Prologue
“I can’t believe you’re really leaving,” I said, almost mournfully to Jake. We’ve been best friends since primary school. We’ve always done everything together. When we were younger we’d team up to make fun of the girls, we’d hang out after school to play with our Power Rangers and drive our mum’s mental. Then when we got older we’d hide behind the school bike sheds together to grab a smoke at break time, join forces on the Nintendo when we should be doing homework, chase the girls… Or rather I’d chase the girls, and he’d stand aside while I had my fun.
But this morning everything changed. His dad has landed himself a dream job in Australia and Jake and his family are leaving. Tomorrow morning.
“And you’ll miss the party next week,“ I added, as if my eighteen birthday would be reason enough for his dad to change his mind and stay - give up his career all for the sake of my party.
“It’s shit I know. But hey, you’ll be fine. You’ve got the guys and that chick in your maths class who’s been coming on to you since you started sixth form.” By ‘the guys’ Jake was referring to Kip, Jacob and Mike. We’ve been buddies since high school, Kip and I even longer, and last year decided to start up a band together. And the chick? That would be Elle. She’s been helping me out in the library at lunch with my maths assignments, but I haven’t told Jake because he’ll just assume I want to screw her. And I don’t. She’s smart, pretty and funny as shit, but she’s more like a sister to me. “You’ll be too busy being famous and getting laid to miss me,” he joked.
“Yeah right,” I said, dismissing him. I’m not stupid enough to think the band will go anywhere, but I play mean guitar, I love singing and have a decent enough voice to play the local pubs and clubs every weekend. That’s why I’m taking maths and English A levels too. If the music doesn’t work out, I’m guaranteed a decent job with those qualifications behind me. “It’s just gonna be weird. We’ve been mates forever.”
Fuck I was sounding like a complete pussy, but I couldn’t help it. He was my best friend and I was going to miss him. I supposed I’d taken him for granted all these years and I didn’t know how big a part of my life he was until I discovered he wouldn’t be in it anymore.
“Want to grab a pizza? A last supper so to speak?”
“Sure,” I agreed as we neared the college gates. “What about your A levels? Will you be able to carry that on over there?”
“I don’t know. Think they’re called something different over there but that’s my dad’s plan, for me to finish my education and be something smart.”
“I’ve no doubt you’ll be something smart, mate. You always did beat my arse at tests.”
“Only ‘cause I copied off Danny Henderson,” he fired back. He was talking shit. Jake is a smart arse - quicker than anything and smarter than Carol fuckin’ Vorderman.
Hooking the strap of my bag across my body, we made our way to the bus stop before hopping on the 419 into town. After wandering the shopping centre for a while, talking shit and taking the piss out of the cleaners in their bright blue tabards, we ventured into Pizza Hut and ordered our usual Meat Feast to share between us.
“I’m gonna miss you, Sawyer,” Jake said before wiping the corners of his lips on a napkin. For the first time in forever we both stayed quiet while we ate our pizza. What was there to discuss? We couldn’t plan anything, talk about what game we were gonna play tomorrow or where we were going next weekend. He wasn’t going to be here, so what was the point?
“We should get going. Jerry will go ballistic on my arse if I’m out much longer.” Jerry is my stepdad, and the biggest arsehole in the world. He married my mum when I was seven and didn’t show a shred of interest in my existence until my band started getting gigs at local pubs. Now all of a sudden, he’s really proud of me and wants to be our manager. I couldn’t refuse him because I knew it would upset my mum - she hates it when we don’t get along. But I also knew the fucker only wanted in to take a cut of the money I earned.
Looking at my watch I noted we still had another twenty minutes before the bus was due, so instead of taking the direct walkway to the station, we killed some time by walking the long way, past the shops and through the alleys. It was getting late, the shops were closing and it was dark above us. An old woman walked past us and when she neared us, she took one look at the hoody pulled up over my head and picked up her pace. I couldn’t help snorting a laugh - some people are so judgemental.
“Saw, wait up,” Jake called. I was walking a few steps in front so I stopped at the sound of his voice and turned around.
“What’s up?” I asked with a cock of my head. He just stood there - staring at me. I walked curiously towards him, worried something was wrong. He wouldn’t quit with the staring and it was starting to freak me out. When I reached him he started walking forwards towards me and instinctively I stepped backwards before he bumped into me. But he kept coming, so I kept retreating… until my back hit a brick wall.
“Mate, what the fuck is wrong with you?” I asked nervously, suddenly feeling a little breathless. He was right in front of me now. He pulled down his hood and the streetlight above us lit up his face, making his blue eyes sparkle as they bored into mine. “Jake?” I pressed again. He was just… staring. Like he didn’t know whether to punch me or… kiss me? No. No fucking way. “Jake you’re freaking me out. For fuck’s sake, say something!”