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I get up to hand the bottle back. Where the hell do you get water round here anyway? As in I don’t see no tap or mountain spring?
‘Thank you,’ I say, mega ashamed of my reaction before. God only knows what he’s been through, yet he thinks of me with his scarce water.
‘Hey mate,’ Aiden makes me jump again. ‘You coming into town? We’ll grab a bite to eat and get you a sleeping bag. We can sort your shelter later no problem.’
‘I’ve only got about £20,’ I whine. ‘And I feel really shit, that spliff…?’
‘Och, you’ll no’ be paying for much and the walk will clear your head right enough.’
He takes the rope and wraps the plastic round it, stuffs it under a holly bush. I had images of him stringing me up just now. Seriously need to get a grip. But I’m still suspicious of why he’s so keen to help me.
‘Mine’s a large White Lightening, laddie,’ Skunky calls as we head to the river path. Well at least that one’s not hard to work out.
There’s a breeze has got up and blown the low cloud away and the midges retreat a bit as we walk into town. The bushes are dripping with elderflower and the castle in the distance looks almost pink in the afternoon light. Aiden’s right – a walk is what I need.
‘So, how long have you been living like this?’ I try to sound light and chatty.
‘Since I got here.’ He slashes at the long grass with a stick as we walk. Doesn’t look at me.
‘I don’t know how long I’d last,’ I carry on. Too bloody right, I’m still not betting on getting through one day.
Aiden snorts. ‘You after finding your da?’
‘Well, it was pretty much spur of the moment, to be fair.’
‘Aye and I was after losing mine. Soon as I finished on my tag and I could move out of my da’s house, I was up here.’
‘Where does he live?’
‘Cowdenbeath.’ He slashes at some more vegetation. ‘Shit hole a way north of Edinburgh.’
‘So, you were…?’ I hesitate. ‘Was it like a young offenders place?’
‘You’re not fucking nosy, are you?’ he snaps.
‘Sorry, just, you literally don’t look old enough for prison?’
‘At least I’m outa fucking nappies.’
‘Fair enough, I’m just a middle class drop-out. What do I know?’ I sound pissy, but I do mean it. I may be a NEET, but Aiden and the others inhabit a different world. Perhaps the boundary is thinner than I think? What’s to say this couldn’t be me if I fuck up much more?
Aiden smokes one of his dog-ends while keeping ahead of me. I’ll be blowing some of my precious cash on baccy, that’s for sure. Forget not smoking cigarettes, I’ll be needing something to get me through and I’m not up for picking up used tabs just yet.
Aiden turns onto the bridge by the castle and stops to throw his fag-end over the edge. I join him, watching the dull green water make sludgy progress towards the sea.
‘I’m heading up North West myself in a couple of days,’ he announces.
‘Really? Lochgillan?’
‘Nay, Durness, right up the top. Fella runs a surfing school, has a chippy van as well. Gives me a job flipping the burgers.’
‘Wow, that’s great Aiden. As in a chance to break out of all this?’
‘It’s just a scabby summer job. I did it a couple of years back. Did nae keep me outa trouble, did it?’
‘So, will you come back here when it’s finished?’
Aiden shrugs. ‘You don’t look ahead too much, living like this. I do what the fuck I want.’
