The Bright Side

Chapter 7 - Part 4

TRISTAN

A few days after I got my awesome new tat we're at my house in the evening. Mum invited Sky over for dinner and the smell of Shepherd's Pie wafts into the living room, where Rory, Sky and I are trying to pass the time until dinner is ready.

"Can I run something past you?" I ask Sky and steal the last crisp from the packet on the table.

"Sure." He shoves his hands under his thighs.

Geez, I'm nervous. I don't really know why. It's not like I'm about to make an indecent proposal.

"So, you know that Mum's a prize pig, right?"

"What?" Sky's face can't decide if it should show a grin or confusion.

"A comper", I explain. "Anyways, the thousands of pounds she spent on stamps finally paid off and she won a weekend in a spa and since she's a lonely old hag without any friends..."

"Is that your way of saying 'Thank you, Mummy'?" she yells from the kitchen.

Sky chuckles.

"As I was saying... since she's a super socialized and incredibly attractive businesswoman with no free time whatsoever..." I shout to drown out the telly.

"Better!" She calls out and I shoot Sky an exasperated glance.

"Where was I?"

"MILF." Sky bites his lip to hide a grin.

"Eww. She's our mum!" Rory throws a cushion at him.

"His words, not mine." Sky innocently holds his hands out.

"Anyways, she said I could have it, God knows why, and since it's for two persons and everyone I'd so much rather go with turned me down..." I grin and Sky rolls his eyes towards the ceiling. "I was wondering if you'd like to come with me."

My heart has absolutely no reason to kick up such a fuss.

"You didn't ask me!" Rory pouts.

"I said 'everyone I'd rather go with', didn't I?"

"You suck, Tristan." Rory grabs the remote and starts flipping through the channels.

"Must run in the family." I reply smugly and put my feet on the table. "I promise, bruv, you would've been the next person I asked." I put my arm around his shoulders and squeeze him. He's always so easily offended by me mocking him.

"A spa?" Sky pulls up his eyebrows. "Isn't that going to be like... what's the word? Super boring?"

"Nothing like a bromance weekend in a spa, isn't there?" Rory says dryly and my stomach twists although he's just joking.

"It's in London, so we can hit the town during the day and would really only have to sleep there."

"I've never been to London." Sky says.

"You've never been to London? You went to Eton. You live in Oxford. How on earth can you not have been to London yet? It's like right around the corner!" I cry out. "I mean, how did you manage?"

He shrugs. "I must've missed that particular field trip."

"Then it's settled. We're going."

"When?"

"Six weeks from now. It's only one night." My heart is pounding heavy in my chest and I'm suddenly not so sure that it's the best idea I ever had. Well, Mum had.

"Alright. Cool." Sky's face is on standby. "I guess."

"It will be fun! We'll rule the town by the time it's Sunday."

"Dinner's ready, boys!" Mom shouts from the kitchen and I feel kind of bad as we enter and the table is already set and everything. I can cope though, after all, Rory could've helped her, too.

"So, you two going?" Mum asks as she shoves food onto our plates.

"Yay!" I squeal while Sky answers with a plain "I guess."

He's absolutely unenthusiastic and I wonder why. I mean, it's going to be fun. And he's never been there. I have it all planned out in my head - Southbank Skate park on Saturday, sightseeing on Sunday. Or the other way around, depending on what he wants to do. Maybe some shopping; I could do with some new clothes. The whole time I've been telling him about it his face was blank, like I haven't seen it in a long time. I've gotten so used to Sky's version of openness and friendliness – which is practically a muted version of other people being outgoing – but still, the difference to the Sky Face he's showing now is enormous and it makes me a bit insecure. Doesn't he want to go with me?

"It's alright if you don't want to," I whisper towards him. "I can ask Rory. Or Mark. It's ok."

Sky jerks his head around to me.

"No, I want to go," he whispers back.

"Ok. You don't seem too excited about it though."

"Geez, Tristan. It's only a trip to London, right?"

"Yeah." I take up my fork and shuffle the peas and carrot slices into the mashed potatoes. That he's not looking forward to it the way I am rubs me the wrong way.

"So, what are you boys up to this evening?" Mum asks no one in particular.

"Esteban asked me if I could come to work later, help out in the kitchen a bit." Rory proudly plunges into a very boring explanation of why he is so exceptionally helpful and Mum listens to him as if he explained the universe to her.

"And you, pumpkin?"

"We're meeting Mark at East Coast," I say, still feeling a bit grumpy due to Sky's lack of enthusiasm.

"We are?" Sky pulls up his eyebrows.

"Yeah. I told you. He asked if we wanted to hang and you said 'ok'."

"Umm, ok." He shoves some more mash into his mouth. "When?"

"Seven," I reply.

"It's half past seven."

"Yeah, but Mark won't be there until eight, so we have plenty of time left."

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