The Girl Before Eve by Lisa J Hobman (7)

“Adam! We’re going to be late for Lily’s party! Come on!” Eve shouted through the bathroom door of the shared house.

He had been waiting ages to get in there thanks to the fact that all six housemates (including Lily) were invited to the party. Moving into a house with only two bathrooms and so many people was the most ridiculous decision Adam felt he had ever made.

“I’ll be out in a minute, gorgeous!” he shouted back, nicking his chin with the razor. “Ah, shit!”

“You okay, honey?”

“Yeah, just bloody cut my chin.”

“Oooh. I’ll kiss it better when you come out,” Eve replied.

He smiled at his reflection. “You can’t talk about kissing me if you want to get to this damn party, Evie.”

“Just hurry up, okay?”

“All done.” Adam opened the door and scooped his girl up in his arms, kissing her neck.

Edinburgh was heaving with Saturday night revellers as Adam and Eve travelled to the party venue in the taxi. Many of the stone buildings on the Royal Mile had long since been converted into bars and restaurants giving the age-old road a modern twist with its bright signage and trendy exteriors. When they arrived at the club everyone was already there.

Lily greeted them, glass in hand. “You made it finally! Thought you’d bloody decided not to come!” She hiccupped.

Adam scrunched his brow at his best friend as he noticed the bruise on her cheek. “How much have you had already, Lil? And what the hell have you done to your face?” He lifted a lock of her hair.

She laughed. “Oh that…I walked into the door in my room, can you believe it? Bloody clumsy cow, I am.”

Adam shook his head. “Well, you need to stop drinking so bloody much.”

Lily rolled her eyes in an exaggerated manner and saluted him. “Okay, Captain Dad.” She turned and walked toward the bar.

Adam followed her with his eyes but Eve squeezed his arm. “You shouldn’t be so hard on her, Adam. She’s not your responsibility.”

“So you keep telling me. But she doesn’t take responsibility for herself, does she?” he snapped.

Thankfully Eve wasn’t offended by his sharp tone. “It’s her life, honey. Give her some breathing room.”

He turned to her and slipped his arms around her waist. “What would I do without you to keep me level-headed, eh?” he asked, leaning down to kiss her.

“Well…I think poor Lily would get even more stick than she does right now.” Eve giggled.

They walked over to the bar which was brightly lit in contrast to the rest of the club. The optics hung with their multi-coloured liquid contents, almost like works of modern art. All Adam wanted was a beer, but it looked like he may end up with some fancy cocktail concoction instead. He scanned along the row of fridges and spied his favourite tipple hiding amongst some bright blue monstrosity that wouldn’t be out of place in a laboratory. After ordering their drinks, he glanced over towards Lily, who was now tongue deep in her current boyfriend’s mouth.

Carl. Dickhead.

Adam wasn’t a fan. He pulled Eve onto the dance floor when a slow number came over the sound system. She nuzzled into his chest and he kissed the top of her head.

Later on, after the third or fourth song, he glanced around the club realising he hadn’t seen Lily for quite a while. Scanning the dimly lit place as best he could, his search was in vain. She was nowhere to be seen. Worry set in.

Eve stared at him, lips pursed. “What’s wrong Adam? You’re so distracted tonight.”

He could see the frustration in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Evie…it’s just Lily. She seemed…odd. Don’t you think? And now there’s no sign of her. I feel uneasy about it.”

Eve sighed. “To be honest, Adam, I’m getting rather fed up of this. You aren’t with Lily. You’re with me. Now I get that your friendship is strong but this is just getting—”

Adam gripped her arms. “Evie, I love you. And I’m sorry, okay? It’s not like that between me and Lil. You’ve known that for two years now. But something’s not right. Please believe me. I know her. I know something is off.”

Eve gazed at him and then nodded. “Okay…I’ll go check the ladies.” She turned sharply and walked away.

Lily sat in the end cubicle. Tears fogged her eyes and the bruise on her cheek throbbed as she wondered why things had started to go so horribly wrong. She blew her nose, which made her cheek hurt even more.

The door into the restroom opened and closed.

“Lily? Lily are you in here, honey?” Eve. Lily remained silent. “Adam’s worried about you. If you’re in here can you just say, so that I can tell him you’re fine?”

Lily sniffed as more tears came.

“Lily? Is that you? Are you crying?” Footsteps moved closer to the end cubicle and the door rattled. “Okay, now I’m worried too. I was trying to defend you to Adam, saying that you were fine, but now I’m not so sure. Open up, okay?”

Lily stood and unlocked the door and Eve pushed it open. “What on earth is wrong, honey? What’s happened to make you cry?”

Lily shook her head and crumpled her face as she began to sob uncontrollably.

