Page 61 of You Had Me At Thirteen

TWENTY-FIVE

Wren

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Koby hands me a can of soft drink on his way to sit next to me on the couch in the middle of his basement. He convinced me to come over after school this afternoon so we could chill out. After seeing the remnants of last night’s fight on my face, he made me promise not to fight tonight. It took a good ten minutes of nagging for me to agree.

I stare at the can in my hands, letting the cold sweat on the outside run between my fingers as Koby switches the TV on and loads up COD on the PlayStation. It’s been a while since I’ve sat here with him like this, zoning out the rest of the world.

When we were about fifteen, Koby and Jordan had this idea to turn their basement into a games room, so when their parents agreed, we all got to work creating theultimate man cave. We painted the walls white and decorated them with posters of cars, women, and superheroes. Mr and Mrs Hartley bought a massive U-shaped couch which still sits in the centre of the room. But we all had to chip in to buy the massive seventy-five-inch TV that’s mounted on the wall. We didn’t mind spending our weekend job money on it, considering we spent most weekends at the Hartleys’ place, anyway. We loaded up the entertainment unit with a PlayStation, Xbox, and whatever other gadgets we wanted. This place holds so many memories, and just being here with Koby feels like I can breathe for a moment. It feels like my life before my mum got sick.

‘You ready for me to kick your arse?’ Koby throws a controller at me, but it lands on the floor.

I sigh and pick it up before placing the can on the side table next to the couch. Koby’s eyes bore into the side of my face, but I refuse to look at him. I don’t want to talk to him about anything. But he’s not interested in silence.

‘What happened last night?’ Koby says, placing his controller between us.

‘Nothing.’ I stare at the TV.

‘Doesn’t look like nothing, dude. Who’d you fight?’

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

‘Well, tough,’ he says. ‘I get your mum is sick, and that’s shit. Really, I get it. But you’ve been in a mood for weeks. You don't even talk to me anymore. I'm supposed to be your best mate. I fucking miss you, man.’

I run my hands through my hair, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. ‘It’s complicated.’

Koby sinks into the couch, making himself comfortable as though I’m going to spill everything. ‘I’m all ears.’

He won’t let this go. How much do I tell him? Do I tell him I’ve kissed Matilda twice now, and I can’t seem to get her out of my head?

Or are we going to get deep into the fact that my mum is literally wasting away and there’s nothing I can do about it? After her episode the other day, she’s been going for more tests to see what’s happening. It’s like the diagnosis all over again. The waiting. The not knowing. All I know is I feel sick most of the time, unless I’m around Matilda.

‘Fine. I kissed Matilda.’ We’ll start with that. Maybe I can get him to back off before he asks questions about my mum.

‘Is that it?’ Koby smirks at me.

‘Yes, that’s it. She drives me crazy. She’s nosey as hell, always putting herself into my business. And she doesn’t fucking listen to a damn word I say, just does whatever she wants without thinking about the consequences of her actions.’ I’m breathless when I finish, so I suck in a deep breath before blowing it out in a controlled manner.

Koby snorts his drink through his nose, holding his stomach while he laughs at my outburst.

‘What’s so funny?’ I blink at him as I throw my hands up.

‘I’ll be damned,’ he says, sinking back into the couch again as he wipes away his tears of laughter. ‘You’ve got it bad, dude.’

‘What? Did you hear what I just said? She. Drives. Me. Crazy.’

‘Oh, I heard you. But, you’ve never been like this over a girl before.’

I throw myself into the back of the couch and cover my face with my hands. ‘Fuck.’ Although I already knew this, Koby confirming it just reminds me how deep I really am in this mess I’ve made.

Koby whacks me in the chest with the back of his hand. ‘What are you going to do?’

‘Ignore it. What else?’

‘Why would you do that?’

‘Because my life is a damn shit show at the moment. Why would I bring her into it? Besides, I’m pretty sure I’ve fucked everything up, anyway.’

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