CHAPTER THIRTY THREE girls just wanna have fun!
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SHORTLY AFTER the girl's departure, a light tapping at the kitchen window indicated that the morning owl was doing its rounds and was waiting patiently for a response from within the house. Remus noticed Liv's letters abandoned on the kitchen counter, and opened the window to let the bird hop inside. "I'm not sure why we don't have our own owl with the amount of letters she sends," Remus said to Sirius, tossing a galleon and a few sickles into the owl's money patch. "It costs me a fortune..." He flicked through the letters ready to tie them to the owls leg, pausing for a moment as a name scribbled on the last letter made his eyebrows crease.
Cedric Diggory.
Without a second thought, Remus ripped the letter from the envelope with as much force as a child opening their first present on Christmas morning - except without the excitement. Remus was anything but excited to see what was inside. He half-hoped he'd accidently rip the letter in half so there would be a good excuse for it not to be sent at all. But, sadly, the letter survived with no damage. Sirius, who hadn't moved from the table, laughed at the sight, "I thought you said you trusted her?" he recalled with a smile.
Remus shook his head. "Not for one second," He said flatly. "She's boy crazy, always has been,"
Sirius noticed Remus' sudden hesitation in unfolding the letter and reading its contents. "She's only thirteen," He offered. "Whatever's in there can't be that bad,"
Remus scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "May I remind you of the love letters you were receiving from girls at thirteen?" he responded.
Remus watched as Sirius' smile faded alarmingly fast, his mouth suddenly agape. "Open it," he nodded seriously.
As Remus unfolded the neatly written letter, Sirius appeared by his side like a real life devil on his shoulder, stirring him to do the wrong thing. Impatiently, the owl began to peck at Remus' fingers in annoyance, as if to tell him to hurry up. "Give me a minute," he snapped, and finally began to read.
Dear Cedric, Thank you for the sweet letter, I keep smiling just thinking about it! I didn't think you'd still be thinking about me so long past running into each other, if i knew you would I'd had done it again. Regarding the world cup, I've been invited to go with the Weasley's, but I'm sure we'll cross paths (or knowing us bump into each other) Liv.
"Unbelievable," Remus tutted, shaking his head. "I just wanted to thank him for the letter he sent me, that's all!" he said, mocking what his daughter had told him earlier. "I was right to not trust her," he added angrily, ripping the letter clean in two.
Sirius let out a gasp, clasping his hand to his mouth before it turned into a light chuckle. "Remus! You didn't!"
Remus wasn't listening, rather he was rummaging through a nearby draw for some spare parchment and a quill. Once located, he immediately began to scribble.
Cedric,
Thank you, but I'm going with the Weasley's.
Liv.
Ignoring Sirius's devious smile, Remus attached the last letter to the owls leg, watching it hop from the window and fly off "Don't tell her," he warned Sirius. "She'll kill me, and she'll kill you too for letting me do it,"
"My lips are sealed," Sirius said, bringing a finger to his mouth. "Who is this Cedric, anyway?"
"No idea!" Remus stressed. "Well, I know him, but I don't know what he's doing writing to a girl like Liv. She came bounding down the stairs yesterday, happy as ever to show me the letter she'd received from him. I've never seen anything so startling, it nearly gave me a heart attack,"
"Really, Remus?" Sirius said. "A heart attack?"
"This is only the beginning. I sense she's going to be quiet the handful now she's a teenager," Remus sighed. He grabbed a nearby pack of cigarettes, lighting it with the snap of his fingers. "I can be thankful you're here now, it's going to take more than just me to control her,"
Sirius took a deep breath, as if inhaling the smoke of a cigarette he didn't have. He hadn't expected the conversation to take a sudden, sensitive turn. "Remus," he said, quietly. "I'm not going to hinder the good you've already got. I'm already intruding just being here now,"
Remus too hadn't expected their light conversation to suddenly turn so cold. "This is your home, Sirius," he responded quickly. There was a moments pause. "That's our daughter,"
Sirius looked up and Remus was unable to read his expression. He looked unsure - unconvinced. Remus continued. "I would do anything to relive the last thirteen years with you here too," he began. "I can't even begin to explain how happy I am that you're here now. You're not going to hinder anything,"
Sirius' eyes trailed from Remus' and off somewhere into the distance. Remus persevered, eager to get into his head. "What? What is it?" he asked. "What's on your mind?"
