Love & Betrayal

“This is our year I can feel it, this year is going to be different you mark my words.” Zoe Lee announced decidedly her expression determined. 

“This year we are gonna step out of our comfort zones,” Zoe said warming to the idea she twisted slightly in her seat to meet her best friend’s gaze, “we are gonna expand our friendship group. Yes. Yes, we are, Willow. Stop shaking your head at me. We are also gonna go to more parties.”

Already sensing where this was going Willow started searching for arguments, pushing her glasses back up her nose she hastened to say, “Zoe. Look I love the enthusiasm. But this is our last year of high school, next year we are outta here. We are gone! We never have to see any of these people again, why would we start trying to get to know them now?”

“Character building,” Zoe flapped her hand when Willow groaned, “You know what else is gonna be different this year?”

Sighing Willow pulled her fingers through her long hair, “What?”

“We’re gonna tell Jono Clarke to take a flying hike, that’s what we’re gonna do. He’s gonna stop fucking with you, or so help me God- “

Interrupting Willow glanced around the crowded bus, “Zoe, chill.”

Drawing in a deep breath Zoe closed her eyes for a long moment, and when they opened, they were perhaps a smidge less crazed.

“Did you do your counting exercises?” Willow asked softly.

“Yes.”

“And your breathing?”

“Obviously,” Zoe drawled producing a short huff of laughter from Willow, “I just – I hate the way he picks on you, Will. I hate that you don’t fight back.”

Smiling sadly Willow shrugged picking at the cuff of her school jumper, “I don’t mind, Zoe.”

“Don’t lie,” Zoe said softly her gaze filled with empathy, “you don’t have to with me, I know, I’m here every day for it.”

Closing her eyes Willow nodded slowly acknowledging that, because Zoe was right, she was a front and centre witness to Jono’s hazing.

Once upon a time they’d been friends, had grown-up next-door neighbours, their mothers as tight as sisters.

Then Willow’s mother died, and that changed everything.

The bus rumbled to a smooth stop and the kids around them started jostling for the exit, not in as much of a hurry Zoe and Willow remained seated until the bus was empty before exiting.

Feeling anxious the closer they got to the school doors Willow hunched, trying to curl into herself and knowing she’d never be small enough to escape notice completely.

“I hate them,” Zoe muttered watching as Willow tried to disappear, “I hate him.”

“It’s fine, Zoe,” Willow whispered but even she could hear the lie in her voice because nothing was ever fine, it hadn’t been fine in a long time.

Pressing her glasses back up her nose Willow swallowed nervously and glanced around, “Do you see him?”

“No,” Zoe muttered a tall figure catching her eye ahead she warned, “I can see Harrison though.”

Harrison Lewis the second most popular boy in school, and Jono’s friend, they were never far apart.

“Ok, we’re just gonna walk straight past. We’re not gonna engage, Zoe. Promise?”

Zoe pursed her lips but didn’t argue, placing her much smaller body between Willow’s and the large group slowly taking form ahead of them.

Willow knew the exact moment he spotted her the silence that descended on the group was ominous, with a final burst of speed Willow tried to duck past the group inside to safety.

But Jono reached out and caught her arm in a firm grip his tone loud and false, “Look here boys, if it isn’t Willow and tiny Zoe, looking good girl, did you lose weight over the Christmas break?”

His face was animated by humour that didn’t reach his topaz eyes, the warmth of his skin on hers a sickening irony to how cold his tone was.

“Stop,” Willow whispered suddenly a spurt of bravery bringing her gaze up to fix on his, “stop. You’re hurting me.”

As he knew they would his friends jeered, everyone except Harrison who’d stayed silent and poised as he studied Jono’s face for cues.

But Jono, he watched Willow.

He couldn’t look away from her profile, watching the way her top teeth caught her full bottom lip.

Her gaze flicked to the group around them, taking in each face as it laughed or sneered, and colour-flagged her cheekbones.

