Safety is Relative

Chapter Twenty-One -A Sense of Deja Vu -Part One

I come downstairs on Monday feeling exhausted and groaning when I see all the mess. Mum is waiting in the kitchen, and Ash passes me a cup of tea as he leaves, winking.

‘I’ll tidy up when I come home from school, I promise,’

She looks at me for a second before pulling me into a hug. ‘I love you, Rue, you know I do. And you know that I’ll only ever do what I think is best for you, don’t you?’

I pull away. ‘Um…yes?’

She ruffles my hair. ‘I love you, don’t you ever forget that.’

I smile. ‘Of course. I love you too.’

What’s up with her this morning?

I sit down at the table, wondering why she’s in such a strange, loving mood.

‘Why don’t you bring your friends round after school to help clear up?’ Mum suggests.

‘Seriously?’ I ask, swivelling round.

‘Seriously,’ says Mum, ‘and I notice that you invited Lysander last night. Why don’t you invite him too?’

I sigh, but it would be good for our group to be together again, so maybe this would stop any drama happening at school. ‘Okay.’

After inviting Sander by text to my house, I leave for school with Nina and ask everyone else.

‘Tidying up your house? No thank you,’ says Nate.

‘Tough, because you’re the only one who didn’t have a choice about the matter,’ I tell him.

He smirks. ‘I thought it would be something like that.’

There is an awkward moment when the rest of them meet Lysander, who is waiting on the corner of school lane, looking rather conspicuous in his own clothes rather than school uniform.

‘Hi,’ he says nervously.

Nina raises her eyebrow. ‘ I don’t know what you said to Rue to get her to forgive you, but you must have some magical way with words.’

‘Well like I said, it’s not really me he should apologise to, is it?’ I say.

Everyone’s gazes turn to Nate, who looks up at Lysander as if waiting for him to react.

Lysander says, ‘Sorry,’

Nate says, ‘That’s alright,’

Then they do that awkward hug that boys do, and Louis grins, moving over to them. And it’s just like they’re best friends again. I stand there, gobsmacked, with Jess and Nina both wearing identical expressions of utter confusion.

‘Did that really just happen?’ asks Nina.

‘Yes,’ I confirm.

‘Boys are weird,’ says Jess, shaking her head.

But at least everyone seems friendly again.

Mum is waiting by the door when we arrive, her arms folded. She smiles, bright and cheerful, but it seems fake, so I give her a quizzical look as we arrive.

‘Hello you lot. How was school?’

‘Fine thanks, Mrs H,’ says Nina, smiling.

‘Call me Rosemary,’

‘Sure,’

‘Well, why don’t you all come in then?’

We follow her into the kitchen, dumping bags and shoes by the door. Ash is drinking a cup of coffee as we arrive, but when he sees us he raises his eyebrows and leaves as fast as possible. He looks stressed.