Free Let's Get Lost by Sarra Manning

started walking back down the alley.
    “I don’t just want that . . . well, I want that, yeah. And I think you’re cute, but I want to get to know you, too.”
    “I’ll save you the trouble,” I hissed, turning around so quickly I almost toppled over, and his hand shot out to grab hold of my arm. “There’s nothing to know, don’t you get that? You’ll get to know me and then you’ll wonder why you bothered. I’m not anything that you think I am. You’re not going to break down my defenses and find this sweet, gooey soft center.”
    His face was in shadow, but I could still see the way those lips flattened out into a tight line. “Maybe you’re frightened that if someone manages to break down your defenses, then they’ll find that you do have that soft center. That you’re not as badass as you think you are.”
    “Yeah, whatever. Thanks for that insightful analysis, Mr. Freud.”
    “Well, see you around, then.”
    I couldn’t even muster a grunt in reply, just stomped toward the door that led back into the club, ripping off my corsage en route because it was soggy with sick.
    7
    I couldn’t find the others anywhere. Normally I’d have been incandescent with rage at the mere thought of them blowing me off, but I was too busy having these really scathing conversations with Smith in my head.
    “Do you think she’s going to come?” I heard someone who sounded a lot like Dot say as I staggered up the stairs that led to the balcony. “Should we call her?”
    “Oh, God, do we have to?” Nancy really needed stamping on hard. “Anyway, her mobile isn’t working because she’s had all her pocket money taken away by her evil papa and aren’t I just the most pathetic little moppet in the world? Forget about Is, let’s go into the chill-out area and chat up those guys.”
    For one second I contemplated going after them and giving Nancy my own special brand of hell. But my heart wasn’t really in it. So I slumped against the wall (which wasn’t doing a great job of holding me up), running my tongue over my furry teeth. It would be far more sensible to find a bathroom so I could brush

    my teeth and repair my makeup (which couldn’t have survived the puking intact).
    With a furtive look over my shoulder, in case the Trio of Evil were lurking, I scurried down the stairs and tried to think tactically. God, that really made my head hurt. Then I remembered that last time I’d come here I’d got off with this boy in a disused kitchen behind the top bar. I sidled through a likely-looking door and miracle of miracles! There was a sink so I could get the puke taste out of my mouth.
    I took a cautious step forward and then stopped when I saw Smith sitting on a worktop with his head in his hands. He looked up as I shut the door and scowled at me.
    “Piss off.”
    I held up my hands so he could see that I wasn’t carrying weapons. “I need to clean my teeth, and then I’ll leave you alone to wallow in misery or whatever it is you’re doing.”
    He folded his arms and made a harrumphing noise as I hunted through my bag for my toothbrush. I like to clean my teeth after lunch; it’s no big deal but the way Smith was boggling his eyes at me, you’d have thought I’d just pulled out a crack pipe.
    I happily squeezed a huge blob of Colgate onto the brush, aware that Smith was watching my every move like he’d never seen a demonstration of dental hygiene before. I pointedly ignored him as I got to work. I counted to sixty in my head as I did my bottom row of teeth and then started on the top. Now there was a quizzical expression on his face as he watched my reflection in the mirror above the sink.
    Now, it’s not like I’m a total neat freak but when it comes to my teeth, I can be a little . . . precious .
    “You’ve got to be kidding,” he muttered, his features shifting into complete disbelief as I squeezed out more toothpaste and repeated the whole procedure. My mouth was full of minty fresh foam so I