"I told myself if i were to ever have a child, I'd be nothing like my parents. But... but i abandoned her. I was never there," Sirius said. "I'm just as bad as them,"
Remus shook his head, reaching out a hand to hold the side of Sirius' own. "Listen," he said sternfully. "They had a choice, you didn't. You're here now and that's all that matters. You've already done greater than them,"
Before Sirius could respond, the front door opened and Liv pranced in, unknowing interrupting an important conversation. She sat down at the kitchen table opposite Remus, trying to plan how she was going to convince him to let her go out tonight.
"I know that face?" Remus said, interrupting her thoughts. "What is it you want?"
"Can't i sit with you without wanting something, Dad?" Liv huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance.
"Alright," Remus said, grabbing The Daily Prophet the owl had dropped off earlier that morning. He began to study the crossword. "But whatever it is, the answer is no,"
"At least let me ask you!" Liv responded. "It's just a sleepover,"
"With who?" Remus asked.
"A friend,"
"With who?" Remus repeated.
Liv groaned. "It's one of Padma's neighbour's," Liv lied. "Please Daddy! its her birthday!"
Remus sighed, looking at Sirius "I'm sure Sirius could do with a peaceful evening without you," he said. "But no boys!"
"Whatever,"
"I mean it!"
"Ok, ok!" Liv called, as she scurried from the kitchen and back towards the front door she'd just come in from. "I'm gonna go tell Padma I can go!"
_____
"Is is obvious?" Liv asked Padma who was sprawled out on her bedroom floor in an attempt to lay her hair flat with an straightening iron. Liv had pulled on a pair of jeans over the mini skirt she was wearing in an attempt to conceal it from her father when she went downstairs. Padma was giggling at the sight.
"Obvious?" she repeated. "It looks like you're wearing a diaper!"
Liv continued to examine herself in the mirror. "Shit," she sighed. "You're right," She then bounded back over to her wardrobe and began rummaging through it for the third time that evening, before slumping down on her bed in defeat. "Nothing! I have nothing!" Liv angrily reached for the banana laying on her bedside table and began to peel it with even more anger.
"Don't!" Padma hissed, dramatically smacking the fruit from Liv's hand. "My cousin told me you get drunk quicker on the empty stomach," she explained with glee. Liv looked down at the smacked banana with sorrow.
"Is your cousin an alcoholic?" she tutted, picking up the banana and flinging it into the nearby bin.
"Nope. But she is sixteen and knows exactly what she's talking about," Padma responded. She reached into Liv's wardrobe herself to pull out some clothing. "Pyjama's it is. Now hurry up before the bus leaves without us," she grinned, beginning to pull sweatpants up over her own party clothes.
Ready to try and not blow their plan, which was to dump their fake clothes in a nearby hedge and run to the closest bus stop to take them to Croydon, Liv followed suit covering her real, rather exposing clothes.
"Let's go before my Dad changes his mind," Liv huffed, and the pair headed for the stairs.
"We're going!" Liv yelled, racing down the last few steps hoping to reach the front door before Remus had the chance to stop them. Remus, however, seemed to be set and ready to pester them with questions. "Pyjamas?" He immediately asked. Damn it.
"It's a sleepover," Liv said, hopping around as she quickly tried to put on her shoes. "Would you rather i put on a dress?"
"At least put on a coat, please," he asked.
Liv tutted, turning to grab her leather jacket from where it was hung up beside the door. "Happy?" she sarcastically questioned her Father, swinging the jacket over her shoulder knowing it was going to end up in a hedge with the rest of her stuff.
Strangely, Remus didn't look happy, he looked amused. Liv stared at him, confused, as he crossed his arm with a slight smile. "You should ask Sirius if you can wear that,"
Sirius, who was busy reading about himself in the newspaper (all that babble about him escaping Azkaban and then escaping Hogwarts, too) looked up from the couch. Similarly to Liv, his face had hardened with confusion, until it suddenly turned soft.
"I don't believe it!" He said, jumping from the couch with a large smile. "You've kept it all this time?"
"Well, as I was throwing it away Liv decided she wanted it, and for some reason she always seems to get what she wants," Remus said, turning to his daughter. "Isn't that right, Pup?"
Liv pulled a face at her Father in return, and then pulled the jacket from her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was yours, have it back," she said, passing it over to Sirius.
"No, no. You keep it," Sirius said. "I am far too old for it now, it'll suit you much better,"
"Oh, thanks," Liv said unsurely. "Ok, well. were going to go now," she said, pulling the door open and ushering Padma to quickly leave too.
"Have fun," Remus called, but Liv quickly shut the door.
They ran down the street to where a large hedge was sat ready to hide their pyjamas. Padma pulled out a plastic bag from her pocket, and the girls stripped themselves of their fake clothes - Liv shoving Sirius' jacket in there too.
