Coming Home

Chapter 2

January 2000

"Is, you're going to be late," I could hear my father call.

It was still dark outside, which meant that it was early morning - and way too early to get up for school.

"I don't want to," I said, pressing my face into the pillow.

"It's always hard getting back into the routine after a holiday," my dad sighed and sat down on my bed, "but I saw David Turner driving past a few minutes ago... Alex must be back a day early"

"Are you just saying that to make me get out of bed or are you serious?" I shot him a glance from under the covers. He knew that the main reason why I didn't want to go to school was because Alex' family had visited his grandmother in Norwich over the Christmas break and hadn't planned on getting back before later that night.

"I promise it was him," my dad said and held out his pinky, "now will you please get up? If you don't, I'll send up your mum!"

That definitely made me jump out of bed. Quickly, I dressed in my school uniform. I skipped breakfast and ran to the Turner household only a few streets away from mine.

"YOU'RE BACK!" I shouted as Alex opened the door. He was dressed in a new jacket that looked way too cold for the January air, an enormous scarf, and an army green beanie.

He laughed at me, "yes I am, you lunatic. Give me a second and I'll be ready," he said as he put on fluffy mittens and waved goodbye to his mum in the kitchen.

Together, Alex and I walked through the crisp January snow while talking about our holidays.

"What was your best present?" He asked me.

"I got these boots," I said, showing off my suede-clad feet, "I see you got the jacket you were hoping for!" I said, pointing to the Adidas logo on his chest.

"Yes, but that actually wasn't the best present," he said excitedly, "Grandma got me a guitar!"

I stopped walking, "are you serious?" I whispered, "that is so cool!"

He nodded eagerly, "it's brown and white and it has a cool strap and everything!"

"Are you going to take lessons then?"

"You know Jamie, my neighboor?"

"The broody guy from your year?" I had seen Jamie around school but seeing as I was in the year below Alex, I didn't really know anybody in his year apart from him.

"Yep! Well, I've seen him play the guitar in his room a few times so maybe I'll ask him to show me how it's done."

"Have you ever talked to him? I don't think I've ever even heard him say anything. You sure he can even talk?" I laughed.

Alex didn't join in on the laughing and I had a suspicion that he actually found this Jamie-guy cool, "Otherwise I'll just have to go to the library and get some books or summat," Alex shrugged, "but wow - Issy, just imagine being in a band! That would be absolutely bonkers!"

"Maybe I'll learn how to play an instrument too," I pondered, "We could form a band together. Which instrument do you reckon would suit me?"

"I don't care as long as you're not singing," he teased me, earning him a light smack to the back of his head.