In My Life

Chapter 8

1 Week Later...

John and I still weren't on speaking terms. He hadn't showed up at the bus stop all week, or even gone to school; no doubt he'd gone to her house again. He was never away from there! I was surprised Mimi hadn't become suspicious of anything yet. And to think, all those years I'd stuck by him through thick and thin, and he leaves me at the drop of a hat for a woman who walked out on him right from the start. But it didn't seem like John was willing to patch things up again, so why should I have made the effort either?

I decided there was no point in moping about around the house and feeling all sorry for myself, and that I'd be better off getting myself down to town for some fresh air.

The weather was sunny, a little chilly, but still warm enough, and so with peace of mind, ventured forth to Penny Lane for something to do.

After 10 minutes or so of simply pondering the streets, I settled down in a small café in one of the more quiet areas of the premises, drinking endless cups of tea to my hearts content.

"Hey, hey you?" Somebody tapped on my shoulder aggressively.

I looked up to find a total stranger, a boy no older than myself, leaning over me.

"Can I help you?" I gritted a little forcefully.

"Yeh, you can." He said. "You're friends with Lennon, right?"

"Guess you could say that." I sighed, sliding my tea cup across the table in between my palms.

"Well if you see him, tell him old man Shanks is on his case."

"Is that all?" I asked, frustrated that he wouldn't leave me be. After all, I took the day out to take my mind off John in the first place.

"Tell him he says he's sent one home." He finished, exiting with a sly grin.

"Right, got it." I rolled my eyes with a sigh.

What a waste of time that was. Like I was going to speak to John again anyway, I thought.

I rested my head in my palm miserably, playing with the tea cup again.

"..he's sent one home." I repeated to myself, only half consciously. "He's sent one home?" I muttered again. "Who? Shanks?" I laughed.

Shanks was the headmaster of Quarry Bank. John always suspected he'd had it out for him. Just recollecting old stories John would tell me about him had me chuckling to myself. How long ago it all felt now.

"Shanks sent what home?" I began to wonder. He couldn't be on his case if John hadn't even been at school. He couldn't have caused any mischief if he wasn't even there, right?

"He wasn't even there..." I whispered to myself, the tea cup at hand loosening from my grip and smashing to the ground.

Without second hesitation, I grabbed a handful of change from my bag, slamming it to the table.

"That should cover the tea and the cup." I shouted as I rushed from the café, with not a second thought to spare on how much of a scene I'd just caused. My mind and body were far too focused on sprinting back to Menlove Ave.