AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I stand for a minute and look around. There’s a fire-pit of burnt-out cans in the centre of the clearing; a few half-charred logs to sit on; patches of parched grass and nettles around the edge. I feel relief literally pulsating through me. I’m here, with the gang, at last.
They’ve got a tent up on the far side and there’s movement in it. I stroll over and bend to unzip the door just as Emily pops her head out and screams.
‘Oh My God! What the hell are you doing here?’ She crawls out, pointing her chin at me, accusing.
I am so not over Emily, though it’s been a good four months since she literally dumped me by text. She’s been nothing but mean to me since, but it still cuts me up how I’ve lost that sexy, sparky girlfriend, however screwy, which she was, is, totally, screwy.
‘I’m, like, just a couple of hours early…?’ I mutter.
‘Gethie’s mummy upset him,’ Francesca says, slinging her arm round me.
‘How can Pat upset anyone?’ Emily shakes her head.
Emily loves to put my mum on some pedestal. Like when she’s told Mum how her mother neglected her, reliving her youth with numerous lovers. All about how lucky I am.
‘Yeah, don’t we all know you have the monopoly on difficult mothers?’ I say.
‘Ooo!’ I hear Fran as I walk back towards Jarvis.
How is it Fran can be a good mate one to one and then such a twat to me in company? Don’t need the girls winding me up like this.
‘We could do with a fire.’ I gather some random twigs.
‘Ben’s gone for wood.’ Jarvis beams at me.
‘Ben’s here? Awesome!’
I walk towards the sound of breaking wood. The evening light is metal-heavy with the heatwave that looks like breaking soon. The trees glow luminous as I breathe in the scent of vegetation, shake my shoulders out. I will feel that relief.
‘Hey, Gethin! Sick!’ Ben drops the pile of branches he’s carrying, dodging them with his pink Converses. He ruffles his hand through his tight dark curls, then grabs me by the T shirt and plants a whopping kiss on my lips.
‘How’s the gorgeous birthday boy?’ He takes my arms and bends them straight out from the elbow. ‘Here, butch bro, have a present!’ He loads up my arms with wood and picks up the remaining few branches. ‘Any birthday surprises?’ He kicks me lightly on the arse and I set off down the path.
‘Don’t talk to me about surprises!’ I shout over my shoulder.
Back at the camp, Emily is helping Francesca with her tent. It is so Fran: orange with big white daisies. I dump the wood and Jarvis passes me the spliff. I watch Emily walk across from the tents, her blond ponytail catching the light. Does she have to keep looking so cute? I take a few drags then pass the spliff to Ben. Squat down to break small twigs for kindling.
‘Aw, Ben, you should see Fran’s tent. She’s got like raspberry muslin drapes, and lemon-yellow cushions.’ Emily laughs.
‘Fabuloso, good enough to eat,’ Ben camps it up. ‘I hope I’m one of the girls for the sleepover tonight.’
‘Totally!’ Emily smiles as she whips the spliff from Ben and moves towards me.
‘Did Francesca tell you her parents are getting married?’ Emily says, frowning as I look up, like it’s a massive effort to talk to me.
‘What? You are joking me. Grace and Sebbie?’ I can’t help being interested. ‘Have you heard my mum on the subject of Sebbie? He’s not exactly marrying material.’
Francesca comes up to poke me in the back. ‘It’s not decided yet. But I think he really wants to, and he’s always been my dad.’
‘Of course, he’s your dad…?’ I look up at her glare and decide to drop it.
‘There’s no of courseabout it,’ Emily piles in. ‘Like my mum when she ran away with lover boy.’
‘Yeah well, that’s different.’ I swear if I hear another thing about her mum…
‘How’s it different?’
I wave her question away. When Emily’s mum moved to Spain and she was forced to live with her dad, I tried to support her, then got dumped for my trouble. I so don’t want to talk about it. I turn back to the fire as Jarvis dishes out cans of Red Stripe. Cheers. Nice One.
