I give Amerie a ride home from school.
"What's up with you and Malakai?" I ask.
Amerie groans. "You heard what Spider said. Everyone knows about me and Malakai now. He said that the boys made him talk about it."
"That's bullshit," I tell her. "No one can force him to talk about your hookup."
"I know," Amerie says.
"Are you gonna go out with him?" I ask.
"I don't know," Amerie confesses.
My mum is away, and Mason is at a friend's. I lay in bed with Spider.
"Have you thought about making us official?" Spider asks suddenly.
I look at him a little surprised. "What?"
"You know, make it official like Harper and Dusty," Spider says.
"Spencer, no one even knows that we've been sneaking around," I remind him. "What's wrong with what we have?"
"The sneaking around," Spider tells me.
"And what? You think making it official means I'm gonna be all over you at school or something?" I ask.
"I would at least get to hold your hand in front of our friends," Spider tells me.
I smile slightly before getting serious. "Spencer, I still don't know what happened, but Harper broke my heart, and I don't know if I ever want to feel hurt like that again."
"I'm not going to hurt you, Rhiannon," Spider tells me. "I swear."
I nod my head. "Good 'cause if you did, I would cut your balls off."
Spider laughs. "I know you would."
"Let me think about it," I tell Spider.
He nods but I can tell he isn't happy. "Alright."
It's the day of Mardis Gras. Amerie, Quinni, and I are at Darren's pregame.
Darren reads a text from their phone, "'It's heaps eetsway. I'll let you know, bro.' I swear I need subtitles for him sometimes."
"Malakai needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut," Amerie says.
"You did tell us about the hook up," I remind her.
"I kept it PG," Amerie argues. "Whose side are you on?"
"Yours, babes," Darren assures her.
"One-on-one, Malakai is so lovely. But when guys get into that group pack mentality, they just turn so feral," Amerie says.
"I'm sorry, boo. Straight men are the worst," Darren tells her.
"Lesbians aren't that easy to deal with either," Quinni insists.
"Everybody sucks then," I state.
"Except us," Quinni says.
"Mmm. You know how I feel about people that aren't us," Darren remarks. There's a knock on the front door. "Mmm. I'll check."
"I knew Sasha wouldn't show," Quinni says.
"Darren, who is it?" Amerie asks.
"Oh. Just those nice boys we weren't totally just talking shit about," Darren tells her.
Malakai walks into the room and I can see Darren talking to Ca$h.
"You'll come to the Slay Ball with us?" Quinni asks Malakai.
"Yeah. It'll be cool," Malakai says.
"Cool. It'll be good," Quinni says.
"Bold of you to come," Amerie tells Malakai.
Malakai clicks his tongue. "Ah. Can we have a yarn somewhere in private maybe?"
Quinni and I stand up.
"I think Quinni, and I are gonna go," I tell Amerie.
Amerie grabs Quinni and I and pulls us back down onto the couch. "No, stay."
"Um... Did you get any of my messages?" Malakai asks.
"No, I haven't, because you're on mute," Amerie tells him.
"Right," Malakai says.
"I need to wee," Quinni states.
"I think I do too," I say.
"No, you don't." Amerie grabs us. "Sit down. Mmm."
"But this is excruciatingly awkward," Quinni tells her.
"No, it isn't," Amerie insists.
"No, it is kind of," Malakai assures.
"Oh, I'm enjoying watching you squirm," Amerie tells him. "Anyway, how'd you get Darren's address?"
"I sent him a pin drop," Quinni explains.
"Judas," Amerie whispers.
"Anyway, Malakai wants to talk to you, and he wants to say..." Quinni starts.
"I'm really sorry, Amerie," Malakai tells her. "I messed up. Our business is our business and no one else's. I am..." He looks down at his hand. "I realize that in my actions, I was contributing to a culture that I don't want any part of. I didn't take into account how that might make you feel. I'm sorry. I promise I'll do better next time. Well, at least try to."
