The Bright Side

Chapter 1 - Part 4

SKY

"You really think they'll have a pink one?"

Adam's body is filled up with so much excitement that he's barely able to walk straight. It's been five days since I promised him to take him toothbrush shopping, five days during which he asked me at least thrice a day when we would go. I couldn't postpone it any longer now, disappointment started sneaking into his features, so I grabbed him after breakfast and took him to Tesco's this morning. It's halfway across town but really the only supermarket I suspect to have a fair number of pink toothbrushes to choose from.

"I don't know, bruv. We'll see any second now." I rip my eyes open, faking excitement and Adam is beside himself.

"There are the toothbrushes!" he squeals and is off to the end of the aisle. Must be great when just buying a toothbrush can get you in a tizz.

I slowly follow him; my fake excitement probably isn't convincing enough – but there's no chance though that I'll run around the store.

"They have plenty, Sky!" Adam shouts.

Awesome.

By the time I get there, he has already pulled every single pink toothbrush from the rack and he holds them out for me to choose from, his face full of expectation, like he just found pandora's box and waits for me to burst into a song of praise. I do manage a smile, though.

Most of them are for children and I put them back immediately. What's left are three pink toothbrushes for adults; one quite unflashy, one with glitter and one with firm bristles that will surely ruin my gums in no time. I discard that one, too.

"So, which one, Adam?" I ask, already sighing internally; I don't believe that he'll allow me the unflashy one. He holds out the one with glitter for me and smiles widely.

"Now we have the same!" he beams.

"Yeah, brilliant."

"Have you heard, Tilly? The St. Cloud boy is back." The voice from the other side of the rack is quiet and secretive.

"Oh, really? How could I have missed that?" The voice can't hide its disappointment that she didn't get the news first. 

I know that voice. It belongs to Mrs. Ashmore, a widow who lives two doors down from my mum and who competes for biggest chatterbox with all the other old ladies in town. I lost count of the times I've caught her gossiping in a store, on a street corner, over a garden fence, out of a window. She keeps her eyes on my family like on a prize; living so close to us clearly implies an advantage for her in the contest. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but I've always had the impression that she strolls past our house way too frequently, probably hoping she'd come across something scandalous.

"Puzzles me. You live just a few houses away. I got it from Christel. Her granddaughter is friends with his sister."

"Adam, why don't you go and get us some sweets? We can eat them on our way. Mum doesn't have to know." I nudge his back to make him leave in the opposite direction. There's no need for him to hear their gossip.

His face lights up and he's down the aisle in no time.

"Time to watch out for your girls then, huh?" Mrs. Ashmore lowers her voice.

Time to... what? Is she serious? This is ridiculous! How on earth have I gained that reputation? I've never ever even spoken to a girl here in Seaford, let alone went out with one.

"Easy for you to say..." The other's thoughts trail off. "I guess, you don't have a reason to keep attention. Tristan and Rory are probably safe. Talking about Tristan, how is he doing?"