Between Now and Goodbye (4 page)

As we pass the lounge I see a large stack of of laundry thrown haphazardly on the couch, near the open ironing board. In the kitchen the sink is stacked high with unwashed dishes, pans and glasses. There's also food splatters over the table. I search for the cleanest seat, sit down reluctantly and wait while Charles reheats and dishes up a small serving of curry. I'm guessing he's economizing on groceries, or the portion would be far bigger.

From upstairs, I can hear a mixture of shrieking, laughing and yelling. I feel like I'm sitting in a kindergarten for my meal. Not what I'd wanted for this evening.

'How was your day?' Charles asks, sitting down opposite me.

'Oh, you know,' I shrug my shoulders, 'the garden party was totally lame, but Carly and Xavier showed up, so it wasn't all bad in the end. I also went shopping before the party and bought an amazing outfit for Susie's party this weekend. We're still going, right?'

'Sure, if you want.' He nods.

'Good, because I hear that she has some fireworks and that'll be amazing. I smile over at him. 'This is good.' I nod down to the plate, because despite it being so small that I'm going to have to drive to McDonald’s later, it does taste good.

'Thanks, Libs gave me the recipe.'

'That girl needs to come home, I miss her already.' I whine.

'I know,' he nods, 'she'll have an amazing time though, and she's going to learn so much.'

'Yeah while we're bored at home.'

'I wouldn't say bored, I have a lot to keep me occupied and you still have me.' He smiles at me with a boyish smile.

'True.' I take a small bite of my curry. I know that a good girlfriend would at this point ask him how his day went, but I know from the way he looked so sad out on the porch that he's had a bad day. I just can't be bothered to listen to him tell me what happened. It's always so depressing and it's summer. We're young and should be out having fun. Instead, he's just so depressing, and I just can't face that today. 'Oh, so you'll never guess what I planned with Xavier and Carly in a couple of days.'

'What?' He looks genuinely interested and I feel a wave of love, or something like it, for him.

'Well, we decided we wanted to have a little party, just a few people you know, not huge. The thing is though, we want to, like, do something different. We hang out at each others house like all the time, and it's getting just a little tired, you know?'

'Uh, I guess.'

'So we needed to come up with a new place, and I thought, what better place than my dad's office. I mean it overlooks the beach, there's a roof terrace as well. Perfect, right?'

'Uh, Julie, did you ask your dad?'

'Well, no, duh, he'd say no. He's so precious about his office. I mean you wouldn't think that an accounting firm would be a good place for a party, but with the view and the roof terrace. Amazing.'

'I don't think you should be holding a party in his office. If he'd say no if you asked him then you shouldn't be doing it.'

'We're not doing any harm. We just want somewhere new to hang out, and it's not like it's even going to be that many people. Ten tops, so will you come?'

'I don't think so.' He shakes his head and my heart drops.

'Why not?' I pout.

'Because I both like and respect your dad, so if I know he wouldn't approve of the location of the party, then I'm not going to go to it.'

'Seriously?' I roll my eyes, 'That's an insanely lame way of thinking. He wants that company to be mine someday, so it's basically mine.'

'No,' he shakes his head, 'it isn't yours because you don't run the company, and you have no intention of running the company ever. You want to set up your own fashion magazine, and that doesn't involve your dad's building.' I feel like he's lecturing me and I'm just about to say something along those lines, when the twins, I can never remember their names, come flying into the room. The girl in tears, and the boy looking angry.

'Charlie,' the girl yanks on his sleeve. I really hate it when people call him Charlie, or any shortening of his name really, like when Libby calls him Char, all nicknames tend to bug me. 'Sean broke my toy boat, the one you made for me.' The girl climbs up onto Charles' lap and sobs into his previously clean black button up and dark gray waistcoat. That's another thing that annoys me, Charles tends to dress like an English teacher/indie singer. Always in button ups, jeans and waistcoats, with converse shoes. Would it kill him to wear some nice chinos and a polo once in a while?

'I didn't do it.' The boy, Sean, stamps his foot down on the ground.

'Sorry,' Charles mouths to me with a small apologetic smile, then he turns to his little sister, 'did you see him break it?'

'Well, no but he must have.'

'I told you, it wasn't me.' Sean shouts, his small fist smacks down onto the table with surprising force.

'Hey now don't get angry, we'll sort this out. Georgia what exactly is wrong with the boat?'

'The sail broke off.' She whimpers.

'It fell off of her cupboard when Katie climbed out of the window, that's how it broke.' Sean pipes up.

'Ok, well I can fix it for you... wait,' his head snaps to Sean, 'Katie climbed out of her window?'

'Uh-huh.' Sean nods, 'I saw her do it.'

'When?'

'About ten minutes ago, after Pippa went home.' Sean replies, and I know that this is now the end of our evening. No movie, no walk, no romantic end to the day. He's going to be busy dealing with his family, again.

'I'm sorry Julie, I really have to go and get her, she's been spending time with some people she really shouldn't and...I just need to go make sure she's ok. I shouldn't be too long.'

'It's fine, whatever. I'll just go home.'

'You don't have to, finish up your dinner and I'll be back soon. We can still watch a movie.' He replies. I think about sitting on his cluttered couch, with his brothers and sisters coming in and out of the room.

'Yeah, thanks but I think I'll just... let you handle stuff here, you seem busy.' I lean down and kiss him, 'Call me tomorrow, k?'

'Yeah.' He nods and walks me out, 'I really am sorry.'

'It's fine.' I shrug because there really isn't much else to say.

Seven – Libby

My first week of classes is officially over and they were fantastic. I didn't think I'd be able to settle in so fast, but I actually found it pretty easy. My room mate Natalie is fantastic, and it turns out that she wants to open up a restaurant which reinvents classic junk food snacks into high end dining. I actually love the idea.