Eve enveloped her in her arms. “Oh honey, please tell me what’s going on. Is it Carl? Have you split up?”

“Eve…please…please, don’t tell Adam, please.” She squeezed Eve’s arms.

Eve narrowed her eyes. “Tell him what? What’s going on?”

“He hit me,” she whispered.

Eve’s eyes widened. “What? Who hit you?”

“Carl…but it was only once.”

Eve’s mouth fell open. “What? He hit you? Oh my God, Lily, why on earth would he do that?”

“It was only once and he said sorry. He got a bit drunk when I missed a period and thought I was pregnant. He…he said I was stupid and careless… He was right. It was my fault.”

“No…hang on a minute. It takes two to bloody tango. That’s just ridiculous.”

“I know, but he said he was sorry. I…I think he meant it.”

Eve gripped Lily’s arms tighter. “I don’t give a flying fuck if you thought he meant anything. He shouldn’t have laid a finger on you. And what happened was not your fault okay?”

“But it was my responsibility—”

Eve’s eyes were wide and her face had lost its colour. “Bullshit, Lily. You know that’s a load of rubbish. You’re an intelligent woman, for goodness sake. Don’t you dare defend him for doing that to you.” Lily felt the inappropriate urge to snigger. She had never heard Eve swear before—the realisation that she must be furiously angry and worried enough to do so was quite a sobering thought.

“Please don’t tell Adam, okay? Promise me?”

Eve shook her head slowly. “You know I can’t make that promise. He’s your best friend and he cares about you deeply. He needs to know.”

Tears spilled over once again. “No! I trusted you, Eve. You can’t tell him.”

Ignoring her please Eve demanded, “Where’s Carl now?”

“He went out for a smoke. He said… Never mind.” Lily shook her head.

“He said what?”

Lily dropped her gaze to the floor. “He said my party was shit and my friends are pathetic. He thinks my friends are beneath him.” She sobbed, feeling ashamed.

“Right. Come on. Get some water splashed on your face. We’re going back out there to get Adam and we’re going home.”

“No…no, I’m fine… I’ll just put more make-up on. I’ll be fine,” Lily insisted.

“No. We should get you out of here until we decide what to do.”

Adam paced near the bar. What the hell was taking Eve so long? He decided she must have found Lily in some kind of drunken stupor in the toilets. Worry got the better of him and he marched towards the ladies’ room. Without stopping to think he pushed the door open and Eve and Lily swung around as he entered.

He clenched his jaw as he watched the two girls acting suspiciously. “What the fuck’s going on with you two?”

Eve turned to face Lily. “Please tell him, Lily.”

“No!” Lily’s voice was strained.

Adam frowned. “Tell me what?”

Lily shook her head at Eve in what appeared to be a silent plea.

Adam raised his voice. “Tell me what?”

Eve cupped Lily’s bruised cheek. “Lily, please.”

Lily crumpled to the floor and Adam rushed to her side, crouching beside her. “Lily? What’s going on?”

“He hit me.”

“What?” His voice was calm, belying the storm that had begun to rage beneath his skin. “Who hit you?”

“It was my fault. But it’s all fine now.”

He took Lily’s face in his hands and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. “Did Carl hit you?”

“Yes but it was my fault.”

“Okay, on what planet is it ever okay for a man to hit his girlfriend?” he asked her gently. “Lily, answer me that. When is it ever okay?”

“I…I…but he thought I’d trapped him.”

Adam shook his head. “What? What do you mean?”

“I missed a period. He thought I was pregnant. He said if I was that I’d done it on purpose.”

Adam spoke through clenched teeth. “So he fucking hit you when he thought there was a chance you could be pregnant?” Lily nodded. “Where is he now, Lily?”

“Adam, no…it’s fine…he said sorry.”

Adam let out a derisive laugh. “Oh, well that’s fine then…as long as he apologised.” He turned to Eve. “Where is the lowlife piece of scum?”

Eve knotted her fingers before her. “He apparently went out for a smoke.”

Adam stood slowly. “Keep Lily here.” He flung the door open so hard it bashed into the wall and left a huge dent.

Carl was leaning against the wall, puffing on a rather large cigarette that looked distinctly like a joint. Adam ran towards him, and before Carl had a chance to figure out what was happening, Adam’s fist connected with his nose.

“You bastard!” Adam shouted as he repeatedly punched Lily’s boyfriend in the face. “You lay one finger on her again, and I swear I will fucking kill you!”

Carl flailed his arms before curling into a ball on the ground. “Whoa, mate, stop hitting me! What the fuck? You’ve broken my fucking nose!”

Adam stood over Carl, fists still clenched, chest heaving. “You stay away from her, do you hear me?”

