A life in the Dark

C h a p t e r T h i r t y O n e

F r i d a y 1 0 t h J a n u a r y
________

"Come on!" Keira called back to me, dragging me down the crowded street. "My parents are waiting for us. The quicker we reach them, the quicker we'll get out of the traffic."

"I know!" I shouted back over the constant chatter, hauling along a bag of my overnight stuff, which I'd been hauling around all day, since there was no chance of me risking leaving it in form at the mercy of Jadyn and her cronies.

Eventually we reached her mum's car, quickly opening the door and jumping in before another car came by. "Hey girls. How was your day?" she asked, pulling out making sure to not hit any of the students, though personally I wouldn't have minded her giving Jadyn a few permanent injuries as she sauntered in front of the bonnet for ages walking at a ridiculously slow pace.

"Good," I replied, strapping myself in with the satisfying click! "Just really cold, with it being stereotypical January weather today."

"Yeah, it's such a miserable day," she agreed. "It's such a shame. I guess we'll put the fire on when we get home."

"Yes!" Keira shouted out, pumping her fist in the air in content. "Hot chocolate and movies around the warmth of the fire; perfection!"

In the mirror I watched her mum roll her eyes. "I don't understand your obsession with fire." I stifled a giggle as she shook her head.

Keira laughed along with me. "I don't either, but it is nice!"

*****

When pulled up at her house, we went straight up to her room, which was as fabulous as always. She leapt onto her bed after dropping her bags while I carefully placed mine by the wall. "So..."

"So?" I responded, playing dumb.

"So, tell me about what happened. Like, did he seriously just kiss you?"

I sighed, mixed with a gentle laugh at how predictable she was before taking a big breath and explaining everything, bringing up things from primary like when I'd met him for the first time or the first time I went round his to emphasise my shock at this development in our relationship.

"Does he really not get social cues?" she laughed, a small grin appearing involuntarily on my face. If one of us was socially awkward, it was me. However I could always read social cues. And not just from my paranoia, either.

"I don't know, I am obviously biased after all, maybe how I remember things happening wasn't really what happened."

"Nonsense: you have the greatest memory of everyone I've ever known. Plus you're the fairest person ever, too. You always consider everything from all points of view," she reasoned, and-although I know I'm biased once again-she was very persuasive.

I roll my eyes. "Okay, either way, what do you advise?"

"Let's find a way to take your mind off of it!" she ordered, overly excited. I nodded in agreement. Why not? I thought. Let's see what she has in mind.

*****

"Girls! Dinner!" Keira's mum calls up the stairs and we oblige. I was starving. It was only six o' clock but it was already pitch black outside, the glow of the street lamps merging with the raindrops on the window panes. We came down it be faced by a feast; a roast fit for a king: chicken, potatoes, carrots, broccoli, Yorkshire puddings, sweet potatoes, stuffing, and enough gravy to supply a whole country for a year. My mouth watered with the delicious scents that were swirling around the room as we grabbed some drinks. Eagerly, I took the seat opposite Luke and we started piling up our plates with the tender meat and fluffy potatoes, that looked stunning with a golden finish.

"How are you?" Luke asked me, biting into a potato. I shrugged, "pretty good."

"Good," he smiled.

"You?"

"Doing okay, I suppose."

"Cool."

"Just as good as always at interesting conversation, I see," he joked and I nodded.

We continued our talk with the others chiming in every now and again, covering topics such as Christmas, school and work. Then, as we were finishing up, the woman sitting at the end of the table got up and pulled the sweetest smelling apple crumble out of the oven.

"Oh ma gaaaad I love apple crumble!" Keira exclaimed as I agreed and we rushed over.

"Oh no, not now. We will have it round the fire so go get ready," her mum instructed.

We headed upstairs so that we could get dressed ready to make hot chocolate and sit by the fire, so I headed to the bathroom first with my pyjamas and hairbrush. I looked at myself in the mirror, the lights framing it, and brushed and played my hair, switching my shirt and the for a fluffy top and my skirt for matching leggings. Lastly I washed my face and walked out, yawning and stretching simultaneously until I stopped dead in my tracks, staring at Keira, hunched over my phone with a smirk on her face.

"What are you doing?" I asked, concerned. She didn't answer, so I looked over her shoulder as she pressed send before I could read it. Then, looking at me she grinned mischievously. Scared of what she's done I snatched my phone away from her, unlocking it and being sent to my messages with a certain someone. I couldn't move. I just stared at the screen, speechless, as Keira snickered in the background. I didn't see the funny side of it.

Logan: Hey.

Hey.

Logan: wyd?

At a friend's house.

Logan: Keira's?

Yep

Logan: Are you still mad at me?

No.

Logan: Are you busy tomorrow?

No.

Logan: can I meet up with you?

What, like as a date?

Logan: As whatever you want it to be.

Yeah sure.

Logan: 10:30? The Costa near mine.

Okay, text me the address.

My phone rang out with my ringtone as the address came through.

Logan: see you tomorrow ❤

I turned to Keira, who was grinning from ear to ear. I attempted to burn into her with my eyes, giving her the biggest death glare I've ever given.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you."

~~~~~~~

Hey guys Idk what to write here so...