Padma huffed. "I wish i had your boobs," she said, looking at her top that wasn't revealing nearly as much as Liv's was.
"I wish I had your skin tone" Liv huffed back in response. "I'm so pale!" The street lights are practically reflecting off me,"
"Don't be silly," Padma snapped. "You're literally perfect. I hate you,"
"I hate you more," Liv smiled.
___
"Well, well, well," Reuben called. "Look who it is,"
Reuben was leant against the front door of the home that's address was scribbled on the note she had shoved back into her pocket. As they approached closer to the house, the raging hip-hop music from inside began to grow louder, as well as the sound of voices that were too loud to be drowned out by the music.
"I told you we'd come," Liv said, greeting the boy with a hug she didn't particularly want, especially considering how close she was to the cigarette he had hanging from his mouth - the smell was nauseating.
"Yeah, well, I thought you were lying," Reuben shrugged, leaning over to hug Padma too. Liv had been lying, but Reuben didn't need to know that. "Go get some drinks and I'll introduce you to my friends,"
They moved forward and into the strangers home. The music grew louder the moment they passed the threshold of the front door, as well as the aroma of cigarettes and alcohol, which wasn't the pleasantest of smells. The front door lead to a hallway where abandoned shoes and jackets had been carelessly thrown, being stamped on by those drunkenly making their way into the kitchen from the living room.
"Where's the firewhiskey?" Padma asked. She'd immediately headed to the table holding a selection of liquor bottles and beer cans, and was looking confused.
Liv grabbed the bottle closest to her, holding it up to read the small print. Vodka. "I've never had muggle drinks before," she said curiously.
Padma shrugged, holding out her red, plastic cup. "As long as it gets me drunk. Pour,"
Liv giggled, screwing open the cap and pouring the remains of the bottle into her and Padma's cups. They silently cheered, and in synch took a large gulp of the beverage.
Padma gasped, clutching a hand over her mouth. "Holy shit,"
"What is that?" Liv squealed, beginning to gag. She brought a hand over her mouth, too. "I think I'm gonna puke,"
Padma took a deep, dramatic breath to calm herself. "It's not that bad," she tried to convince herself before taking another small sip. "Merlin, it tastes like petrol," she added a moment later.
A person swiftly appeared behind the girls - Rueben had returned (much to their displeasure) "No mixers?" he asked, taking the bottle from Liv's hands to sip at it himself. "That's wicked,"
The girls shared a confused glance. "Mixers?" Padma mouthed to Liv.
"No idea," Liv mouthed back.
Reuben grabbed a few more bottles, they clanged together as he collected them in his arms. "Follow me," he said. "My mates are over here,"
"If they're anything like him I'm going to hang myself right here in front of everyone," Padma whispered to Liv as they meandered through to the bustling living room.
"Cheers to that," Liv tutted, taking a large mouthful of the vodka with a wince. "It looks like they're worse," she huffed, laying eyes on the boys Reuben was leading them towards had brought them to a gathering of boys hunched by backdoor that was letting in a cold breeze, each of which were dressed, somehow, even sloppier then Reuben was.
"These are the girls I was telling you about," Reuben said as Liv and Padma unwillingly pottered over to the group. Liv dread to think what the boy had been saying about them, but she offered a small 'hello' nonetheless. She focused on the boy closest to her, who'd nodded a hello back, reaching his hand out to offer her his cigarette.
"No thank you," she declined politely, hoping he'd pull the gross thing away from her face immediately. Instead, he continued to hold out the cigarette, beginning to smile deviously.
"You're too pretty to smoke, huh?" he questioned. Liv scoffed, her eyes wandering to Padma hoping they could walk away right that second - but she was chatting away to the other boys, so Liv looked back at him.
"I just don't like the smell," she replied.
"What about this one?" said another boy beside him. He inhaled his own, different looking cigarette and blew the smoke right into Liv's face.
"Hey, leave her alone," Reuben interfered, giving the boy a light shove. He turned to Liv, an apologetic look on his face. "Come on, let's go outside," he said.
"I somehow dislike your friends more than you," Liv huffed as they took a few steps towards the open back door.
Reuben laughed, swinging an arm around her shoulder. "Good job they're not your friends then, isn't it?"
Liv shoved his arm off her immediately. "We need to wait for Padma," she said, turning back to face the others, overhearing their conversation.
"You're just not really my type..." Padma was saying.
"Oh yeah?" One of the boys replied. "What's you're type then?"
"Girls..."
Reuben raised a brow. "I think she'll be fine by herself for a moment," he said. "I wanna show you something,"
They passed through the bustling kitchen out to the garden, meandering their way through the sea of people present outside. "Are all these people your friends?" Liv asked, trying to ease the awkward silence into something more. Reuben nodded in response, bringing his drink to his lips.
