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'm watching an episode of Gossip Girl in bed when my phone vibrates beside me.
Stop ignoring me. Please. I need you.
I grab it and feeling frustrated I pull open the drawer to my beside table and store my phone inside next to old notebooks and gel pens.
I'm back to ogling Chuck Bass again when my phone rings from inside the drawer. I close my eyes. Count to ten. My ring tone stops but it starts back up again almost immediately. My temper spikes and I yank the drawer open, spilling water from the glass set on top. I turn my phone off for possibly the first time ever before dropping it back into the drawer. I sigh and try to watch TV again but it's completely pointless.
I bake brownies using Mum's favourite recipe book set on the counter and then eat three when they're not quite cool. I put on a load of washing and empty the dishwasher. I take Norm for a walk to the beach and back, wondering what Jack 's up to. It had been so nice to see him this morning and I wish he hadn't had to rush off to work. I contemplate walking to Bury Farm but head home instead. I don't want to push anything with Jack. The summer before I'd left I'd shoved any potential feelings towards him away and for the past five years they've not resurfaced at all, not even when I'd talk of Whitehaven with my friends in Bath. But as soon as I'd seen him in my dad's office it's like a switch had been flipped and now I can't stop questioning myself. Should I even be thinking about someone else this way when my ex won't stop trying to get in contact with me? My heart's still broken, and my head keeps telling me not to risk damaging it any further. Besides, everything that happened was five years ago, when we were just sixteen. We're twenty-one now and completely different people than we were back then. I could be completely misreading things.
I jump when the house phone rings from the hallway only five minutes after I've returned home. Norm looks up from the other end of the sofa. My first thought is that Jeremiah has somehow got hold of my home number, but I know it's stupid. I can't even remember the number.
I clear my throat before I answer it. "Hello?"
"Memphis, hi. Not gonna lie, I was getting a bit worried when I couldn't get through to your mobile. Everything ok?"
I feel myself visibly relaxing at the sound of Eli's voice. "Yeah, I'm good. Just put my phone away for a bit. I'm surprised you still have this number."
"Mum rings your mum on it sometimes apparently. I didn't even know home phones were still a thing." He laughs. "Anyway, are you free tonight? The band are meeting at The Crown for a drink around eight if you fancy it."
I lean back against the wall, a photo frame brushing my shoulder. I turn to see a seven-year-old version of myself, gappy smile and blunt fringe. I think it was the summer before Jack moved in next door.
The thought of getting changed out of my comfy clothes and being sociable fills me with dread.
"Actually, I'm feeling a little off today. Can I take a rain-check?"
