Page 5 of The Guilty Girl

Tonight would be the night of her life.

4

A seething anger bubbled in the pit of Hannah’s stomach. It swelled upwards, settling like a ball of wind in her chest. She wasn’t stupid. She knew when she was being belittled, excluded and made fun of. Lucy had displayed utter contempt for her in that short exchange. It was obvious she wasn’t wanted.

Biting back her hurt, she fought her way to the table where bottles of alcohol were being served by a bored-looking lad in a faded black T-shirt. He held out a long-neck Bulmers. He looked too young to legally drink, let alone be serving alcohol.

She shook her head. ‘Can I get a Coke?’

‘What’d you say?’ He leaned closer and she got a whiff of Lynx. The cheap pound-shop variety. Fake stuff. As awful as her own perfume.

She flashed him a smile, realising he didn’t fit in with the crowd any more than she did.

A little louder, she said, ‘A Coke or water, please.’

He grinned. Cute, despite his overlapping front teeth and gelled-to-death black hair. He only came up to her shoulder.

‘Alcohol only. Haven’t even tonic water for the gin. I guess Lucy wants everyone paralytic drunk.’

‘She wants everyone to talk about this being the best party ever, and that’s not even a guess, it’s the truth.’

‘Don’t think anyone will remember much of it.’

There was something about his eyes. Hypnotic, she concluded. In that moment, she felt alone yet not alone. ‘What’s your name?’

‘Doesn’t matter. I’m only here to hand out the drink and the crack.’ He winked.

‘You’re here for the craic?’ She strained to hear over the loud music.

‘You’re so wet,’ he said, digging his hand into his jeans pocket and showing her the top of a plastic bag. It was rammed full of pills.

‘Oh!’ Hannah recoiled.

‘Come back later if you want one.’ He pushed the bag back into his pocket and turned to hand the bottle of cider to the next in line.

Hannah was glad he hadn’t insisted, because she was morose enough to take one. She turned away and leaned against the wall, wondering if she could leave now without being noticed. Grab her rucksack from the room upstairs and call a taxi. She could disappear into the night and hope never to see Lucy McAllister again. The girl was such a fake. Why had she trusted her? Now she was thankful that school had ended and college beckoned. If she got the grades, she’d be going to Athlone Institute of Technology. Of course Lucy had picked courses at Trinity. Only the crème de la crème get into Trinity, she was apt to remind everyone at any opportunity.

What had Hannah been thinking of, coming to her party?

Bad move.

* * *

Cormac O’Flaherty was still smarting from the insults Lucy had flung at him. He needed to have a word with her. He found her outside with her posse by an egg chair swing and a large rattan table overloaded with bottles. Lanterns with tea lights lined the massive garden, adding to the party atmosphere.

‘Cormac, you’re like a leech,’ Lucy said. ‘Did anyone ever tell you that?’

He smiled his lopsided smile. ‘Only you, Lucy.’

Her friends giggled and sipped their Coors Light.

‘I’ll tell you something for nothing, Cormac, I don’t like leeches,’ Lucy hissed into the warm night air. ‘They’re slimy and stick to your skin and suck the life out of you. So could you please fuck off. Just because you cut the grass for my dad doesn’t give you a right to be here. Are you listening to me? You are not wanted.’

Cormac recoiled from her words and picked at the acne on his throbbing forehead. Lucy had not been like this the last time they’d spoken, so why was she acting the bitch now? Probably because she had an audience.

He watched as she turned to the coven huddling around her, their shoulders rocking with laughter. Clenching his hand into a fist, cracking the plastic cup into bits, he thought how he’d love to thump her.

Making his way inside, he spied one of her friends lolling against the wall. Different to the rest of the clique. He’d seen her traipsing down the stairs behind Lucy, but he’d never have clocked Hannah Byrne as a groupie. Well, what did he know?