"Friends. Friends of friends. Friends of friends of friends... you get the idea," he said, his gaze lowering to the cup in Liv's hand. his expression changed into something more confused. "Have you drunk that entire cup?" he questioned.
Liv peered into the empty cup too, nodding to the boy.
"You've drunk an entire cup of vodka already?"
"Yeah, i guess.."
"Are you drunk?"
Liv shrugged. "Don't think so,"
"You might want to pace yourself," Reuben said continuing forward towards the bottom of the garden. "It's going to be a long night,"
Liv shook her head with a sigh. "Not for me, I have to be home by midnight,"
"Oh, bummer," Reuben replied. They squeezed past a group of teenagers huddled around an outdoor table that was holding more liquor bottles and cans. Liv grabbled a bottle, sipping the liquor.
"And if i pace myself i'll have a terrible time," she added.
Reuben stopped suddenly, beginning to smile. "Well, if you're going to have a terrible time, at least do it in the hot tub," he suggested, gesturing towards the large pool of water that was hidden behind a bend of the garden fence.
"A hot tub?" She repeated. "How rich are your friends?"
"Tell me about it," Reuben said, kicking of his shoes and pulling off his socks one after the other. The tub seemed inviting, but not with someone like Reuben.
"I don't have a bathing suit," Liv said, a seemingly valid excuse to not get into the tub with the boy – but apparently not, Reuben began pulling off his shirt. Liv looked away, sipping at the bottle in her hand. "Don't need one," she heard him Reuben say, followed by the sound of splashing water as the boy entered the hot tub.
Liv turned back around, quickly finishing the last mouthful in her bottle. Reubens clothes were abandoned on the grass beside her.
"Are you coming in or what?" He called.
"I'm trying to remember if i put on nice underwear or not," Liv said – maybe the alcohol was beginning to her to head, what a thing to say to a boy like Reuben.
"Why? Trying to impress me?" Reuben responded.
Liv scoffed, as if! "Don't look," she snapped, beginning to pull off her shirt as well, leaving it abandoned on the grass beside his. She then undid her skirt, flinging it to the ground too. She smiled at the plain black underwear that had been hidden underneath, thankful they weren't something ridiculous like the unicorn ones she still owned, and should probably throw away.
Liv got into the hot tub, slipping slightly as her foot failed to grip the smooth floor. She fell into the tub with a large splash as Reuben reached out to steady her fall.
"Well," Reuben said, wiping the water from his face. "They're not ugly, and you're defiantly drunk,"
"I said don't look!" Liv snapped, releasing herself from his grasp. "And i am not drunk!"
"Yeah, whatever," Reuben muttered, watching her take a large sip from his own drink. "That's mine, you know?"
"Keep 'em coming!" Liv giggled. "Did you know if you don't eat you can drunker quicker?" she babbled on, her words beginning to slur.
"You are bad, Black," Reuben laughed, shaking her head.
"My face feels funny," Liv said, bringing a hand up to her cheeks. "Does your face feel funny?"
Reuben sighed, lifting himself out from the water. "Get out," he said flatly. "I don't want you drowning or some dumb shit,"
"But im so warm in here!" Liv said sinking herself further into the water. Reuben grabbed her arm and pulled her up.
"I'm serious, do you know how many people drown in these things?" he said, helping her climb out the tub.
Liv quickly grabbed her clothes from the floor and put them back on. "Thanks for ruining my first hot tub experience," she snapped. "And thanks for ruining my hair!"
"I'm not sure how that's my fault," he muttered as Liv tried to drunkenly tie her shoes. "Come on back inside," he said.
They walked back through the garden and towards the back door where the music seemed to be louder than before, and the living room holding more the double the people it had been the first time they'd walked through it
"Couch," Reuben said loudly over the music, nodding towards the empty couch the opposite end of the room. She followed him, squeezing past the others in the crowded room, perching herself on the edge of the couch beside him. Reuben was reaching into his the pocket of his baggy jeans and pulled out one of the funny cigarettes his friend had had earlier. He lit it, and Liv watched closely as he inhaled the smoke.
"What is that?" Liv asked.
"A spliff,"
"A what?"
"A blunt," Reuben said. "Weed? Do you live under a rock?"
"Oh," Liv said, still unaware. She continued watching him intensively.
Reuben's caught on quickly, his brow's creasing in annoyance. "The fuck are you looking at?" He quickly snapped at Liv
"Can I have some?" she asked.
"As long as you don't waste it," he replied, taking a last hit before passing it over to her.
