Burning For You

"I can't believe your dad is letting you go to a party!" Millie squealed as Elara dropped her overnight bag to the floor and ran to her. They threw their arms around each other. "Yeah, well, I left that bit out. I just said we’re having a sleepover." Elara bit her lip. "It's probably for the best. We both know his view on fun." Millie tried to lighten the mood. "Let’s just forget all that and get ready," Elara suggested. "Yes! I have the perfect dress for you." Millie jumped up, flung open her wardrobe doors, and pulled out a black leather mini skirt with a tight white crop top studded with rhinestones in the shape of a heart. "Are you sure?" Elara asked, biting her lip. She had never worn anything so revealing before. "Yes, Lari." Millie giggled at the nickname that had stuck since preschool. "Okay." Lari tugged off her oversized t-shirt and pulled the crop top over her bra. "Babe, no," Millie said, unclasping her bra. "Mills, I have to wear something!" Lari crossed her arms, self-conscious about the breasts that had grown generously since she was twelve. At seventeen, after years of hiding them, it felt strange to flaunt them. "Lari, it’s summer. No one’s going to see your nipples." Millie dug through a drawer. "But I suppose you could wear these if it’ll make you feel better." She handed over a small packet of gel pasties. Lari stuck them on. They felt weird and sticky, but not as bad as worrying. "There. Now I’ll get changed, and you can start on your make-up." Millie pulled a red dress from the wardrobe, one that tied around her neck and skimmed her mid-thighs. Lari sat at the antique vanity cluttered with makeup and hair accessories. She picked a concealer close to her skin tone, dotting it on her forehead, under her eyes, along her nose bridge, and chin before patting it in with her fingertips. She wiped her hands clean, moved on to contour, then a natural lip color. Digging through Millie’s eye shadow collection, she found a shimmery white highlighter shade, dabbed it on her lips, and brushed it out before adding a sharp winged liner. "Yuss!" Millie exclaimed, perking up her more modest chest in the mirror. The girls swapped places—Millie sitting at the vanity, Lari perching on the bed. "Um, Mils… what shoes am I supposed to wear?" Lari asked, realizing she had only brought her worn Skechers. "Anything apart from my silver sandals." Lari sorted through Millie’s twenty pairs of heels and settled on chunky platform sandals. "Girls, are you ready yet?" Josh knocked on the door. "Coming!" Millie yelled, slipping on her delicate sandals. She grabbed Lari’s hand, and they practically burst out the door. Josh looked Elara up and down. "You’re not gonna make me regret this, are you?" "I swear I won’t," Elara said with an innocent smile. "Well, the drinks and kegs are already in the ute, so let’s skedaddle." "Have fun—and don’t do anything I wouldn’t!" Millie’s mum, Lauren, called as she waved them off. The girls scurried out the front door and squeezed into the back seat beside Josh’s work tools. "You couldn’t have been a bit more accommodating?" Millie huffed. "I’m dropping you off on my way to a site, so, no." "Millie, don’t be so dramatic. It’s not like we’re driving interstate." Lari giggled. "Josh, turn left coming up," Millie said, anxious not to be late. "Don’t backseat drive," Josh muttered. After a short half-hour drive, they reached the upper-class side of town. Ezra’s parents had gone away on a two-week cruise, leaving their huge house very empty. "Woah." Lari’s eyes widened. She had only ever lived in a two-bedroom flat with her dad. The place was two stories, with a long gravel driveway lined with tall pines and a fountain out front. "Very classy," Millie raised a brow. As the ute stopped, the front door opened and a group of guys came out. Ezra was one of them, of course. "We’ve got three kegs and a heap of tequila, vodka, and Midori," Millie said, undoing the tray and motioning for the boys to grab the drinks. "Should I take a box?" Lari whispered. "Uh, f**k no. Don’t even think like that here. Just be cute and dainty." Millie winked and led her inside. The house was immaculate, polished and shining, but even without experience Lari knew it wouldn’t stay that way. "You look like a girl." Lari turned to see Ezra smirking. "I should hope so—since I am one." She blushed. Ezra chuckled and moved on toward the lounge, where Millie was already perched on a boy’s lap, laughing glamorously at whatever dumb thing he had said. "Oh, Lari, come here," Millie called. "Lenny was just telling me about his last football game." Millie managed to pull a couple of boys toward Lari, though she noticed their attention was mostly on her chest. "Here." One of them, with blonde dreads, handed her a cup. "What is it?" "Vodka and Solo. Figured you’re not a beer or shots kind of gal." He chuckled. She sipped as he sat down beside her, slipping an arm around her shoulders. She dreamed of Ezra but knew she had to start somewhere. Dread guy would do. She felt bad—she hadn’t caught his name, and now it was too late to ask. "’Sup, Silas!" another guy called as he walked past. The house filled quickly, the music pounding through the walls until Lari felt it in her bones. Across the room, Millie was already dancing. Even through the crowd, she met Lari’s eyes and gave her a quick nod. Lari smiled back to show she was fine. "I think I need some air," Lari said, standing. "Me too." Silas took her hand and led her through the crush of bodies until they broke free into the cool summer night. Lari pushed her hair back, letting the breeze whisper over her skin. "Silas, what are you doing? We only invited her so Millie would bring drinks." Lari turned. Ezra was smirking in the dimly lit garden. "Ez, really?" Silas cringed. "Oh, f**k off, Silas. You just want to f**k her. She’s probably a virgin holding out for true love." Ezra let out a dark laugh that raised goosebumps on Lari’s arms. Silas stormed off, obeying the unspoken command of the group’s self-appointed alpha. Lari bit back tears as she realized it wouldn’t matter where she started—Ezra only wanted her friend. He’d never want her. "Don’t ever drink anything he gives you," Ezra drawled beside her.