headache down to a bearable level. Then I got out of the shower, picked up my phone and checked the message.

I stared at the message feeling... something well up inside me. I may have been drunk but I could remember losing my temper at her. She had still been kind enough to take me home when my friends left. It made me feel so small, no wonder she wouldn't pay attention to me, I didn't deserve that kind of heartlessness.

I wrapped myself in a towel and went back into the bedroom. I was getting changed when the phone buzzed again.

Her text made my stomach flutter and I felt weirdly excited that she remembered something someone had told her about me.

I became nervous then, worried that she would say she lived with her boyfriend or worse, husband

She didn't want to end our conversation! I was over the moon. In fact, fuck that, I was over the sun!

I was sure she was lying.

I switched off the hairdryer and stood in the mirror, assessing myself.

Deciding I needed make up I opened one of the new sets piled on the floor. I applied it rather liberally and the result was nothing like me. Just what I wanted.

I hurried down the stairs and joined my mum, who was now in the living room. She stared at me when I came in the door.

"Lilly?"

"Yes, mum?"

"Jesus, what did you do to your face?"

"Make up!" I crossed my arms in annoyance.

"You look like a clown! Go back

up there and take it off!"

"Mum! No!"

"What are you even wearing that for?"

"I want to." I said, now very insulted.

"You look fine without it."

"Maybe I don't want to look fine."

"What does that mean?" She asked looking at me strangely.

"Nothing." I muttered, refusing to meet her gaze.

"You meant something, tell me."

"I don't want to look fine. I want to look something better...pretty...or something," My face burned as she watched me. After a long silence I said, "say something."

"You are pretty." She said, halfheartedly and I snorted. "You are!" She insisted.

"Okay mum," I said sarcastically, "Sure!"

"You were never concerned with make up until today... and you were never bothered about drinking until last night, what's wrong?" She asked, and I knew she was voicing what she had been thinking all along.

"I wish I knew." I admitted.

"It's do with finding him, isn't it?" She asked gently and I instantly recoiled.

"I need to clean my face." I said hurriedly and scrambled from my chair.

I left the room quickly.

"Was it something I said?" My

mother shouted after me but I pretended not to hear.

I got up to my room and went immediately to the mirror and scrutinised my face. It was different from my usual look, yes, but it wasn't necessarily better. Grabbing the make up wipes that Sheridan had, thankfully, convinced me to buy, I removed my face paint.

I checked my phone as I made my way over to the bin with the used wipes. a message waited, from Miss Hart.

Mentally scolding myself for leaving my phone I quickly tapped out a reply.

I went back down the stairs, this time making sure my phone was on me.

I followed my nose into the kitchen

.

"What's for lunch?" I asked my mums back.

"Chicken," She said without turning from the potatoes she was arranging on a dish.

"What, no goose?" I asked, pretending to be stunned.

"I didn't have time to buy one so you're stuck with chicken and likin' it!" She snapped and I retreated from the room. It was never a good idea to distract her when she was cooking, it stressed her out.

I had just sent the text when the reply to the earlier message buzzed through.

Not too long afterwards I received another text.

Staring at my phone suddenly reminded me that I needed to talk to Tanya before Miss Hart arrived. Panicking I called her straight away.

She picked up on the last ring, which didn't help my stress.

"Uh?" She grunted, "What 'ou wan'?

"Sorry, are you asleep?"

"I was," She yawned into my ear.

"God, you sound rough."

"You don't, you lucky bitch!"

"You should have seen me earlier."

"You better have a bloody good reason for waking me at this incredibly early hour!"

"Tanya, it's quarter past twelve!"

"Huh... like I said, what reason do you have for-"

I broke her off by hastily asking, "what did I do last night?"

"Went to our graduation party, duh!"

"I know that. I need to know what I did to Miss Hart!"

"Oh... that." She began to giggle and it soon turned into a full bellied laugh.

"What!?" I demanded, growing concerned.

"N-nothing," She spluttered, "Why do you need to know?"

"Because you forgot about me and she had to take me home and now she's coming over for lunch!" There was a short pause as she absorbed that information.

"What? How?"

"That glorious mother of mine!"

"Oh my god! I'm sorry Lilly! I can remember...you danced with her, then you argued with her or something and stormed over to me, wanting to get drunk. I tried to stop you but, you were on a mission. I vaguely remember her coming over to talk to you at some point as well but I can't recall anything else."

"Are you sure, nothing else?" There was a silence as she thought.

"I can't think of anything."

"Okay, thank you so much, I owe you."

"Damn right you do! You'd better make it up to me!"

"I will I promise! Thank you!" Tanya grunted as I hung up.

There was a message waiting and I read it quickly.

I sat half on, half off the sofa, not able to keep still. My heart rate was definitely quicker than normal and I couldn't seem to concentrate on anything, not that there was much to concentrate on. I didn't want to let my thoughts drift to inappropriate things, it felt wrong and I wouldn't be able to look at Miss Hart.

