Rooftops - A Year In The Making

Chapter 15 - One way

Mum took off again before I went to sleep last night and judging by the lack of defining snoring she isn't back yet either. I look at the small ticking clock on my wall and it reads 3:06, early but I probably won't be getting back to sleep. It's only when I hear the door slam shut when I realise what woke me.
"Riley! Riley! Get down here now!" She doesn't sound as drunk as usual, her words aren't as slurred.  I wipe my eyes of sleep and pull the covers off me before making my way downstairs.

"Quicker, useless girl!" She sighs at me. I stand on the lowest step, my eyes still focusing to the change in light. "I need money."
"I don't have any," I answer honestly.
"Well go do some hours at the shop, NOW!"
"But mum it's 3 o'clock, they won't b-----"
"Shut up!" She shouts, slurring her words. "Get out, go now, don't come back without money."

I decide not to go to Cass's house. She wouldn't be getting much sleep as it is, without me knocking at her door. As I have nothing to do and the darkness is only just beginning to fade I decide to just sit outside the shop and wait for them to open at 7.

I don't have a phone to listen to music on, I don't have friends to talk to, I just sit. I sit for three hours before someone comes. A local, her family has owned the shop for as long as she can trace, that's what she tells me.
"Come in, come in. What are you doing out so early? How long have you been here? She flusters me into the small village shop in her fast speaking accent and many questions.
"About 5 minutes. Sorry for bothering you." I lie, as she starts to rip open a box that was probably delivered yesterday.

"I don't open for an hour, the kids av' all left home now, but your welcome to play their game thingys if ya want." She says, as quickly as before rushing around the shop, although not in a rush.
"I'm fine Mrs Har-"
"Dee, I told you to call me Dee." She says, patting me on the shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Dee, I'm fin- actually, do you know if they have a printer?" I ask, my brain thinking as I talk.

"Why yes I do love, what ya needing it for?" She says stopping what she is doing so she can talk to me.
"School project, we don't have a printer."
"Upstairs, upstairs love. You know where to go, upstairs. Print a house if ya want, Hehe. Go on love."

I make my way up the stairs thanking Mrs Harri-, Dee, and press the 'on' button to the computer. Starting google I find what I am looking for and copy the image to a word document.
"You alright, found all ya need?" She startles me as she comes in the small room that I think used to be one of her children's rooms.
"Y-yes thank you." I say, uncomfortably as she rests her hand on my shoulder and leans over to have a look.
"Ahh, a train map, I used to ride the trains, everyday I'd go someplace different. Knew the local track well I did, back in the day." She looks down remembering her past, then springs back into life again. "So, ya doing a project about trains?"

"No, um about the local p-places, I got told to do trains." I stutter, searching for an answer in a brain that has none.
"Ahh, I see, that ain't too local, that ain't, ya'll want one that's just round here." She suggests nicely.
"N-no, this is fine, thank you." I say hitting print.

I stay at the shop longer than usual, earning more than I usually do. It's never very busy but Dee never stops talking. Chatting with the locals and people she's never met before. It always astonishes me, how someone can speak so freely to someone they've never met. Me, I have trouble saying 'here miss' in the register.

Dee tends the till while I stack the shelves after the delivery comes. My small body is still taller than hers. Although her plump stature gives a happy and jolly feel to the whole shop along with her rose cheeks. While my thin bony legs and arms hardly make people happy and in a good mood. Dee increases the usual £40 to £60 as I stayed later. Then, at 4 o'clock I make my way back home.

Mum doesn't notice I stayed late. As I walked in the door, it woke her which made her angry.
"How dare you, after I let you go out. I Let You!"
"Sorry mother" I say quietly.
"I can't hear you!"
"Sorry mother" I repeat, a little louder.
"Come 'ere" She demands, I don't have the option to not obey.

As I walk over to her my foot collides with an empty bear bottle that has leaked a small puddle of sticky liquid on the floor. I try to stop myself falling, but I can't. I land on the floor on my side, bruising my knee. As I close my eyes briefly to hold the pain a big force to my stomach sends my back about a meter.
"Wimp!" I hear her shout, I look up and her foot is half way to doing the same thing again. I don't move as much this time, I brace myself but still the hit causes me to cough. I gasp for air as I stand up again. Only to be kicked back down. To weak to resist it. The second fall I hit my head on the table, face first. The pain lasts for a second before it is relieved by blackness.

***

I wake up in agony, the pain seering through my head and my knee only just bearable to stand on. I limp around the house looking for mum but she isn't there, must've gone out again. Then I realise, she's gone out! I reach into my pocket and grab the piece of paper I have folded several times. With growing confidence, only thoughts about Cass could bring me, I fly up the stairs, the pain in my knee slowly distinguishing.

Bursting into my room I pick up my school bag, searching my pocket I find that, just as I though mum has taken the money from my pocket. My front pocket. Then I search the back one and find the £20 I earned as overtime. Stuffing it into the front of my old canvas back pack along with the envelope.

Knocking on the door I realise I haven't looked at the time. It takes less than 30 seconds for Cass to rush to the door but she stops when she sees me.
"Oh Riley" She says, engulfing me in a hug. "I'm sorry" She says sympathetically. No idea what she's talking about I pull apart and look at her with confusion. As she smooths my face with her hand, the pain comes back. Then I realise I must have a bruise on my forehead as my hand joins hers.

"Come on" I say, aware that she doesn't know what I'm talking about. To my surprise she doesn't question me. Walking inside she grabs some food and asks me whats happening. I explain as I search for a clock. 7:30.
"We need to go, It'll get dark soon."

Climbing out her window seems strangely alien to me, something which comes naturally usually.

The field is cold, not hot like the first time we came. We walk hand in hand along the paths made my tractors. Not talking felt right, the silence reflecting the risk we are taking. Running my fingers along the soft grains as we walk I see that Cass does the same and we occasionally share a smile together.

The sign is a welcome relief to all the walking, my knee starting to ache again and the light fading. Stepping into the train station, it feels so surreal. The few people in there staring as we walk up to the desk.

I've already asked Cass to speak, as I feel unable too. Her hand the comfort pulling me through this. A notice on there says to pay on the train so we walk straight out, I timed it right and just two minutes later our train hisses to a stop in front of us. Stepping on, I grasp Cass's hand, which she returns instantly. The first two seats we see are the ones we choose, longing to sit down.

Her arm trails around my shoulders, pulling me closer, then I sit up again when the ticket collector comes.
"Two children to, Waterhouse Bay" She says, pausing to compare the letter and map I printed.
"Children?" His rough voice but kind questions.
"Yep"
"And is that return or one way?"

Cass looks at me in the eye, mine returning. Then we both turn to the collector and reply in unison.
"One way"

Wow, so this is the first book I completed and I've now edited the chapters too.  I've had many requests, and as promised, the sequel is now up and you can find it on my account, it's called The Tomboy And The Girlygirl 2. Thank you for your support :)

Julia