Liv had never held a cigarette before, let alone a spliff. She wasn't sure why she'd asked for some to begin with. She didn't understand the appeal. Maybe if she tried it she'd understand why people do smoke, or maybe she'd hate it and have to continue to wonder. Either or, trying it wouldn't hurt. She brought the joint to her lips and felt the smoke begin to fill in her mouth.
"Inhale it!" Reuben ushered. Liv did as she was told despite her lungs begging to burn. She quickly exhaled.
"Good girl," Reuben said, smiling.
Liv took another hit, inhaling deeper than before, allowing more smoke to fill her lungs. It burned more, but she didn't mind "Fucking hell, save some for me," Reuben hissed, taking it back for himself. Liv slumped back on the sofa, allowing the new sensation to take over, not taking her eyes off Reuben.
"Quit it! You're freaking me out," he said.
"Sorry," Liv smiled.
Reuben's face softened "You've got a staring problem, love,"
"Why are people so much better looking after having alcohol?" Liv asked.
Reuben laughed. "That must be why you look really fucking amazing right now,"
"Really?" Luv said. She didn't feel it. She felt drowsy and sloppy and whatever the opposite of amazing was.
"Yeah," Reuben said. "But you always look like that, I can't blame the alcohol,"
Liv always knew that alcohol supposedly made you do things you wouldn't normally do sober, and usually things you would regret in the morning - but she hadn't yet experienced it herself. Until now. There was absolutely no denying that Liv would never have done such a thing if the alcohol had consumed her, but Liv leaned forward, grabbed Reuben's face, and began to kiss him hard.
Rueben was stunned for a movement, but immediately began to kiss her back. His mouth tasted like the marijuana and hard liquor, but Liv didn't mind. She kissed him harder, hauling herself into his lap as his hands explored the sides of her waist. She pulled away for a moment to breathe, and he took the chance to attack her neck. He took her skin into his mouth harshly, devouring every inch of it. Liv was breathless, but still pulled his face back to kiss him more. It was different from the way Padma had kissed her, it was more passionate and messy - she wanted it more . Rueben was biting her lips and then suddenly her neck, then back to her lips again. His hands were slowly making their way higher up her thighs and the sensations were all becoming too much. Liv pulled away, breathless, her head spinning, and fell back on the couch, closing her eyes hoping the music would stop thumping so hard in her ears.
_____
"Fuck, Reuben!" Padma yelled, angrily gesturing the girl passed out on the couch. "How long has she been like this?"
"Relax, she's just having a nap,"
"A nap?" Padma repeated, crouching beside Liv to tap her face in attempt to wake her up. "She's bloody blacked out! We're supposed to be home in twenty five minuets!"
Reuben shifted his posture from where he was slouched on the couch, looking slightly concerned. "Shit, Padma, I for real thought she was sleeping. I always sleep after getting high,"
"She's high?" Padma whined, suddenly on the verge of tears. Unsure what to do, she slumped down on the sofa beside Reuben, letting her head fall into her hands with a groan. This was it. There was no way they'd be able to get the bus back to their town ready for Remus to walk them home without him suspecting a thing. They were doomed.
"Do you know anyone with a phone?" Padma asked. It was her only option, even if it meant being grounded for the rest of her life.
Reuben shook his head, Padma tried not to collapse to the floor in a sob. "There's a phone box down the street, though," He offered.
Padma nodded. It would have to do. "You need to help me," She demanded. "Just get her to the phone box and we'll be fine,"
Reuben sighed, pulling himself up from the couch. He crouched down, delicately picking up Liv's unconscious frame and resting her over his shoulder. "You didn't do anything to her, did you?" Padma asked, her eyes wide with concern.
"I'm not a monster, Padma," he said with a tut.
"She's not been drugged, has she?" She stressed. "Is she going to be okay?"
"She's drunk as shit and greening out," the boy said. "We've all been there, she'll be fine,"
They exited from the bustling living room, Padma racing ahead to swing open the front door. The cold wind hit her sharply, and the heavy rain made her feel as though she'd just been pushed into Icelandic waters. Although the phone box was quite literally just down the street, by the time they'd reached it they were drenched and shivering. Padma opened the phone box door, ready to use it for shelter. Ruben gently placed Liv to the ground, the pair watching as her head flopped down onto her shoulder.
"Thank you," Padma shivered, grabbing the phone of the hook. Her heart was beating through her chest nearly as loudly as the beeping of the numbers being dialled. "You can go now," she stressed to the boy.
Reuben nodded. "I'll see you around,"
"Leave!" Padma hissed as the phone began to ring, and began praying to the sweet God's above that Remus would answer the phone.
_____