Late afternoon, a weekend

[tezcatl_ipoca]

It's a cold afternoon, and grey. Nothing like the last afternoon Al and I spent in the woods, but it doesn't matter - we're not out here for the weather. In the rucksack on my back the whiskey bottle is buried under a blanket and torch and matches. Our winter coats have been brought out of storage now, and I think later I'll be glad to have mine

Comments

[al_shairan]

"We can't let it come between us. Whatever it - whether it's right or wrong. Don't you think?"

Syl agrees and squeezes my shoulder, and I nod gravely.

"You are right," I say. "All - this - is so sudden," I say, and I'm not sure if I mean what just happened, or the intensity of our friendship, or even the way I feel about Tez and what we have. "It rose up like a hurricane." There's more I want to say about that, but I still feel too - shy about it, and vulnerable. I think I will have to do a great deal of thinking, first.

"Truth," says Syl, and I look at her, surprised. I'd almost forgotten the game.

"I suppose it's my turn to ask," I say. I want to move to slightly safer ground, but still ask something that matters. "Is there anyone you care about - in a romantic sense, I mean. Is there anyone at WT you think about that way?"

[syl_thorn]

Al asks th'question, "Is there anyone you care about - in a romantic sense, I mean. Is there anyone at WT you think about that way?"

Sigh'n shake m'head. "Na. Not since...Tez tell ya 'bout Annabelle?" Al nods. Figured'e had. Don't get th'sense'ere's many secrets 'tween'ese two. "Well, after'at....guess I kinda gave up. Hooking up't school...mean, 'side from th'chance't y'hit on th'wrong person an'ey go cryin' t'th'teachers...always th'chance't somethin' like'at'd happen 'gain, that'ey'd get taken 'way...'r worse, that'ey'd let themselves get taken 'way. So...guess y'could say I gave up. Figured...well, older girls seem more open 'bout't, less scared...figured'd wait 'til after I grad'ated. See what happens'en." Quiet ferra sec, jes' list'nin' t'th'crickets'n th'fire. "You two're real lucky."

[tezcatl_ipoca]

"You are right. All - this - is so sudden. It rose up like a hurricane."

I look at him, and though I know what he means I'm suddenly smiling a bit, because I'm thinking: he's poetic when he's drunk. I'm starting to feel more than a little spinny myself, and there's a tense sort of ache at my temples. Syl grips my shoulder, and I take Al's hand again. It's going to be all right, Al. We'll work it out. I promise.

I feel so sad for Syl, though listening to her speak. "Guess y'could say that I gave up." There's a lump in my throat now. Whisky makes me emotional, it seems. Even more emotional. "You two're real lucky."

"I know," I say, and squeeze Al's hand a bit. "Oh, god, Syl, I know. I never thought I'd find anyone - and then Al, I kept seeing him, and thinking...and I knew there was no chance. Until," and I can hear a bit of awe in my voice, because really I still can't quite believe it, some days, "until there was."

[al_shairan]

Syl talks about not having anyone to care about the way I care for Tez, and I feel sad.

"You're probably right about waiting until we finish school," I say. "I mean, everyone's so... parochial." I realise how snobbish I sound, and I grin. "After school you could - go to London, or anywhere really that's bigger than here. Which is everywhere, more or less. I - I hope you find someone. I mean... I'm sure I'd like you, if I were a girl," I say, and then think that might sound rather bizarre, but never mind.

Oh, god, Syl, I know. I never thought I'd find anyone - and then Al, I kept seeing him, and thinking...and I knew there was no chance. Until there was."

I duck my head at that, because although I have a healthy self-regard, hearing Tez sound so... awed is enough to make a chap blush.

"You just liked me because I'd never look at you," I say teasingly, because otherwise I'll get dreadfully sentimental. "I think you like things that are hard to get. Hopefully I didn't make myself too easy in the end," I add archly.