Suck It And See | A. Turner

[Chapter 18]

Luckily, Jack had planned a sleepover with friends that night and wouldn't be going to Rose's party. Just as well, Jade didn't think that environment would be conducive for a ten-year-old boy. Though he did go on to tell Matt and Andy about Alex and Jade's embrace in her room, and the boys, taking great satisfaction in his embarrassment, made sure to stick it to him whenever they could. 

The day had shot by into evening and they were just about set to head off to Rose's house. It wasn't that far, only about a twenty minute bus ride to Leazles where she lived. In a backpack, Jade had packed the party crackers, a couple bottles of booze from her dad's liquor cabinet, and all the little goodies the boys had purchased from Poundland.

At the front door, she couldn't help but mother over Jack as he was about to leave. His friend and his dad were outside waiting for him in the car. The young boy was done up in his thick coat, jeans, and matching knit-wool scarf that was wrapped over his mouth and hat that he had pulled down just over his eyebrows. Jade had forced him to take precautions due to the snow warning from the weather forecast.

"All right. You ready to go?" Jade asked him. Jack nodded, not really able to say much of anything thanks to his woolly gag.

"You know my phone number, right? Just in case your cellphone don't work?" she asked, to which Jack replied with another nod.

"And you're gonna be polite while you're over there?" another nod, "And you can call me at anytime, I don't care how late it is,"

Jack, with an aggravated huff, pulled his scarf off his face, "Jade, I'll be fine," he told her, "Just don't get pissed tonight,"

"I ain't gonna get pissed," she said, "Now, you warm enough?"

"Warmer than a tropical beach," he replied.

"Good," she unlocked the door as he picked up his backpack, "Behave now, and call me for anything," she said again.

"Jade," he glared at her, "I'm ten, not two. I'll be fine," he said.

"All right," Jade put her hands up, "Go out and be a man, ten-year-old," she grinned. Jack hugged her goodbye and dashed out the door with a faint send off. Jade shut the door behind him with a mirthful smile on her face, that is, until she was hit by a sudden thought. In a snap she went to the little glass bowl they kept on a shelf in the closet...

Jack was two steps shy of stepping into the car when the front door to his house flew open again, "Jack!" Jade called after him.

He froze, knowing that teasing yet condescending tone in her voice all too well. Slowly, he turned to face his big sister with apprehension, "... Yeah?"

"Where are your house keys?" she asked with a little smirk. Jack instantly felt his face heat, despite the cold nipping at his ears as Jade held up his keys. His dad would totally kill him if he forgot, or God forbid, lost those keys.

Without another word, Jade tossed them to her brother and he caught them with ease, then waved a sheepish goodbye as he climbed into his friend's car, "Have fun!" Jade called after them.

She went back inside and shut the wind and cold out with a hard slam of the door. Once again enveloped in the warmth of her house, she suddenly found Alex, Matt, and Andy standing in the threshold of the hallway, smiling at her as though they had just shared a joke amongst themselves. Jade glowered at them.

"What's funny?" she asked them.

"We was just talkin'," Matt said, "Admiring what a good big sister yeh are,"

Jade rolled her eyes with a chuckle, "Oh, piss off,"

➿➿➿

By the time eight o'clock had rolled around, Jade, Alex, Matt, and Andy entered into Rose's house. She too was parent-less for the night, something about having their own New Years party uptown. Within the confines were seven or eight other kids, all their age. Some of them were acquaintances of Jade from school, others were Rose's friends from her own extra-curriculars. The house smelled distinctively of air freshener and hot food, pizza from down the street no doubt. The television was on as well with New Year's Rocking Eve coexisting with the buzz of the stereo blasting 90s and early 2000s hits.