I went through to the kitchen and my

mum gave me a dish of carrots to carry through to the dining room. The doorbell rang and my mum yelled at me to answer it.

Shakily I put the dish down and slowly approached the door. As I reached for the handle an image of Miss Hart wearing next to nothing flashed, unbidden, into my mind. Gritting my teeth I opened the door.

She stood there with a small smile on her face, which was free of make up. She was dressed in skinny jeans and a baggy top. I'd thought she looked good at school but it was nothing compared to how she looked dressed like this.

"Hi," her voice was soft, the tone slightly teasing, "are you going to let me in?"

Realising I'd been staring I nodded and stood out of her way.

"Of course, sorry."

I caught a glimpse of her smile as she passed me. My face turned red. Feeling awkward I led her into the living room. She looked around her in wonder, it was rather amusing.

"What is it?" I asked

.

"I've never been in a house this big! At least, not one with people actually living in it!" I almost laughed at her awed tone.

"You'll get used to it." I said, without thinking. She didn't reply, an unreadable expression on her face. "I'll just go ask mum when lunch should be done. Make yourself comfortable."

When I came back from the kitchen she was deep in conversation with Jarrod. I scowled at him as she laughed at something he'd said. He smirked at me but didn't say anything as they continued their conversation.

I coughed lightly and Miss Hart turned, looking surprised but with laughter still dancing on her eyes.

"Mum says lunch will be ready in five minutes. I see you've met my little brother Jarrod."

"Haven't I just. He's quite the joker, aren't you?" She laughed elbowing him. I narrowed my eyebrows in annoyance but forced a fake smile to my lips.

"You should me-" I broke off, realising what I had been about to say.

"Meet who?" She asked.

"No one." I replied, "no one at all."

I was saved from further questioning by the announcement that lunch was ready.

We went into the already crowded dining room and sat at the end of the table. Miss Hart looked at me with wide eyes.

"I thought you said there were seven of you."

"There are." I said.

"Then why do I count eight people, nine including you?"

"That one, is Tom my brother," I said, pointing to him, "And the woman holding his hand is his wife, Sarah. They don't live here anymore but Mum likes having them over."

"Oh," she said, "so you have four siblings?"

"No f-" I started but corrected myself, "yes, four."

Miss Hart looked at me oddly and opened her mouth to say something.

"Hey sis!" Tom grabbed me round the chest in a rough hug, ruffling my hair. "Long time no see."

"Tom! Let go of me!" I squealed, pushing him off playfully.

"Who's this then?" He asked looking at Miss Hart. He looked from her to me, saw that she was sitting close with her body positioned towards me and his eyes widened. "Is she...I mean are you-"

"No," Mum deliberately hit him as she walked past. "I invited her when she dropped off Lilly off last night. She's her friend."

"Her teacher actually." Miss Hart corrected.

"Ex-teacher." I added. She laughed and placed her hand on my arm. I stiffened in spite of myself and felt my face flush. Her hand was cool against my overheated skin and it felt wonderful.

"Would you like carrots?" Mum asked her and I missed the touch as she moved her hand back to her side.

She slipped into conversation with Jarrod and I felt my heart rate slow and my breathing returned to normal.

I filled my plate with food and ate in silence, keeping an eye on Jarrod. He looked like he couldn't believe his luck but he wasn't brave enough to flirt with her. If he started then I might hit him.

He winked at me as she laughed at something he had said and suddenly he was hit in the face by a spoonful of chicken and potato. I wasn't sure what had happened. One second I'd been raising the spoon to eat, the next food had been flying across the room towards him.

I sat in stunned silence as I watched Jarrod's face slowly cloud over. Miss Hart had a hand over her mouth and I could feel her leg shaking against mine as she tried to choke back her laughter. I could hear muffled laughter from everyone at the table withe the exception of my mum and Jarrod.

"Lilly!" Mum snapped, "Why did you do that!?"

"I didn't mean it!" I protested and Miss Hart lost it. She nearly fell off her chair she was laughing so hard. No one else could hold back then and the room was filled with uncontrollable hysterics.

Jarrod's face grew even stormier and he picked up his spoon menacingly. He threw food across the room towards me, but his aim was clouded with anger and it hit Miss Hart instead.

His anger instantly disappeared and was replaced with horror. She froze and her eyes narrowed into a glare. She wiped the food from her hair and wiped it on her napkin. She grabbed her own spoon and threw it at him. Her aim, unlike his, was deadly accurate and the food hit him full in his gaping mouth.

I had been silent until then but the sight of him with food spilling from his mouth and down his face was too much. I double over with laughter, tears rolling down my face.

Jarrod didn't dare to throw anything back; he had to be on her good side if he wanted anything to happen between them. Not that it would, but he didn't know that.

"That's enough, you guys," my mum reprimanded us - including Miss Hart - without much authority, failing to sound stern.

When I finally stopped laughing my sides were aching and my cheeks were almost frozen into place.