sitting in her car and waiting
for me to come home. I didn’t have any excuses as to where I’d been and I
didn’t have the mental stability to have a stable conversation with her right
now.
Part of me was
tempted to do a quick reverse and drive until I’d forgotten about everything.
Instead, I put on
my best false smile and pulled up, knocking on her window and grabbing my keys.
My mum still wasn’t home, so she couldn’t have mentioned my job, or anything about
Luke, at least. “Hi,” I greeted her awkwardly. I really hoped she wasn’t here
to continue the argument from earlier.
She stepped out of
the car with a sheepish expression. “I thought I should come and apologise
since you didn’t answer your phone. I didn’t want you to think I was mad at
you, I was just overreacting, again, I know.”
“It’s no problem.
You want to come in? My mum isn’t home yet.”
“Sure.”
I walked up the
driveway ahead of her, letting the grimace settle on my face. I just had to be
normal; it was just me and Phoebe, as we’d always been.
I had to not think
about Luke.
“So, how is
tutoring Luke, anyway?” Phoebe inquired as I unlocked the door. “Feels like I
haven’t really spoken to you in ages.”
I shrugged. “I’m
sure he’ll have told you it’s fine. He hasn’t grown on me, if that’s what
you’re asking, but I have improved his grades.”
Phoebe grinned.
“It’ll come, don’t worry. You’re just too stubborn to admit that you could
actually be friends.”
I debated sitting
on the sofa, before deciding I’d rather not have to face my mum whilst Phoebe
was here. I plodded up the stairs. “Maybe, but I really don’t think you’re
right.” Friends wasn’t something Luke and I could accomplish – we’d managed
less than two weeks of that. “So, what’s going on with you? How are
rehearsals?”
Phoebe’s face
faltered. “I’m starting to get really nervous.” They had a big performance in
Scarborough coming up and Phoebe was the lead lady. I’d never really been to
her shows before, but I knew this was a special occasion. I’d have to be there.
“I know I’m just being silly, but I’m so worried I won’t be able to do it.
There’s been so many mistakes in practice and everything.”
I perched on the
edge of my bed whilst Phoebe got comfy. “You’re worrying too much, your shows
have always been great before. They wouldn’t have given you the lead role if
they didn’t think you could do it.”
She smiled. “I
guess so.” Sometimes I wondered if she just did it for the attention, but it
was so regular it couldn’t have been. “I’m sure I’ll feel better closer to the
time.”
“Of course you
will.”
“It’s just Luke
and I have been kind of weird recently,” she sat cross legged, picking at my
threadbare blanket. “He hasn’t kissed me for at least three days. On the cheek
and stuff, sure, but when he’s out my house he’s just not interested. I try and
he deflects. We haven’t been… together in even longer.” She shifted,
meeting my gaze. “Something is definitely wrong.”
Yeah, he’s going
to break up with you ,
is what I wanted to say, but I held my tongue. Encouraging her that everything
was all right seemed like a bad thing to do, too. Everything in this situation
was wrong because Phoebe should have actually been screaming at me for
betraying her friendship. “If something happened today, maybe he’s just
distracted by family stuff. I know that can be difficult.”
She looked utterly
unconvinced. “Why won’t he tell me about it, though?”
I wished away the
slight heating of my cheeks. He’d told me everything and I hadn’t even asked
for it. Maybe him and Phoebe just weren’t meant to be. Kissing me definitely
wasn’t good, but breaking up with Phoebe might have been for the best anyway. “Telling
people about this stuff is difficult. I don’t like
for me to come home. I didn’t have any excuses as to where I’d been and I
didn’t have the mental stability to have a stable conversation with her right
now.
Part of me was
tempted to do a quick reverse and drive until I’d forgotten about everything.
Instead, I put on
my best false smile and pulled up, knocking on her window and grabbing my keys.
My mum still wasn’t home, so she couldn’t have mentioned my job, or anything about
Luke, at least. “Hi,” I greeted her awkwardly. I really hoped she wasn’t here
to continue the argument from earlier.
She stepped out of
the car with a sheepish expression. “I thought I should come and apologise
since you didn’t answer your phone. I didn’t want you to think I was mad at
you, I was just overreacting, again, I know.”
“It’s no problem.
You want to come in? My mum isn’t home yet.”
“Sure.”
I walked up the
driveway ahead of her, letting the grimace settle on my face. I just had to be
normal; it was just me and Phoebe, as we’d always been.
I had to not think
about Luke.
“So, how is
tutoring Luke, anyway?” Phoebe inquired as I unlocked the door. “Feels like I
haven’t really spoken to you in ages.”
I shrugged. “I’m
sure he’ll have told you it’s fine. He hasn’t grown on me, if that’s what
you’re asking, but I have improved his grades.”
Phoebe grinned.
“It’ll come, don’t worry. You’re just too stubborn to admit that you could
actually be friends.”
I debated sitting
on the sofa, before deciding I’d rather not have to face my mum whilst Phoebe
was here. I plodded up the stairs. “Maybe, but I really don’t think you’re
right.” Friends wasn’t something Luke and I could accomplish – we’d managed
less than two weeks of that. “So, what’s going on with you? How are
rehearsals?”
Phoebe’s face
faltered. “I’m starting to get really nervous.” They had a big performance in
Scarborough coming up and Phoebe was the lead lady. I’d never really been to
her shows before, but I knew this was a special occasion. I’d have to be there.
“I know I’m just being silly, but I’m so worried I won’t be able to do it.
There’s been so many mistakes in practice and everything.”
I perched on the
edge of my bed whilst Phoebe got comfy. “You’re worrying too much, your shows
have always been great before. They wouldn’t have given you the lead role if
they didn’t think you could do it.”
She smiled. “I
guess so.” Sometimes I wondered if she just did it for the attention, but it
was so regular it couldn’t have been. “I’m sure I’ll feel better closer to the
time.”
“Of course you
will.”
“It’s just Luke
and I have been kind of weird recently,” she sat cross legged, picking at my
threadbare blanket. “He hasn’t kissed me for at least three days. On the cheek
and stuff, sure, but when he’s out my house he’s just not interested. I try and
he deflects. We haven’t been… together in even longer.” She shifted,
meeting my gaze. “Something is definitely wrong.”
Yeah, he’s going
to break up with you ,
is what I wanted to say, but I held my tongue. Encouraging her that everything
was all right seemed like a bad thing to do, too. Everything in this situation
was wrong because Phoebe should have actually been screaming at me for
betraying her friendship. “If something happened today, maybe he’s just
distracted by family stuff. I know that can be difficult.”
She looked utterly
unconvinced. “Why won’t he tell me about it, though?”
I wished away the
slight heating of my cheeks. He’d told me everything and I hadn’t even asked
for it. Maybe him and Phoebe just weren’t meant to be. Kissing me definitely
wasn’t good, but breaking up with Phoebe might have been for the best anyway. “Telling
people about this stuff is difficult. I don’t like
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