I was sat on the edge of my bed brushing out my hair. Franko left about an hour ago taking Alice with him so he could drop her off home. He may not like her but even he could see how bad things were becoming.
Maybe he even felt a little sorry for her.
I put my hairdryer and brush away and continued to get the rest of myself ready. Like always it was the weekend, Saturday to be precise and I had nothing to do. This was my chance to do anything I wanted. I had no supervision, no curfew and yet all I could think about was getting junk food and laying in front of the tv.
Pathetic right?
Perks of not having friends I suppose. I had no one to hang around with other than Alice. She was meeting with Tommy at the diner later today. I asked if she wanted me to be there but she point blanked refused my offer.
I only wanted to be there in case something happened. I don’t mean something bad, but we all know how infatuated she is with him. I hoped she meant what she said about breaking up with him and being on her own for a bit.
But what business was it of mine if she did or she didn’t? She could do what she wanted, and I couldn’t stop her. Tommy isn’t a bad guy I just don’t think they were good for each other, and I didn’t need the stress or the earache when they had a tiff.
I grabbed my dirty clothes putting them in the washing basket on my way downstairs. I spent a good few hours cleaning the kitchen and tiding the living room and just when I was about to sit down with my sandwich in front of the tv there was a knock at the front door.
I answered and wasn’t expecting to see him again. At least not until later in the day. He was stood holding a bag from taco bell in one hand and two drinks in the other.
“You gonna let me in?”. He asked.
“Taco bell?”. I frowned moving to the side and letting him past.
“What don’t you like it?”.
“I do”. It knocked my sandwich out the park. Closing the door, I followed him into the living room. I wasn’t expecting him to show up at my door with food in fact I should have been expecting it because Franko showing up at my door was becoming the new normal.
“It’s just food darling”. He took it upon himself to unload the food onto the coffee table. “Got you a taco and a burriot”.
“Thank you”. I still had no idea why he was here. I mean surely, he had better things to do than hang out with me? “Did Alice get home okay?”. I asked sitting on the chair by the window.
“She didn’t say much if that’s what you’re asking. Eat”. He nodded towards the food.
“She told me she’s meeting Tommy at the diner later”. I picked up a taco and started eating. “She also told me she’s going to finish it with him”.
“You really think Tommy is the problem?”.
I shrugged. “Maybe, I don’t know. She just isn’t herself”.
“Tommy ain’t a bad guy darling”.
“I never said he was”. I frowned. “But ever since she started dating him, she’s become this person I don’t recognise anymore”.
“So, you do think he’s the problem”. He nodded.
A sigh fell from my lips. “Can I ask you something?”.
“Anything”.
“Did Tommy ask Alice out so you could get close to me?”.
A laugh fell from his lips. “What?”.
Now I felt stupid. Did I make it up? Was I overthinking so much I made the scenario up in my head and believed it?
“You really think I’d do that?”. He made a face.
Did I?
“So, Tommy and Brian just so happened to sit next to us that day when they’ve never breathed a word to us before”. It wasn’t just a coincidence. They had never looked the road we were on.
Franko had teased me for as long as I can remember but after that day in the cafeteria things seemed to progress into whatever this was now.
“Fuck knows Aubrey. I ain’t their keeper”. He pushed himself to his feet. “I’m going for a smoke”.
A sigh fell from my lips as I ran a hand down my face. I should have kept my mouth shut. I also should have known that he wouldn’t do that but that’s where the trust part differs.
Could I really trust him?
How did I know what he said was true?
I finished my taco and only managed half of the burrito before I washed it down with the coke he brought. I put my rubbish away and got comfortable back on the couch.
I was looking for something to watch when he came back in.
“You mind if I come over tonight?”. He asked.
“Back here?”. I frowned.
“Aye darling but only if you want me to”.
I shrugged. “It’s not like I’m doing anything anyway”.
“Well, if you wanna do something other than sit about here there is a party”.
This was the first time I had ever been left without supervision, and I was ruining it by staying exactly where my parents would want me to be. A party with Franko could be fun right?
