Suck It And See | A. Turner

[Chapter 17]

With the snow having been cleared away, Jade had taken her friends throughout the city. They'd done all the things she had when she'd come to Sheffield, only the children were bundled up in thick heavy coats and their weight was held down by their boots. Jade and Jack walked near side-by-side down frost-ridden streets with Alex, Matt, and Andy trudging close behind. They ventured from the mainstream museums that were riddled with history they'd surely never have a good use for, through the shops with cheap knick knacks and souvenirs that would rust or break within a span of three months; though Andy just had to get something for his mum.

They stopped for lunch at a cafe in the late afternoon, peering just over Gateshead Bridge. Despite being by the window, the restaurant was warm enough so they could take off their coats. The children enjoyed fresh cups of tea and cocoa while bullshitting over plates of hot burgers and salted chips. Jack was kept entertained as he and Matt tried building tents out of their chips and ketchup.

"What tower's taller, yeh fink?" Matt asked, "Eiffel or Pizza?"

"You mean Piza?" Jack said.

"Tha's what I said," Matt said. Jade and Andy snorted whilst Alex couldn't help but roll his eyes.

After lunch they wanted to walk along Gateshead, but they had to wait a good half hour as a boat passed underneath. Instead, the four teenagers and the adolescent boy stayed huddled up along the rail, watching the river flow in the constraints of ice and boats brave enough to cut through the freezing cold waters below. The kids paid more attention to the humorous squabble that had broke out between Matt and Andy, who were jokingly trying to throw each other over the rail, instead of the arm that Alex subconsciously had around Jade's shoulders; in the back of his mind a meager attempt to keep her small body warm.

Rose had called sometime after and inquired to Jade about purchasing some stuff for their New Years party tomorrow. "Nothing too fancy", Rose had said, "just some party favors and hats and stuff". So on their way back home they went to Poundland, which at this time of day was teaming with people despite the shelves and racks being near-empty. Regardless, Jade sent Jack on an assignment to find party crackers at the end of the isle whilst Matt and Alex picked through the cheap costume masks and gags that were on sale. Leftovers from Halloween, as they concluded from the sales sign. Jade and Andy came up behind them, suspicious as they were giggling amongst each other.

"What's the crack, eh?" Andy asked. Matt suddenly turned around and gave a roar, dawning a fury gorilla mask. Jade was hardly displaced by his cheap scare attempt, smiling and shaking her head as she eyed the bandit-mask over Alex's face and the cowboy hat on his head.

"If King Kong was set in the Western pictures, this is what it'd look like," she said, "You wanna get those?"

"Figured they'd be fun," Matt replied, pulling the latex mask off his face with a huff, "There's a bunch of 'em 'ere fer cheap,"

"There's even one 'ere fer you, Jade," Alex giggled childishly, holding up a black, plastic bunny mask. It was one of those masks that covered the top half of the face, with the long ears protruding from the top. Jade couldn't help but chuckle and take it from him, setting down her shopping basket to slip it over her head.

"How do I look?" She asked them, striking a faux pose.

"Gorgeous, babeh!" Matt hollered playfully. As he did, Jack ran up behind them, toting an extravagantly decorated box that looked to be bigger than he was.

"What are you guys doing?" He asked. Jade turned to look down at her brother, still donning the bunny mask on her face. Jack's face screwed into a perfect mixture of horror and confusion, "Are you gonna' join the Playboy Mansion?"