Page 9 of Chase

“Sure, but meet me by the bridge later?” he says to me and when I nod, he smiles, looking relieved.

Theo leaves Nonna and me to have a heart-to-heart chat. I’m actually glad I got to have this conversation with her instead of my mother, or even worse, Tilly. We end up laughing about it all and soon I’m brushing off what happened today. I’ll put it down to ‘experience’.

_____

Izzy

By three o’clock, I’m walking back into the woods,on my way to meet Theo on the bridge. It’s the same place we meet every day, I’m not sure why, but it’s been like that since he arrived here four years ago. Apart from holidays, I think we end up seeing each other every day. Sometimes we hang out at his to play Xbox, sometimes we go on rambles through the woods, sometimes we go into town and see a movie. Whatever we’re doing, he’s the one person I can rely on to make me laugh and feel good about myself. He makes me forget about my awful family and focus on him and Nonna instead. I love him for it.

However, today is the day that will change our relationship. When I look over at the bridge, he is not alone. He’s leaning against Maddison, his hands under the back of her shirt, smiling and kissing her, and not in just a friendly way either. She looks at him like her world begins and ends with him. I can’t say I blame her. In fact, I have to admit, a pang of insane jealousy and anger sweeps over me as I study the way they are touching each other. Time to break this vomit-worthy scene to pieces.

As I approach the bridge, I purposefully cough loudly to disturb them. Maddison looks up first, not appearing at all shy about me witnessing what they were just doing. In fact, she has a smug smile plastered on her face, which only broadens when he looks up at me without much reaction. I smile tightly at him, and he returns the greeting, unfazed by having an audience to him feeling her up.

“Am I interrupting something?” I ask curtly while crossing my arms.

“Not at all, Twiglet” Theo says, using his nickname for me as if highlighting the fact we’re just friends. It irks me. “Maddison was just about to go for her ballet lesson, weren’t you, babe?”

“Oh, yes,” she replies in a fake syrupy voice, much likeTilly puts on for boys she fancies. She then kisses him on the lips, and I spy him dip his tongue in. Bile threatens to erupt out of my mouth as they go at it, right in front of me. “See you tonight?”

He nods with a ridiculous grin on his face, much like the dogs pull when the fish and chip shop owner comes out to feed them the greasy, crusty chips that have been left after the lunchtime rush. It’s cute on them but revolting on Theo right now.

“I’ll miss you,” she pouts, and I can’t help rolling my eyes over the sickening performance. Theo spies me and looks annoyed. “See you later, Ivy.”

The silly bitch knows that’s not my name, but no one bothers to correct her, not even Theo. I merely wriggle my fingers at her with a fake grin as she walks off, swaying her hips provocatively as she goes.

“What?” Theo is on me straight away. “Just say it, Izzy!”

“I have absolutely nothing to say,” I tell him with a bored shrug as I begin to walk off in the opposite direction to Maddison. He quickly falls into step behind me and grabs hold of my upper arm. “Hey, dude, get off my arm!”

“Are you mad at me?” he snaps, sounding accusatory. “Because I am allowed to see other people you know. I can’t hang around with kids all the time.” My mouth drops open over his words and I suddenly feel as though I’ve lost him, just as I did Mary. “I didn’t mean that to sound the way it came out, Izzy, I’m sorry.”

“Screw you, Theo! Or maybe little sashay-of-the-hips will for you,” I shout, eyeing him furiously. “I don’t need this shit. It’s been a fucker of a day as it is, so go and suck face with little Miss Dry Hump over there. See if I care!”

“You’re fucking crazy, you know that? Though, I guess we know why after this morning,” he says with an angry smirk. “Perhaps when you’ve learned to control those hormones of yours, you should give me a call. Until then, maybe we should have a break from one another.”

As my heart begins thumping about furiously inside of my chest, feeling painful over not only his rejection, but the injustice of it all, I stare at him, feeling shocked over his sudden change in personality. I suppose a pretty face can do that to a guy. I step back, feeling hurt and confused; this wasn’t how it was supposed to go. Theo has always been my rock but now it seems he’s gone, and instead, there is this angry, sex-crazed teenager, acting more like my brother and sister than my best friend and confidant.

I shake my head slowly and let a stray tear fall slowly down my cheek. Then, with one last look of disgust, I run from him. It’s only three o’clock and this is the second time I’ve had to run away from my demons today.

When I walk into the kitchen, the whole family is there, minus Dad, who is probably still at work. Mum has started getting ready for some social event to do with Dad’s work but is chatting warmly with Ethan and Tilly. They look happy together, complete without me, so I try to slip in unnoticed. However, trusty old Tilly spies me, and we all know she never misses an opportunity to dig the knife in.

“Recovered yet?” she asks with a cruel smile before lifting her mug of hot chocolate to her lips.

“I’m peachy, thanks,” I reply without expression, hoping she doesn’t mistake my puffy eyes as a reaction to her antics.

“Oh, Isobel, I would make you a hot chocolate too, but Ethan just had the last one and I’m terribly late getting ready foryour father’s work do this evening. Appearances are everything you know,” she chirrups.

“I’m sure Isobel doesn’t mind,” Ethan butts in, “she could stand to lose a few pounds as it is.” He smiles at Tilly before they both burst out laughing.

“Don’t be cruel, Ethan,” Mum giggles. “Get everything sorted this morning, Isobel?”

“Brenda helped me,” I explain, “then Tilly announced my predicament to the whole village, didn’t you sister dearest?”

“Jeez, Isobel, it was just a joke, get over it!”

The cruel, smug look she gives me is enough to send me over the edge, and I see nothing but a dangerous mist of red in front of me. I stalk over to where she’s sitting and grab a fistful of her hair. She releases a satisfying yelp as I pull hard, kicking her chair out from under her and slamming her up against the wall. For the first time ever, she looks terrified and tries to buckle, but my grip is too strong.

“Isobel, put her down this instant! You’re overreacting,” Mum flusters as she rushes over to us, but I push her back. “Your father will hear about this!”

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