Memphis Wills wants out of Whitehaven, the tiny village she's lived in her whole life. So aged sixteen she leaves for college in the city and never looks back.
Until five years later when she finally wises up and leaves her dirt bag boyfriend. Fee...
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I open my pack of Starburst, stacking the chews into colours, noting how this pack only has two red and five green. I pick an orange one first before I open my science textbook to page thirty-three, scanning my notes from earlier quickly. I sigh. What kind of teacher gives homework on the first day of term? Mr. Havers has single-handily put himself on par with the substitute teacher for French who made us spend the whole of the lesson practising speaking exams.
I'm down to my last Starburst but barely a page of questions in when I sense my door open. I look up from my window seat and spot Presley leaning against the door frame. His school tie is hanging loosely around his neck and his shirt is untucked and covered in pen. Mum's going to kill him.
I pull my earbuds from my ears, annoyed that I'm cut off from listening to my homemade 'nineties' playlist. "I'm not telling you again, Pres. I didn't take your controller. Are you sure you haven't dropped it down the side of your bed like last time?"
It's only when Presley doesn't immediately bite back at me that I realise he's not wearing his usual annoying expression. He looks sad.
I sit up just as something crashes downstairs. We both look to the stairs and I wince at the sound of Mum's shrill voice. She sounds completely American when she's angry, all of her words having a slight twang to them. I've been so engrossed in my homework that I'd not heard anything so who knows how long it's been going on for.
Presley looks uncomfortable, his face still boyish even though he's just turned thirteen. I gather my books and drop them to the floor, shifting so there's room for Presley. He shuts the door when he's beside me then looks out of the window. I know he's clenching his teeth, his jaw tense.
"They'll be fine in a minute."
His eyes flick to me for a moment, their brown the exact same shade as mine before he looks back outside, his shoulders sagging. "I don't know what started it this time."
"You know what Mum's like," I say, rolling my pen between my fingers. "She lets everything build up and then the slightest thing makes her explode."
"I guess. But I don't want them to fight."
"Neither do I."
It's been happening more and more lately. Or maybe it's just because I'm older that I've been picking up on it more. I know Mum misses Tennessee; she's always talking about the places and the people and the memories she has of growing up there. We haven't been able to go back for a couple of years and I think it's getting to her.
A door slams and it makes us both jump. Movement outside catches my eye and we both watch as Dad gets into his car, his movements angry and harsh as he yanks the door open. The engine starts and the wheels squeal as he reverses off of the drive and then out of the cul-de-sac.
I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding, and Presley gets up, his gaze dropping to the floor.
