Cheating on Myself

A Leopard CAN Change It's Spots

We arrived at the party and it was already well underway. There was a table covered with booze and not a soft drink in sight. The living room was decked out with bright flashing disco lights and the floor was home to about two hundred dancing feet. That wasn't them all either. There had to be at least 350 people there and I imagined people would continue arriving throughout the night. I spotted the Russian bad boy in school, Illegal Ivan as everyone called him. As his name suggested, he sold anything and everything illegally. Drugs, cigarettes (normally filled with drugs), passports, driving licenses... you name it, he'd sell it. I hated him and vowed to avoid him.

'You made it!' Dixon ran up to us, giving us each a big hug. First me, then Gabe, then Dana. Dana accepted it but with a look of disgust on her face. I smiled at her and she smiled back. 'I was starting to think you'd changed your minds. You all look amazing!'

'Thanks, and you of all people should know, if we say we will do something than we do it,' Gabe said, clapping Dixon on the back.

'Yeah, I wish I didn't know that so well. Talking of that, can I have a word with you, Kaelie? Privately?' Dixon asked. I nodded and told the others to enjoy themselves, I'd only be a minute. They went off to the crowded living room and I followed Dixon upstairs and he opened the door to his room. It brought back memories, despite the fact it had changed a lot since Year 7. I hesitated but Dixon took my hand gently and led me in. He didn't look like he wanted to hurt me this time - just talk.

'First, I want to say you look amazing. I love the dress and the hair, very sophisticated. Second, I want to apologise to you,' he said.

'You already apologised to us,' I reminded him.

'I apologised generally, not personally. You are the one I've hurt the most, and for that I am so sorry. I was so stupid in Year 7. I wanted to be thought of as the tough boy and I wanted to be accepted,' Dixon explained.

'Accepted as the physco who steals his best friend's girlfriend and scars her for life?' I asked, confused.

'Technically, you weren't anyone's girlfriend when I did that but yeah. In my idiotic little Year 7 brain, it made sense. Now I understand how wrong it was. Also, I'm sorry for blackmailing you. I was originally going to apologise but then I saw you two together and I was planning to text you later that night and say Gabe was cheating on you with this blonde biatch, except when I looked closer, I recognised her as you. It threw me and my nerve, so I just...'

'Lost it?'

'Yeah, that's it. I'm so so sorry. I won't tell Gabe about your secret because I don't want to make him hate me again but I'll tell you one thing. Don't keep this going forever. The longer it carries on, the more you're going to hurt him when it ends,' Dixon advised, rubbing my shoulder.

'I know. I'll tell him tomorrow, after we've gone home. I just need time to figure out how to say it,' I said.

'Good. You know, I think it might actually hurt you too , not just Gabe. Maybe you enjoy being Kaelie more than Arianne?' Dixon guessed.

'Huh?'

'Now come on, let's go join this party!' Dixon said, punching the air. He grabbed my hand and ran, having me running to keep up with him.