“Where’s the party?”. I asked.
Even considering it was a huge deal for me. Partys weren’t my thing, if I’m being honest socialising with big groups of people weren’t my thing but that would explain why I have one friend.
“Old lock up on the outskirts of town. You fancy it?”.
“I don’t know”. I chewed the inside of my cheek. “I don’t-…”.
“Do parties aye darling but how about you live a little and let me show you a good time”.
I frowned. Show me a good time? I wasn’t interested in parties because it was full of horny teenagers getting wasted. Or so I’ve heard. But did it beat staying home alone?
“Actually, I’m working a shift at the diner tonight. I forgot all about it”. He wouldn’t buy it, but I know he wouldn’t push me on it. I didn’t want to go to a party to sit there and feel awkward and out of place.
I would stay in the comfort of my own home and then that way I wouldn’t be bothered by all the screaming girls that were after Franko. I didn’t need the stress, and I also didn’t need another round of chewing gum in my hair.
I still hadn’t let that one go.
“You are?”. He frowned. “Jen never mentioned it when I dropped by”.
“Does she need to?”. I asked.
“Nah darling”. He grinned. “But how bout I meet you after your shift and we can do something then?”.
“Okay”.
The diner was always busy on a Saturday so I know Jen wouldn’t turn me away.
…
Franko didn’t meet me at the end of my shift. I waited around for fifteen minutes and wasn’t waiting any longer, so I left. I picked up a pizza on the way home but what I didn’t expect to find was Alice on my doorstep.
I wasn’t expecting to see her since there was a party tonight. But I also didn’t see her at the diner unless she met with Tommy earlier. Who knows. I cut my engine and made my way over.
“I didn’t know you were working”. She frowned getting to her feet. “I brought chips and dip. I thought we could have a movie night”.
“It was an extra shift. Have you been waiting long?”. I unlocked the front door letting her go inside first so I could lock it behind me. It was getting late, and I was home alone. I locked to the door to be safe.
“Maybe twenty minutes”. She shrugged. “Was the diner busy?”.
For a Saturday it was surprisingly not but I still made good on tips, so I wasn’t complaining. “It was okay. Pepperoni and sausage”. I smiled placing the pizza box on the coffee table.
“I forgot soda do you have some?”.
“In the fridge”. I nodded.
I wanted to ask about Tommy, but I wanted to wait and see if she would bring it up first.
“What do you want to watch?”. She asked. “I’m thinking horror or comedy?”.
“You decide”. I shrugged. “I’m going to get changed real quick”.
“Horror it is”. She grinned.
She seemed a little different. Her mood was better, she seemed happier. I closed the door to my room and changed out of my work uniform and into something comfortable. Grabbing the blanket from the end of my bed I made my way back downstairs.
She was still searching through the tv for something to watch. I went for plates for the pizza and when there was a knock on the front door, I knew exactly who it would be.
“Want me to get it?”. Alice asked.
I nodded putting the plates on the coffee table. I opened the pizza box and took a few slices. I still hadn’t touched the emergency cash my parents left but I did plan to use some tomorrow.
I wanted to go for snacks, and I was going to use the rest for gas.
“It’s for you”. She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “But he’s not alone”.
He wasn’t?
“Tommy?”. I asked.
She nodded. “I didn’t meet with him today I couldn’t face it and I’m still not sure I want to break up with him”.
“Okay”. I nodded. “But you’re good?”.
“Yeah, I’m good, we’re good it’s just I don’t know if I’ve been acting the way I have because of him or our relationship. I’m sick of always feeling I need to impress him”.
“But you don’t”. I frowned.
“I know”. She sighed. “I guess I just worry in case he finds someone else, or he goes off me”.
Was she serious? We were sixteen, we had our whole life’s ahead of us and she was worried her first ever boyfriend was going to go off her? Did she think she was going to be with Tommy forever?
“Am I letting them in or not?”. I asked.
“Yeah, yes”. She nodded.