The Winding Road

Chapter 3

*PING*

I reach into my back pocket and take out my phone. I have a message from my mom. I open whatsapp and begin to read...

*Alright. I understand why you don't want to be here, I don't want to be here either...anyway, have fun. Make good choices!*

*I hope you'll be ok,* I type back, *oh my word mom! You know James, nothing is ever going to happen between us but thanks for the tip.*

I giggle slightly as I slip my phone back into my pocket and turn to see James smiling at me.

"What?" I say, nudging him with my elbow.

"Nothing." He says back, letting out a quiet laugh.

I smile. He always seems to put me in a good mood, even when I feel like punching something.
We arrive outside his house. I haven't been over for ages but it still looks the same. We walk to his front door and he begins to feel for the keys under the doormat. He stands up and turns around.

"Ok," he says, "we have a problem."

I laugh at him.

"Where are the keys James?"

"I may have left them inside the house when I left."

"Ok so now what?" I say, grinning at him.

"Now we climb," he says pointing up at his bedroom window, "give me a boost up to that tree branch. I'll be able to get to my window from there and pull you up."

I nod and give him a leg up. He holds onto the tree branch and hauls himself into a sitting position on the thick arm-like branch. He thinks for a second and then shouts down to me.

"Hey, I think it'd be better if I just go unlock the door from inside."

"Ok, that's chilled." I shout back.

He disappears through his window and I make my way back to the front door. I wait outside and hear him fumbling keys behind the door. After a while he opens the door. I laugh at his embarrassed facial expressions and walk in. He closes the door behinds me and asks if I want something to eat. Obviously, I say yes...I mean, who in their right mind refuses food when it's offered to them. That's just not normal.

"You can go upstairs so long," he says pointing up the staircase, "I'll be up in a bit."

"Ok." I say nodding and head up the stairs. When I get to the door of his bedroom I laugh. The walls are still the light blue color they were when we were kids...

"Some people just never change..." I think to myself as I walk in and make myself comfortable on one of the beanbag chairs in front of his TV. I take out my phone and text my mom again.

*Luv you*

And almost immediately get a reply back...

*Luv you too Darling! Have fun.*

I smile and put my phone back into my pocket. I look around James' room, one or two things have changed but not a lot. There are more posters on his walls, mostly of his favorite band ,Neon Fighters. Then there is a new TV and video games and lots of movies.

I stand up and walk to his movie rack. While I'm skimming through his collection, my eye catches something that draws my attention... A DVD box with my name on it. I pull it out of the shelf and look at the cover...

"Memories" I read out loud.

I jump and drop the disk when James begins to speak.

"I promise it's nothing weird," he says with a smile, "just some stuff I like to look back on."

He walks over to me and puts a tray of coffee and popcorn on the table. He bends down and picks up the box.

"Want to watch it?" He asks.

I shake my head. For some reason, my past is not something I want to relive. I walk to the rest of the movies and pick one at random.

"Let's watch this."