Amerie gestures to Malakai's outfit. "We're gonna need to get you out of whatever the hell this is."
Malakai looks down at his shirt. "What?"
"Do you want something gay to wear?" Darren asks.
"Uh... Yes, please," Malakai tells them.
Quinni squeals. "Dress up!"
We head to the club the Slay Ball is at. We jump in line behind Dusty, Harper, Missy, Sasha, Ant, and Spider.
"Nice shoes," Harper tells Amerie.
"Oh, thanks. They're the only thing of yours I didn't burn," Amerie tells her.
Dusty grabs Malakai's shirt. "Oh, look at you."
"Acting like you never seen a Blackfulla before, hey?" Malakai chuckles. He turns to Spider. "Go on, then. Take a picture. I'm a lovely ting, aren't I? Don't project your shit 'cause you feel inadequate."
Spider scoffs. "'Inadequate'? Nice. Big word for a little bloke."
Malakai turns his attention back to Amerie. I smile at Spider as he pulls me closer to him.
"You look incredibly sexy," Spider whispers in my ear.
"You look... alright," I tell him. I feel Spider pinch my arse. "Oi!"
"You're not being very nice, Rhiannon," Spider tells me.
"Says the one that pinched my arse," I remark.
Inside is absolutely amazing. A drag show is going on. Everyone is cheering for the people on stage. I feel Spider wrap his arms around my waist.
"This is crazy," I tell him.
Spider laughs. "I know." He looks at me for a moment. "Your caps kicked in, hasn't it?"
I nod. "Oh, for sure." I laugh loudly. "Definitely."
Spider pulls me even closer to me. "Stay by me."
"No place I'd rather be," I tell him.
The announcer steps up onto the stage. "Ladies and gentle-thems, welcome to the Slay Ball!" Everyone cheers. "If you're a baddie with a body beyond the binary, then make your way to the stage and show us what we want to see. Next category: Virgin Vogue. Bring it in an all-white look. DJ, pump the beat."
I scream as Darren takes the stage. They absolutely give it their all.
"One. Two. Three. Hold that pose for me."
"Judges, scores," the announcer says. "Tens, tens. One chop, baby."
"Where is the white? Where is the white?" the judge asks. "We're sorry, but you should've brought it in a white look. We'll see you at the next ball, though."
"That's bullshit!" I shout.
"It's ballroom, you'll get over it."
Amerie, Quinni, Malakai, and I rush to meet Darren backstage.
"You were absolute fire. Screw that judge," Amerie tells Darren.
"What? I just got cut from my first walk. This is the best night of my life," Darren tells us.
"Darren," a guy says.
"Oh, Jacob," Darren says.
"Um... Hi. You were fucking amazing out there."
I head off to find Spider again. I don't need to get involved in whatever is going on with that guy and Darren.
I leave the club with Spider. All of our friends are trickling out with us. I sit down on the curb next to him.
"Time to go, guys!" a cop shouts.
Spider grabs my hand and pulls me up with him.
"Party's over! It's time to move on!" a cop shouts. "Clear the streets."
"The party poopers have come to poop on our party," I whisper.
Spider wraps his arm around me. "Let's go, Ri."
I see a cop shoves Malakai. Malakai says something I can't hear, and the cop shoves him again. Malakai stops this time he looks at the cop before turning around again.
"Fuck off, dog," Malakai says.
Suddenly the cop grabs him and slams him onto the ground.
"Malakai!" Amerie shouts.
"Oi! What the fuck?" Dusty yells.
Amerie tries to get to Malakai, but a cop shoves her away. I try to get to Malakai, but a cop pushes me back. Ant helps Malakai to his feet.
Malakai starts to run away.
"Malakai! Wait." Amerie shouts. "Wait, Malakai." He finally slows down. "Are you okay?"
"That was so messed up," Dusty says.
"I knew they would do something! Why didn't you listen?" Amerie shouts.
