Apples and Tim Tams

Chapter 2

I looked up into Travis' face and promptly forgot what I was doing. He was looking over at my friends as they giggled and stumbled their way up the path. A small smile played around the edges of his mouth and it cemented the knowledge in my head that it was most likely West he was after. I swallowed down the lump of disappointment that was lodged in my throat and gave him a light shove to get past.

"Doing door duty tonight, Travis?" I questioned with what I hoped was a natural sounding voice. This boy turned me inside out and upside down.

"Uh no I was waiting, I mean, I, no." He was still looking out the door and that was enough for me.

"Cool, well I'll leave you to it, whatever it is you're doing." I gave a friendly wave and turned to go toward the sounds of the party.

"Wait, Emma. I'll come with you." Travis put his hand on my shoulder and I gaped up at him in surprise. He quickly pulled his hand away and I instantly wished for it back. "What are you drinking? Can I get you anything?"

It was strange but he sounded nervous and in all the years I'd known him I don't think I'd ever heard him like this. I guess he really wanted to make an impression on someone.

"Ahh thanks but I'm not drinking anymore tonight, I have work early tomorrow. West is drinking vodka though, so is Abby. They'd love a drink." I hoped I wasn't being too obvious in my pushing him towards my friends but it seemed like he need a hand in approaching them.

"Right. I'll just go, yeah. I'll be back in a bit." Travis stalked away from us and seemed to be a bit pissed off. Not sure why, I'm trying to help him.

I turned towards my girls to find them all standing there with WTF looks on their faces.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked. "What did I do?'

"Oh my god Emma. Travis was trying to get you a drink. Not us. You dickhead." West flung the words at me and followed up with a shove to my shoulder.

"Yeah, you dumbass." Abby chimed in. "Why would he want to get us drinks when he is totally into you?"

"What? No. No, no, you guys are wrong. I'm pretty sure he likes one of you, well not you Evan. No offence."

"None taken, but you really are a dumbass, Emma. Travis has liked you for ages. We haven't said anything because we were waiting for him to make a move and now he has and you sent him away". Ev's voice was filled with disbelief as she shook her head at me.

"Are you messing with me?" I whispered. I couldn't bring myself to believe what they were saying but what if it was true?

I was about to respond when I heard a voice from behind me say "Oh yay, you made it. I was so hoping you wouldn't." And there was the wicked witch of Sunny High herself.

"Thanks for inviting us Amber! We're so glad to be here. Oh look there's someone over there. Toodles!" Abby wiggled her fingers in a vague 'Fuck you' motion towards Amber and dragged West and I away.

"Oh my God Abby! Where did that sass come from?" West was giggling like a lunatic and I was holding my sides with laughter.

"I really don't like that bitch and I really hate the way she talks to you, Emma. I reckon she knows Travis likes you and that pisses her off." I just stared at Abby as she spoke. Her face was filled with anger and this was fairly surprising as she was usually a very calm person.

Before we could talk more about what had happened, Travis appeared with drinks for the girls and a water for me. As he handed it to me our fingers brushed and I swear he tried to maybe grab my hand a little bit.

"So, what would you ladies like to do first?" He said and gestured around Amber's house. "There's a movie going in the theatre room, people are swimming, there's all the usual drinking games happening in the garage and dancing in the pergola. Which way should we go?" He looked at each of us in turn.

I wanted to dance so I pointed to the pergola, Abby and West pointed to the garage and immediately walked that way.

"Later, Emma!" They both called out over their shoulders and were soon swallowed up into the crowd of kids. I belatedly wondered where Evan and Jed were and started looking around for them.

"Ev and Jed are dancing." Travis was standing very close to me and he spoke into my ear. Shivers raced down my spine. "We should go join them." He placed a hand on my lower back and we started to walk out to the pergola.

This was everything I had ever dreamed of. Travis dancing with me, talking to me, holding me. Yes, he was holding me as a slower song was playing. His breath stirred the hairs around my ear as he leaned down to say "I've been hoping to dance with you for so long now."

"You have?" My voice cracked a little as I spoke. I was having trouble concentrating as our bodies moved against each other.

"Yeah. You're kind of intimidating and it's taken a while for me to work up the courage to really talk to you." He was looking into my eyes as he said this and my heart started to race like I had been running.

"I'm not intimidating!" I squeak. Dear God, I just squeaked. Why voice? Why?

Travis laughed a little gruff laugh and shook his head.

"Seriously, you are. At school you wouldn't even look at me. I've been sitting closer to your group at lunch and you haven't even noticed. I feel almost like a stalker because I know so much about you, yet you seem completely indifferent to me. I bring Tim Tams now because I want to be able to offer you one if you don't have them in your lunch. I know they are your favourite biscuit." He was looking quite embarrassed by the end of this startling information.

"You love green apples." I said. "You'll eat red ones but only if your mum hasn't bought green ones. You prefer water over soft drink, which is weird, but whatever. I thought you were trying to get with West. Or Abby. Never me."

He pulled me in tighter against his body with one arm and with his other hand cradling my face, he kissed me. It was the most magical moment of my life. Until a screeching noise broke us apart. We looked around in a daze and came face to face with a furious Amber.

"You fucking bitch!"