✅ The Last New Start [NaNoWriMo2021]

57. Moonlight Rendezvous

Author's note: Woo! I got enough drafts saved up that my scheduling algorithm says I should post chapters of both books today. I hope you enjoy!

Tess froze for a couple of seconds, and pulled out her phone. She was enjoying that she could talk to Spike with no pressure, and also that he wanted to stay with her even after their other friends had faded away. But she couldn't put the possibility of Gabby finding them out of her mind, and she knew she needed to resolve it somehow.

"You okay? I'm just heading home now. Hope I'm not too late," she mumbled as she keyed an abbreviated version of the same words into her phone.

"See you tomorrow, then?" Spike asked. "It was good seeing you. And if you want to see that other movie – either of them – let me know when's good for you."

"Who else are–" Tess started to ask, but the phone in her hand vibrated. She glanced down at the screen, and sighed. "Gabby's working late, she says. Says she can give me a ride home if I want. Is her office somewhere around here? I don't think she actually said. Means I'm not in bother, anyway. I'm pretty glad she's not here, that could have been all kinds of awkward."

"She still doesn't like me," Spike said with a shrug. It didn't seem to bother him; given his family background, it was probably something he'd got used to over the last few years. "Maybe she's come around now, but I think she'd be pretty mad if she came to pick you up and it was just me, rather than a group of friends. Might think it's a date or something."

"Look, what I said to Mindy..." Tess started, and then realised that she didn't know how she was going to finish that sentence. She'd said it half out of wishful thinking, and half because she'd known it would upset the girl who was trying to get to her. Neither was a motive she would really like to admit to.

"You don't need to explain anything to me. I bet that shut her up, anyway. I already heard her talking about the kind of losers who like those kinds of movies, and if she kept that up I think there's more than a few people who'd be uncomfortable with her presence."

"You don't mind?"

"I don't like to make anyone feel bad. But there's times it seems like there's no other options. But... when she gets so irrational about not getting what she wants, and you rub that in her face... that's dangerously close to gloating. I hope that's not something that would normally come naturally to you."

"No. I wouldn't... I mean..."

Tess paused, and took a long, deep breath. What was he saying here? She did feel bad about what she'd said. She knew that Mindy had a thing for Spike, although the girl apparently had no idea about him or his interests if she thought that putting down his friends could have a positive outcome. But gloating? It was just the choice of one word, but it was possible to read so much into that. She'd told Mindy that they had a date next week. That would only be gloating if she actually thought about it like that. Or maybe if Spike did. Could it be possible?

"This other movie..." she mumbled. "You said we could see it later. I kind of mentioned that to Mindy like it's a date. But I didn't even ask you. You said you don't even know if..."

"Tess, I think I had some idea those things were in your mind. Maybe I didn't acknowledge it. It's something I'd find hard to believe. But what Kim says... I think they're a little more experienced in judging your emotions. Your friends and confidantes. So maybe I should listen to that?"

"It's not like... I mean, you're my best friend. Whatever happens. Some crazy ideas maybe crossed my mind, but I'm fine if you're... I mean, you said you didn't know."

"Look," He put his hands on her shoulders, gentle but firm. Like he wanted to look her in the eyes, and wanted to be sure she understood what he was saying. "I don't know about me yet. Like, we're talking about relationships, and I don't even know what that means to me. If you're talking about like... romance... then–"

"Romance?"

They both spun around on hearing an unexpected voice. Gabby was right there, striding towards them across the park. And in the post-twilight gloom, it was hard to make out her expression. But it was also hard to imagine it as anything other than judgemental.

"Gabby?"

"Your message made me realise how late it was. I thought I should head home. Let's get going."

"Y... yeah," Tess stammered. "We were just talking about the movies the Regal is showing. There was one we were interested in seeing, but it looks like a romcom, and I think Spike might have been a bit embarrassed to choose it. Like, a lot of guys are ashamed to admit they're into that kind of thing, and..." Her voice trailed off, as she realised she probably wasn't making any sense. Then she stood there, hopping slowly from one foot to the other as Gabby approached. A voice in the back of her mind told her that she probably should have used the restroom before they left the Regal after all.

"Are you ready to come home now? It's pretty late already."

"I can catch a bus to Pine Ridge," Spike shrugged. "I don't want to keep you out too late. We can catch up some other time." Tess looked at him, and tried to see the wheels spinning behind that poker face. He'd been saying something he found hard, she was sure. She wanted to know what it had been, and she was sure that he would feel better if he could get it out. She told herself that wasn't just wishful thinking; it was always better to talk about difficult things, if you could bring yourself to do it.

"I could go with you," she said. It wouldn't take that long to get to Pine Ridge and back. But she turned to Gabby, feeling that she needed to explain herself. "Spike's little brother is at PRMCT. He needs to check on him before heading home, and I don't want my friend to be on the bus alone, worrying about his family. I'll ride down with him, and then head home."

The world seemed to hold its breath. Tess was sure that any responsible adult now would offer to give them both a lift. Had Gabby really heard what Tess's parents had told her? Was she prepared to treat Spike like a real person? If she didn't offer to help now, it was a sure sign of contempt.Or possibly that she wanted the two of them to have some privacy; but Tess certainly couldn't imagine that.

"Okay. I need to get dinner anyway. The way it's turned out, we're all going to be late home. I said I'd have something for Ffrances when her shift finishes, and I got carried away at work. You look after yourself okay? Tess..."

Gabby beckoned her over, and Spike tactfully backed away to stand on the far side of one of the wooden sculptures that decorated the park.

"Gabby, I'm fine. I'll be straight back, I promise. I'm just trying to be a good friend."

"Right. Your parents told me that this kid is like your gay best friend or something, and he's not going to try anything. But I worry about you being out so late at night, especially without a real plan. I guess you saw the car, and wondered why I'm still at work?"

"Yeah. But I'll be home soon. I already ate, so don't wait for me for dinner."

"Right. But check with Ffrances, she might be heading home soon, so you're not waiting for the next bus. And listen, I want to know when you're on the way home." She had more to say, but the rest of it could easily be dismissed as normal parental paranoia. She even told Tess how to get to the station, advising that the train to Pine Ridge would be faster than waiting an hour for the bus. She urged them to move quickly to stand any chance of catching it.

Out of all the ways the meeting could have gone, Tess had to feel lucky. She returned to Spike, and passed on the message. And then they were running to catch the train, and there was little enough time for talk.