Would Anyone Care?

Twenty Nine

The butterflies in my stomach have been building all afternoon, as I stand in front of my mirror making sure I look OK. I hear mum call up from downstairs. "Lucy, the door." I open my bedroom door, "can you get it please, I will be right down." I look myself up and down,happy that my hair and make up look good. I slip my shoes on, and as I open the door to go downstairs. BANG! I let out a little yelp and jump.
"HAPPY NEW YEARS!" I am greeted by a very excited looking Erica. Beaming at me as the streams from the party popper fall down over my head.
"Happy New years babe! That's a perfectly good pair of knickers ruined!" I joke as I pull her into a hug.
"Sorry!" She laughs. "Couldn't help it. You look fab." She says as we pull apart.
"So do you lovely." I say. As I take in what she is wearing, a lovely dark blue dress, black tights, and black heels, her hair is in a neat plait. I bend down and pick up the streams of confetti off the floor as Erica walks into my bedroom.
"So have you had a good week?" She asks as she plonks herself down on the edge of my bed.
"Yeah, it's been good babe. How's yours been?" I ask.
"Ah its been soo good. Can't believe the holidays are nearly over. I am looking forward to getting back to school though. Only 'cos I want to find out what happened at the party." She says with a cheeky grin. One thing I have learnt about Erica in the short time I have known her is she likes a gossip.
"Oh yeah, have you found anything out about that?" I ask, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"Well....." She let's that hang in the air for a moment giving me a strange look. "Kinda" she adds.
"Well spill the beans." I say as I sit down next to her.
"I don't know exactly what. But apparently it has something to do with Adam." She says raising her eyebrows.

Immediately my stomache sinks. I am taken back two years. To that utility room. A cold sensation runs down my spine. I can feel his hands on me, feel his lips forced against mine, his horrible alcohol fuelled breath. Feel how helpless I felt and I can vividly see the look in his eyes. Then the way he lied about everything, the way he turned my world upside down. And all of a sudden I fear for Amy. I want to contact her, make sure she is alright, that he didn't do anything to her.
"Lucy?" I hear my name but struggle to come out of my thoughts, I need to find out what has happened.
"Earth to Lucy." I look over to Erica.
"You ok, you kinda zoned out there!" She asks.
"Yeah sorry, I was just thinking." I reply. I can tell she is about to go into her gossip mode, but I am saved by mum calling up the stairs "Girls, Skye is here!" Erica immediately jumps up excitedly and goes to the door.

I can't help but smile as I make my own way out of the door and down the stairs where I am stopped in my tracks. Skye is standing in the hallway, in a figure hugging black, off the shoulder dress, matched by a pair of suede black heels, making her legs look amazing. Her hair is tied up in an elegant bun, it is the first time I have ever seen her with her hair up and shows of all her features perfectly. As I stand there staring she looks up and our eyes meet, I give her a big smile, trying to take in just how beautiful she looks as she returns my smile. Knowing I am going to want to remember that image forever,  I continue down the stairs, fully aware Erica's and my mums eyes are on us. "Hey you." I say as I pull her into a hug.
"Happy New years babe." She tells me as I feel her squeeze me a little more than she would with just a casual hug.
"You look amazing!" I can't help but say as we pull away from each other.
"Thanks lovely, you both look beautiful too." I blush as she says that.

We go into the front room and are soon joined by mum and dad. Mum carrying in a tray of champagne flutes , to which the girls cheer making mum laugh. "Now I have told Lucy, you girls can have a drink, but as long as you are sensible ok? I am not spending tomorrow cleaning up if you make yourselves ill." She says as she hands out the drinks.
"Thank you Sally, we will be sensible I promise." Skye replies, Erica I think still a little too shy around my parents, just smiles and nods.
"All three of you look fabulous." Mum says as she looks at us standing there together. "Maybe I should of made more of an effort now, what do you think Paul?" She adds asking my dad.
"Too late now love, by time you make yourself look half decent it will already be 2018." He says cheekily. Which makes Erica dribble a little of her prosecco down her chin as she laughs.