Unexpected Rendezvous

Chapter 16

Perrie's POV

My thoughts are a messy tangle on the drive back to Charlton. My practical side reminds me that I have much bigger problems to deal with right now than the question of whether Jade bought the Digestive biscuits as a friendly joke, or something more. My inner 12 year old doesn't care about that, and is screeching in heart-eye emojis. But my conscience is louder than either of them, and keeps repeating the same thing over and over and over:

You have to tell her.

It's not like I haven't thought about it, even before this disaster of a day. I've been in knots ever since I got back from Florida and realised the domino effect of what I'd done last June. I tried to make up for it, in a roundabout way. When I still had distance from Jade, as someone I hadn't talked to in years, it seemed like that might be enough. But now I know that it was nothing but cowardice, a convenient lie I told myself to avoid doing something that felt impossibly hard. 

Shame inches up my spine and makes me squirm in my seat. I've been judging Leigh all day, almost relishing the fact that her relationship with Mr Gray is so clearly, unequivocally wrong. It didn't occur to me until just now, that focusing on Mr Gray's bad behaviour has been a highly effective way to ignore my own.

I can't even enjoy my Digestives. I'm trying, because I don't want Jade to think I'm ungrateful, but they taste like chewy cardboard. She and Leigh have been sharing Skittles for the entire drive and as usual, Leigh is carrying the bulk of the conversation.

"Have either of your parents checked in?" she asks, taking the Charlton exit off the motorway. It's just past 1:30 in the afternoon, so we've barely hit any traffic on our way home. 

"Mine are on a plane," I remind her. I don't add for another four hours, but I'm definitely thinking it. It's okay though. Four hours is more than enough time to stop school gossip about me from spreading any further. Especially if Aaron can provide the kind of connection between Mr Gray and Nelson that will send the police after the art teacher. For one brief, shining moment, I fantasise that Aaron has already done exactly that, and the next update on London.com will be a picture of Leigh's not-so-mystery guy in handcuffs. 

Sure, it's far-fetched. But if something even close to that happened, then Nelson would get the justice she deserves without Leigh, Jade, and me having to tell anyone we'd been inside the studio. This entire day could simply...go away. I'd get home early, take a desperately needed nap, and still have plenty of time to get ready for the award ceremony: shower, straighten my hair, put on makeup, and make sure all the tiny buttons on my complicated Belgian dress are fastened properly. The thought sends a burst of relief flooding through me, and my biscuits suddenly taste good again. 

"My Mum's in South Shields," Jade says. "Thank God. If she was at work, she would've already left to barge into school and check up on me. You know how she is."

I do, and Jade's right. She's a total mama bear. I'd totally pick her in a fight. 

"Where's your Mum working now?" Leigh asks.

I turn in my seat to face Jade as she says, "Couple different places, but mostly she's at the car dealership that's on the same road as the school. She does admin stuff for them."

"Does she like it there?" Leigh asks.

Jade shrugs. "It's a job. It's easy, physically. She needs easy right now." She gazes out the window, like that's all she has to say, but then adds, "She has osteoarthritis, so she can't move all that well without medication." 

"She has what? I almost choke on my last Chocolate Digestive. I can't imagine Jade's mother, always so energetic and vibrant, being slowed down by the same disease my Grandad has. "When did that happen?"