still in place. She fell back against the strange, flat pillow and closed her eyes. Her head was in the process of birthing an alien.
âClover?â
She froze.
âYou here?â
She looked over, slowly, keeping her eyes half-shut so she could close them quickly if she didnât like what she saw.
Dallas was rubbing his eyes.
She watched him for a moment.
He rolled over, his arm smacking her in the face. She pushed it off and sat up, grabbing her courage with both hands. Once she asked the question, there would be no going back. She had to find out what sheâd done.
Her voice was shaky, âWhat did we do?â
But before he could reply, she remembered her parents. Her curfew. She was gripped by a sickening fear and the realisation that her new punishment was going to make two months being grounded seem like a slap on the wrist. âNo forget it. No time!â She went into overdrive, frantically digging around in the duvet for her shirt and something to cover her bottom. She spotted her black top and pulled it on quickly.
âClover where you goin?â His voice was still slurred.
âHome,â she said. âI was supposed to be home last night remember?â She looked around Dallasâs room. The clock on his table said 6.41am . Just a few million hours past curfew!
âOh, right, shit.â Dallas groaned as he sat up and brought his feet to the floor. âIâll drive you.â
âThatâd be good, âcos I certainly donât feel like walking.â She stumbled around the side of the bed, still in search of her pants, and her foot fell on something wet and sticky. âHoly SHIT! Dallas!â
âHey, keep your voice down.â
Clover lifted her leg slowly, staring transfixed at the long piece of limp rubber attached to the sole of her foot. She yelped and kicked and it flicked into the air, over the bed, past Dallas, and hit the back of the door with a muffled thwack .
They both stood, motionless, watching as the condom slid down the door.
âOh ⦠my ⦠God,â she said, and fell sideways onto the bed, her head in her hands. âTell me thatâs left over from a jerk off session, or something?â
He sat down beside her and crossed his legs. He was naked, too. His face was serious, but at ease. The complete opposite of her own feelings sheâd never been so angry, and disappointed with herself. And full of shame, a hundred pounds of it, weighing her down. She felt as dirty as the floor of the club sheâd thought she was enjoying last night.
âAnswer me!â she yelled.
âKeep it down. Letâs not wake Dad.â
âLike that matters now!â
âMy memoryâs not the best this morning, either, alright. But, I can assure you, I havenât seen any other girls.â
A tear escaped. She shook her head. âI didnât want it to be like this. Not, like this . â
Dallas slipped an arm around her shoulders and wiped her tears away. âDonât cry, thereâs nothing to be upset about. Youâre my girlfriend and it happened, it must have happened, but hey, we were headed this way, werenât we?â He smiled at her. âAt least we know we used protection.â
She shoved his arm off. âThis is no joke.â
âYeah,â he said, blinking. âI know. My headâs killing me too. Now I remember why I donât usually drink!â
She glared at him, waiting for his brain to catch up with the gravity of the situation.
âYour first time. Clover, Iâm sorry, hey.â
âYeah,â she said with a shake of her head. âSo am I.â
She got up quickly and hurried for the door, in the process kicking Dallasâs shirt aside and uncovering her pants. She struggled into them and reached for the door handle. Dallas was there before she could open the door. He grabbed her around the waist.
âWait.â
âWhy? So we can