My Shifted Life

Chapter 6 - Lettie

We walk back towards the group around the bonfire after making out several times. I don’t particularly want to go back, I don’t really know anyone else here very well, and the ones I do know I don’t particularly like. Apart from Bren, but Bren wants to head back and talk to his friends, so that’s what we are doing. We walk back down the beach towards the bonfire holding hands but the first person we see is Max, as she strides out to meet us before we can get to where everyone else is gathered. Bren instinctively lets go of my hand and lowers his eyes to the sand.

“You’ve made your point Brendan. Leave the little w***e alone now.” Max says with a vindictive expression on her face. She then smirks at Bren who looks up with a huge goofy smile on his face.

“Excuse me.” I shout at her angrily.

“I wasn’t talking to you.” She says, finally looking at me.

“You called me a w***e!” I yell incredulously.

“Did I?” She says innocently. “Well if you go around making out with other people’s boyfriends, you are going to get called out for it.” I look daggers at Bren.

“What the f**k?” I ask him, but he doesn’t reply. He just looks down again and stares at the sand below his feet.

“Brendan, tell the w***e to go home.” She demands moving her hands in a shooing motion in my direction. I see red. Nobody calls me a w***e and gets away with it, let alone more than once. I hit her hard and fast in the face. I’ve never hit anyone before in my life, but she really had it coming. I shake my hand as it stings like a b***h. Max grabs her face and starts crying, screaming that I broke her nose. Her group of mean girls dash over to see what is going on and Bren looks at me in shock.

“You want a free nose job too?” I shout at them and they stop moving, standing rooted to the spot, watching their friend scream with blood pouring from her face.

“You f*****g arsehole.” I shout at Bren as he bends down to check on his girlfriend.

“It’s not like that.” He starts but I don’t want to hear any of his excuses.

“She’s not your f*****g girlfriend?” I challenge, pushing him away from me. “You didn’t invite me here just to make her jealous. God I am such an idiot.” What the f**k had I been thinking. I should have known better.

I turn and run as fast as I can away from everyone as the tears start to fall down my face. I don’t known where I am running to but I don’t want to go home like this. I run until I reach the town centre and wander around the town looking at the shops and bars of this stupid town. I can’t wait to leave and to move on. I can’t believe I fell for Bren. I try to reassure myself that it’s not that bad. I’m sure I can sweet talk Mum into moving on soon then I won’t have to see Bren or his stupid girlfriend ever again.

I calm myself down enough to face my mum and head home just in time for my 11:30 curfew. I walk back to the camp ground and into the campervan and Mum is already home and has already got everything packed up.

“I’m really sorry sweetheart but we need to move.” She says softly.

“Why?” I ask shocked.

“It’s just time to move on.” She explains.

“Has something happened?” I ask trying to figure out what is going on. I had expected to at least have to ask Mum to move on and I definitely did not expect to come back tonight to be told we are going.

“No. I just think it’s best if we move on now. Get some sleep, it’s late, we will set off first thing in the morning”

“O-k” I say not believing a word of it. Mum stands up to give me a hug but stops when she gets close and notices that there is a bit of blood on my jumper. s**t.

“Lettie, whose blood is that?” She asks suspiciously.

“Oh that, it’s nothing, it’s not mine, someone got hurt at the bonfire but they’re fine. Not burnt anyway.” I mumble hoping she doesn’t ask too many questions. We are moving on tomorrow so it doesn’t matter.

“Who?” She demands.

“This girl called Max. I hit her. I think I broke her nose.” I say quietly.

“You’ve been fighting?” She shouts angrily. Oops. Maybe I shouldn’t have said that last bit.

“No. I hit her.” There was definitely no fight. “She called me some horrible names so I punched her in the face.”

“Scarlet Monroe, you know better than that.” She scolds, the use of my full name indicating her displeasure in me.

“I know. I’m sorry.” I say looking down at my hands. I hate to see my mum disappointed in me.

“I’m sure she deserved it.” She says finally giving me a quick hug. “Is your hand ok.”

“Yes it stung at first but only for like a second.”

“Oh good.” She says looking at my hand. “Let’s just move on. I’ve had enough of this place.”

“Yes. Me too.” I reply.