Off Limits by Alexandra Vos Page A

talking to people about it,
I haven’t told you even close to everything I’ve been going through and you’ve
been my best friend for ages.”
     
    She actually
looked surprised and I realised I’d told Luke more than anyone. We just had
this in common and so it was easier. “I suppose. I didn’t realise. Are you
okay? I probably haven’t asked enough.”
     
    I managed a small
smile. “I’m fine. It’s just weird and pretty difficult. I miss having my dad
around and I miss not thinking badly of my mum. I think it’s getting better,
thank you.”
     
    “I’m glad,” Phoebe
picked at her nails. “And you’re probably right about Luke. I’ll try and talk
to him about it tomorrow, because this is too weird. I feel like I’ve done
something wrong, or that,” she cleared her throat. “I know it’s stupid, but I
can’t help but worry he’s cheating on me. I’m not going to mention that to him,
of course, but it just bugs me so much.”
     
    I couldn’t look at
her, but she was staring at the blanket anyway. “Just talk to him about it.”
Maybe Luke would decide he didn’t even need to wait until after her birthday.
Her birthday might be a good way to feel better after the break-up, anyway. “If
it’s only been a week it could be anything.”
     
    “I guess, and I will
do. Anyway, tell me something interesting. You and Jamie. Surely I’ve pestered
you enough to make a move by now.”
     
    I forced out a
smile. A slightly better conversation topic than Luke, I supposed. “He made the
move, not me, but yeah, we’re going out on Friday.”
     
    Phoebe grinned ear
to ear. “That’s awesome! I knew you’d be good together, so, where are you
going? What are you doing? What are you wearing ?”
     
    I groaned, lying
on the small bed sideways so my bum just hung off the end. I hated having this
conversation. I was just planning on wearing normal clothes, jeans and a
t-shirt or something. Maybe I’d attempt to find a necklace that looked a bit
fancy. It wasn’t the exciting event Phoebe always seemed to see. “He said we’re
just going to a restaurant that’s pretty casual. I was just going to wear jeans
and a blouse or something. Maybe those shoes I bought for when we had to visit
court with school.”
     
    Phoebe, now
invigorated, got up and started flicking through my wardrobe. She pulled the
same face she always did and I rolled my eyes. We had a very different fashion
sense. “I guess that could work,” she conceded. “Curl your hair though, please,
it’s so gorgeous curly.”
     
    I ran my fingers
through my long, straight hair. “Maybe,” I conceded. It was far less effort to
straighten it, which I prioritised highly. I heard the front door open and close
and sighed. “I have to just go and talk to my mum. Be right back in a few.”
     
    I stuck my head
around the bottom of the bannister after sneaking down the stairs and my mum
jumped. I smirked. It never failed to amuse me, even when I was in the worst of
moods. Thankfully, she was alone. “Hi, mum. Sorry about earlier, I know it was
weird,” I moved away from the staircase so Phoebe wouldn’t be able to overhear.
“Phoebe’s here now, though, so can we chat later?”
     
    My mum watched me
with an exasperated expression. “I guess I can wait a bit longer,” she looked
incredibly sad for some reason and the guilt flowed through me. “Just come down
whenever, I’ll be awake.”
     
    I nodded, slipping
into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, and hoping Phoebe would choose to leave
soon. Exhaustion was beginning to slowly take over.
     
    Tiredness had
taken Phoebe, too, when I opened my door and she was sleeping soundly. I closed
the door as quietly as possible and tiptoed back down the stairs. “Phoebe’s
asleep. It’s cool if she stays here tonight, right?”
     
    “Of course.”
     
    I took a seat
opposite her armchair and weaved my hair through my fingers. “Basically, Luke
got a job at that place and the guy offered