When Storm Clouds Hover

33: Izzy - The rules don't apply

The next day everyone wanted to drive straight through to Sydney in one day, so were up at the crack of dawn. The act of packing up and cleaning the house gave Izzy a welcome distraction from thinking about Dom and once they were in the car, she pretended to sleep most of the way home. Originally, the plan had been for Dom and Cole to stay on the farm in Armidale and for Bec to drive the girls from Dom's home through to Sydney. This had all been discussed and agreed at their last dinner at Uki, but when they reached the Hunter homestead, Dom suddenly changed his mind and announced he was going to spend the rest of the holidays, with Cole and his family in Sydney.

Izzy was a bit taken aback. Briefly she wondered if this change of heart had anything to do with her. She really hoped not. She couldn't take much more of the proximity to him. She was becoming shyer than ever, like she'd lost her words completely and she hated that. She'd been sitting up in the front of the car for the first leg of the journey, but she couldn't pretend to sleep any longer. She asked Cole if she could sit in the back with Tal for the rest of the journey. Fortunately, he didn't make a big deal of it, and they swapped seats.

Back in Sydney, the boys invited Tal and Izzy to join them at the cricket. Australia was playing South Africa in a one day international at the SCG and everyone from Watford was going. Izzy went along with it, mostly out of loyalty to Tal, who wanted to go but also because she wasn't sure how to get out of it without making it obvious, she was developing inconvenient feelings for Dom. Izzy decided to invite Kath along too, so she'd have someone other than Dom to talk to.

At the end of the day, after hanging out together in a group, eating hot dogs and screaming in the stands, Izzy concluded that she'd imagined something between herself and Dom that was no more than friendship. He hadn't tried to sit next to her or even really talk to her much all day. He seemed to be leaning on Cole because he didn't want to be at home, nothing more than that. Besides, Izzy told herself Em would be home soon, and things would return to normal.

*

It was the last weekend of the holidays, and they were all out at Abscond. Kath was there and Dom, Bish, Tal and Tommo. It was getting close to Kath's curfew and the girls had arranged an Uber to pick her up in ten minutes. They wanted to make the most of their time together and were fooling about on the dance floor, laughing, and singing along to the music.

Izzy could feel Dom's eyes fixed on her across the circle of friends dancing. Since that moment on Cabarita beach, she was more aware of his presence than ever, and the feeling of being watched and admired by him returned. Dom reached out and took her hand, pulling her gently towards him. She was feeling a bit tipsy and at first didn't think much of it. It was nice to have his attention, she hadn't been able to get him out of her mind lately. She swayed her body next to his until the music faded into the background. Then, all she was conscious of was her hand in his and the way he was looking at her.

It was disconcerting. No, disturbing! Mainly because it was far more pleasurable than it should have been.

It had not escaped Izzy's attention that tonight, Dom, looked particularly gorgeous. He'd been at a friend's formal eighteenth birthday earlier to which she hadn't been invited. Seeing him in a dress shirt was a new experience for her. With his top button undone, his tie discarded, and tiny beads of sweat forming on his forehead, sexy was the only word she could use to describe him. So sexy.

Izzy had tried hard over the past couple of months to see Dom as Em's boyfriend, nothing more. She liked him, sure. He was funny and generous, and despite his flirting with other girls, he was in a strange sense, good for Em. But some rules and boundaries should not be crossed.

So why are we holding hands?

Izzy tried to remind herself, Dom was not her type either. People called him Sac for a reason. The boy was a player, no doubt about it and this wasn't something Izzy wanted for herself. At least she'd thought she didn't.

They were close now, dancing side by side, she could feel the heat of his body, her hand in his, felt clammy.

It was warm inside the club, and her face felt flushed. Abruptly, Izzy felt Dom lean in close to her. She could smell his musky scent and feel his breath on her neck.

'Come outside with me?' he whispered.

She giggled nervously under his gaze and gave him a questioning look. It was apparent, he wasn't asking her outside for a chat.

'Aren't I 'sposed to be looking out for you...?' she quipped.

'I've thought about this,' he spoke under his breath, so the others in the circle couldn't hear. 'The rules don't apply to us.'

Hang on, what!?

Izzy stood on her tiptoes to reach his ear. 'What about Em?' She reminded him. 'She's back tomorrow.'

'Fuck Em,' Dom said abruptly.

Izzy was startled by his response. 'What do you mean, fuck Em? You are together still, right?'

'I mean ...fuck her. She's in the way of what I want.'

Izzy felt blood rushing to her face, her whole body was hot. It was no use being evasive. 'And what is it that you want, Dom?'

'I think you know, Iz,' he said in response.

Without giving her a chance to reply, Dom pulled Izzy by the hand and led her off the dance floor. Obediently, she followed him.

Quickly they moved towards the nightclub entrance, past the bouncer, and down the stairs. She could hear someone calling her name. It might have been Kath. Muffled words followed: 'Hey, where are you guys going?' Izzy brushed off the question, pretending she hadn't heard. Outside, the air was crisp. The heady smell of sweat and smoke from the club fell away. Izzy took a deep breath of fresh air, relieved to be out of there. It felt like everyone she knew was in that club. She wondered who had seen them leave together. Now if she could just control that flutter in her chest...