Suddenly annoyed by the way the people around him snickered at her, even though he was the cause of her hazing, he frowned at a few close by.

“I’m sorry, Willow.” He found himself saying his tone too low for anyone else to hear, the hand he’d wrapped around her upper arm hiding the way his thumb rubbed her skin.

“You’re sorry?” She asked her surprised tone and small frown making his lips kick up in response, her gaze settled on his mouth locked onto the expression. “This is some sort of a trick.”

“It’s not,” Jono murmured he slid a single glance to the group around him commanding quietly, “Enough. Fuck off, the lot of you.”

Slow murmurs of complaint but no one dared argue, none except for Zoe who stood at Willow’s back.

Her face creased by a mighty frown Zoe reached for Willow’s other arm, “Let’s go, Will.”

“No,” Jono slid Zoe a charming smile which she sneered at, “Willow and I need to have a word.”

“Why don’t you shove your word right up your, hey-!”

With an almost imperceptible look from Jono, Harrison leaned down and plucked Zoe up off her feet, tossing her tiny body over his wide shoulder.

“Awful brave of him,” Willow softly remarked her gaze tracking Harrison as he carted Zoe off, “she packs a meaner punch than you’d expect from someone her size.”

“He knows that” Jono dismissed, “look at me.”

Embarrassed Willow did, “You said sorry. You haven’t said anything nice to me in the last five years.”

Not sure how to respond to that Jono sighed, “I’m not the kinda guy who apologises, but I meant it when I said sorry now.”

“Ok,” Willow said finally, and Jono frowned.

“Ok? That’s it?”

“Yeah. I’ve gotta go, Jono, I have a Cello lesson this morning.” Shaking him off Willow hurried inside.

“That was different,” Harrison commented idly as he sauntered back to Jono’s side, hands tucked into his back pockets.

At her locker, Willow smothered a sigh as Zoe quietly raged at her side.

“What the hell kind of game does he think he’s playing, what be a little bit charming, and you’ll forget all about the shit he pulled the last five years? You’re not falling for it, are you Willow?”

Uncertain how to answer Willow shrugged noncommittally, unhappy with her blasé response Zoe moved closer.

“Seriously, Will. You’re not falling for the act, are you? Because that’s all it is, he’s pretending and being nice and being charming, but he’ll have an angle here.”

“Zoe, I don’t know, alright. For – for a minute he was like….”

“He’s not the boy you were childhood friends with, Will.” Zoe interrupted closing her eyes with a pained expression on her face, “For all the years he’s been a thorn in your side how do you still have, like, these rose-coloured glasses on when you look at him?”

Silent Willow just kept thumbing through the textbooks in her locker, nibbling on her lower lip anxiously.

Finally, Zoe sighed, “I’ve gotta get to choir, just promise you’ll think about what I’ve said?”

Dragging her attention down to her best friend Willow mustered a smile, “Yeah Zoe, I always think about what you say.”

Nodding though her expression remained pensive Zoe muttered, “That’s all I’m asking for. I’ll see you at morning tea.”

Making a low noise of assent Willow watched Zoe march through the other students milling around their lockers and sighed once her friend’s tiny figure had disappeared out the door.

“Thank god,” Jono muttered sidling around the corner of a set of lockers, “thought she was never gonna leave.”

Sighing Willow stuck her head back into her locker, forgetting that she also shared her schoolhouse, and therefore locker room with Jono.

“You said you had to go for your Cello lesson, but here you are. Hiding? In your locker?”

“I’m not hiding.”

“It takes literally no one fifteen minutes to grab their shit from their lockers.”

Slamming her locker shut Willow sent him a ‘Are you happy now’ look, turning away she tucked her textbooks against her chest and went to leave.

But Jono cut her off leaning his big body in her way, boxing her into the corner lockers she and Zoe had picked for the school year.

“Jono, what are you doing?” Willow asked softly glancing around she noticed a few of the students taking notice, “People are looking.”

