Breaking Her Rules

Chapter 34

When Julian and Findlay arrive at Watson's house on Saturday night, they are both in a shitty mood. Julian is driving and smoking and he parks half on the footpath and half on the road and slams the door of his car when he gets out. Findlay says something smartly to him and Julian just gives him a look. The boys walk towards the house, where I'm sitting with Watson on his front steps. Watson offers both of them a beer straight away, but Julian refuses.

'I'm driving,' he explains, throwing Findlay a dirty look.

'Maybe you should have thought of this before you went and fucked my girlfriend then,' Findlay snaps.

'Okay, boys,' Watson says. 'Chill. We're going to have a good night tonight, okay? Starting now.'

'Sorry,' Findlay says. 'Mum has been yelling at us all afternoon.'

Julian sucks in the last of his cigarette and then stamps it out in the garden.

I raise my eyebrows at him.

He scowls. 'You've never known true fear until you've had a mad woman yelling at you in both English and Italian,' Julian says.

'She just found out about the Lexington thing,' Findlay explains.

'She took it kinda strange though,' Julian says, looking at his brother. 'Like she wasn't even mad at me for going behind your back or anything.'

'Yeah like seriously,' Findlay says, nodding. 'Somehow she got mad at me?' He puts on a strong Italian accent. '"You do not let girls get between you! You are brothers!"'

'Seemed to think Lex was this crazy slut and that Findlay had no business dating her in the first place,' Julian says.

'Honestly, Mum just goes crazy sometimes,' Findlay says.

'Because, dude, she hates anything that reminds her of her past,' Julian says.

'She has a thing about girls though,' Findlay says. 'It's like she doesn't trust pretty blondes.'

'Because George cheated on her, and I bet it was with a pretty blonde,' Julian says.

Findlay shrugs. 'Hey, is Violet coming to the party tonight?' He directs this question to Watson.

Watson laughs. 'Hell no. Violet doesn't do parties.'

Findlay looks disappointed. 'It'd be good to have a friend there tonight who isn't just caught up in the whole Lexington drama. All my friends are still friends with all Lex's friends and I don't want to spend the whole party hanging out with them. If Vi came I could hang out with her.'

'Well good luck convincing her,' I say. 'Pretty sure she's settling in for a Daria marathon and she won't come out of her room.'

We head inside anyway because it's starting to get cold and find Violet making tea in the kitchen.

'Vi!' Findlay says. 'Please come to the party tonight.'

Violet is wearing a band shirt and sweat pants and she looks slightly mortified to see Findlay in her kitchen. 'Uh, no,' she says. 'I have shit to do.'

'Come on, Vi, it'll be fun,' Findlay says.

'I have nothing to wear,' Violet says.

'Yes, you do,' I say. 'I brought three dresses with me tonight because I can never fucking decide what I'm wearing, ever. So you can wear one of mine.'

Violet gives me a reproachful look.

'You can't back out of it now,' I say. 'This is decided. You're coming with us tonight!'