"What are you yelling at me for?" Malakai asks her. "They didn't come after you."
"Did anyone... Did any of you film it? Did you get it?" Amerie asks.
"Yeah. Here," Ant tells her.
"Can you send it to me?" Amerie asks.
Ant nods. "Yeah."
"We gotta expose them," Amerie insists. "We need to share this."
"No, don't do that. Don't do that!" Malakai shouts.
"But Malakai, we have to," Amerie insists.
'No, don't," Malakai tells her.
"The people need to know!" Amerie shouts. "We need to let people know."
"Nothing is going to happen. Nothing ever happens to them,' Malakai argues. "I'll get shit for it."
"Shouldn't have sworn at him," Spider says.
I hit him in the chest. "Stop," I mouth.
"Shut the fuck up, Spider!" everyone shouts.
"Malakai, that was so, so wrong. You need to let people know, tell someone," Amerie insists.
"Amerie, just leave it," Malakai pleads.
"No! I said no!" Malakai shouts. "All right, just listen to me."
"Okay. Okay. I'll..." Amerie starts. "Shit. Um..."
"What?" Malakai asks.
"I, um... I can... I'm just gonna delete it," Amerie says.
"Did you just post it?" Malakai asks.
"I'm so sorry. I um..." Amerie starts.
"What the fuck?" Malakai says. "I told you to leave... fuck!"
"I'm sorry..." Amerie tells him.
"Fuck off!" Malakai shouts. "Get away from me. Get away!"
"I'll delete it now," Amerie tells him.
"Just get out of my life!" Malakai shouts.
"What? Are you..." Amerie starts.
"Fuck off!" Malakai shouts. "I want to be alone! Just leave me alone. I..." He starts to cry as he runs away.
"Don't let him go," Harper tells Amerie. "Amerie. Don't just let him walk away."
"You heard him. It's done," Amerie states.
Harper and Dusty go off in the direction Malakai ran. I turn to Amerie.
"Amerie..." I start.
She shakes her head. "No. I gotta get out of here."
"I'll go with you," I offer.
"No. I wanna be alone," Amerie says before walking off.
I look at Spider and Ant.
"Well that went well," Spider says. "Ant, you need a ride with us?
Ant nods. "Yeah please."
"Yeah," I tell him. "Yeah. We should probably go."
Spider comes back to my house with me. When I open the front door Mason is sitting on the couch in the living room watching TV. I look at the clock and see it's almost four in the morning.
"Mason?" I ask. "Why are you up? Where's mum?"
"She left," Mason tells me.
"She left?" I ask. "She got back."
Mason nods. "I know. She said she had to head for Auckland."
"When did she leave?" I ask.
"Right after dinner," Mason tells me.
"You've been alone all night?" I ask. Mason nods. "Why didn't you go to a friend's?"
"I'm old enough to stay by myself," Mason insists.
"Obviously not if you're staying up till 4am," I tell him. I grab the remote and turn the TV off. "Go to bed."
"You're not in charge," Mason insists.
"Actually, I am when Mum isn't here," I remind him. "So go to bed."
Mason grumbles before getting up and going to his room.
"Does your Mum normally just leave like that?" Spider asks.
I shake my head. "No. She's never just left Mason like that."
"Maybe I should..." Spider starts.
"Please stay," I almost beg.
Spider grabs my hand in his. "Why don't we head to bed."
"I've decided," I tell him.
"About?" Spider asks.
"What you asked me," I tell him. "The other day."
Spider smiles slightly. "And?"
"Alright," I tell him.
"Alright?" Spider asks.
I nod. "Yeah. We can go steady." Spider smiles even wider. "I just think we should wait on telling people."
"So, you wanna go steady but you don't want to tell anyone" Spider asks.
"I just... I don't want to hear everyone's opinions," I explain. "I just want to be happy with you."
"Alright," Spider says. "They can just figure it out on their own I guess."