“So let them.”

“What do you want?”

What did he want? Jono wasn’t entirely sure and was silent too long. 

Willow went out on a limb and guessed, “This is about messing with me, isn’t it? Just – leave me alone, Jono. I think you’ve embarrassed me enough for the day.”

It was the second time Jono was left standing alone, the students sending him surreptitious looks as they moved around him.

Jono felt Harrisons’ presence, “Invite Zoe to your back-to-school party this Saturday.”

Silent Harrison nodded. 

* * *

It had been a weird first week of school Willow admitted to herself, sitting in the middle of her bed with her arms wrapped around her legs she watched Zoe go through her cupboards.

“Girl, how many oversized jumpers do you need?”

“As many as I can get,” Willow replied making Zoe laugh.

“You cannot wear a jumper tonight, you’ve gotta have something else in here.”

Groaning Willow flung her body backwards to lie staring up at her ceiling, “Why are we going tonight?”

“Because my New Year’s resolution was for us to go to more parties this year, so that is what we are doing.”

“You don’t think it’s a little bit weird that we’ve never once been invited to one of Harrisons’ parties before, and suddenly this year we have been.”

Zoe pulled a face, “Maybe he’s made a similar resolution to me this year, only his is more about being inclusive and inviting everyone to the parties he throws.”

“That’s a stretch, even for you.”

“Will,” coming over to sit at Willow’s side Zoe poked her, “it’ll be fun. You’ll see.”

“It would be more fun if I could wear a jumper.”

In the end, Zoe managed to find Willow a slinky black A-line dress.

“Stop,” Zoe muttered from the corner of her lips, noticing Willow fidgeting. “You look hot.”

“Hot and Willow are not words that belong in a sentence together,” Willow mumbled.

Stopping Zoe grabbed her arms and shook her slightly. “You’re gorgeous, Will. Stop shrinking and rock the body your momma gave you.”

Laughing slightly Willow rolled her eyes but nodded, forcing her hands to stay at her sides instead of picking at the bodice of the dress.

The front door opened to reveal Harrison, his smile was slight but genuine as he said. “Ladies. Looking lovely tonight.”

“Man, Harrison. Your house is massive!” Zoe’s mouth hanging open she glanced around at all the while marble, “What do your parents do for a living?”

Shrugging negligently Harrison pointed through the archway towards what looked like a huge rumpus room, “Drinks are that way.”

Nodding Zoe grabbed Willows’s arm and towed her into the writhing mass of dancing bodies, using her little elbows to shove people who got too close out of her way.

Reaching the drinks table Zoe snagged them both a cup, accepting Willow glanced down at the frothy amber liquid.

“Are you sure about this, Zoe?”

“Just drink it.”

Chuckling at her friend’s demanding tone Willow took a hearty mouthful, making a face at the bitter and soggy taste of yeast.

Mimicking her Zoe declared, “Yuck.”

About to reply Willow trailed off into silence as she caught sight of Jono through a part in the crowd, his smile easy and open as he sat with his hand high up Ali Wong’s skirt.

All week Willow had been hearing about the new relationship between the school star Winger and proclaimed ‘it’ girl, it wouldn’t have even registered except….

Every morning Jono had made himself a fixture by Willow’s locker, trading barbs with Zoe who was personally offended every time she set eyes on him.

“God she’s cringe,” Zoe muttered sending Ali, who also happened to be her cousin, a heated glare.

Sighing Willow gulped down her beer and then nodded at Zoe’s still full cup, “We’re not gonna care tonight, we are here to have fun right, so let’s have some fun.”

For a moment it looked like Zoe wanted to say something, then she smiled and nodded firmly, “Girl, let’s get drunk and dance.”

An hour later Willow was three sheets to the wind, having lost Zoe somewhere on her trek upstairs to find the bathroom she wobbled to a stop as a large body got in her way.

