Page 96 of Summer, in Between
A car horn toots and I turn to see Paul parking in front of our table.
‘What’s so funny?’He drops down to sit beside me on the bench.
‘This sweet, innocent-looking chick just made a grown man cry,’ says JB.‘She scares the crap out of me every time she opens her mouth, don’t you gorgeous?’
‘You call me a chick again and you will be scared.’
‘Who’s the lucky guy?’says Paul.
‘Cat tore the lifeys a new one.’Ant tosses a chip high into the air, catching it with his mouth.‘Got all lawyer on them.Man, I wish I could have seen it,’ he says, chomping through the chip.
‘He’s exaggerating, just for a change.’I lick the salt off my fingertips.‘Meanwhile, I’m in desperate need of water.Anyone want anything?’
‘I’ve got you,’ Paul and JB say in unison.
‘Sorry.’JB facepalms.‘Force of habit.Yeah, of course.’
‘All good.’Paul goes into Sadie’s.I reach across and whack Ant’s arm.
‘Ow, what was that for?’he says, mock scowling.
‘Oh, don’t be a baby.I barely touched you.It’s a thank you for helping me catch up with my best friend.’I knock JB’s hat off to tussle his hair with both hands.‘Even if he has an unhealthy obsession with hair product.’
‘Hands off, Trines!’JB bats me away.‘The ladies love it.’
‘Yeah, I can tell, look at you fighting them off.’
‘Don’t look but there’s one giving me “come hither” eyes right now,’ he says, smirking.
I turn, and there’s Isabel sitting across the road at the pub, true to form, eyeballing my best friend.
‘Trust me, you do not want to touch that.’I clench my teeth.‘Honestly, not even with hospital grade disinfectant and a hazmat suit.I forbid it.You hear me?’
‘Forbid what?’Paul places a glass bottle of water in front of me.
‘Baby girl’s under the misguided impression that I have to run everything past her,’ says JB.‘It’s bizarre how you think you have a say in my love life.’
‘Love life?’I scoff.‘That’s a laugh.I don’t think you could call a five-minute hook up in the toilets “love”.You know the rules.My best frienddoes nothook up with my mortal nemesis underanycircumstances.Do I make myself clear?’
‘You are so easy to wind up,’ he says, bopping me on the nose.‘I’m not here to hook up; I’m here to see you.Calm down, chickaboo.’
‘Why is everyone telling me to calm down all the time?’I take a swig of water.‘If everyone didn’t push my buttons I wouldn’t need to calm down.’
‘I hear meditation helps.’JB winks.‘Anyway, we’d better head now, hey Scampo?’He rises off the bench.‘Man, it’s been so good seeing you.Come here, gorgeous.’He hugs me, shaking me from side to side.‘See you in a couple of weeks.’He shakes Paul’s hand.‘Take care of her, man.’
‘On it,’ Paul says.