Carl laughed through his bloodstained teeth. “Whatever she’s told you, mate, it’s all lies. She does that, mate. She’s a manipulative bitch.”

“Don’t you call me your fucking mate, you prick!” Adam’s heart pounded in his chest and he had to compel himself not to continue with the beating.

Carl held his hands up. “She tried to trap me! She tried to get pregnant. You know what they can be like. They see a good thing and they don’t want to let it go.”

Adam grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him to his feet. Moving to within an inch of Carl’s face, Adam gritted his teeth. “You’re not a fucking good thing! You’re a fucking coward. If I ever hear that you’ve stepped within a foot of Lily again I swear to God I’ll kick your fucking arse from here to Australia. Do you hear me?” Carl nodded. “Because next time, pal, I won’t be as kind as to let you walk away with just a broken nose, you get me?” he shouted. People had begun to congregate outside the club where they were.

Adam shoved Carl again and he fell to the floor, hitting his head on the wall and yowling. Before he opened the door, Adam turned back to Carl. “Oh, and while I remember, Carl Denton, if you decide that you’re going to involve the police, don’t worry, I’ll be sure to tell them about the joint you’ve been smoking, along with the fact that you hit your girlfriend when you thought she was pregnant and trying to trap you. As if anyone would want to trap you, you arrogant piece of shit!” Gasps travelled around the gathered crowd.

Lily and Eve were waiting by the bar when Adam returned shaking his sore hand.

Lily’s eyes widened. “Are you okay, Adam?”

He grinned. “I’m fine. Your ex is a little sore though.”

When they arrived back at the shared house, Adam walked Lily up to her room and he hugged her tight as they stopped inside the doorway. Her tears soaked his shirt and his heart ached for her.

He tilted her chin up. “Hey, why are you crying?”

“Because I’m so stupid…and because your knuckles are a mess…all because of me.” She sniffed.

He took her face in his palms. “Look, Lil, you deserve to be loved by someone worthy of you…you know all that stuff you were spouting about it being your fault he hit you was rubbish, don’t you?” Lily nodded. “Because he’s a wimp. He’s not a real man and he’s certainly not worthy of my best friend. Please keep away from him. And if he tries to come back into your life just remember how shitty you felt when he hit you. And tell me if he tries to make contact. I won’t have it, Lil. I won’t have anyone treating you like that. Not while I’ve got a breath in my body.” He stared down at the girl he’d known for the biggest part of his life and the thought that Carl could have taken her away from him caused his heart to flip. He couldn’t lose her. He wouldn’t be himself without Lily.

As he wiped the tears away from her eyes a strange tightening gripped his stomach and he had to close his eyes briefly. What was that? Putting it down to the adrenaline of the night he shook his head and tried to ignore the confusion.

She gazed at him with watery eyes. “Thanks, Adders, I’m not sure what I’d do without you.

Taking on the ‘big brother’ role once more, he pulled her into his arms. “Well lucky for both of us we don’t need to worry about that, eh?” He kissed her cheek and noticed the fresh scent of apple as his face brushed her hair. He swallowed hard and stepped away. “Now go get some rest, okay?”

She nodded before closing her door. He stood there for a moment unsure why he felt unable to leave. But eventually snapped himself out of whatever it was and went back to his room.

Eve was reading in bed when Adam arrived. He undressed and climbed in next to her, snuggling up to her warm, naked body. “Thanks for staying here tonight, Evie. And thanks for your help with Lily.”

She placed her book down. “It’s okay…I think I owe you an apology.”

“An apology? What for?”

“For doubting you about Lily. You clearly knew something was amiss and I just got jealous.”

A twinge of what felt like guilt tugged at him for reasons that were unclear and he pulled up to look into Eve’s eyes. “Jealous? Why jealous?”

She sighed. “Because of your relationship with her. It doesn’t usually bother me, but sometimes I just see how you are with her and feel I can’t compete with that level of love.” Adam opened his mouth to speak but Eve placed her fingers on his lips. “And before you say anything, I’m aware of how ridiculous I’m being. Lily needed you. I just…sometimes struggle with how close you are.” She dropped her gaze and her cheeks coloured.

He pulled her down so that their lips were almost touching, his eyes searching hers. “You do know how much I love you, don’t you? And that you’re the only girl for me? You’re the one I want to wake up with, the one I want to share my body and my life with. You do know that, Evie, don’t you?”

“When I’m not being paranoid and silly? Yes I know that. Now, what I really want is for you to make love to me. I want to forget about all the drama for a while.”

Pushing aside whatever strange feelings had occurred earlier he kissed his girlfriend. “I can’t think of anything that I’d rather do right now. I love you so much. Don’t ever forget that. You and I are forever.”

“Forever,” she repeated. “And I love you too, Adam.”