My classes are all wonderful, and we've already learnt so much in just one week, and I have the rest of the summer to learn even more.

I miss home. I really do. I won't pretend like I don't because even though I talk to my mom and Pippa everyday, and I talk to Matt, Charles and Libby most days. I'm still feeling homesick for them and my town.

Right now I have a bit of free time and Natalie and I are getting ready to go out exploring the city. Natalie's just finishing up her make-up while I search for my phone, which has been ringing for a good thirty seconds already. I find it under a pile of notes on French cooking methods and quickly answer before Julie rings off.

'Finally.' She sighs.

'Hi, sorry I couldn't find my phone.' I say as I sit cross legged on my bed.

'It's fine, I just had something that I wanted to run by you.'

'Uh huh, go ahead.' I say, grabbing my iced tea and taking a large sip.

'I think I'm going to break up with Charles.' She says it so coolly, in a way that sounds like she could just as easily be deciding to buy a new pair of jeans. I don't take it quite so lightly and end up choking on my tea.

'What?' I splutter, 'Why?'

'I'm just...I don't know, bored.'

'Bored? But, you love him.' I say, aware that Natalie is now paying more attention to me than her make-up.

'Mm, I mean it's not definite or anything. It's just... well, we don't like the same stuff you know. I'm going out tonight, a small party thing at my dad's office, and he made me seem like a terrible person for going. All this stuff about respect and whatever.' I get the feeling I'm missing a lot of the context here. Why would Charles mind her going to her dad's office party? I don't get a chance to ask, 'I just thought that I might break up with him. I might not. What do you think?'

'I think you guys have been together a long time, and he loves you and you love him. I don't think you should give up on that on a...a whim.'

'I guess.' She sounds as though she's thinking it over, 'Maybe I'll wait then, like I said it was an idea. I don't know.'

'Julie you do love him, right?'

'I mean it's not like we'll be together forever or anything, we're in high school for goodness sake. Once we leave for college, we'll be breaking up anyway.'

'Why?'

'Because, long distance never works and he's not Ivy League, so we won't be going to the same school. Even if long distance wasn't so awful, I'm not sure I want to start college with a boyfriend, you know?'

'No, I don't know.'

'Look, don't mention anything to him. I may not even end things, after all there are going to be a lot of school dances and stuff next year, and I don't want to be going to them without a boyfriend, because going with friends is lame...no offence.'

'Julie you can't stay with him just so you have a prom date. That isn't fair to him.'

'It's not just prom.' I sighs heavily like I'm being the frustrating one.

'You know what I mean.' I sigh, 'Julie do you love him?'

'I don't know, what even is love, right? I mean I like him and he's sweet and stuff and...oh Xavier and Carly are here, we're heading out to the party, so we'll just...talk later yeah?'

'Julie wait.'

'Don't say anything to Charles, ok? I haven't even decided anything yet, just a passing thought and those don't always pan out, you know?'

'I won't say anything, but please don't do this just because you're bored and want a change, be sure. Promise me you'll think it through.'

'I will.' She replies, 'Ok, talk later. Love you, bye.' She hangs up before I can say anything else.

'Everything ok?' Natalie asks.

'I have no idea.' I shake my head, Natalie looks at me expectantly. 'Ok, my best friend, Julie, is thinking about breaking up with her boyfriend, Charles, who just so happens to be my other best friend.' I shake my head, dropping my phone down onto my lap and then I grab it again.

'What are you doing?'

'I'm calling Charles.'

'Why?' Natalie walks over and plucks the phone from my hands.

'He needs some warning, he loves her and if she goes over there out of the blue and breaks up with him...it'll break his heart.'

'Libby, did your friend ask you to keep it quiet?'

'Well...yes.' I nod reluctantly, 'But Charles is my friend as well.'

'Exactly, as well. It's an awful situation, but if she's asked you to stay quiet, then you need to.'

'I know,' I sigh. 'She said she was bored.'

'Of her boyfriend.'

'Yes and...I don't know, I guess she's just bored of him, of school, her house, bored of her family, her life. She's been like this before, never about Charles, but other stuff, and it doesn't usually last.'

'Well then maybe she's just having another funny five minutes.' Natalie suggests, handing my phone back to me. I tuck it into the pocket of my jeans to make sure I don't call Charles.

'I hope so,' I reply, 'because he really loves her and he deserves so much better than this. Having her break up with him now, is basically the last thing he needs.'

'How come?'

'Things are tough for him, he's going through a lot of stuff with his family and he needs a good support system. If she ends things just because she's a little bored, at the moment...I don't know,' I shake my head, 'it's just a really rubbish thing for her to do.'

'What you need is to take your mind off of it, there's nothing you can do about it tonight anyway. So I propose we head out into the city, and explore until we're too tired to keep our eyes open.'

'Sounds like a plan.' I nod, grab my purse off my bed and follow her to the door. Still, though, it doesn't feel right.

The city is busy, really busy. People all around us are moving fast, hurrying along to get to their destinations. Tourists are scattered liberally around, stopping inconveniently to photograph something, or exclaim how amazing it is.

I've been pushed, pulled, knocked sideways, stepped on and I'm pretty sure someone deliberately elbowed me earlier on today, and it's going to leave a bruise on my side. Yet, I love it.

I love this city. I love the noise and the bustle and the people. I love the food and the atmosphere and that there are always new things to see and explore. I love that it's gone two in the morning and we can still go shopping or grab something to eat in a choice of different restaurants. This isn't the kind of place I could live, I know that for certain, I'm a small town girl and that's what I'll always be. However, I can see myself spending vacations here. Searching the city for its hidden gems.