Thinking it was Jono she swallowed back a sigh of disappointment when it was Mike Watson instead,

also, on the rugby team he played as one of the props alongside Harrison.

He flashed her a sharp smile and whistled low as he dragged his gaze appreciatively over her form, “Looking good tonight, Willow.”

Maybe it was the alcohol speaking but Willow smiled in a way she hoped was flirtatious, “Looking good yourself, Mike.”

Smile stretching even wider he wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her against his chest, “Wanna find somewhere quieter?”

A flash of warning rolled like heat through her system and blinking she glanced around, over the banister to the lower level she caught sight of Ali her lips locked with Jono’s.

Feeling reckless Willow nodded, “Uhm. Yeah, ok.”

Almost too fast Mike had her in one of the spare bedrooms on the landing, the door closed firmly behind him, dulling the party’s noise.

Fidgeting Willow lay flat on the bed and felt the whole world tilt on its axis, groaning she closed her eyes.

Her voice soft she complained, “The room is spinning.”

“Shhh,” crawling up her body Mike pressed his lips against her neck before swooping in to take her lips, surprisingly the experience was pleasant, and Willow relaxed.

His lips and tongue moulded to her own as he gently nipped and sipped at her mouth, his busy hands unerringly finding the side zipper of her dress.

Distracted Willow was pliant as he pealed the bodice from her upper body, then pushed the rest of the material down her hips.

Laying beneath him in nothing but her underwear Mike then set his knee’s either side of her waist and sat up, the sudden loss of his lips on hers making her frown and blink her eyes slowly open.

It was the expression on his face that made the alarm bells start ringing in her head, but senses dulled by the alcohol she’d drunk Willow was helpless when he called out loudly.

“Come in.”

The sound of wood smashing against wood dragged her gaze to the now open doorway, Ali and three of her cronies in the door with their phones raised the bright light indicating they were recording.

Then they started laughing.

Mortified Willow tried twisting away but Mike used his weight to keep her pinned, his expression blank as he pinned her wrists to the bed.

“God, stupid, fat cow losing her virginity at a party, while the whole school is downstairs!” Ali loudly crowed her pretty face so like Zoe’s twisted into something ugly, “Willow! Have you got no self-respect?”

“Get off,” Willow panted tugging ineffectively at her wrists, “Mike, get off!”

But he didn’t he remained sitting just as he was, his weight too much for her to throw off despite how she wriggled and writhed beneath him.

Tears of shame and anger started falling in earnest then, only making Ali and her friends laugh even louder, drawing the attention of more people from the party.

Soon the doorway was filled with students pointing, laughing, and recording Willow as she struggled.

“Give her a kiss,” someone yelled.

Willow froze in horror glancing up at Mike who briefly sent a glance towards the door, before with a sigh he bent his head down to her face.

“Don’t!” Willow tried to turn her face away, but it didn’t stop Mike from kissing her cheeks or her neck, didn’t prevent him from using his teeth to tug on her earlobe.

The worst part about it was that he did it all so gently, Willow could have been mistaken into believing the affection was real.

“What the hell?”

Turning her gaze to the open-door Willow gasped in relief, “Jono!”

For a moment everyone froze then Jono moved, but it wasn’t into the room to help, it was away his expression disgusted.

Willow couldn’t prevent the ugly sob that worked its way up her throat, and Ali sent her one final look of victory saying. “God, you’re pathetic Willow.”

Slowly the doorway emptied of people and Mike released her wrists, climbing out of the bed he reached down and picked up his shirt pulling it back on.

Curling into a small ball Willow was deft to the sound of her sobs, and she flinched when Mike tossed her dress over her body.

Betrayed Willow glanced at him meeting his dispassionate gaze she demanded, “Why?”

“It wasn’t personal,” Mike said carelessly, “don’t be such a dork about the whole thing, Willow. It was just a bit of fun.”

Then he left closing the door behind him with a quiet snick.